Longoria’s busy schedule
draws cheers at Reavis
By Bill Stone
Reavis senior Natalie Longoria began playing organized soccer in junior high.
By then, she already was an experienced cheerleader.
Longoria has enjoyed participating in both sports for the Rams, but it’s not always easy balancing two demanding activities.
“It’s not crazy, but it’s just two different sports. People ask me how do I do it and I’m like, ‘I don’t know,’ ” Longoria said.
“Cheerleading is a lot. It’s really expensive and you have to be really committed for it. Soccer’s different. You’re running. You’re able to try to win. With cheerleading you only do it once (in competition) and if you mess up, you’re not able to do it again. For soccer, if you’re losing you can try to score and win.”
Cheerleading is probably the most successful sport at Reavis these days. Girls soccer hopes for similar success when the season starts this spring.
The Rams will try to contend for only their second girls soccer conference championship ever as well as improve upon their 2019 record of 11-11-2.
A key reserve last year, Longoria will contribute more for a roster that returns eight starters and four South Suburban Conference Red Division all-league players.
“I would like to win conference,” Longoria said. “Being committed I think is a very big (contribution as a player), not only to the game but practices as well. I think that’s very important. And being able to show teammates how committed I am, give them a boost.”
In competitive cheerleading, the Rams are enjoying unprecedented success. This past February, they made their fourth-0consecutive trip to the IHSA state meet in Bloomington and tied for 16th in the coed division out of 25 state qualifiers.
Longoria has been part of the last three state lineups, and three varsity conference champions after being on the junior varsity as a freshman.
Senior soccer teammate Natalia Supan also has been part of the last two state-qualifying lineups.
When Reavis qualified for state cheerleading in 2017, that was only the second time in program history. That came in 2007, the second season the sport was sanctioned by the IHSA. Longoria took a fan bus to watch that state meet.
“I just looked up to (that team) like, ‘I want to be able to compete at state.’ They showed how they improved during the year, and I wanted to experience that too,” Longoria said.
“My freshman year we improved the cheerleading. Reavis cheerleading used to be really bad (competitively), but now we’re known out there. Now people are scared to go against us.”
Like other sports, state cheerleading for all-girls entries are split by enrollment size into large, medium and small divisions. However, there is only one division for co-ed teams, regardless of that school’s enrollment.
In all four divisions, teams must finish among the top five scores in the five sectional groupings to advance to the state finals.
As Longoria noted, getting to state is based on teams’ one lone performance at sectionals.
That’s also the case at state. Those among the top 10 scores after preliminaries compete again in the finals with those routine scores determining their final standings.
This year’s Reavis team advanced after a fourth-place sectional finish. Reavis’ co-ed state qualifiers previously finished a program-best 13th in 2019, 14th in 2018 and 18th in 2017 after taking fifth at sectionals. The 2019 and 2018 teams were third at sectionals.
“We do it when we need to do it,” Longoria said. “Our season at the beginning we don’t always do really well (at competitions). We don’t place well. Starting with conference is when we get our stuff together and we start improving more. That’s how we make it out (to state).”
At Liberty Junior High School, Longoria was a school cheerleader but did not play for the girls soccer team, opting to play club instead.
Longoria already had been a cheerleader since sixth grade for the Burbank Titans youth football team, trying out after seeing a video about the opportunity.
“One of my friends said I should do it,” Longoria said.
Longoria plays a pivotal role for the Reavis cheerleaders. At 4-feet-11, she usually is lifted, held and thrown, especially for the team’s competitive routines, as well as being among the tumblers.
Just the school responsibilities of cheering for the football and boys basketball teams can present hazards. Longoria said she nearly suffered a concussion from a fall this past football season.
“For competitive, you have to have more (skills). For football season, it’s a little less, but they still throw you around,” she said. “It is very nerve-wracking (for me). It’s pretty dangerous.”
There’s also plenty of scheduling and financial challenges for Longoria. She’s spent hundreds of dollars toward new outfits, shirts and shoes and the music and choreography for their competition routines.
There’s also the additional practice time to prepare for competition. Still, Longoria joined Reavis’ offseason indoor soccer team and attended as much as possible.
“She tried her best to make the games,” Reavis senior Alyssa Froylan said.
“It is very hard (balancing),” Longoria said. “I did join but sometimes I wouldn’t be able to make the game. If I had time, I’d go to the game and get my touches in.”
Longoria is expected to get more touches if there is competition this spring. Reavis coach Jeff Grider has discussed with Longoria about playing outside right defender or midfielder this season. Longoria played both positions while on the sophomore level.
In her first varsity season in 2019, she was one of the first subs, usually for graduated Lily Saenz at outside right midfielder.
“I think it went pretty well. I played every single game,” Longoria said.
Longoria has considered college cheerleading or soccer at Moraine Valley Community College or St. Xavier University. She is planning a career as a neonatal nurse like her aunt.
As for now, soccer is on Longoria’s mind. Like everyone else, she simply is waiting for the season to begin after the stay-at-home order for the COVID-19 pandemic is lifted.
“I’ve been looking forward to the season and then this happened,” Longoria said.
“I’ve been running like two miles every day and at least trying to get touches in. If we have a season, I don’t want to lose having the touches and not being in condition.”
draws cheers at Reavis
By Bill Stone
Reavis senior Natalie Longoria began playing organized soccer in junior high.
By then, she already was an experienced cheerleader.
Longoria has enjoyed participating in both sports for the Rams, but it’s not always easy balancing two demanding activities.
“It’s not crazy, but it’s just two different sports. People ask me how do I do it and I’m like, ‘I don’t know,’ ” Longoria said.
“Cheerleading is a lot. It’s really expensive and you have to be really committed for it. Soccer’s different. You’re running. You’re able to try to win. With cheerleading you only do it once (in competition) and if you mess up, you’re not able to do it again. For soccer, if you’re losing you can try to score and win.”
Cheerleading is probably the most successful sport at Reavis these days. Girls soccer hopes for similar success when the season starts this spring.
The Rams will try to contend for only their second girls soccer conference championship ever as well as improve upon their 2019 record of 11-11-2.
A key reserve last year, Longoria will contribute more for a roster that returns eight starters and four South Suburban Conference Red Division all-league players.
“I would like to win conference,” Longoria said. “Being committed I think is a very big (contribution as a player), not only to the game but practices as well. I think that’s very important. And being able to show teammates how committed I am, give them a boost.”
In competitive cheerleading, the Rams are enjoying unprecedented success. This past February, they made their fourth-0consecutive trip to the IHSA state meet in Bloomington and tied for 16th in the coed division out of 25 state qualifiers.
Longoria has been part of the last three state lineups, and three varsity conference champions after being on the junior varsity as a freshman.
Senior soccer teammate Natalia Supan also has been part of the last two state-qualifying lineups.
When Reavis qualified for state cheerleading in 2017, that was only the second time in program history. That came in 2007, the second season the sport was sanctioned by the IHSA. Longoria took a fan bus to watch that state meet.
“I just looked up to (that team) like, ‘I want to be able to compete at state.’ They showed how they improved during the year, and I wanted to experience that too,” Longoria said.
“My freshman year we improved the cheerleading. Reavis cheerleading used to be really bad (competitively), but now we’re known out there. Now people are scared to go against us.”
Like other sports, state cheerleading for all-girls entries are split by enrollment size into large, medium and small divisions. However, there is only one division for co-ed teams, regardless of that school’s enrollment.
In all four divisions, teams must finish among the top five scores in the five sectional groupings to advance to the state finals.
As Longoria noted, getting to state is based on teams’ one lone performance at sectionals.
That’s also the case at state. Those among the top 10 scores after preliminaries compete again in the finals with those routine scores determining their final standings.
This year’s Reavis team advanced after a fourth-place sectional finish. Reavis’ co-ed state qualifiers previously finished a program-best 13th in 2019, 14th in 2018 and 18th in 2017 after taking fifth at sectionals. The 2019 and 2018 teams were third at sectionals.
“We do it when we need to do it,” Longoria said. “Our season at the beginning we don’t always do really well (at competitions). We don’t place well. Starting with conference is when we get our stuff together and we start improving more. That’s how we make it out (to state).”
At Liberty Junior High School, Longoria was a school cheerleader but did not play for the girls soccer team, opting to play club instead.
Longoria already had been a cheerleader since sixth grade for the Burbank Titans youth football team, trying out after seeing a video about the opportunity.
“One of my friends said I should do it,” Longoria said.
Longoria plays a pivotal role for the Reavis cheerleaders. At 4-feet-11, she usually is lifted, held and thrown, especially for the team’s competitive routines, as well as being among the tumblers.
Just the school responsibilities of cheering for the football and boys basketball teams can present hazards. Longoria said she nearly suffered a concussion from a fall this past football season.
“For competitive, you have to have more (skills). For football season, it’s a little less, but they still throw you around,” she said. “It is very nerve-wracking (for me). It’s pretty dangerous.”
There’s also plenty of scheduling and financial challenges for Longoria. She’s spent hundreds of dollars toward new outfits, shirts and shoes and the music and choreography for their competition routines.
There’s also the additional practice time to prepare for competition. Still, Longoria joined Reavis’ offseason indoor soccer team and attended as much as possible.
“She tried her best to make the games,” Reavis senior Alyssa Froylan said.
“It is very hard (balancing),” Longoria said. “I did join but sometimes I wouldn’t be able to make the game. If I had time, I’d go to the game and get my touches in.”
Longoria is expected to get more touches if there is competition this spring. Reavis coach Jeff Grider has discussed with Longoria about playing outside right defender or midfielder this season. Longoria played both positions while on the sophomore level.
In her first varsity season in 2019, she was one of the first subs, usually for graduated Lily Saenz at outside right midfielder.
“I think it went pretty well. I played every single game,” Longoria said.
Longoria has considered college cheerleading or soccer at Moraine Valley Community College or St. Xavier University. She is planning a career as a neonatal nurse like her aunt.
As for now, soccer is on Longoria’s mind. Like everyone else, she simply is waiting for the season to begin after the stay-at-home order for the COVID-19 pandemic is lifted.
“I’ve been looking forward to the season and then this happened,” Longoria said.
“I’ve been running like two miles every day and at least trying to get touches in. If we have a season, I don’t want to lose having the touches and not being in condition.”