Month: January 2024

The highest-scoring team in school history is making a push toward state for the first time in 11 years.

The highest-scoring cheerleading team in Fenwick history is headed for sectionals. The Friars continue their momentous season January 27 at Rolling Meadows High School, competing for the chance to move on to the IHSA State Final in February.

“We are excited to showcase our hard work and continue to make history as the first team to head to IHSA state in a decade,” said Head Coach Carlotta (Battelli) Fleming ‘13. As a student athlete, she competed on Fenwick’s first-ever state-bound cheer team. “My goal now is to give the winning title over to the athletes I coach.”

Coach Carlotta Fleming, then and now.

Those athletes became the Friars’ highest-placing team ever at the ICCA State Finals earlier this season. They also posted a record-setting score during the Fremd Snowdown Invitational on Jan. 20. “The competition team has been working hard since June, and we continue to improve our score and spirit at competitions every weekend,” said Brooke Henrichs ‘24.

“The energy of the team this week has been great,” Alyssa Ruffolo ‘24 said in the lead-up to sectionals. “We are all so excited to be a part of the historic season and have been working extremely hard to get here…I’m most excited about making sure that we just have fun on the mat and do our best.”

Varsity and JV at Catholic League Conference competition.

“Building a family” has been the key to the Friars’ success this season, according to Fleming. “These athletes love and trust one another. Without those two things, we couldn’t practice safely, let alone be a winning team.”

Henrichs adds that the team has “never been closer” in her four years of cheerleading for Fenwick. “This program continues to grow…not only in skills and size, but also in confidence with the help of Coach Carlotta, Coach [Diane] Sabbia and Coach Sydney [Kozyra Jentel ‘15]. They believed in us. They set high expectations because they knew we could accomplish any goal we set for ourselves. We could not have done any of this without them, and the incessant energy and inspirational quotes every day by Coach Sabbia.”

Fleming also credits her fellow coaches with helping “find new and creative solutions to move the team forward,” along with the close-knit community of Friar cheerleading alumnae like Coach Kelly (Close) Dolan ‘01. “She continues even today to be my mentor and guide…she was also an alumna who poured her heart and soul into making the team she called home a success.” (Echoes Henrichs: “Once a Friar Cheerleader, always a Friar Cheerleader.”)

Cheer celebrating with the dance team after their performance.

The Priory Campus became the team’s designated practice space last winter. “Having a dedicated location and time slot has created a consistency that is key to our program’s success and our athletes’ academic success as well,” Fleming said, noting that every athlete on the squad had the best academic semester of their high school careers last year. (They ended the season with a team average GPA of 4.06.)

Though coaches look forward to growing the program in the future – planning an incoming freshman workshop and kids’ camp in the spring – they have been inspired by the leadership qualities of this season’s seniors. All five team members from the Class of 2024 received the Senior Scholar Award, recognizing their work on the mat and in the classroom: Henrichs, Ruffolo, Genevieve Morrissey, Josie Mayerhofer and Jada Onrubia.

“We could not have gotten anywhere without the trust and commitment of our seniors,” Fleming said. “These athletes began their Fenwick career in the midst of a pandemic and a coaching change. Their dedication to the betterment of the program and the support of the athletes younger than them is something I’d love to highlight. To my varsity five, thank you.”

Fenwick cheerleaders and Senior Scholar Award winners from the Class of 2024.

Fenwick High School is proud to announce a matching challenge to establish the Mr. Dan O’Brien Endowed Scholarship Fund. Aquatics alum Neal Armstrong ’63 presented a $50,000 matching challenge in honor of the longtime swim coach’s legacy of excellence in Friar Aquatics.

Read Armstrong’s reflections on the legacy of Mr. O’Brien, who spent more than five decades at Fenwick:

There can be no other person in Fenwick’s history that exemplifies the dedication and loyalty exhibited by Mr. O’Brien. 

Most are aware of his coaching prowess, but often overlooked was his influence encouraging individuals’ excellence both on the podium as well as educational pursuits. He was there for all of us as we pursued further education, competition, summer jobs and careers. Thanks to his help and guidance, he was ultimately responsible for many of us financing our education. It is only appropriate that we should help pay forward in honor of his legacy.

From the first day I entered Fenwick, I remember an atmosphere of participation in success. We wanted to be part of that success, and jumped at the opportunities that were presented to us. Mr. O’Brien scoured the gym classes to find potential members for his teams. I remember a kid that didn’t make the cut, but was still welcomed after he expressed a desire to be a part of his program. He toiled along with the other selected potential members in that outside lane, while the experienced competitors worked in the remainder of the pool. I remember Mr. O’Brien spending the time coaching each of the “outside lane” guys individually to bring out any potential.

After learning the trade, we were eventually elevated to the regular workouts to compete along with the experienced team members. I remember being proud and thankful of the efforts when this kid was awarded a conference gold medal, All-American recognition and a college scholarship.

Mr. O’Brien never forgot us. Twenty-five years later at my father’s wake, there was Mr. O’Brien, honoring our father and giving solace to our family.

I always have a little sly smile when I hear him referred to as the Dobber or even coach. He was Mr. O’Brien. Yes, we even referred to him as the Dobber, but he earned our respect and made sure he never heard us say anything but “Mr.”

Learn more about establishing the Mr. Dan O’Brien Endowed Scholarship Fund.