Blog#3

Well that time is coming once again, competitive cheer season. All around the nation cheerleaders are getting ready for the busy months ahead. According to NCA (National Cheerleading Association) rules, teams are not allowed to begin learning routines until the middle November. Tryouts back at my high school were the week before so that we could get a head start, by already having a team put together. Every day of practice counts when you are being compared to other teams.

Cheerleading tryouts can be held several different ways. For many years my high school held partner tryouts. Girls would need to choose a partner, this process allows the girls to become acquainted and build a team bond. Partner tryouts also cut down on time, individual performances can take all day. Sometimes, girls can feel very intimidated while trying out alone in front of several judges. Trying out with a partner helps take away some of the nervousness. Girls trying out together are required to match, bows and all. This matching is actually quite important to the judges/coach, it shows the girls dedication as well as ability to follow rules.

In competition and every cheerleading event conformity is actually encouraged. Girls must have the same exact clothing, shoes, hair, bow and sometimes makeup. Since the point of routines is to match timing exactly and have the best visual performance as possible, there is no room for individuality when it comes to appearance. If a girl is wearing different shoes all the attention goes directly to her and the overall performance of the team is unnoticed and damaged. Just as if a girl is out of formation or missing motions, attention is drawn to the mistake. Cheerleading is a team sport is you have ever seen one, synchronization is key.

Competitive season cheer tryouts consist of learning the mandatory motions for round two. In most cases, I find it best for round two to begin with the mandatory sequence so that they are executed with great detail and get over with right away. These motions are changed every year and determined by the NCA. Each coach must go to meetings to get handouts and directions to what these motions are. Girls learn in mass at tryouts. The girls also get a chance to use the mats to warm-up and demonstrate any tumbling skills that they have. During try-outs we would also test out some new stunt groups.

sometimes girls are assigned numbers when trying out. In my tight-knit community however, we pretty much knew every girls name so this was not necessary.