INFORMATION PACK 2015 Welcome! Thank you for considering joining Canberra City Cheerleading for 2015, which is shaping up to be a very big year for us! This year our focus is developing a club that is inclusive yet competitive. A club that will ensure that our cheerleaders have a solid understanding of the sport and well developed foundational skills, which will develop their athletic ability and contribute to strong personal development. While we aim to develop even more national champions, the main focus of the club is ensuring that our athletes enjoy participating and are proud to be a member of our club. The information contained in this pack is the basic information to assist you in deciding if you would like to join our club. If you have any questions please don t hesitate to contact us by email at ccc.feemanagement@gmail.com We look forward to another fantastic year - Canberra City Cheerleading This pack contains information on: TRAINING SCHEDULE... 2 2015 Teams... 3 KEY DATES... 4 FEES... 5 TRAINING COMMITMENT... 6 COMPETITION DATES... 6 Australian All Star Cheerleading Federation National Championships... 7 FUNDRAISING... 8 UNIFORMS... 8 CLUB VALUES - ATHLETE RECOGNITION AND AWARDS... 8 General rules for cheerleaders... 8 1
TRAINING SCHEDULE This year the club will move premises to help keep costs down and to ensure that we have access to facilities throughout the year. Sunday training will be at the Weston Neighbourhood Hall Gritten St Weston. Thursday training will be down the road from the Hall at the Weston Creek Community Centre Hall Parkinson Street Weston. The club is purchasing an AASCF recommended training floor to use at the hall. TERM ONE Sunday 1 February 29 March 2015 Training during these weeks will focus on making sure all cheerleaders have solid foundation knowledge of the sport and basic skills to develop their ability throughout the year. We will be providing clinics during this period that focus on teaching tumbling, stunting, dance and conditioning. During this period cheerleaders will work stunts and tumble at multiple levels to allow the coaches to clearly identify individual strengths and teams that work well together. Term one will have a strong focus on cheerleader bonding across all age groups. Teams will be allocated at the end of the first term to begin training in term two. SUNDAY TRAINING During term one the training schedule will accommodate teaching the foundation principals and skills of cheerleading. Cheerleaders are welcome to come for a two hour session or they can come for the whole four hours. Once teams have been established cheerleaders will only be able to come to the session for their team. While there is an option for cheerleaders to join more than one team, the selection of teams is the decision of the coaches. 2.00 4.00pm 4.00 6pm Mini Level 1 and Junior Level 1-2* all ages 5 and up Senior Level 3-4* *Team levels will be decided by Term 2 and are dependent upon the ability of the cheerleaders please note we do not simply create a team to allow cheerleaders to participate at that level. All cheerleaders within the team must have minimum tumbling/ stunting and dance skills as decided by the coaches. THURSDAY TRAINING Thursday training sessions will focus on developing dance skills and conditioning. 2
6 7.30 Mini Level 1 and Junior Level 1-2 all ages 5 and up 7.30-9 Senior Level 3-4 2015 Teams The club develops routines that are guided by the USASF/IASF guidelines. Age restrictions The club participates in competitions run by the Australian All Star Cheer Federation (AASCF) and designs the teams around the divisions and levels set by AASCF. The regulations set by AASCF include the various age categories and stipulate that the cheerleader s age at 31 December 2015 is the aged to be used. This means that a cheerleader that turns 15 in December 2015 cannot compete in a team that is for ages up to 14 (even though the cheerleader is 14 during most competitions). Competition teams Competition teams will be allocated by coaches after the team allocation period based on the ages and abilities of registered cheerleaders. Any athlete that is selected for a competition team will be required to sign a competition agreement form and pay fees for the competition at the start of the term. Please note Athletes who are unable to attend training or do not fully participate will not be eligible to compete with the team. There will be no refund of the entry fee for any athlete who pulls out or is deemed ineligible to participate within 6 weeks from the competition. Pom and Hiphop Canberra City Cheerleading will be looking to develop at least one pom team and one hiphop team. Selection for the teams will be based on the level of skill of dancers and the ages of those that are interested. In 2014 Canberra City Cheerleading also had two pom duos compete at the National Championship, one of which that placed third in the youth category and one in the junior category that won National Champions!! The club would like to afford more cheerleaders the opportunity to compete in 2015. If you would like to be considered for a pom duo please make sure you tell your coach in term one. In addition, in 2013 we had a number of parents participate in the parent s pom at the National Championship (where they placed third!!). If there is enough interest it would be great to see more parents get on stage at Nationals. Group stunts Like pom duos the club would like to work with cheerleaders to allow them to perform group stunts at the AASCF competitions. There are four age groups for group stunts 14 and under, 14 and over, 10-18 years (12-18 years level 5) and 17 years and over (level 6 only). 3
Only the top 3 in each State and each category go through to Nationals, providing they score above 65 points before deductions. If a group stunt comes second but does not score above 65 points they will not be eligible to compete at Nationals. 14 and over Coed stunts are only allowed 3 athletes in the stunt group (2 bases and 1 flyer i.e dual basing). This means that to be part of a group stunt you will need to demonstrate exceptional technique and flexibility (flyers) for the relevant level, and be able to commit to additional training. If you would like to be considered for a group stunt, please talk to your coach in term one. KEY DATES To ensure cheerleaders (and their families) get a break in the year we will not hold training during school holidays. Term 1: Sunday 1 February to 12 April Sunday 1 February Thursday 5 February Sunday 8 February Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 February Saturday 28 February and Sunday 1 March Sunday 5 April Term 2: 20 April 5 July Thursday 23 April Sunday 26 April Friday 12 - Sunday 14 June Term 3: 14 July 27 September Thursday 16 July Sunday 19 July Friday 24 July to Sunday 26 July Sunday 16 August Saturday 29 or Sunday 30 August Term 4: 11 October 20 December Sunday 11 October Thursday 15 October Friday 27 November to Monday 30 November Sunday 13 December Recreational training and registration day 2pm 6pm Dance/ conditioning training starts for the term No training Multicultural festival Sunday training will be held Canberra Show demonstration - Sunday training will be held Easter Sunday NO TRAINING Dance/ conditioning training starts for the term Sunday training starts Winterfest competition Dance/ conditioning training starts for the term Sunday training starts All Star Battle ACT Regional Competition ACT State Competition Sunday training starts Dance/ conditioning training starts for the term AASCF Nationals Competition Melbourne AASCF Pinnacle End of year Christmas party and awards celebration 4
FEES Cheerleading can be an expensive sport with costs relating to term fees, uniforms, competition entry fees and travel and accommodation associated with competitions. The club continues to keep fees as low, with term fees calculated to ensure the facility hire can be paid. There are no mark ups added to competition entry and the club fundraises throughout the year to reduce costs where possible, including to purchase bows and subsidise competition entry costs. The base cost for each term for 2015 is $300 this covers the cost of training on Thursday and Sundays. The below table provides information on the minimum cost per term if all competitions are entered. Team Minimum cost per term Term one including AASCF registration $315 Term two including competition entry for Winterfest $370 Term three including State competition entry $355 Term four including National entry $385 Crossovers (competing on more than one cheer team) Additional $50 per term Pom/ hip hop or group stunts* Additional $25 per term *additional $25 is payable once only. For e.g. if a cheerleader is in a group stunt and the pom team they will only be required to pay $25 on top of the term and competition fees. In addition there are costs associated with cheer shoes, uniform, training gear and travel. IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE All term fees will be due no later than 2 weeks after the start of term. Late fees are time consuming to chase up and impact the running of the club. Any term fees not received by the 2 week cut off will incur a $20 admin fee. Athletes will not be able to participate if fees are not paid by week 4. Exceptions will be made for cheerleaders who have made prior arrangements for fortnightly direct deposits. The club will be using a direct debit company to assist in establishing payment arrangements. Any questions about fees or your account can be sent to: ccc.feemanagement@gmail.com Bank details for online deposits: Account Name: BSB: 062 902 Account number 1024 2102 Canberra City Cheerleading Please use the athlete s name or the invoice number as a reference when making payments online. 5
TRAINING COMMITMENT Cheerleading is a team sport. When individuals miss competition training it makes it difficult for the remaining athletes to practice their stunts and routine. If you are not able to attend comp training (whether due to a holiday or illness) you must tell your coach by phone or email the club prior to training. Failure to do so may result in your place being changed in a routine or removal from stunt groups. In the six weeks prior to each competition, attendance at ALL training is mandatory. COMPETITION DATES As a competitive cheerleading squad, our focus is on competing! The competitions that we participate in are exceptionally well organised and so much fun to take part in! The number of cheerleaders in Australia competing at the competitions continues to grow ever year and there is now a requirement within certain categories for teams or groups to place and/ or get a minimum score at state competitions to proceed to the National Championships at the end of the year. We choose competitions that provide our cheerleaders the opportunity to progressively gain experience leading up to the National Championships. We also try to minimise the amount of away travel. In 2015 the club may enter the following competitions (please note entry to each competition may not include all teams and/ or stunt groups): Competition Dates Location Entry fees* AASCF Winterfest Cheer and Dance Championships 12-14 June The competition is split across a number of days generally the Friday is for stunt groups and dance doubles (including pom). Cheer routines may be on one day, or may be split over two days dependent upon the number of entries. Sydney Olympic Park, NSW. $40 for 1 routine, $10 - $25 for additional routines dependent upon the category of the routine AASCF All Star Battle: Cheer Edition ACT Regional Champs AASCF ACT State Champs 24-26 July Sydney Olympic Park, NSW. 16 August Canberra TBC 29 or 30 August AIS, Canberra ACT 6 $70 for 1 routine, $15 for additional routines $55 for 1 routine, $15 for additional routines AASCF National 27-29 November Melbourne $85 for 1 routine,
Championships AASCF Cheer and Dance Pinnacle Convention and Exhibition Centre 30 November Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre $25 - $40 for additional routines dependent upon the category of the routine This is a by invitation only event no entry fee *Fees for competitions are determined by the body running the competition and are subject to change All AASCF competition entries include free photos and DVDs for every competing athlete, in addition to a participation medal. Athletes that place at Nationals will also be awarded a place medal. If you would like more information on upcoming competitions visit www.aascf.com.au or follow Australian All-star Cheerleading Federation on facebook. During term one you will be required to advise us which of these competitions you are able to participate in. Australian All Star Cheerleading Federation National Championships IN 2015 the AASCF National competition will be held in Melbourne on 27-29 November. Detailed run sheets and performance times are usually only finalised 1 week prior to the competition itself. The competition is currently scheduled to run as follows: Friday 27 November Saturday 28 November Sunday 29 November Partner and group stunt (State qualifiers only) Mini, youth and junior cheer Open and senior dance (pom, hiphop etc) Senior and open cheer Mini, youth and junior dance The club does not arrange flights/travel to Nationals. Athletes may elect to book travel at any time, but should be aware that you will need to ensure that you allow sufficient time to travel to the venue to meet your team before warm up. The day begins as early as 8am and may not end until after 11pm. Allowing time for warm up (2 hours prior to competing) means that you may need to be at the venue from 6am. You should also ensure that you are able to meet your team for the award ceremonies. If your team is competing on the Saturday, we suggest you arrive no later than Friday evening and leave no earlier than Sunday morning. If you would like to travel with a coach or require a chaperone for a minor travelling alone, please email ccc.feemanagement@gmail.com to discuss. 7
FUNDRAISING This year we will continue to run a number of fundraising events to allow us to keep costs to families at a minimum. In previous years we have sold chocolates, held BBQs and raffles and put on trivia nights. We would appreciate as much help as possible and any ideas on events/ fundraising ideas. If you can help please email ccc.feemanagement@gmail.com CLUB MANAGEMENT The club holds a number of planning meetings throughout the year open to all members. We strongly encourage families to come along and participate, as these meetings enable you to help guide the direction of the club. UNIFORMS Uniforms must be ordered by 12 April to ensure that all competitors will be able to compete. Full competition uniform must be worn by all athletes that are competing. The club will be sourcing new uniforms this year, and may not use the same design that has been used for the last two years. We aim to keep costs for uniform down by placing limited orders throughout the year. In 2014 the cost of uniforms was $145 the club is looking into various suppliers and hopes to purchase uniforms for a lower cost. As with uniforms the bows will be reviewed and a new design may be selected. If there is enough interest the club may also place orders for shoes to assist in getting discounts. Please email ccc.feemanagement@gmail.com if you would like to order shoes. Shoes for cheerleading range from $50 to $140 (sometimes even more). We will also look into purchasing training t-shirts/ training bows and/ or training shorts. Further detail about these will be provided in term one. CLUB VALUES - ATHLETE RECOGNITION AND AWARDS The club aims to develop all athletes to ensure they have a positive attitude, are encouraging and supportive of others and strive to develop their skill and ability in all aspects of cheerleading. At any time throughout the year the coaches may elect to award athletes that have depicted these values. In addition, at the end of the year the club will recognise athletes who have shown these values throughout the year. General rules for cheerleaders Always be punctual and maintain a positive attitude Attend every training session Ensure that you warm up properly Participate to the best of your ability Always dress appropriately for practice clothes should not be too loose and should be comfortable and allow movement hair must be tied back Cheer shoes should not be worn outside No food on the cheer floor 8
Nails should be kept short For safety reasons you must not wear any jewellery Treat each other with respect - this includes other squads! Be kind to others - do not gossip Talk to your coach if you have any problems 9