I Tried Out For Cheer! Journal Entry #2 From Hopefuls

Try out season can be one of the most stressful times of the cheer season – for coaches, cheerleaders and parents! This season, we recruited 2 cheerleader hopefuls and their parents to record their try out experience and share their tips with our readers! We followed a high school cheerleader hopeful and an All Star cheerleader hopeful (and their parents) through the process and here’s what they had to say about try outs: High School Cheerleader’s Point of View Q. How did you prepare for tryouts? Did the school offer any pre-tryout workshops? Did you get help from an experienced cheerleader? A. There was a two-day workshop where we learned counts for the toe touch jump and the pike jump, a sideline cheer, and part of the fight song dance. At the workshop, we met lots of senior varsity cheerleaders who helped us get the moves and counts. Q. How much time did you spend practicing your moves and learning about cheerleading? A. After both workshops, I had to change in the car to get to swim practice, so I didn’t have a lot of time to practice. The day after the two-day workshop was tryouts, so there really wasn’t a lot of time to practice at home. On the second day of the workshop, everyone at the workshop did a mock-tryout in groups of 6 instead of 3 (how many people in a group for actual tryouts). That was really stressful because EVERYONE, not just the coaches (who were the only two who were going to judge you at tryouts), was watching you. Q. What are you most nervous about? A. The jumps. I got the fight song and the cheer pretty easily because I am used to learning routines and counts quickly form synchro, but you use different muscles for synchro, and the muscles required for the jumps were not built up. My jumps were pretty bad, but we got to try out on a squishy floor, and that helped my jumps get a little higher… Parent’s Point of View Q. How did you prepare yourself and your daughter for tryouts? A. I did not do much, however I asked a friend to work with my daughter for a half hour prior to the try-outs just so she would understand what the try-outs might look like. Q. How much of a time commitment was it? A. 6 hours (2 hours Monday, 2 hours Tuesday and 2 hours Wednesday). Q. How much did it cost to get the practice wear and shoes that your daughter needs for tryouts? What did you get? A. I spent about $40 on the shorts, tanks, bows and shoes she needed for try-outs. We got 3 pairs of Soffe shorts, 2 tanks with printed cheer logos, 1 plain white tank for the actual try-outs, 3 bows to match each outfit and a pair of Chasse Ace cheerleading shoes. All Star Cheerleading Cheerleader’s Point of View Q. How did you prepare for tryouts? Did the school offer any pre-tryout workshops? Did you get help from an experienced cheerleader? A. I had my mom help me with my tucks. She was my spotter. Q. How much time did you spend practicing your moves and learning about cheerleading? A. I took some private lessons with a coach at the gym. I had been working on my tuck but I wanted to get some extra help perfecting it. Q. What are you most nervous about? A. My tuck! I am afraid that I’ll mess up my landing and fall on my face or injure myself. Parent’s Point of View Q. How did you prepare yourself and your daughter for tryouts? A. I helped her with her tuck and paid for some private lessons for her. I also bought her 3 new outfits with matching cheer bows from Omni Cheer for her to wear at try outs. Q. How much of a time commitment was it? A. The private lessons are once a week. I also spend a few hours a week working with her at home. Q. How much did it cost to get the practice wear and shoes that your daughter needs for tryouts? What did you get? A. I spent under $60! I got her the new Chasse Cloud shoe, a metallic sports bra with matching shorts, 2 pairs of Soffe shorts and some cheer bows. Check out the first journal entry here to see how their journey began!