2018-2019 Tryout Information University of Dubuque Cheer and Stunt Video Tryout Required for Team Consideration Tryouts for the 2018-2019 University of Dubuque Cheer and Stunt Team will be held in a video format for all incoming team members. Incoming members will need to submit their videos before Saturday, April 21, 2018. This packet will give you the most complete information regarding the team guidelines, tryout process, and tryout information. Any questions can be directed to the Head Cheer Coach at dritchie@dbq.edu. All Cheer Team applicants must submit a completed Tryout Application and Tryout Acceptance Form and turn them in along with their tryout video. Both can be found attached to this packet. Financial Aid may be available to members of the Cheer and Stunt team in the amount of $500 per year. However, the final determination on who receives the aid will be made by the financial aid department and will depend on the aid that is already being given by the school to that particular student. The Head Cheer Coach should be able to give you a reasonable assumption on if a student will receive the extra aid as well as reasons why or why not a particular student will/has receive(d) it. Video Tryout by Videotape, YouTube, or DVD - Please refer to the Video Tryout Procedure page and Tryout Information page for detailed information/requirements and arrange your video accordingly. All video submissions must be received by April 21, 2018. Video Procedure Please follow the instructions on this sheet carefully. If you do not follow the video instructions and include all parts of the tryout, your tryout may be disqualified. If you are a non-stunting team, then you may omit the stunting portion but please state in your video that you are a non-stunting team. Tryout Results - Once the team(s) has been selected, you will be notified via phone, email and/or mail by the Head Cheer Coach on or before April 23, 2018. Any applicant must be applied and accepted to the University of Dubuque before trying out. Anyone selected for the team will provide the Head Cheer Coach with a letter of intent to attend the University of Dubuque as soon as possible after being selected to the team. Those who do not provide a letter of intent may lose their spot on the team. This is required so that we can be sure of our numbers when I sign up for and pay to attend summer camp should that be the direction of the team that year. I appreciate your interest in our program. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me via email dritchie@dbq.edu or phone 563-589-3733. Good luck and I look forward to viewing your tryouts. GO SPARTANS!! Drew Ritchie Head Cheer Coach University of Dubuque Cheer and Stunt
TEAM INFORMATION AND EXPECTATIONS University of Dubuque Cheer and Stunt 2018-19 Team Expectations: There will be one squad for the duration of the season which will include football, basketball and competition. The football/basketball team will be selected during this tryout and the competition team selection will be decided later in the year after everyone is on campus. Selections for the competition team will be made based on skill level and will be selected by the coaching staff. Athletes may participate in another sport on top of cheerleading as long as they are not of the same season. For example, a cheerleader may participate in soccer (fall sport) then be involved in cheerleading as their winter sport. Any athlete wanting to tryout for the competition team must be participating in the winter season of cheerleading. Athletes may not choose to just cheer one season, but must be otherwise occupied in order to miss a season within the entire cheer year. Graduating seniors who have been on the team for at least two full years may choose to only participate in competition. All other team members must participate in sideline cheerleading. Sideline Expectations: Each person will cheer at games as required by the coaching staff. Below is an approximation and may change based on the needs of the team: - All Football Home Games - Select Away Football Games - Half of the Men s Basketball Home Games - Half of the Women s Basketball Home Games - Tournament Appearances for Both Football and Basketball (Based on success of those teams.) Practice Expectations Practice schedules may be subject to change during the year based on facility availability. The coaching staff will give advanced notice when possible for any changes during the year. The team will have practice 3 times per week, along with 1 tumbling session and 2 workouts per week. Other Expectations Team members are required to maintain a positive, can-do attitude at all times while a member of the team here at UD. We work very hard to cultivate a family/inclusive atmosphere where team members are respectful toward each other. This is our most important expectation.
CHEERLEADING GUIDELINES University of Dubuque Cheer and Stunt 2018-19 1. Cheer and Stunt Team members are representatives of the University of Dubuque in and out of uniform and will be expected to uphold the highest standards of moral conduct and adhere to the University of Dubuque Code of Conduct. 2. Academics and Cheer and Stunt Team activities are top priorities students must maintain a 2.0 GPA to remain active members of the team. 3. A positive attitude must be maintained toward all team members, coaches, and University of Dubuque representatives including faculty and staff. 4. Cheer and Stunt Team members will be required to sign an agreement outlining the policies and procedures and the code of conduct for the Cheer Team. Failure to abide by the terms may result in removal from the team. 5. Any Cheer and Stunt Team member under the influence of drugs or alcohol during a practice, game, event, or team activity will be terminated from the team. Moreover, unannounced drug tests may be administered. 6. Cheer and Stunt Team members are required to attend and participate in all practices, conditioning sessions, athletic games, and University of Dubuque Cheer and Stunt Team events. All team members must be on time and dressed appropriately. 7. Cheer and Stunt Team members are expected to be in and maintain a healthy and physically fit condition. Thus, all members will participate in a conditioning and weight training program. Team members will be required to maintain physical fitness during any school breaks. 8. Sportsmanlike conduct must be maintained at all times. Verbal abuse and cursing in uniform or while representing the University of Dubuque will not be tolerated. 9. Cheer and Stunt Team members will actively participate in team fundraising projects, benefit performances, and volunteer activities for the community. 10. If it is determined that the Cheer and Stunt Team will attend summer camp and/or national competition, team members will participate in various fundraising opportunities in effort to offset expenses associated with these trips. 11. With all of the duties and responsibilities of being a Cheer and Stunt Team member, there is very little time for a job. Some team members have found jobs that allow them flexible schedules, but they are hard to find. Nevertheless, you will be removed from the team if your duties to the team are not being fulfilled. 12. Time management is a skill that is very important to all athletes. There are many demands on the time of any athlete and the ability to budget your time is important. Studying for exams and homework are to be done on your OWN TIME. You will not be excused from team events or practice to complete either of these.
Video Tryout Procedure Anyone wanting to tryout must participate in either the live tryout or submit a video for the video tryout. This section will cover the proper procedure for video tryouts. All videos must follow the tryout format and must be in electronic format (Facebook, YouTube, etc ), on a VHS or on a DVD-R. In your video you will appear game ready in a t-shirt, shorts, white no show socks and cheer shoes (you may wear tennis shoes if you do not own cheer shoes.) PLEASE DO NOT USE VIDEO FOOTAGE FROM OLD PERFORMANCES AND COMPETITIONS IN YOUR VIDEO. Please create a new video with up to date skills. Video submissions must be received before April 21, 2018. What to include in your video: Your video should include an introduction of yourself. This should not be written but should be spoken into the camera. Please include in your introduction: o Your Full Name and what year you are going to be in college. o What you want to study. o Your experience with cheerleading. o Why do you want to become a member of the UD Cheer and Stunt team? Chant/Sideline o You will provide this chant/sideline yourself. o Chant should include motions/voice only (no jumps/tumbling/stunts). Dance/Fight Song o This section is required for female participants. Males may choose to include a dance/fight song, but it is not required. o You should include a dance or a fight song, but not both. This material will be provided by you, and is not material that will be given to you. Stunts o If you are from a non-stunting school you may omit this section however, please explain that you are non-stunting. Do not just forget about this part entirely. o For your stunts, please include basic skills along with advanced/elite skills. o Be sure to include your best skills in this section. o Males are encouraged to do coed stunts in this section, but it is not required. o Please indicate in your video what you position is (Top girl, Base, Back Spot). Tumbling o Tumbling is not required to make the team, but it is highly encouraged and will increase your score on the tryout scoresheet. Please include your best standing and running tumbling skills. Jumps o Your video must include at least 3 jumps (you may do more) and MUST include a toe touch or a double toe touch. Connected jumps and jumps to tumbling will score higher. DO NOT FORGET TO INCLUDE YOUR TRYOUT APPLICATION ALONG WITH YOUR VIDEO!!
Tryout Application Form University of Dubuque Cheer and Stunt Name: 2018-2019 Grade: Male Female Height: T-Shirt Size: Nicknames: Date of Birth: Parent/Guardian Names: Athlete s Cell Number: Parent s Phone Number: Athlete s Email: GPA: School Attended Last Year: Major: Minor: My best school subject(s): This is my first year of competitive cheerleading: YES NO Position (You may circle more than one): TOP GIRL BASE BACK SPOT I have tumbling experience: YES NO **Please use the back of this sheet to explain your cheerleading/tumbling experience**
University of Dubuque Cheer and Stunt Tryout Result Acceptance Form I,, do hereby agree to accept the results of the University of Dubuque Cheer and Stunt Tryouts for the spring of. I agree that the decisions made by the judges and coaches of the University of Dubuque Cheer and Stunt program are subject to change at any time and I will abide by those changes if they occur. If you have questions or concerns with the tryout process, please contact the coaching staff PRIOR to tryouts. The judges and coaches of the University of Dubuque Cheer and Stunt program works hard to ensure a fair and equal tryout based on the skills level and attitude of those participating in the tryout. You may not agree with the selections made. The program does the best they can to select people who they believe will work the best for the program. You are free to contact the coaching staff after tryouts and ask what you can do better at the next tryout. Coaches here are always willing to assist and will give honest responses on what you can work on for next time. By signing below, I agree to the above statement and will not challenge the tryout process after tryouts have been concluded. I also will accept the decision of the coaching staff with regard to team selection. I have read the above statements and agree: Name: Signature: Date: If the participant is a minor, the following must be completed: Parent/Guardian s Name: Signature: Date: