Schaumburg High School’s Jaden Stilling represented team USA at the prestigious ICU World Cup Championship in Seoul, South Korea. Jaden and her fellow cheerleaders competed at Olympic Park SK Stadium which featured over 100 countries from around the world.  

However, Jaden’s journey was not without challenges. In December 2021, she was diagnosed with a fractured L5 in her lower back. No amount of rest or physical therapy could heal her, so she had to make the hard decision of stepping away from gymnastics. The end to her gymnastics journey was just footed beginning of her journey with cheer. 

Jaden tried out for the SHS cheerleading team, where she made varsity and later in their season they placed 10th at the IHSA state competition. In February of 2023, Jaden received an unexpected call and was invited to try out for the US National team. She accepted and helped her team secure a gold medal at the World Championships in April 2023. 

Stilling shared, “The hardest part would probably be the pressure that comes with being a part of something that represents something so big. We are not just representing a team or club, but our country.”

Jaden gives thanks to her experiences with Schaumburg High School’s Cheer program for preparing her for the international competition. She mentioned, “SHS cheer has taught me a lot about what I need to do to be successful. SHS helped me work as a team and understand stunting fundamentals. Schaumburg cheer has also helped me prepare to perform in front of large crowds with a team.”

While in South Korea, Jaden was also able to explore the culture and have new experiences. She expressed, “It was really cool to experience something so different than what I am used to. Seoul was such a beautiful city, and the culture was so different.”

Jaden’s journey shows us the power of perseverance, commitment and dedication. Her ability to overcome obstacles and achieve success in the international level is inspiring to all young athletes around the world.