Although this can be a rather nerve wracking time for most, it doesn’t always have to be.  Often times the best girls can get overlooked in a crowd of many.  The name of the game is to get noticed and stand out.

Ever wonder what the coaches are looking for?  Well there’s no one word answer to that since they look for a combination of things, but here are a few things to focus on:

• Coaches are going to want the most committed and dedicated girls for their squads.
• A combination of appearance, voice, enthusiasm, leadership, team work, attitude and personality.
• Versatility and coach-ability are two of the most valuable assets a cheerleader can have.

Being “tryout ready” includes knowing specific requirements like proper dress attire and hair, along with having all the paperwork ready prior to your tryout date.  It might also be beneficial to ask cheer veterans on a team for any advice they have to offer.  They will probably tell you that on the day of tryouts, it’s ideal to be in the best possible physical condition as an individual.  This can mean eating right, exercising more to build stamina and strength, and stretching to increase flexibility.  Being in peak physical condition is as important for a cheerleader as it is for any other athlete.

One thing to keep in mind before making the decision to become a cheerleader is that they are going to require a specific skill set.  Those skills might include basic tumbling and dance moves, or they might be more advanced.  It might be a good idea to attend cheer performances the squad competes in prior to trying out, to make sure your goals as an upcoming cheerleader are in tune with the rest of the team.  Remember you can always work to improve as a cheerleader once you are on the squad, but basic tumbling skills are going to be expected.  You might need to take a few gymnastics classes before tryouts to better prepare yourself and make sure your skills are up to par with the rest of the team.

The day of tryouts it’s important to be rested, stay confident, relax, and smile.  Be sure to stay hydrated throughout the day to avoid fatigue.  Make eye contact with coaches and if mistakes are made, keep going.  Coaches will look to see if you know how to recover from a mistake rather than let it ruin the rest of your performance.  Have fun and remember every situation is a learning opportunity.  If for some reason you don’t make the squad this year, don’t let it get you discouraged, just keep working towards next year!

• Organization is imperative to running a successful practice.  Practices need to be regularly scheduled, follow a routine, and of course mandatory for any cheerleader on the squad.  Even injured athletes should be expected to attend practice with the exception of a doctor’s appointment or physical therapy (which should still try to be scheduled at the end of practice).
• Every practice should have a goal for that day. Practices are primarily where development and strength occur, both of which should show measurable results from week to week.  This will encourage coaches and athletes showing incremental goals and progress.
• Tardiness should not be tolerated.  The entire squad should be doing the same thing at the same time which is only possible when everyone shows up on time.  Before any practicing of jumps, stunts, cheering, and tumbling occurs, cheerleaders should be advised to stretch and do a mini warm-up on their own, prior to the scheduled practice.  This will increase performance and reduce injuries.  Encourage your squad to do this before practice, meaning they will have to show up early.  If practice is at 5, tell them to show up at 4:45 to get their own stretch in first.
• Have a schedule and follow it.  When the actual practice begins, a general warm-up of 10 minutes should be conducted including aerobic conditioning and additional stretching.  After warm-up, it is recommended to set aside 10-15 minutes each for jumps and tumbling.  Approximately 30 minutes of cheering should be sufficient to go over routines, but every squad is different.  A new routine may require more time dedicated to it – in any event, decide this well before arriving at practice.  It’s probably wise to fit in a mini 5 minute break so cheerleaders can re-hydrate with water.  Practices should wrap-up with a 5-10 minute cool down along with any additional reminders for the upcoming weeks.

Effective practices combined with constant supervision are essential for developing strong squad members. As important as it is to be organized and productive, the practice should be an overall fun and enjoyable experience for the athletes.

While some individuals are naturally born flexible, the majority of us are not.  Flexibility is something that takes time, patience, and dedication, and although flexibility is a key component in cheerleading, everyone, cheerleader or not, can benefit from working to increase their own personal flexibility level.  Keep in mind that a cheerleader, gymnast, or dancer is probably going to be held to a much higher flexibility standard than the average person.

Stretching consistently on a daily basis is the first step to increasing flexibility, which will in turn reduce joint stiffness, improve posture and improve balance.  Stretching can be broken into two categories, static and dynamic.  Static is the more traditional “stretch and hold” technique, while dynamic stretches involve movement and use your body’s leverage and gravity to stretch muscles.  Since every individual’s body is unique, different stretches might be geared towards different people depending on their current flexibility and where they would like to be.

Static stretches like head tilts, shoulder rolls, and calf and quadriceps stretches are simple enough that almost anyone is capable of performing them.  More intense stretches like splits, toe touches, backbends, and heel stretches are more likely beneficial for advanced individuals, particularly cheerleaders.  Pilates and yoga are also great ways to workout and increase flexibility at the same time.

While static stretching, it’s important to keep a few things in mind.  To achieve full effect of a stretch, holding a position for around 30 seconds is recommended.  More importantly, breathing is crucial while stretching.  Often times taking deep breaths can ease discomfort or tightness throughout the body.  A fine line can be drawn between a painful stretch and a normal discomfort you might feel in certain positions.  It is important to know the difference and stop if you are in pain to prevent injury.

Dynamic stretching, on the other hand, involves body movement, and can also be a great warmup prior to exercising.  It’s important to be very careful when ballistic stretching, not to over extend a muscle beyond it’s stretched position.  It’s recommended when dynamic stretching to use slow, controlled movements like arm circles, leg extensions, or toe touches.

It’s important to stay motivated and keep in mind small improvements usually occur over time.  If you don’t notice a drastic change in your flexibility over night, do not become discouraged, improvements are slowly happening.  Grabbing a partner and stretching together usually makes doing less than comfortable exercises more fun.  Although working to increase your flexibility might not come easy, you’ll certainly reap the benefits later whether it be in practice or your next performance.

A coach should have a clearly defined, organized program and philosophy at the beginning of every season.  Frequently asked questions dealing with practice times, performance opportunities, community service, and competing are topics that should be thought out prior to the start of the season.  Coaches are encouraged to make monthly activity and task lists with practices, games, and any other events for the season.  Anything in writing is always a plus and will decrease the amount of confusion from week to week.  In particular, parents will need to know these details to ensure cheerleading is really what they want their child to par-take in.

As important as the organization is, without the proper communication to the team and parents, it can lose its effectiveness.  Things simply won’t run smoothly unless everyone is constantly reminded and updated with timelines and expectations.  It’s a coach’s responsibility to make sure they are effectively communicating with the cheerleaders, parents, teachers, administrators, school board, and community.  Parent meetings before try-outs are strongly recommended to inform everyone of present and future requirements for the program.  A coach should also maintain open communication with the cheerleaders.  Most effective coaches choose to have an “open door” policy, creating a comfortable environment for the cheerleaders to approach them with any problems or questions they may have.  Remember, a coach will have a major and lasting impact on a cheerleader, from both a team and an individual’s perspective.

In order to create a positive experience for the individual, motivation and fun play critical roles.  It’s important to reward efforts and  hard work and to commend everyone for their dedication.  Cheerleaders are expected to give a huge time commitment, and should be recognized for their follow-thru.  An effective coach should strive for a balance between positive reinforcement of abilities and strengths and construction criticism of weakness.  It is important to showcase the uniqueness and individuality of each teammate, while preaching that it’s the combination and unity of a team that builds success.

Finally, don’t forget to keep it fun!  If cheerleaders aren’t having fun, chances are they will not reach their potential, giving minimal effort.  Many coaches lie on either end of the spectrum, too harsh or too lax.  It’s the proper balance of pushing cheerleaders to do their best, while keeping the sport in perspective that will produce the results of a strong team bond.

Coaches touch the lives of many everyday, and it isn’t easy, but keeping these tips in mind will ensure a team has a memorable experience and reaches their potential!

First, judges recommend looking at the scoresheet prior to the competition, so you know exactly what they expect of you. Categories include how well your squad’s overall presence, enthusiasm, eye contact, facial expressions, voice projection and pronunciation are delivered. Other categories include floor mobility, dance orientation, overall impression, and gymnastics.  It’s important to see what areas are most important to each individual competition, and even more importantly, reasons you may be disqualified.

After the technical aspects are taken into consideration, it’s important to create a memorable performance.  How exactly is this accomplished?  The audience (and your judges) typically will mostly remember the beginning and end of your performance.  With that said, it is probably a good idea to make them something both the judges and audience will remember after having watched dozens of squads.  Some squads choose to open with tumbling while cheering but creativity is endless – pick something that stands out and compliments your squad’s best qualities.

Throughout your performance, it’s important to showcase your squad’s strengths while hiding potential flaws and weaknesses.  As cliche as it is, you’re only as strong as your weakest link.  Be sure your team works together to showcase individual strengths.  Stunts are important, but keep in mind that fluid transition steps and dance moves make for a smooth routine.  Judges also recommend using motions or signs in your stunts to enhance the crowd’s response.  Level changes in stunts can also be used as an attention grabber.

The name of the game is to execute a clean routine.  Synchronized dancing and flawless stunts that appear effortless are proof to judges that the routine was practiced to a tee.  When all else fails – remember to smile!