At Odyssey Cheer Company, we are more than just your average cheer program. We guide and mold our athletes into adults who will make a difference.

Transcription

1 Page 1

2 We invite you to come experience the excitement and adventure of the all-new Odyssey All-Star Cheer Company! The mission of our CHAMPIONSHIP program, directed by our 3-time National Cheerleader Association (NCA) National Champion Coach Robin Mata, is to train our athletes with integrity and respect, and build championship squads through emphasizing team unity and individual commitment. Our goal is to encourage and instill confidence in our athletes, offer leadership opportunities, and foster lifelong friendships and memories. At Odyssey Cheer Company (OCC) we are committed to providing your athletes with the best coaching and skill building available so that they may have a successful future in cheerleading. We value all of our athletes, regardless of age or skill level, and want to foster a love of the sport of cheerleading through consistent progress and achievement. We thank you for interest in our program and we look forward to have you join our Odyssey Cheer Family! If you have any questions about this packet, the tryout process, team assignments (all-star, prep, or showteam), or anything else, including the facility or our staff, please feel free to ask any owner or staff member of OCC for help or assistance! OCC is lead by owners Robin Mata, Jessica Bernal, Lisa Voigt and Tony Voigt. You can reach us by phone at or by at info@odysseycheer.com. Page 2

3 At Odyssey Cheer Company, we are more than just your average cheer program. We guide and mold our athletes into adults who will make a difference. Philanthropy Project Each year the Odyssey Family will come together to support one or more local charities. We want our athletes to learn the value of giving back to the world around us and the importance of helping those in need! Odyssey Annual Retreat Our annual weekend retreat is an optional event where Odyssey athletes participate in leadership, team building activites and games with their Odyssey Family! This event will take place on a weekend during the school year. Award Banquet At the end of the cheer season, the Odyssey Family will come together for a banquet dinner that includes dancing, awards and a celebration of the past year together! Recognition We value the loyalty of our Odyssey Family! Athletes are recognized at their 3rd, 5th, 7th and 10th year anniversaries! Additionally, graduating senior athletes will receive a $100 scholarship for each full high school year they spent at Odyssey. Page 3

4 For the cheer season, Odyssey Cheer Company anticipates accepting up to 125 All-Star Prep and Competitive Athletes. Individual athletes will sign up for a private evaluation time to demonstrate jumps, tumbling, flying ability (if applicable) and a short dance/cheer combo taught at the evaluation clinic during the week of tryouts. Our team evaluations are as relaxed as possible and each evaluation will conclude with a short interview to go over athlete goals for the upcoming season. Enrollment and Evaluation Procedures: 1) Read through this packet carefully. All-star cheerleading is a SELECT sport that requires a significant time and financial commitment. Parents and athletes: please make sure you understand the commitment being made. 2) Fill out and turn in: 1) the All-Star Registration Form, 2) Parent & Athlete Rules Form and 3) the Credit Card Authorization Form 3) Turn in a photo and birth certificate (a photocopy is acceptable) for your athlete(s). 4) If you have not yet registered with OCC, submit a $55 non-refundable registration fee per athlete. 5) Submit a $55 tryout fee (all athletes) 6) Submit the April tuition fee (1/2 month): a. $72.50 for Competitive Team(s), or b. $57.50 for Prep Team(s) or c. $42.50 for Showteam(s). 7) Request a tryout time slot. Requests may be made no earlier than March 23, Tryout time requests can be made in person by turning in all forms and payment to the front desk or by ing all completed forms and fees to info@odysseycheer.com. 8) Attend ONE evaluation clinic for the level in which the athlete has MASTERED skills (see next page for required skills). Evaluation Clinics: April 6, 2015 April 7, 2015 Showteam, Prep & Level 1 5:30 7:00 PM Level 2 & Up 5:30 7:00 PM Level 2 & Up 7:00 8:30 PM Showteam, Prep & Level 1 7:00 8:30 PM Team Evaluations (tryouts): Team evaluations will be held April 8-11, Athletes are to wear their try-out t-shirt (handed out during clinic), and lightweight tennis shoes or cheer shoes. Hair should be out of the athlete s face and pulled into a ponytail. Athletes are assigned tryout numbers during evaluation. Team placement results will be posted by athlete tryout number to by Monday, April 13, Team practices will begin on Wednesday, April 15, Page 4

5 The following U.S. All Star Federation (USASF) Age Divisions are set in place to create a safe, consistent and fair platform for cheer athletes during competitions. OCC will strictly comply with the age limits as follows. All ages are as of August 31, Tiny Division Age 6 & Younger Mini Division Age 8 & Younger Youth Division Age 11 & Younger Junior Division Age 14 & Younger Senior Division Ages Odyssey Cheer Company will always do what is best for a team to grow and have success throughout the season. Athletes will be considered for teams based on age, level availibility and the following skill requirements. Please note that athlete maturity, dance ability and jumping skills are also taken into consideration during team evaluations. Skills MUST be consistent and demonstrate STRONG technique in order drive the future success of a team. Showteam All-Star Prep Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 No Skill Requirements No Skill Requirements Back Walkover & Front Walkover Level 1 Skills + Standing Back Handspring, Back Walkover Back Handspring & Round-off Back Handspring Series Level 2 Skills + Standing Back Handspring Series, Round-off Back Handspring Tuck & Toe-Touch Back Handspring Level 3 Skills + Standing Back Tuck, Back Handspring Tuck & Roundoff Back Handspring Layout At Odyssey Cheer Company, our goal is to discover and grow athlete strenghts. In the event that an athlete possesses exceptional strength in another area besides tumbling (ex: basing or flying), the athlete may be considered for a higher level team. We are looking for well-rounded athletes with strong work ethic - simply having the necessary tumbling skills does not guarantee that a candiate will automically make that level team. Page 5

6 At Odyssey Cheer Company, we are as up-front as possible with our estimated costs for the cheer season. We know it is important to be able to plan for expenses and we do our best to provide the highest quality instruction at the best value possible. Registration Fee: A $55 per athlete (non-refundable) registation fee will be due at tryouts each year. This fee is valid from March 2015 March If you are currently enrolled in classes and have paid the $55 registration fee, you will not have to pay this fee again until next season (in March 2016). Tuition and fees are divided into three elements: 1) monthly tuition, 2) team fees, and 3) competition uniform fees. Monthly tuition is due on the 1 st of the month, every month. Team fees are due on the 15 th of the month, May through December (8 payments). Our team fees include the following items: practice wear (including matching practice bow(s)), competition entry fees, coach s fees, music, choreography, in-house team camp, backpack, makeup kit and USASF fees (USASF fees for competitive & prep teams only). Competition Fees: Competitive Teams will attend six to eight competitions per year. Entry fees will vary between $80 to $175 per event. Please remember that you are responsible for personal transportation and lodging (if needed) to and from all competitive events. Fees to bid events such as the Summit will be paid separately. Competition uniform fees include competition uniform, warm-ups and shoes. These fees will be collected during uniform sizing in August. We are still designing some of these pieces, so the following costs are approximate. The estimated cost for the all-star competition uniform is approximately $400 (top & skirt). The estimated cost for the prep and showteam uniform is approximately $200 (top & skirt). Shoes and warm-up costs are TBD. All uniform pieces will be used for at least two seasons and if kept in good condition, may be resold if outgrown through OCC. Practice Wear: Each competitive team member will receive two sets of practice wear and two bows. Showteam and Prep team members will receive one set of practice wear and one bow. All athletes are required to wear OCC approved practice wear to all practices. Page 6

7 Choreography & Team Camp: Music production and choreography take a lot of planning outside of team practices. A MANDATORY team camp will be held at OCC for two days to be scheduled between August 3-8, All athletes are required to attend camp. Only athletes with pre-purchased family vacation packages purchased prior to April 15, 2015 will be excused. Please note that no refunds are given in the event that the athlete cannot attend as they are still being included in the routine during the camp. Backpacks: Each athlete is required to carry an OCC Team backpack to practice and all team events. Backpacks will be purchased from Illusive Apparel for this season. As long as backpacks stay in good condition, they can be used again next season. Make-Up Kits: OCC athletes will only be allowed to wear approved make-up during competitions. Kits will include lipstick, blush, eye shadows and eyeliner. USASF Membership: All All-star & Prep team members must be USASF members in order to compete in competition. Membership allows participation in USASF Member Event Producer Sanctioned Events. This membership is a way to identify the athletes in all-star cheer and dance, verify age of participating athletes, provide standardized safety practices and is an opportunity for scholarship awards. All team members must have a credit card on file for payment (page 16). If you wish to pay using another method, payment must be made before the 5 th of the month. All remaining balances will be charged to the card on file on the 6 th of the month. Prepayments in advance of due dates may be arranged individually, please ask Jessica about prepayment options. Monthly Tuition & Fees Competitive All-Star Prep Showteam Monthly Tuition (Due by the 1 st day of every month) $ $ $85.00 Team Fees* (Due by the 15 th day of the month); 8 Payments Payable May December $ $ $ Please note: Uniform fees, warm-ups and competition shoes will be payable in August and are not included in the above fees. Additional entry fees for bid events such as the Summit as not included. Discounts Yearly Tuition Paid In Full (excludes team and uniform fees) No Refunds 5% Sibling Discount (tuition only, applied to lowest tuition amount) 20% Tumbling Class Discount 10% Tumbling Class Drop-In $18.00 * Team fees include practice wear (including matching practice bow), competition entry fees, coach s fees, music, choreography, in-house team camp, back pack, make-up kit and USASF fees (competitive & prep) Page 7

8 At Odyssey Cheer Company, we understand that the quest for greatness is never achieved without self-discipline and dedication to what we believe. Athletes and parents are expected to be able to manage school, family and athletics at the same time. While we understand the difficulty in sometimes juggling activities, cheerleading is a team sport and missed practice sessions affect the entire team - teams cannot stunt and formations and tumbling sequences cannot be fully executed when we have teammates missing. ALL ABSENCES MUST BE SUBMITTED BY TO INFO@ODYSSEYCHEER.COM ONLY COACH ROBIN IS ALLOWED TO APPROVE ABSENCE REQUESTS. NO OTHER STAFF MEMBER HAS THIS AUTHORITY. In the event that an athlete must miss practice for a g raded school event, school sport commitment or family event (reunion, wedding etc.), the athlete will be expected arrive at their next practice session 30 minutes early to condition and review any missed material with a teammate. It is the athletes responsibility to contact a teammate to meet with. Athletes should plan their days and weeks to complete homework so that they can attend practice without complication. During the week of show-offs and regional competitions, and the two weeks prior to all National Events, there are NO ALLOWED absences. Missing a practice during these weeks may result in immediate dismissal from a team. Athletes with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea are asked to not attend practice. However, if an athlete is just not feeling well, they are still expected to show-up to practice and sit out if needed and observe team activities. Headaches are not a reason to miss practice. In the case of severe illness the day of an event, parents are expected to stay in contact with OCC Staff and work with a doctor in order to make every attempt to make the child better as soon as possible. We understand that summer vacations are important for our Odyssey Family however, if you are in town you need to be at practice! We ask that athletes take no more than 3 weeks for summer vacation during the months of June and July. Please schedule vacations to minimize the amount of practice time missed. Vacations absence notifications must be received in writing or by by June 1, During the school year, no more than two unexcused practice sessions will be allowed. Beginning January 3, 2016, only one unexcused practice session will be allowed through the end of the season. Page 8

9 Competitive teams will practice twice a week for two hours each session. All-star Prep & Showteam will practice once a week. Please be prepared for practice session lengths or meeting days to increase as the nationals season nears. These extra practice sessions are included in your monthly tuition. Tuition does not increase for months when teams meet times and does not decrease when teams only meet 4 times a month. Athletes may only wear OCC approved practice wear. Hair is to be in a high ponytail. No jewelry is allowed. A schedule of practice wear will be available on our website at If an athlete is missing any uniform piece, one will be provided for you from the pro-shop and charged to your account THIS INCLUDES YOUR PRACTICE BOW! Athletes need to bring a water bottle to each practice. No food, gum or sports drinks will be allowed in the gym this is a strict rule! Please leave all cell phones at home or turned off during practice. If an athlete needs to use a phone for any reason during practice, one will be provided for them. Cell phones are a distraction during practice and will not be tolerated this is a safety issue. Practice sessions are not intended for perfecting tumbling. If you see that your child is lacking in some skills or losing strength in tumbling, it is the parent s resposibility to contact the coach and arrange for private lessons or enroll in additional tumbling classes. Flyers are required to arrive at practice 15 minutes early. It is a privilege to fly at OCC and it is important that athletes maintain flexibility throughout the season. In the event that a stunt group is in need of extra practice, they need to contact a coach and set up a time to come into the gym outside of practice. All other athletes need to arrive on time to practice. If you arrive early, please stay off the equipment and do not disturb other athletes. No unsupervised tumbling at any time! Occasionally, practices may be closed for viewing. These types of practice sessions allow for the athletes to have 110% focus on the team and coaches at all times. The ownership and staff at OCC are interested in making every parent and every athlete s experience in our program a positive and successful endeavor. Parents play a key role in the success of our teams! This is very important: parents talking negatively about the team, program, coaches or other parents will not be tolerated. Please approach ownership to discuss any conceners you may have about other parents, coaches, or staff we are here to help! Parents who interrupt a practice session will be dismissed from the program this is a safety concern for all athletes. Do not enter the gym area without express permission from a coach or the staff. If any parent threatens to pull their child from a team, OCC reserves the right to dismiss that parent and/or that athlete from the program. Page 9

10 Our competition and event schedule will be released during the summer. All competitions are mandatory and athletes need to be available the entire weekend to perform. Athletes are expected to support other Odyssey Cheer teams. In most cases, event schedules (including arrival and dismissal times) will be available on the Tuesday before the competition or event. Some competitions require teams to compete on Friday. While we try to limit these, please be aware this is a possibility. Athletes are to arrive to all competitions and events in full uniform, no exceptions. This means that makeup and hair need to be performance ready. A make-up and hair video will be provided to you before competition season begins. If you need additional help getting ready, you will need to arrange to meet with a team mom or parent BEFORE the team meeting time. No jewelry, gum or nail polish is allowed. Skin toned or nude undergarments must be worn at all events. Athletes are to remain in full uniform for the entire event. No other boots, pajama pants or hoodies are allowed to be worn over the uniform. Backpacks or warm-ups are not allowed to be worn to award ceremonies. Depending on the team schedule, not all coaches will be available to watch and support teams as they perform. We will always strive to have as many coaches available as possible, but in some cases team warm-up times and performances may conflict. Athletes are to show good sportsmanship at all times - we will always win and lose as a team. OCC athletes will show respect to teammates, coaches and parents regardless of team placement. OCC athletes and parents will be courteous to other gym or team parents, athletes and competition officials regardless of how treated. Being discourteous or disruptive can actually cause our teams to be sanctioned (losing points or disqualified from events). Parents and athletes are to never contact competition officials or judges directly (either in-person, by , by phone or any other means). Staying for your team award ceremony is MANDATORY. Hotels may be required at some events. Most out of town events require teams to book with their travel company ( stay to play events). Athletes will be required to stay at these hotels in order to participate; these blocks make reservations easier for parents and allows for team bonding and carpooling room sharing is encouraged to cut costs. At other events where a travel company is not required, Odyssey will select a host hotel and block a group of rooms for the program. We encourage you to take advantage of the room block and discount. All rooms will be reserved and booked by the parent and hotel costs are paid directly to the hotel, not through OCC. Page 10

11 April 15 th Team Practices Begin April 18 th Mandatory Parent Meeting & Odyssey Grand Opening Celebration May 5 th Practice Wear Sizing May 25 th Memorial Day Gym Closed July 3 rd 5 th July 4 th Break Gym Closed August 3 rd 8 th Mandatory Choreography Camp August 18 th 23 rd Team Summer Break Gym Closed September 7 th Labor Day Gym Closed November 25 th 29 th Thanksgiving Break Gym Closed December 23 rd 27 th Christmas Break Gym Closed December 30 th January 2 nd New Years Break Gym Closed January 3 rd Practices Resume Mandatory Team Practice (All Athletes) March 14 th 18 th Spring Break Gym Closed March 2016 End of the Year Banquet Page 11

12 Private Lessons are perfect for students who are interested in personal advancement over and above what they are doing in their regular tumbling class or for athletes who may be preparing for cheerleading tryouts. Our experienced staff will make an individual plan and set goals according to each student s level and ability. Privates can be scheduled through the front desk. Private Lesson Costs: 30 Minute Lesson 45 Minute Lesson 60 Minute Lesson 1 Athlete $30 1 Athlete $45 1 Athlete $60 2 Athletes $45 2 Athletes $60 2 Athletes $80 Portions of the fees are made payable to the gym and to the coaches. Please inquire with the front desk regarding the splitting of these payments and the types of payments accepted. Athletes needing additional tumbling time outside of practice can progress with confidence through our tumbling program as they train to be the best. Safe and productive class sessions ensure that each athlete is working at an appropriate skill level to match and stretch their ability. Odyssey team athletes receive a 10% discount on tumbling tuition and the option to drop-in to classes at the rate of $18.00 per class. Individual events improve an athlete's self-confidence, self-esteem & individual skills! Individuals are rewarding and provide an additional chance to win Trophies, Jackets and High Point Awards. If you are interested in performing in individual events this season, please contact Coach Robin at info@odysseycheer.com. Music and choreography fees vary by division. Individual entry fees are separate from team events and will include coach s fees and travel fees (when needed). Page 12

13 Gym Contact Information Robin Mata Owner Jessica Bernal Owner Lisa Voigt Owner Tony Voigt - Owner 2620 Cullen Blvd, Suite # 220 Pearland, TX (281) Emergency Afterhours Contact (832) info@odysseycheer.com Parent Portal Online payment is quick and convenient! Enter your address on file and select Forgot your password or need to get started? And a password will be sent to the address on file! Social Media Please make sure to like us on Facebook ( and follow us on Instagram (@odysseycheer) for all the latest gym updates! We will be using special hashtags throughout the season to keep us connected!! Page 13

14 Page 14

15 We will show good sportsmanship and take pride in the Odyssey name. Every athlete is to be respectful to the team and coaches at all times. Coaches authority is not to be questioned during practice sessions or at competition. If you feel the need to speak with a coach regarding an incident, please set up a meeting with the front desk. We understand the amount of commitment. We are commiting 100% to the Odyssey Cheer Program TODAY. Sports and activites that conflict with team practice sessions will not be allowed. We understand that additional work is required outside of regular practice time in order to make a team successful. This includes extra practice sessions or additional tumbling classes. All athletes are required to participate in community and charity events. We will not participate in negative gossip or communication. JUST SAY NO TO THE DRAMA! Our actions in the parent viewing area and on the cheer floor are a reflection of Odyssey Cheer Company. We believe that doing our best every day is more important than winning every time. We should never feel defeated by the outcome of a practice or performance as long as we tried our best. Only parents and staff members are allowed to enter the gym area. Parents are never allowed to contact or judges or competition hosts at anytime. Athletes must maintain the skills they threw at tryouts. In the event that they lose skills, they may be moved to an alternate team. We will never post anything negative on social media about teammates, programs or parents. This includes venting - Negativity will NOT be tolerated and is immediate ground for dismissal from Odyssey Cheer. No posting of team routine videos on social media or Youtube without permission from Odyssey Cheer Company. My child will be responsible for behavior, mistakes and actions. Class tuition is not pro-rated for holidays, absences or gym breaks. Make-up classes are offered for missed tumbling classes and must be completed with one week of the missed classed. Odyssey Cheer Company owns the rights to all program material including music and logos. Material may not be reproduced in any manner without wrtitten permission for Odyssey Cheer Company. Odyssey has the right to use any picture or videos of students taken will participating with Odyssey for use on the Odyssey website or marketing material. I understand that in the event my child is removed from the Odyssey Cheer Program, I am not entitled to refunds of any kind. I agree to adhere to the rules and guidelines above and will display good sportsmanship throughout the cheer season at the OCC facility and at outside events. OCC retains the right to remove any parent from the OCC facility or at outside events/competitions for violation of these rules or at management discretion. Athlete Signature: Parent Signature: Date: Date: Page 15

16 I, authorize Odyssey Cheer Company, LLC, to charge my credit card for monthly tuition and fees. Tuition will be charged on the 6 th of the month and team fees will be charged on the 15th. If you wish to pay using another method, payment must be made before the 5 th for tution and before the 14 th of the month for team fees using cash, check, credit card or the parent portal website. Credit cards that decline are subject to a $10 late fee. Name as it appears on your credit card: Monthly Tuition: Team Fees: Credit Card Type (We do not currently accept Discover): Credit Card Number: Expiration Date: Billing Zip: I authorize and agree to the payment option above. I understand that if the credit card provided is cancelled for any reason, I am responisble for providing new credit card information to Odyssey Cheer Company in order to avoid late fees. There are NO REFUNDS for any reason (injury, quitting, removal from the Odyssey Cheer Program) and in the event that an athlete chooses to leave the program, all undistributed uniforms, practice wear and other specialty items become property of Odyssey Cheer Company. Cardholder Signature: Date: Page 16