Should I try out for cheerleading???

Question

I am in 8th grade and cheer tryouts are coming up in about a month for next years teams. I know the jumps though I am not very good at them, I am pretty good at the cheers, and I might be able to have a back handspring with a spot ready. Should I try out or improve over the year and wait till 9th grade?

Answer 1

By all means tryout! If you don't make it, you will know what to expect next year!

As a current cheer coach, I can tell you what we expect from our girls.

First and foremost we stress academics. Being a good cheerleader requires a great deal of practice, and this can sometimes hurt your grade point average. We always stress that you can't go on in life to make a living at cheerleading....you have to have an education to do that. Girls must maintain a 2.5 or better grade point average or risk being dropped from the squad for a season. If the grade point average is not raised, she is dropped for the year.

As for the actual requirements:

Knowledge of routines, cheers and chants: Know them backwards and forwards....well enough to begin them anywhere in the middle of the cheer. I have seen many good candidates dropped due to the inability to start a cheer at any point in the routine. We teach one cheer, one chant and a pretty complex 1 minute dance routine. The girls are given 3 days to learn this with tryouts on day 4.

Tumbling/Gymnastics to include cartwheel, roundoff, and back hand spring. Girls who can do a tuck usually get extra points.

Flexibility and Posture: Be able to do splits and heal stretch. In a Liberty or heal stretch position, hold your balance for 20 seconds. Extra points are given for girls who can do arabesques or scorpions.

Judges always look for personality and smiles as well as how well the contender keeps their movements sharp and in proper form! No sloppy arms, wrists etc. You can lose lots of points in this area.

The girls must do 3 jumps: herkie, toe touch, 1 other. You can work on these first on the floor....stretching yourself just a little bit more everyday until you have proper form. Then work on taking it to the air. When you have your prep and jump perfected, put 1 pound weights on each ankle and jump with them on from that point on. When it comes time for tryouts, take the weights off...you'll jump higher than ever because you have become used to jumping with more weight!

Most of all, the judges are looking for girls who have the ability to work as a team and engage the crowd to cheer on their school! make the judges feel like cheering with you by engaging them every time you get a chance.

On tryout day, eat a good breakfast...with complex carbs. Go to the tryouts with your hair up off of your face and in a ponytail, little or no makeup and no jewelry. Let them know that you are a serious contender and not there for a beauty contest!

For pics, help and cheers that you can learn, go to
cheerleading.about.com

hope that helps!

Answer 2

Go for it! You can at least try and then if you don't make it you can always practice till next year, but if you do then you have people there to help you improve! You still have a month left and you can practice the cheers and jumps!

Answer 3

I would try-out because if you don't you will always wonder if you could have done it. And if you don't make it, then like you said you have time to improve.

Here is some advice that I give to the girls that I coach:
-Stretch everyday
-Practice your jumps everyday
-Stand in front of a mirror and practice your motions
-Stand in front of a mirror and practice the try-out cheer and chants
-Smile, believe in yourself, and do your best - - you can never say what if when you do your best

Another thing is video tape yourself, so then you can see what you are doing wrong.

Motions and jumps are extremely important, so just make sure you practice them everyday. Keep your motions sharp and stiff (you want your arms to hurt when you're done, that means you're doing it right)

Also, work with girls that have cheered in the past, they can help show you what you need to work on and what you need to know.

And last of all...

HAVE FUN!

Answer 4

You should do both.At least you know what your doing,and if you like to cheer,what would it hurt if you tried out.Now think about it,if you dont try out, how will you ever know if you could have made it.if you dont try out you WILL regret it later.If you do try out and dont make it,at least you will know what you need to do next.

Answer 5

go for it! you got some pretty good advice here and if you work really hard you will probably make it! if you don't try out at all, you will never know what would have happened.

good luck!

Answer 6

go for it!
cheerleading is so much fun
i started in 9th grade and i had no idea what i was doing but now i absolutely love it

Answer 7

i think you should not because you may break your leg

Answer 8

go for it! at least try!