Cheer Tryout Dates Set for 2010-11
4/3/2010 4:05:00 AM | General
Cheerleading Tryouts for the 2010 – 2011 school year will begin May 14, 2010 at 6 p.m. and continue through May 16.
Tryout Location: Old Hanner Gym
Georgia Southern University
Cheerleading Tryouts Information
2010-2011
Before e-mailing the coach GSUCheer@GeorgiaSouthern.edu with questions please read the following in great detail. The information presented is subject to change. All candidates are expected to accept the coach's decision as final and binding.
Schedule
Tryouts for the 2010 - 2011 Coed and All-Girl Cheerleading Teams to cheer for football, basketball, and competition will be from May 14 to May 16. Tryouts are spread out over Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. On the Friday tryouts will begin at 6:00 PM and continue all day Saturday and conclude Sunday afternoon. It is simply impossible to schedule tryouts in such a way as to be convenient for everyone. If you wish to cheer please make plans to attend tryouts. If you cannot attend please see the video submission option.
Eligibility
Students currently enrolled at Georgia Southern University and prospective students (including rising freshmen) who have made the commitment to attend Georgia Southern University during the 2010 - 2011 school year are eligible for either squad. To make a team you must have a letter of acceptance to the University or your fall semester schedule.
To tryout you must have:
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Please do not send these items, bring them to the first day of tryouts.
Please take the time to familiarize yourself with an example of our guidelines. Cheerleading is a 20 hr per week commitment from August through April. As such it is a major commitment of non-academic time and at this time we are not able to offer scholarships. Any student with Greek responsibilities, job internships, student teaching, or school/work-related internships should check their schedule closely for conflicts. Married students, students with children, and students with significant part time or full time employment should carefully consider the amount of time it takes to be a Georgia Southern Cheerleader. This is not to discourage you, but to make you aware of our program requirements so you can make the right decision for us and for yourself.
Over the summer, you will need to help with preparations for the coming year. You may be asked to visit Georgia Southern for a couple of days to help with camps or to prepare for the upcoming season. Specific goals will be provided to you and are expected to be met by your return. In addition, you will be asked to help with fundraising. You must be available to return to Georgia Southern on August 1. While the actual date of return may be later than August 1, you must be available starting August 1 for practices, camps, or appearances. Attendance is mandatory.
Once the semester starts, you will be practicing 3 to 4 times per week. You must be available 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Monday through Thursday and Friday from 3:00 - 5:00 PM. The specific practice time for your team will be decided upon in August. Sometimes, Sunday evening practices are scheduled too. Games, pep rallies, and other commitments are scheduled throughout the year on weekdays and weekends. The total time committed during the weak to cheerleading is approximately 20 hrs. You must be prepared to handle cheerleading responsibilities during holidays including Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring Break. Again, attendance is mandatory. Finally, on non practice days you are expected to work on your anaerobic and aerobic physical conditioning.
Tryouts
Georgia Southern Cheerleading is a demanding, intense, physical activity requiring upper and lower body strength and aerobic conditioning. You must be in good physical condition and be height/weight proportionate. We do not have minimum/maximum height or weight requirements; however you are expected to maintain your body weight throughout the cheerleading year. Males and females are equally eligible to tryout. Before trying out, please take the time to familiarize yourself with an example of our guidelines. These guidelines may be modified for the coming year.
Student Affairs and Enrollment Management policies mandate that before a cheerleader may be formally accepted onto either squad she/he must pass a sports physical conducted by the University's Athletic Training Department. This physical is usually conducted in August.
Women may try out for the Coed, All-Girl, or both squads. However, if you indicate your willingness to be on either squad you must accept the appointment you are given and be willing to be moved if necessary. Clearly, women on the Coed squad are required to be flyers and must be committed to flying in partner stunts and basket tosses, and middle basing and flying in pyramids. Women who try out for the All-Girl squad may tryout as a base, flyer, or both, but must be willing to fill the role to which they are assigned.
In general the goal of the tryouts will be to have candidates demonstrate their cheerleading talents.
Sample Evaluation Criteria for Women (Not listed in any particular order of importance or weight):
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*Please be advised that at least a major portion of the tumbling evaluations will take place on a basketball floor without mats.
Sample Evaluation Criteria for Men (Not listed in any particular order of importance or weight)
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*Please be advised that at least a major portion of the tumbling evaluations will take place on a basketball floor without mats.
Specific Tumbling and Stunting Requirements
There are no specific tumbling or stunting requirements. That is not to say that tumbling or stunting is not important, simply that there are no specific skills required for you to be eligible to tryout. For example, we will not require you to do a specific tumbling skill or partner stunt. We will provide you with an opportunity to show us your abilities. If you can do it, show it. The more difficult the skill you can demonstrate the more credit you will earn in that category. Candidates must be comfortable enough with any tumbling or partner stunt skill they attempt to perform on a basketball floor without a spotter. Attempting a skill you cannot do well or that scares the audience demonstrates undesirable recklessness. For the last three years all women who made the team have been able to, at a minimum, do standing back handsprings and roundoff back handsprings on a basketball court. It is our hope to continue to increase the tumbling skill level. Competency in standing back tucks, and round off back somersault in the tuck and laid out position are strongly encouraged.
During tryouts partner stunts may be learned, however, it is very difficult to advance quickly during the tryout period. It would be helpful for you to gain experience before coming to tryouts. We will try to hold open workouts on Wednesday evenings and Sunday evenings at Cheer South All-Star Gym. However, logistical issues may arise that will lead to the cancellation of an open workout. If you are traveling a distance for one of these open workouts please contact the coach (gsucheer@GeorgiaSouthern.edu) to confirm a specific date and time. You assume all risk. Gym time is simply made available to you so that you may prepare for tryouts. No evaluation will take place. Georgia Southern University, Georgia Southern Athletics, Georgia Southern Cheerleading, and Cheer South All-Stars will not be responsible for your health, safety, or athletic training needs. Please be smart. Use a spotter and mats as appropriate and necessary. In addition, you might seek out a gymnastics center or All-Star squad in your area that might have classes in which tumbling and stunting are taught.
Material
Those trying out will be taught and then perform material such as a cheer, chants, and fight song/dance. You do not need to bring any "home" material. Before, during, and after performances candidates are encouraged to incorporate appropriate cheerleading athletic skills.
Dress
During tryouts all candidates should wear a t-shirt, shorts, socks and flat bottomed athletic/cheer shoes. Women tend to be more comfortable wearing a sports bra underneath their t-shirt. The shirt and shorts should be some combination of blue, white, grey, and/or gold and should not be excessively loose or tight. It is not recommended that you wear silky or slick clothing because they tend to slide off during certain stunts and tumbling skills. Hair must be secured away from the face at all times. To ensure all participants' safety no jewelry should be worn at any time. This includes watches, rings, necklaces, and body piercings such as ear rings, navel rings, eyebrow rings, tongue studs, etc.
Tryout Daily Schedule
You will be evaluated during the entire tryouts. You must be aggressive and ask for people to stunt with, especially if you are new. The schedule MIGHT be something like the following
During the first day of tryouts starting at 6:00 PM candidates will:
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• • a Medical Clearance form from your Physician dated in the last 6 months prior to tryouts indicating that you are cleared for physical participation
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The second day starts at about 8:00 AM and may be broken into sessions that last into the evening. This day may include
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On the last day, starting at about 11:00 am, formal tryouts will begin. In addition to the evaluation criteria listed above each candidate will be evaluated on
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It is important that you incorporate appropriate cheerleading athletic skills (jumps, tumbling, etc) before during and after presentation of cheerleading material. You might think of the tryout as being like you are standing on the sideline of a collegiate football or basketball game. Be prepared to do the material numerous times and under different conditions. No made up cheers or 'home school' material is required.
The above schedule is tentative and subject to change.
Results
Results will be posted on the web page by Wednesday of the next week. All candidates are expected to accept the coach's decision as final and binding.
