Cheerleading tryout tips | Cheerleading photo and Cheerleading video

!- Judges always look for personality and smiles. Be sure to let yours radiate through at the tryouts! It never hurts to add a little wink or nod when the judges look your way!

!- If you can dance, that would be an asset, it gives you poise and rhythm, but don't rely on your dancing abilities alone. Your job is to show the judges that you can work as a team member and engage the crowd to cheer on your team. Make the judges want to cheer with you!

!- If you are can, show off as many tumbling techniques as you have. Same for jumps. If you do these well you can really out shine your competition. If you do not have this ability however, be super enthusiastic in high kicking and movements!

!- Some other good tricks to use are, tumbling/gymnastics to include cartwheel, roundoff, and back hand spring. If you can do a tuck you will often times get extra points. If you don't have your back hand spring or tuck down, nail the cartwheel and roundoff...lots of spring!

!continued below!

!- Knowledge of routines, chants and cheers is vital. Know them backwards and forwards, well enough to begin them anywhere in the middle of the cheer. Many good candidates often drop out due to their inability to start a cheer at any point in the routine.

!- This is one of the best tips: take a video recorder to the game and video tape the cheerleaders. You can then take that home and practice at your own pace stopping and starting when you need to. This is of great importance it will help you to develop confidence and you will feel like you are already a part of the team.

!- Flexibility and posture are also important. Being able to do splits and heal stretch are a must. In a Liberty or heal stretch position, you should be able to hold your balance for 20 seconds. Extra points are given for girls who can do arabesques (A ballet position in which the dancer bends forward while standing on one straight leg with the arm extended forward and the other arm and leg extended backward.)

!- Keep your movements sharp and in proper form. No sloppy arms, wrists etc. You can lose lots of points in this area. If you have never cheered, I would also suggest that you attend a couple of games to see how the cheerleaders move.

!continued below!

On try out day, wear your hair in a pony tail and or off of your face. Not too much make-up and no jewelry. Let them know that you are a serious contender, not there for a beauty contest. Do some deep breathing exercises just before you try out and remember, every one else is just as nervous as you are! Just do your best and it will show!

Being a good cheerleader requires a great deal of practice, and this can sometimes hurt your grade point average. However remember that it is difficult to make a living from cheerleading. You have to have some education. So remember your academics.

Train hard, the spirit of team is paramount.

Below are some DVDs and a link that I am recommending. You should find them to be very useful they can give you some more great chearleading tryout tips.

Chearleading Tryout Tips DVD

Beginning Cheerleading DVD