Cheerleading Tryout Tips

There is one thing that stands between wanting to be a cheerleader and actually becoming one.  One word that every cheerleader experiences anxiety over, veteran and rookie alike.  Tryouts.

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!