Expert: Steve Michaud - 3/28/2001

Question
I would relly like to be on our cheerleading team and i am going to try out what should i do to pepare? i am in the sixth grade if that helps  

Answer
Natasha,

The first thing you should do is talk to the coach.  Every coach has different skills they are looking for.  I look for several things at tryouts.

Jumps, tumbling, stunts, how fast you pick up material, how you interact with others, effort...and lots of other things.  The coach of your squad may have other things she wants you to focus on, or may require you to make up your own cheer...so many different ways to pick a squad.  

In general you can work on your jumps, motions and tumbling.  Jumps are lots of work, but just doing 25 a day will make them improve over time.  Motions...if you practice them in from of a mirror you can see the mistakes you make and start fixing them.  Tumbling is the tough one, and you should check into tumbling classes for that.  It is very dangerous to try to learn on your own.  A qualified instructor should spot you on new skills until you have mastered them and can try them on your own.

The other thing you can do is talk to girls from the squad last year and see if they can tell you what tryouts were like.  Maybe they will even practice with you so you all get better. :)

Hope this helps...let me know how things go or if I can do anytyhing else to help.  If you need more details write back!

Steve Michaud
Cheer Director
ENA, NJ