College Cheering In College

[JoFTZEW21]

Hi, lately my parents have been asking me what I want to do, or where I want to go to school. My school has a program that comes in a few times a year and talks about career paths, classes to take next year, colleges, etc. I am only a Freshman this year, but cheer is a big part of my life. I cheered from kindergarten to 2nd in rec, and 5th to 8th in competitive, and I got injured and just did Highschool. I don't think i'll go back to allstar (long story, gyms aren't very good around here) I was thinking I'd continue Highschool cheer, and focus on academic, and do tumbling at my gym. I have ROBH, multiple backhandsprings but nothing more. I have always wanted to go to University of Missouri (Mizzou) but there cheerleading isn't very clear on the site. I was thinking about Lindenwood University in St.Charles Missouri but also not sure because i've always just "knew" I was going to MIZ, now i'm rethinking myself. I have always been a base, never flown so I sort of want to stay away from coed teams. It's not out of the options though. I am pretty sure i'll have my standing backtuck by the time I graduate, and my layout. I was wondering if you guys could help me find some schools to think about with good academics and cheerleading

Things to keep in mind:
I am not opposed to going out of state or away from Missouri, my whole family went to Mizzou so i always just thought I'd go there also.

Right now I think I want to major in Sports Medicine and become a physical therapist or personal trainer.

My grades are pretty good right now, although I am only a freshman

*I know it's early but it's got me thinking because a senior on my team was talking about how she is cheering in college and what not, and I just registered for my sophomore classes some pertaining to what I want to go to college for*

Thanks in advance

 

[Lazydaisytoo]

As someone with a degree in ExSci, some things to think about. I'm sure things have changed over the years, but back in my day, if you weren't top .5% of your class, you didn't have a prayer of getting into a PT program. I ended up working in a hospital cardiac rehab center, and later a corporate fitness center run by the hospital. As a professional with a BS degree, I was making $8.50/hr. Pretty pathetic. The day I walked through the HR hallway at the hospital and saw the job postings for cafeteria workers at $10/hr was the day I left. I ended up making more money working retail, and I would not have needed a degree to do it.

If you're interested in working as a degree holding professional in personal training, be sure to take lots of business and marketing classes. I probably could have made a go of Personal training, but that would have meant liability insurance, marketing, accounting, and lots of other business things that I hadn't studied in school. Bio, Physics and Calc doesn't prep you for that. Most "trainers" at gyms are glorified salesmen making not much over minimum wage. I don't want to discourage you if it's your desired career path, but my experience has colored my perspective. Want a guaranteed job? Specialize in gerontology. For physical therapy, be prepared to hang in for the advanced degree. I really feel bad that my parents invested a lot in college, and just a few years out, I was working a great paying job that I could've gotten with no degree. I have since taken additional business classes at our local community college, and I run my own business, and manage rental investment properties.

 

[cheernerd5678]

Mizzou has an all girl and a coed squad, so you could definitely go and be a base. They don't have very much info on their site, but I know quite a few Mizzou cheerleaders and here's what I know as far as tumbling:
Pretty much if not all of them have standing tucks, I don't know of any who don't but There may be some
A lot of them have running fulls. Those who don't come into my gym a lot to work their fulls for NCA Nationals, I think they're very much encouraged to try to have them for competition

 

[JoFTZEW21]

Mizzou has an all girl and a coed squad, so you could definitely go and be a base. They don't have very much info on their site, but I know quite a few Mizzou cheerleaders and here's what I know as far as tumbling:
Pretty much if not all of them have standing tucks, I don't know of any who don't but There may be some
A lot of them have running fulls. Those who don't come into my gym a lot to work their fulls for NCA Nationals, I think they're very much encouraged to try to have them for competition

I was looking on the website and there's barely any info. My sister is friends with a few cheerleaders there so she said they're going to Facebook message me about it. From my understanding, there's two seperate teams for men's and women's basketball and then one all girl squad for volleyball. I don't really want to cheer for volleyball but idk. I think I just need more information. I think I will be able to get my standing tuck. Not confident about the full. Jw, did your school go to NCA cheer camp down at the ozarks? A few mizzou cheerleaders were the NCA staff and a lot of them only threw bhs series and tucks. Idk if that was just cause we were at camp or what lol

 

[cheernerd5678]

I was looking on the website and there's barely any info. My sister is friends with a few cheerleaders there so she said they're going to Facebook message me about it. From my understanding, there's two seperate teams for men's and women's basketball and then one all girl squad for volleyball. I don't really want to cheer for volleyball but idk. I think I just need more information. I think I will be able to get my standing tuck. Not confident about the full. Jw, did your school go to NCA cheer camp down at the ozarks? A few mizzou cheerleaders were the NCA staff and a lot of them only threw bhs series and tucks. Idk if that was just cause we were at camp or what lol

We didn't go to NCA camp this year but we will next year! We'd go to the one at Mizzou though lol.
It might have been the surfaces, were you guys on dead mat or were you on wood/turf? I feel like they mostly throw tucks and BHS series at games, but for competition they throw layouts and fulls. They might only do the harder stuff on dead mat to be safe, or because it was a camp

 

[JoFTZEW21]

We didn't go to NCA camp this year but we will next year! We'd go to the one at Mizzou though lol.
It might have been the surfaces, were you guys on dead mat or were you on wood/turf? I feel like they mostly throw tucks and BHS series at games, but for competition they throw layouts and fulls. They might only do the harder stuff on dead mat to be safe, or because it was a camp

Next year were going to one at SLU, but yeah it was like a dead mat. That's probably it! Do you know anything about Lindenwood cheer? My cheer coaches cheered there its a lot closer than me but distance isnt an issue lol, but thank you!! At the basketball games I see them throwing tucks and a few layouts and fulls. Haven't been to a football game in a while

 

[cheernerd5678]

Next year were going to one at SLU, but yeah it was like a dead mat. That's probably it! Do you know anything about Lindenwood cheer? My cheer coaches cheered there its a lot closer than me but distance isnt an issue lol, but thank you!! At the basketball games I see them throwing tucks and a few layouts and fulls. Haven't been to a football game in a while

I don't know much about it, but they seem like a good program! Not as much of a tumbling requirement but they compete at NCA.

 

[JoFTZEW21]

I don't know much about it, but they seem like a good program! Not as much of a tumbling requirement but they compete at NCA.

I watched a video of their 2011 team compete at Daytona. They were alright, lots of them were throwing fulls though and they seemed to have more guys than mizzou. I saw them practicing the other day when I was up there for a basketball game. They're stunting is really good. I don't like the school too much though. Thanks for your answers you've been really helpful with all the mizzou stuff! It helps a lot!!

 

[ScottyB]

If you wanna piss your whole family off, go be a Jayhawk ;-) lol

 

[yojaehs]

I'm thinking Rudags could help


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

 

[cheernerd5678]

If you wanna piss your whole family off, go be a Jayhawk ;-) lol

Don't listen! He's trying to bring you over to the dark side!

 

[Rudags]

I cheered at Lindenwood for four years. This year they have a Division II Large Coed, Division II All-Girl and an Intermediate Small Coed. They also have a non-competitive Side-Line Cheer team as well for those who may not make a Nationals mat. All Girl and Large Coed don't have 'set' requirements but I can tell you almost everyone (may be a few stragglers) has Jumps to Back and at minimum a RO BHS Tuck (Most have Layouts and Fulls). Intermediate does have a lot of girls with standing backs but they won't be able to compete them. Jump BHS and RO BHS Layouts are the most elite skills you can compete. To make sideline team doesn't mean you won't make Nationals team I don't think. Once grades/injuries/quitters, etc is taken into consideration things change. Lindenwoods campus is BEAUTIFUL and their scholarships are second to none. Cheerleading is VERY supported by the University so its great to have that support.

Lindenwood goes to an All-Star gym to tumble once a week and work with Allstar Coaches as well.

Id email the Lindenwood coach to find out more. Carrie Nichols: [email protected]

As far as Mizzou, I wish I woulda cheered D1 for the games but I also liked Lindenwoods classes a lot. Professors knew your name, built great relationships and I just enjoyed the "small class" mentality. Classes had about 20-30 students in them.

If you have any specific questions about Lindenwood, let me know. Unfortunatley I don't know much about Mizzou other than their program has improved talent wise quite tremendously in mu opinion.

 

[ryann3794]

As someone with a degree in ExSci, some things to think about. I'm sure things have changed over the years, but back in my day, if you weren't top .5% of your class, you didn't have a prayer of getting into a PT program. I ended up working in a hospital cardiac rehab center, and later a corporate fitness center run by the hospital. As a professional with a BS degree, I was making $8.50/hr. Pretty pathetic. The day I walked through the HR hallway at the hospital and saw the job postings for cafeteria workers at $10/hr was the day I left. I ended up making more money working retail, and I would not have needed a degree to do it.

If you're interested in working as a degree holding professional in personal training, be sure to take lots of business and marketing classes. I probably could have made a go of Personal training, but that would have meant liability insurance, marketing, accounting, and lots of other business things that I hadn't studied in school. Bio, Physics and Calc doesn't prep you for that. Most "trainers" at gyms are glorified salesmen making not much over minimum wage. I don't want to discourage you if it's your desired career path, but my experience has colored my perspective. Want a guaranteed job? Specialize in gerontology. For physical therapy, be prepared to hang in for the advanced degree. I really feel bad that my parents invested a lot in college, and just a few years out, I was working a great paying job that I could've gotten with no degree. I have since taken additional business classes at our local community college, and I run my own business, and manage rental investment properties.

nope still like that! I've never been an all A student so I ended up changing my major this semester to Social Work

 

[dearryka]

my school, Blackburn is an all girl squad. We don't compete and only cheer basketball/ soccer homecoming. Our squad is pretty good even though there's no experience required. Also, we're only 70 miles away from St. Louis (where I'm from). It's a small school with a lot of one on one attention (if you want/need it). I was a bit iffy about it at first but going here was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

 

[Lazydaisytoo]

I sometimes feel like I live in a cheer vortex. We were at a comp this weekend, and the Penn State comp cheer team was there. All 3 of our level 3 teams out scored them by at least 12 points. It's kind of sad when a huge school like Penn State can't put together a fantastic team.