Senior captain Mae Jameson has enjoyed progress personally and team-wise through four seasons with the Riverside Brookfield High School poms team.
The Bulldogs hope to combine that effort and enthusiasm for a memorable return to the Illinois Drill Team Association state finals Saturday in Springfield.
“I think our goal is to just be proud of how we did when we step off the floor from competition,” Jameson said.
“It’s a great feeling to (place) well but at the end of the day, all you have is just the two minutes competing. We just want to look back at our experience and be proud of the performance we gave, regardless of how it is compared to others.”
Members of the competitive team are Jameson, senior Alexa Cavaliere, juniors Maya Gonzalez, Sofia Lee and Anna Pinnick, sophomores Aubrey Agne, Isabella Kirsch, Sofia Miller, Lilana Nieto, Kailyn Novak, Mia Royer and Sadie Towers, and freshmen Samantha Bolt, Avery Cavaliere, Addie Segura and Annika Weekes.
Members of the performance team are seniors Anna Caruso, Alexa Cavaliere, Ella Darrah, Jameson, Emmie Mugnaini, Olive Sahlas and Lauren Sanduski, juniors Gonzalez and Pinnick, sophomores
Olivia Krzystofiak, Nieto, Towers and Iris Williams and freshman Charlotte Caponio-Kalnes.
The Bulldogs did not participate in this IHSA postseason. In 2022, the Bulldogs made their IDTA state debut and finished eighth in the AAA Lyrical/Contemporary category with four seniors. Gonzalez, Lee, Pinnick, Agne, Kirsch, Miller, Nieto and Royer return from that competitive lineup.
“I think we get along really well and we do really well listening to each and building each other up. We have a really good balance of pushing each other to be our best without taking it too far,” Jameson said.
“One thing that we have been really working on a lot between each competition is showmanship. That was something where we really had to push ourselves, truly performing. Now where we’ve been, that’s something notable that you take away from our performances.”
New varsity coach Tia Sherman, an RBHS math teacher, was on the RBHS poms team and member of the DePaul University dance team. She previously coached poms for Lyons Township from 2004-10. New junior varsity coach Meredith Harvey teaches special education at Hauser Junior High and was on the Illinois State University dance team.
The offseason began with attending a Universal Dance Association summer camp for the first time in years, participating in the Fourth of July parade, and holding a youth summer camp and team car wash.
“Meredith and I have had an amazing time working with the girls. They are all such wonderful young ladies and we look forward to the rest of our season,” Sherman responded.
“Overall it has been such a great season. Each and every one of the girls have been dedicated, loyal and such hard workers.”
In one huge weekend, the Bulldogs qualified for state Jan. 7 by scoring at least 80 at the IDTA Regional at Maine East. The next day, they won the Metro Suburban Conference title at Ridgewood, their first since winning for the first time during the 2021 season conducted virtually because of COVID-19 restrictions.
“Definitely winning conference was a great highlight. It was a really good feeling going to our first in-person conference meet and winning the whole thing,” Jameson said.
Riverside-Brookfield’s Addie Segura performs during halftime of their game against Lyons Township Friday, January 26, 2024 in Brookfield, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Riverside-Brookfield’s Avery Cavaliere performs during halftime of their game against Lyons Township Friday, January 26, 2024 in Brookfield, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark)
On Jan. 24, the Bulldogs attended the DePaul-Marquette men’s basketball game and watched RBHS poms alumni Nina Zoppi and Anabella Cornolo perform with the Blue Demons’ dance team.
Football season included a tribute piece on Military Appreciation Night and 115 attending the annual youth clinic.
Jameson is making the most of her return to the competitive team and learning from previous captains.
“I feel as captain it was kind of my job at the beginning of the season to bring everyone together. It’s a nice feeling to see how unified we’ve become and the things I’ve kind of done that played a role in that,” Jameson said.
“Freshman through junior year, when we had different leaders, I kind of learned what works and what doesn’t work. By the time it was my turn, I had a pretty good idea what worked.”