Rockford’s Mika Strick-Martinez takes over as head cheer coach at NIU

By Chelsea Meyer
B103 Rockford
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ROCKFORD — If you have a kid in cheer around the 815, chances are you already know Michaela Strick-Martinez.

Strick-Martinez, who goes by Mika, has been everywhere from coaching at Jefferson High School, to leading cheer camps, and inspiring the next generation of local cheerleaders and athletes.

Now, she’s taking her passion for cheerleading to the next level. Strick-Martinez has just been named the head coach for Northern Illinois University’s cheer team.

“Very over the moon. Excited. I am ready for a challenge,” she said in an interview on the Chelsea & Friends Morning Show on B103. “I always teach my kids that in life we have to make sacrifices and push ourselves. So I want to model that, too. This opportunity is going to push me to be a better individual, a better coach, and just keep learning. Life is exciting when you keep pushing yourself.”

She will continue to coach Jefferson’s cheer team, which she has done for seven years, while coaching at NIU.

The 2012 East High School graduate, who went on to play softball at Rock Valley College and then Judson University, has long had her sights on coaching cheer at the collegiate level.

She started by giving back to her former middle school, Lincoln, as a volunteer coach. She also created a cheer program at Judson that’s still thriving today, continuing to cheer for basketball, volleyball, football, and more.

“Being able to inspire young adults to keep pushing themselves has always been my goal,” she said. “I come from a big family, so teamwork and supporting each other are part of who I am. At the college level, athletes already know the skills I teach in high school, so now it’s about building relationships and helping them grow in a bigger way.”

At NIU, Strick-Martinez will be coaching at the Division I level, where stunts are bigger and more difficult, and the facilities are top-notch. She’s especially excited about creating a bridge between Rockford’s cheer community and NIU, bringing her hometown pride to the Huskies.

Even as she steps into her new role, Strick-Martinez isn’t leaving Rockford behind. Along with coaching at Jefferson, she’ll continue mentoring middle and high school coaches throughout Rockford Public Schools.

“Just a year and a half ago, I told our athletic director, Dawn Williamson, that I wanted every school cheer program to have coaches and teams. That’s now reality,” she said. “All the middle schools have teams and coaches. The high schools are fully staffed and competing. The NIC-10 cheer community is growing, and it’s amazing to see the spirit and competitiveness spreading.”

Mentoring new coaches is just as important to her as working with athletes. “When I started coaching, I had some amazing mentors, but there were gaps too. I had to learn things the hard way like budgeting, running tryouts, and organizing practices. Now I get to guide new coaches and watch them grow. Even some of my former athletes are coaching now, which is really special.”

She said her biggest inspiration is trying to be the coach she needed when she was younger.

“I always tell my kids, if you have a dream, there’s a reason for that dream. There’s a fire in your heart for a reason,” she said. “I love helping kids and now young adults. They see the best version of themselves. Watching them grow and succeed is incredibly rewarding.”

At NIU, Strick-Martinez is already planning kids’ camps, building the Huskies cheer program, and preparing to take the team back to nationals in Daytona.

“It’s been a couple of years since NIU competed at nationals. I’m so excited to bring some fire and competitiveness to this team and represent the Midwest,” she said.

Even with her new role, she is keeping her Rockford ties strong. Families and fans can follow along on the NIU Cheerleading Instagram page for updates on camps, events, and the Huskies’ journey.

This story is by Chelsea Meyer. You can reach her at chelsea@b103fm.com.