She Wants To Try Out, New School, 8th Grade. How Does It Work?

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Aug 12, 2017
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Hello to everyone and hope I'm not intruding, just trying to help my daughter. She is going to be new at this school, and wants to try out for cheering this fall, entering 8th grade, but she's afraid she'll have to know everything the first day.

Being new, she only knows 1 girl who goes to this school, and doesn't know any cheerleaders to ask advice from.

She's in good athletic condition and can keep movements crisp and not pause if a mistake is made, but should she be practicing routines she finds on Youtube? I see rather odd-looking mylar "pompoms" at Walmart along with things like cheer megaphones and spirit gear...are those things she needs to be practicing with, now? She's tall: are there specific moves/skills she should focus on now, or is it enough to just let school start and find out then?

I'm hoping that they sign up the first few days of school, and then have some weeks to train before tryouts, and that there is some sort of after-school training for those who hope to make the squad?

She can't do the splits (yet?), but can do cartwheels and has been practicing herkies and toe-kicks. Is 8th grade too late to start?

Thanks for any guidance from those of you who have been there, done that.
 
I can't speak for other schools, but at mine, I expect that every kid walking in the door is new to cheer, even though we have a feeder program to my school from younger grades. We teach the kids everything they need to know at tryouts. Not only does this help the new kids, but it also teaches all the kids the technique we want to see. I'm looking for a willingness to learn, general athletic ability and a positive attitude.
 
I don't know where your located but in Texas tryouts were back in the Spring. If you are new to the school they don't have late tryouts, you have to wait until the next year. That is why we have a lot of kids transfer schools in January to the new one and then tryout in March.
 
Not all Texas schools have tryouts in spring, my daughters school doesn't have any tryouts until school returns.


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Thank you all for replying! Looks like it varies, but hopefully she has a chance. The guidance counselor just told me that she would need to have a sport physical (which is scheduled for next week) on file by the time school starts, in order to try out, and that info on that would be available at where all the athletics sign-up sheets are, in the cafeteria, on the first day.

So glad I found this group! :)
 
Thank you all for replying! Looks like it varies, but hopefully she has a chance. The guidance counselor just told me that she would need to have a sport physical (which is scheduled for next week) on file by the time school starts, in order to try out, and that info on that would be available at where all the athletics sign-up sheets are, in the cafeteria, on the first day.

So glad I found this group! :)
In NY, at least by us, middle school tryouts for all fall sports usually have informational meetings after school within in the first few days (if not on the first day). We also need to have the sports physicals in by the first day of school if they are trying out. I can't speak for all middle schools, but I know our cheer team is pretty much a walk on with girls having a wide range of skills.
 
It just depends on the school. The large public middle school in our area has very competitive fall tryouts. What usually happens is that most girls pick up the motions, dance, cheers during the first two days of tryouts which is when everyone learns the material. Some are better, some are worse...but the scores don't fluctuate wildly in those areas. Where the differentiation comes in is during the tumbling section. They get points and bonus points based on their tumbling. Since there are several All-Star gyms in our area...you get kids that are throwing layouts, standing tucks, heck even jumps to tuck and running fulls. These kids always make the team bc of the scoresheet.

Our smaller private school has spring tryouts. They have cuts, but we have fewer All-Stars so you can theoretically make Varsity with just a BHS. I would try to talk to the coach before tryouts start to get a copy of the scoresheet. That way your cp will be prepared for whatever they are looking for. It couldn't hurt to do a couple of privates if you have a cheer gym nearby. Good luck!
 
My middle school has Fall tryouts (a meeting like the 2nd day of school and tryouts like a week later) for football season and has Winter tryouts for basketball season. All of the 3 middle schools in my school district doesn't compete so maybe thats why.
 
Is this just a new school for your child, or did you move into an entirely different area? I'm asking because the culture of cheer can be quite different depending on what town you are in. And there's no need to get unnecessarily anxious.
 
Reading your post made me think of something that the matriach of all star cheer says often, "you can't teach tall" :) so your cp already has something really good going for her. Every team starts off with the basics once the team is formed and builds quickly from there. Have her stretch daily.

good luck and welcome to the boards.
 
It just depends on the school. The large public middle school in our area has very competitive fall tryouts. What usually happens is that most girls pick up the motions, dance, cheers during the first two days of tryouts which is when everyone learns the material. Some are better, some are worse...but the scores don't fluctuate wildly in those areas. Where the differentiation comes in is during the tumbling section. They get points and bonus points based on their tumbling. Since there are several All-Star gyms in our area...you get kids that are throwing layouts, standing tucks, heck even jumps to tuck and running fulls. These kids always make the team bc of the scoresheet.

Our smaller private school has spring tryouts. They have cuts, but we have fewer All-Stars so you can theoretically make Varsity with just a BHS. I would try to talk to the coach before tryouts start to get a copy of the scoresheet. That way your cp will be prepared for whatever they are looking for. It couldn't hurt to do a couple of privates if you have a cheer gym nearby. Good luck!
Good to know! I don't think it's terribly competitive here because we have no local cheer gym. There are some elsewhere in the state, but sadly there was a sex abuse scandal at one of them, recently, that hurt the image of All-Star gyms in the state.
 
Well of all the things I didn't expect, apparently no one has to try out, for cheering at this junior high. Anyone who wants to sign up, signs up, because there aren't more people interested than there are spots. I wonder why? But she's in, so we'll discover the mysteries then. Thank you all for info, insight, and support.
 
Well of all the things I didn't expect, apparently no one has to try out, for cheering at this junior high. Anyone who wants to sign up, signs up, because there aren't more people interested than there are spots. I wonder why? But she's in, so we'll discover the mysteries then. Thank you all for info, insight, and support.
Good luck to her, I hope she has a great season!
 
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