How to Be on an All Star Cheer Team

Researching Teams and Options

Get your parents permission and support. Most people don't know what cheerleading really is. If your parents think that cheerleaders are mean people that do nothing but wave pom-poms, explain to them what you really want to do, how much you love cheerleading, and that all-star cheerleading is not the same thing as cheering for your school or football. Make sure you aren't putting them on the spot. Make sure they agree with you and you aren't pressuring them. They will more likely help you if you stay calm and show them your mature.

Start acting like a cheerleader, even before you make the team. Be happy, smile, make friends, don't be mean, laugh a lot, and be sporty! Remember that being mean and rude to other teammates could get you kicked off the cheerleading team, so remember to be nice to everyone in your team and outside our team. Also make sure that you pick a good team.

Research good cheerleading. Before you become an all-star cheerleader, you need to know what all-star cheerleading is. Look up videos on Youtube or visit the USASF (US All-Star Federation) website to see how it's like being an all-star cheerleader. Know all the rules and levels so you'll have an idea what level you'll be on and what you'll be doing. And be sure to know the difference between all-star cheerleading and football/basketball cheerleading before you sign up!

Decide what you're going to be. If you're tall and strong, you'll probably be a base or backspot. If you're short, flexible, and agile you'll probably be a flyer. If you're a combination of both, maybe you could be two things at a time!

Research an all star team in your area so you have all the information. Look on the website for pictures, look on youtube for videos, and see if on the website they have requirements for the team you want to try out for. For previews on competitions go to websites like Jamfest or U.S. Nationals. Remember to find a good team. If the team only has seven girls or goes in only two competitions a year, you might not want to join if cheerleading is your passion. Make sure you join a good sized teams with plenty of levels and that goes on competitions! And if possible, try joining a team that goes to Worlds.

Preparing for Try-Outs

Motivate yourself and stay focused on your goal. Don't be lazy! You should practice a little everyday. If you are a base, weight lifting is a great idea. Same for back spots. Flyers, you can try hamstring stretches! Stretch and exercise.

Improve your strength and flexibility. Believe it or not, the more flexible you are, the less you'll get hurt, because your body will be so used to bending. Stretch every day and do a couple of strength exercises like crunches, lemon squeezes, and push-ups about three times a week.

Get fit and exercise. Run at least once a week. Being strong can help you get better at a lot of cheerleading things, like jumping, tumbling, stunting, or maybe even dancing if your team's dance is fast and difficult.

Take a preparation class before you join. Do tumbling, private lessons, or a be in a recreational team for about two months before you actually do the real thing, and remember that you must know the basics. Those classes will teach you all the basics. If you already took something like gymnastics or tumbling before, you don't really have to. The better you are at tumbling, the more likely you'll be able to make a higher level in your team.

Learn the basic motions: High V, Low V, T, Broken T, etc. Practice in front of the mirror and remember to squeeze your body the whole time. While doing motions, keep your fists straight up and tight, not bent! The better your basics are, the better your tumbling will be.

Learn cheerleading jumps. Practice every day and when you're sitting down, be in the position of the jump you want to learn/improve. When you jump, whip your legs and arms as hard as possible and keep your arms tight (that's why basic motions are important in cheerleading).

Learn how to dance. It may sound silly, but dance is important in all-star cheer. If you don't know how to dance, you'll be all messed up while your teammates are doing great in a competition, and all all-star cheer routines have at least one dance part in them. Your dance moves should be clean and tight, and remember to do facials/smile while you dance.

Learn roundoffs, back handsprings, and handstands. They are very important cheerleading skills. Remember that in most tumbling passes, a cheerleader will do a roundoff/roundoff back handspring before she does the final trick. Even thought a back handspring is essential, don't attempt one unless your coach already gave you permission to, because if you did one by yourself and fell, that could lead to serious injury.

Learn how to fall properly! If you fall backwards, just do a candle rock with your arms straight above your head, and stand back up. If you fall forwards, tuck your chin in and roll.

Face your fears. If you have a fear of going backwards, just practice jumping backwards on a mattress and doing bridges. Remember that tumbling can sometimes be scary/dangerous, so be prepared to fall, because it's impossible to never fall! Don't be scared in any position you take. If you're a base, make sure you get under your flyer and don't be scared. If you're scared then the flyer will be scared as well. Be confident. If your a back-spot, don't be scared as well. Make sure you're catching your flyer if you do cradles or baskets. You need to grab the flyer's ankles or the base's wrists and pull up to relieve some of the weight. When doing cradles or baskets, help push then step aside to catch.

Learn facials. Facials give you more points in competitions and just make your team look better while performing. You need to look like you're having fun in a competition, because if you look bored, you're probably gonna lose.

Trying Out and Joining a Team

Sign up. Once you feel prepared, sign up for try-outs. Don't worry, you always make the team when you're an all-star!

Try out with confidence. Smile all the time and don't attempt anything you can't do or anything too dangerous. Be confident and always stretch first. Wear comfortable clothes. Look at the judges/coaches in the eye and pretend you're just at home and no one is watching!

Talk to your teammates and make friends with them, once you have made the team. Don't make cliques in your team and don't try to mess anyone up! Also, don't laugh at someone if they fell or they can't do a tumbling trick everyone else in the team can do. Don't cry, be upset, or be too hard on yourself. Always be positive, because all cheerleaders are supposed to have a positive attitude.

Have a light snack before each practice. Granola bars or energy drinks can be good, but don't drink too much caffeine or you'll get too hyper and will not be able to tumble!

Keep practicing at home and working out every day, even if you're already really good and have hard tumbling skills down. Even if you already have a back handspring, using a barrel/roller will make your back handsprings even better than they already are.

Keep in mind that it takes years to be a really good tumbler.

Be confident. Smile, believe in yourself, and be happy! Don't be afraid. The more you're afraid, the worse it may be. Stay clam throughout your routine, keep your composure, and work on facials. Facials is what wins the judges over.