Lincoln Way - Brillo Fam Photography
February 27, 2026
COUNTRY Financial® Reps Cheer on Daughters and Their Teams at IHSA State Cheerleading Championships
For more than 50 years, COUNTRY Financial has helped power IHSA championships across Illinois—and this winter, that partnership hit close to home. Representatives Bill Gitzke of Cary, IL, and Jim Andresen of Tinley Park, IL, watched their daughters compete at the IHSA Competitive Cheerleading State Finals on February 6 and 7, where Cary-Grove finished 6th in the 2A division, and Lincoln-Way Central finished 5th in the 3A division.
During the 2025-2026 school year, COUNTRY sponsored 40 IHSA state championship events—creating opportunities to celebrate student athletes, deliver memorable experiences, and support high school athletics across Illinois.
Gitzke and Andresen both competed in high school athletics and the lessons they learned still shape how they serve clients today as COUNTRY reps.
“High School sports have impacted me and helped build me to be the person I am today,” said Gitzke. “Working as a team and building relationships with your teammates is very similar to the client-agent relationship we agents want to have with our clients.”
“High school sports taught me about character, competition, teamwork and going after a goal. These are the lessons that have proved to be successful in high school, college and my career,” said Andresen. “Sports have been and continue to be a large part of my life and even now I work with COUNTRY to help sponsor local teams.”
COUNTRY Financial representatives are an active part of the communities they serve. They are engaged in events and activities, supporting local events and initiatives that strengthen their communities.
Cary-Grove
Enter the Sport Your School Giveaway to win $5,000
COUNTRY will give $5,000 to an Illinois high school for its athletic department through the Sport Your School Giveaway. Enter before May 30, 2026, for a chance to win at IHSA: Illinois High School Association.
Learn more about the history of the longstanding partnership between COUNTRY and the IHSA at 50 Years of Supporting IHSA - COUNTRY Financial.
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COUNTRY Financial® is a family of affiliated companies (collectively, COUNTRY) located in Bloomington, IL. Learn more about who we are.