Have you always wanted to try cheerleading but never gone out for the squad? Or maybe you’ve never really given cheerleading much thought, but recently started thinking it looked fun? Just because you didn’t start cheering when you were a child doesn’t mean you can’t be a cheerleader!
Finding the Right Team for Your Age & Skill Level
Technically, there may be some teams that have age requirements, but you can always find a team to try out for. Many cheerleaders decide to go out for the team in their senior year of high school and have a great experience, even though they’ve never cheered before. Cheerleaders are kind and helpful athletes who will help you learn the ropes quickly!
Going out for an All Star team if you have no cheerleading or gymnastics background might be difficult (though not impossible), so look for a team that is realistic for your current skill level. Then, once you’ve put more time and practice in and learned the required skills, you can go out for a higher-level team.
Real Stories: Starting Cheer Later in Life
One of our blog contributors started cheering in high school after having chosen quiet, indoor activities her whole life. She ended up loving it, of course! Some cheerleaders don’t even start cheering until college. Many colleges have cheerleading squads you can join. Depending on the college, the skill requirements might be something you need to take some time and work toward, rather than trying out for the team on a whim, but some sideline squads might focus more on choreography and chants than tumbling and stunting. In that case, with a little work, you can be ready for the team in no time! Just attend some games or research the cheer squad you are interested in to see if it would be a good fit for you.
High School & College Opportunities
While some cheerleaders try cheerleading at age 4 and fall in love with it, many don’t start till high school or college, so don’t let age or inexperience stop you from trying something that could become a great, fun experience or even a huge passion of yours that leads to some lasting friendships.
There may even be cheerleading opportunities for you after college! Remember the story about the woman who tried out for the New Orleans Saints’ cheer squad as a 40th birthday gift to herself? Now she’s an NFL cheerleader.
Start Learning Today
It is absolutely never too late to become a cheerleader! Check out lots of tips on this blog to learn everything you need to know, from chants and cheers to basic stances and motions, and even tumbling and stunting. Then, start preparing for tryouts!
Are you thinking about becoming a cheerleader? If you’re already a cheerleader, when did you start cheering?