i want to tryout 4 my school's squad.(middle school) and i need help! i've cheered for 3 years but i stop last year 2 play soccer. i need to know tumbling, stuntuing, and how to train! omg plz hellp me! i have 1 and a half months. tnx!!!=]
2007-03-18 07:34:48 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Other - Sports
I applaud you for starting early! Since you are already athletic, both in soccer and cheerleading, you have an edge up on many girls who will be trying out.
First ask the cheer coach what the requirements will be. This will give you some indication as to what to work on. You may or may not need tumbling in middle school, and there is no need to sharpen these up if they will not be judged.
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. Middle school girls are generally not required to do tucks and may not need to know the back hand spring....but nail those cartwheels and roundoffs.
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. You can see examples of this at cheerleading.about.com
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!
2007-03-19 01:00:13 · answer #1 · answered by coachls 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Wear clean socks at the tryouts.
2007-03-18 21:23:16 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i'm sure you'll make it.
they'll work on everything with you for probably a week or so before tryouts.
2007-03-18 14:42:37 · answer #3 · answered by banana boat 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just organize it and do it, try ur best u will succeed
2007-03-18 14:42:34 · answer #4 · answered by danger609569 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋