Black Onyx Allstars sweep Wisconsin Dells, earn nationals bids as South Side program expands

The Black Onyx Allstars swept first place across all three of its team levels at the Xtreme Spirit Kalahari National Competition in Wisconsin Dells earlier this month, securing national bids for each squad, coaches confirmed.

The wins capped a rapid rise for the South Side nonprofit: since launching competition teams in 2024 the program has collected 18 first-place finishes, five of them this season, co-founder and co-coach Imani Cobb said.

At practice March 11 at Collab Creative Spaces in Englewood, 13-year-old captain Naliyah Saintil led stretches with the Emeralds and described how cheer has changed her. “I didn’t always have the best jumps, and I also used to be really shy,” Naliyah said. “Now, I’ve become not such a shy person anymore.” Her father, John Barnes, 44, joked he’s become a “full blown cheer dad,” collecting about 45 team shirts to prove it.

Black Onyx Allstars was founded by Cobb and fellow coach Endigo Allen, former Betty Shabazz Academy teammates who turned a short school clinic into an independent nonprofit to increase access for Black girls. The roster has grown from roughly 20 students to 35, split into Opals (3–5), Rubies (6–10) and Emeralds (10–14).

The coaches say fundraising covers travel, lodging and equipment while they supplement with more than 30 volunteer hours each week; practice space and tumbling mats were provided by the Male Mogul Initiative at the Co-LLAB workspace. Cobb said representation remains an issue — on the competition floor Black Onyx is often the only predominantly Black team — and that building confidence is as important as winning trophies.

All three Black Onyx squads now head into nationals in Orlando after Wisconsin Dells, with local competitions in Grayslake, Ill., and Nashville, Tenn., on the calendar as the program continues fundraising and recruiting boys for next season.