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Cheerleader Tryout Information Packet 2017-2018 Hello Broncos, Thank you for your interest in the Denton High School Cheerleading Program. It is important that you are aware of what is expected from each candidate during the week of tryouts, as well as what will be expected should your candidate be selected as a squad member. There is a great commitment on the part of each student and parent that is selected as a Denton High Cheerleader. We hope you will find your experience rewarding. The tryout dates for the DHS cheerleading squad will be as follows: Monday, January 23 rd : Tryout packet available on the DHS cheer website Tuesday, February 7th: Mandatory Parent tryout meeting. 6pm DHS high school cafeteria Monday, February 13 th : Completed tryout packet due w/physical form Sunday, February 26 th : Tryout material posted on DHS cheer page Monday, February 27 th : Clinic 4:15-5:30--This day is not mandatory to attend Tuesday, February 28 th : Clinic 4:15-5:30--This day is not mandatory to attend Wednesday March 1st - Mock try-outs & numbers drawn Mandatory 4:15-5:30 Friday, March 3rd - Cheer Tryouts 4:15pm Every candidate, unless academically ineligible or suspended, may attend all daily practices. Mock Tryouts are mandatory unless you were absent from school or academically ineligible. During mock try-outs, the candidates will learn the tryout procedures. On the day of tryouts, each candidate must stay for the full tryout period for the squad candidate is trying out for in order to allow for judging callbacks. Tryouts are closed to the public, and no one may enter the holding room that the cheerleaders are in. Only the sponsors, administrators/staff, and judges will be allowed in the gym. Cheerleaders for the 2017-2018 school year will be posted on the Denton High School cheer website following tryouts after final calculation & tabulation is complete by judges and administration. There will be a mandatory candidate & parent meeting on Tuesday, February 7th at 6:00 pm in the Denton High School cafeteria. Parents of all candidates who wish to tryout must attend. This meeting will provide you additional information about the program as well as the tryout process. The application attached must be completed by a parent or guardian and the candidate, and be turned in by Monday, February 13th to Alison Weaver (Room 217). NO EXCEPTIONS! A completed physical (incoming freshmen and current sophomores), and a 3x5 or larger photo of the applicant must be attached. Please do not use a past cheerleading picture of any type. These items will not be returned. Late application packets will not be accepted, and your candidate will lose the opportunity to try out. Physical packets will be due with the tryout packet. Your candidate will need to have a physical packet (available through Denton ISD Webpage) completed and submitted by February 13 or your forms will be considered incomplete, thus making you candidate ineligible to try out. Cheerleading is a full year commitment and requires many hours outside of regular school hours/days. This commitment requires enthusiasm and dedication, not only from the cheerleaders, but from the parents as well. The team can be at its best, only if we have your support. We hope each of you will be willing to give your support to your candidate and the squad as they prepare for a successful 2017-2018 school year! If you have any questions, please contact Alison Weaver at (940) 369-2083 or aweaver@dentonisd.org 2
IMPORTANT DATES Monday, January 23 rd : Tryout packet available on the DHS cheer website Tuesday, February 7th: Mandatory Parent tryout meeting. 6pm DHS high school cafeteria Monday, February 13 th : Completed tryout packet due w/physical form Sunday, February 26 th : Tryout material posted on DHS cheer page Monday, February 27 th : Clinic 4:15-5:30--This day is not mandatory to attend Tuesday, February 28 th : Clinic 4:15-5:30--This day is not mandatory to attend Wednesday March 1 st : Mock try-outs & numbers drawn Mandatory 4:15-5:30 Friday, March 3 rd : Cheer Tryouts 4:15pm March 21 nd : Required parent meeting for ALL parents of the 2017-2018 members (6:00 Cafeteria) **$250 non-refundable camp/choreography deposit due at this meeting** April 11 th : Required uniform/friday outfit fitting for 2017 2018 squad members @ 4:15 May 15th: Uniform, poms, bloomers, bow, backpack, rain coat, Friday outfit payment due $542 July 31 st -August 3 rd : Mandatory DHS Cheer Camp @ DHS 9am-4pm Winter gear payment of $175 will be due on the first day of camp(7/31), no exceptions. (If your winter gear is not purchased/received on time, you will not cheer at the events where the winter gear is needed. This is considered part of the uniform!) ELIGIBILILTY 1. Anyone who meets the set qualifications will not be discriminated against because of race, creed, education, or handicap. 2. Prospective candidates shall be entering grades nine (9) through twelve (12). 3. The varsity squad will consist of sophomores, juniors and seniors. The junior varsity squad may consist of freshman, sophomores, and juniors. The freshmen squad will consist of freshmen only. 4. Application must be turned in by Monday, February 13 th in order to attend the workshops and tryout. No late forms will be accepted! Do not show up at the clinic with your tryout packet, you will be turned away! (Exception: if a student transfers in after 2/13, they may bring their packet by the morning of the first day of the clinic.) Current 8 th grade students must have their packets turned into the front office no later than 2/13. 5. Physical packets must be completed and turned in with the tryout packet, incoming freshmen must have a physical packet completed with the date of January 1, 2017 or later. 6. To be eligible for tryouts, candidates must be considered academically eligible per the UIL guidelines. If academically ineligible, candidates will not be able to attend clinic. However, they may participate in tryouts. Videos will be placed on the internet and cheerleading webpage that contain the tryout material. 7. Candidates must reside with their parent/guardian(s) within the Denton Independent School District or show proof of future DISD residency and must reside within the DHS attendance zone, unless they are cleared with DISD and an approved transfer request is on file with the DHS principal. 8. All candidates must attend school on the day of the workshop and tryouts in order to be eligible to participate. Exception: School sponsored activities/fieldtrips will be excused) 9. Candidates will be expected to perform required routines. A panel of five (5) qualified judges outside of DISD will judge the performance of the candidates during a closed tryout session. 3
10. A panel of two (2) qualified score keepers (different from the five qualified judges) will tabulate all candidates scores during a closed tryout session. TRYOUT CLINIC 1. Each candidate will learn a cheer, required jumps, and a dance (dance will be replaced with stunting for the male applicants). 2. All candidates will wear proper work out attire. Shorts must be of an appropriate length and tops must be in dress code. Candidates must wear tennis shoes approved for a gym floor. No jewelry can be worn during the workshop, and hair must be up and out of the eyes at all times. 3. Gum, canned beverages, and food are not allowed in the gym. Candidates can bring a closed container of water. 4. Any candidate academically ineligible is required to learn the routine on his/her own time. TRYOUTS 1. Tryouts are closed to spectators. Those eligible for attendance include the sponsors, judges, DHS administrators, and DHS appointed staff. 2. Each candidate must wear a white shirt (appropriate fit), plain black shorts (no short/tight shorts/spandex), tennis shoes or cheer shoes, plain white socks, & hair in a ponytail. 3. No jewelry will be allowed. 4. Each candidate will be issued a number during the workshop and this will be their order number for tryouts. 5. Candidates will be scored by judges on the following basis: Cheer technique and motions-20% Spirit (showmanship) projection, smile, enthusiasm, poise, and confidence. -20% Jumps (technique and form) -20% Tumbling (technique, form, and difficulty) -20% Dance technique (in groups of three) precision, rhythm, and memorization-20% o For males trying out, this category will be replaced by stunting. He will choose an outgoing senior cheerleader as a flyer. If an outgoing senior is not available, he will choose a flyer that is also trying out. He will have three (3) opportunities to show the judges any partner stunts that he is capable of. Graduating cheerleaders, other male applicants, and sponsors will be available to act as spotters. 6. The judges decisions are final and are not grounds for the formal grievance process. 7. Announcement of the new cheerleaders will be made following the conclusion of the tryouts, any callbacks, and final tally of all scores. The results will be posted on the Denton High School cheerleading website. THE SEASONS OF CHEERLEADING 1. Spring Tryouts, captain tryouts, preparation for camp, & fundraising, etc. 2. Summer Fundraising, summer practices, camp/choreography, sign painting, etc. 3. Fall Practices, pep rallies, football games, homecoming, fundraisers, etc. 4. Winter Practices, pep rallies, football playoffs, basketball, fundraising, etc. 4
FINANCES: PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY! Below you will find an itemized list of some of the expenses that you will encounter this year. Hopefully, this will give you an idea of what to expect financially. The largest sum of money will be paid in the beginning. However, some items may be purchased over a period of time. Great care is taken by the coaches to keep the cost as low as possible. Required uniform items purchase by the cheerleader: Bloomers - $22.00 Rain Coat-$20.00 Warm ups (Winter gear) -$175.00 Cheer Backpack - $60 Game Day Bow-$25 (everyone must order a bow) Friday Game Day Outfit-$80.00 Pom-Poms-$40 *Uniform-$295 Shoes will be purchased on your own as not every athlete is comfortable in the same shoe. The shoes must be solid white and some form of cheer shoe. II. III. IV. Events Camp/Choreography-$250 Big/Little Sis Functions/Gifts Christmas Party Team Dinner/Socials Football Dinners/Snacks Banquet Miscellaneous Pep Rally Items Pictures Eagleton Fundraising *The $250 camp payment will be due at the first parent meeting on Tuesday, March 21, 2017* Unfortunately, no scholarships will be given for cheerleading. If you need to make arrangements to pay out the cost of camp in increments, please contact the sponsors before the due date. The balance for camp and camp clothes must be paid prior to attending camp. No items will be given out until they are paid in full! The school provides the official field uniforms. These uniforms are issued to the cheerleaders, and returned at the end of the school year. Please remember that prices may vary. 5
DENTON HIGH SCHOOL CHEERLEADERS TRYOUT APPLICATION Name: Grade level (2017-2018 school year):. Address: Cell #: E-Mail Address: DISD Student ID #: Parent/Guardian Information Name: E-Mail Address: Cell Phone: Best Form of Contact: Parent/Guardian Information Name: E-Mail Address: Cell Phone: Best Form of Contact: Emergency Contact Information (include name & number): Position trying out for (Please Circle): Varsity Junior Varsity Varsity OR Junior Varsity Freshman Reminder: Seniors can only tryout for varsity; sophomores and juniors can try out for varsity or junior varsity; freshmen can only tryout for junior varsity or freshman. List other clubs or activities you plan on being a part of next year? My daughter/son,, has my permission to try out for the Denton High School Cheerleaders for the 2017-2018 school year. My daughter/son and I understand the financial obligations that must be met as set forth in the Constitution if selected as a cheerleader. We also understand that the school and/or coaches assume no responsibility for accident or injury that might occur during any cheerleading activity, including tryouts. We have read the tryout information concerning the cheerleading organization and the tryout procedures. We are satisfied that it is a privilege and not a right to be chosen as a DHS cheerleader for the 2017-2018 school year. We also understand that not everyone can be chosen. Signature of Candidate Date: Signature of Parent Date: *Please attach a copy of the completed physical, and a photograph* 6
Denton HIGH SCHOOL CHEERLEADING TRYOUT CHECKLIST Read entire tryout packet Complete Packet: o Fill out Application: (signed by candidates AND parent/guardian) (yellow form) o Physical-if applicable (incoming freshman, and current sophomore candidates must have physical dated January 1, 2017 or later). o Physical Packet-emergency contact, medical history, UIL rules acknowledgment, concussion awareness, & cardiac awareness. o Cheerleading Constitution Contract-last page of cheer constitution (white paper) o Print & attach 3x5 (or larger) photograph of candidate. Attend required tryout meeting on February 7th, 2017 at 6pm o Turn in completed Tryout Packet by Monday, February 13 th. 7