Oak Ridge Junior Trojans 2017 Cheer Handbook

Oak Ridge Junior Trojans 2017 Cheer Handbook

ORJT Cheer Expectations: ORJT is a part of the El Dorado Hills community; we are a rec team, but we are also a competitive cheer program. While we want everyone to have fun, competitive cheer does take hard work and commitment by the cheerleaders as well as their families. Parents need to ensure and encourage their cheerleader to attend all events and practices, unless they have an emergency. If there is a temporary injury or sickness, cheerleaders are still expected to attend games and/or practice to watch, learn, and support their teammates, even if they are not participating themselves. Along the way your child will make great lasting friendships and memories. We will be developing skills and teaching safety in all aspects of cheerleading. This includes dancing, jumping, motions and stunting. This year, all Head Coaches, at least 1 Asst. Coach, Cheer Uniform Manager, VP of Cheer, and Asst. VP of Cheer will be AACCA Cheer Safety Certified to ensure that safety is our #1 priority. AACCA is the governing body for the cheer rules/regulations that SAC League adheres to. Cheerleaders will be expected to attend the following: Try-out clinics, try-outs, fittings, camps and practice 3-4 days per week with games on the weekend. It is also MANDATORY to attend competitions toward the end of the season. Cheerleaders will need to be in good physical shape (endurance, flexibility, strength, discipline). Tumbling is also recommended, but not required to cheer. Part of the points awarded in tryouts will be for tumbling abilities. Prior to conditioning for the season, initial registration must be completed and initial fees must be paid, all online documents must be signed and a Medical Release Form must be submitted. If your child is selected to be a Cheerleader for ORJT, a copy of her birth certificate, proof of residence, and a sports physical examination form signed by your Doctor must be submitted prior to the first day of practice. Returning cheerleaders who were certified to cheer last year will NOT need to submit a birth certificate. ANY new and other cheerleaders from previous seasons other than last year will need to submit a copy of their birth certificate. Please do not submit original birth certificates, copies ONLY. The Oak Ridge Jr. Trojans do not allow cheerleaders to be on another cheer team during the same season. This causes scheduling conflicts and safety concerns for the athletes.

THE ORJT Cheer Program has 6 squads/divisions: 2017 Team Information Squads Mascot Mighty Mites Jr. Pee Wee Pee Wee Jr. Midget Midget Try Out? No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Age divisions are listed below; please refer to diagram when selecting the squad for clinic and try outs. The Cheerleaders' age on August 1 st, 2017 shall be the certified age for the coming season, use this age for placement. Oak Ridge Jr. Trojans Cheer Squads Age Requirements SAC League Age Mascot Mighty Mite Jr. Pee Wee Pee Wee Jr. Midget Midget 6 X 7 X X 8 X X X 9 X X 10 X X X 11 X X 12 X X 13 X 14 X Please Note: 14 year olds must be in 8 th grade, High School students are not permitted.

Mascots Ages 5 to 8 The Mascot squad is an actual cheer squad, not a team of organization Trojan Mascots. The Mascot Program will be based on a first come basis starting at Clinic Sign Ups, kids younger then 5 will be evaluated during clinic. Mascots receive full cheer uniforms, practice 2 days a week August and September, 3 days a week in October to prepare for competition, and attend Half Time Camp. Mascots will be cheering for an Oak Ridge High School football game, ORJT home games, and a possible away game. Mascots perform at the SAC League competition as an exhibition, meaning they will not be judged with a score and placement. Mighty Mites - Ages 7 to 8, (age 6 upon evaluation) This age group (team) will be based on a first come basis starting at Clinic Sign Ups. We take the first 25 girls that come to Clinic sign-ups for the Mighty Mite squad and for the season. If you are ONLY signing up for Clinic and do not want to participate in the season, PLEASE indicate at sign ups so you are not counted in the first 25. A 6-year old can be considered for the MM squad if space allows and coach evaluation deems it to be in the best interest of the squad and child. This group is an official cheer squad for the season with the same # of practice days as all other squads, attends both Stunt and Half Time Camp, attends Jamboree, cheers for ORJT at all home and away games, participates in 2 competitions and various other events. Try Outs are NOT required for Mascots or Mighty Mites. 6 year olds can be considered for Mighty Mite squad upon space and evaluation. Jr. Pee, Pee Wee, Jr. Midget and Midgets These are regular season squads, up to 25 per squad will be allowed. These squads will receive all of the cheer uniforms, attend all camps, have practice 4 days a week in August and October, 3 days a week in September, attend Jamboree, cheer at all home/away games, cheer at 1-2 Oak Ridge HS games, participate in 2 competitions and various other activities. ** Jr. Midgets ONLY - A maximum of three (3) 13 year old cheerleaders will be allowed to cheer on the Jr. Midget team as long as they have NO PRIOR cheer experience.** Squad Placement Positions on squads will be determined during the season by Coaches and Instructors. Please do not talk to your coaches about desired placement such as flyer. All girls will be placed in the safest and best positions for them and the squad. Please remember and teach your girls that EVERY position is important and one is not better then the other.

Tryouts Tryouts will be held Saturday, April 29 th @ ORHS. Tryouts are used to select cheerleaders for Jr. Pee Wees, Pee Wees, Jr. Midgets, and Midget divisions if a squad has more than 25 girls that sign up. If a squad has less than 25, no cuts are made. Mascots and Mighty Mites do NOT tryout. 2017 Mandatory Tryout/Fitting Dates & Information Event Date Location Time Cheer Clinic April 24-27 th Marina Village 5:30-7:30pm Cheer Tryouts April 29 th ORHS 9 am Midgets 10am Jr. Midgets 11am Pee Wee 12pm Jr. Pee Wee Cheer Fittings May 3 rd Oak Ridge High School TBD evening, after You must attend your squad time designation for tryouts and fittings All Cheerleaders are strongly encouraged to prepare themselves prior to tryouts with aerobic exercise and endurance running. This will help all athletes in learning and performing through the clinic. This is a competitive sport that requires physical commitment. What to wear to Tryouts: 1. Clinic T-shirt or White shirt 2. Dark colored shorts (Navy, Black, or ORJT Clinic Shorts) 3. Tennis shoes (no Heelies, heavy soled shoes or slip-ons) 4. Hair in a tight, high pony tail, NO fly away hair 5. Cheer Bow 6. Water 7. Bag pack to keep supplies in What to NOT to wear or bring: 1. Jewelry/Ear rings, etc. 3. Food, gum, candy, etc. 4. IPOD, Cell phones or any electronics must be kept in cheer bag Note: For SAFETY reasons please adhere to the above requirements to ensure injuries do not occur. Cheerleaders will be evaluated on the following: Cheer Dance Routine Cheer Jumps Tumbling (standing and running) Workable Athlete Spirit Appropriate Attire Overall Impression ** Every effort is made to keep as many cheerleaders as possible. We do have a league maximum of 25 members per team. We will place girls according to grade, age and try-out score.**

2017 Mandatory Season Dates Being an ORJT cheerleader take commitment, responsibility, and dedication. Attendance for various events, games, camps, practice, competitions, etc., is mandatory. Failure to attend/participate in the following events can affect your current standing in ORJT and possibly any future seasons. We strive to give all parents mandatory dates in advance so that you can plan around them. In addition to mandatory games and practice, the dates listed below are MANDATORY. Please review the mandatory dates before you commit to a spot on the season cheer squad. ORJT 2017 Mandatory Season Events/Dates Cheerleader Stunt Camp July 17, 2017 ORHS (Mighty Mites Midgets Only) Half-time Camp (Mascots Midgets Only) 1 st week of conditioning 5 hours of conditioning is required by SAC League before season participation July 18-19, 2017 July 24 27, 2017 ORHS ORHS Jamboree Cheer certification August 12, 2017 ORHS *All cheerleaders must be certified by SAC League to participate in the season and post season Comp Cheer Meet The Trojans (After Jamboree) August 12, 2017 ORHS JAMZ Cheer Competition (Mighty Mites Midgets Only) SAC League Cheer Competition (Mascots Midgets Only) October 2017 October 29, 2017 Stockton or Vallejo Sac Memorial Auditorium Parents are welcome to host squad summer parties after any camp events and are much appreciated. We ask that you take your vacations before our season starts and not schedule any trips during our season. What are these events? Cheerleader Stunt Camp - Mighty Mites Midgets (No Mascots) This camp will teach cheerleaders how to stunt safely and effectively, this will fall in line with the stunt philosophy of ORHS Cheer. Cheerleaders will learn how to do some of the various stunts they will be performing through the season. Stunting requires ALL members of the stunt group to be present for safety and accuracy. Any cheerleader missing from a stunt group causes her group not to practice, this is a team sport. Half-Time Camp - Mascots Midgets Squads will learn the half time routine they will perform at the footballs games throughout the season. Conditioning SAC League requires cheerleaders to participate in 5 hours of conditioning to safely participate in the season. Cheerleaders will NOT be allowed to practice or perform without conditioning requirements being met. Cheerleading is a cardio sport and requires athletes to be in good, conditioned shape. This is a safety requirement and will be 100% enforced.

Jamboree - Mighty Mites Midgets (No Mascots) SAC League hosts Jamboree. SAC League Jamboree is for all organizations and cheerleaders to get certified for the cheer season, this is mandatory. We verify birthdates, squad placement, check nails and hair. Certification is required for the regular cheer/football season and is required for any cheerleader wanting to participate in our post season Competition Team. Any non-certified cheerleaders will be REMOVED from their squad and will NOT be allowed to participate post season. Meet The Trojans This is an event put on by ORHS to introduce all of the 2017 Football players and cheerleaders to the El Dorado Hills community at large. We are invited to perform at this event; it is a great way to participate with ORHS and for our girls to be introduced to and to be part of the community. JAMZ Cheer Competition ORJT Cheer squads will perform their competition routines for placement. Mighty Mites-Midgets will perform for scores and placements, Mascots do not participate in this event. We will choose a date in October. SAC League Cheer Competition All cheer squads of the teams in the SAC League participate and compete in the League competition. Cheer squads will perform their competition routines for placement. Mighty Mites-Midgets will perform for scores and placements, Mascots perform for exhibition only. They do not receive a score, but they do receive a medal and gives them the experience of participating in a competition.

Attendance Policy and Guidelines For safety and fairness to fellow Cheerleaders, attendance requirements and associated discipline for Jr. Trojans Cheer Cheerleaders will be as follows: Tardiness A tardy is defined as arriving at practice unprepared, 5 minutes or more after the agreed upon start time 2 tardies = 1 absence Cheerleaders are expected to arrive at least 1 hour prior to their game time Excessive tardies will result in a meeting with the Parents, Coaches and VP of Cheer Absences Cheer is a team sport, if a cheerleader is absent, her entire stunt group can t practice. This has a major impact to the squad as we are limited on practice time. Cheerleaders will be allowed 3 excused absences for cheer practice during the course of the season. NOTE: Excused Absences to practices are for: o School sponsored events (must discuss in advance with Coach in order to be excused) o Religious Holidays (Does not include church activities) o Family Emergencies/Death in the family o Serious medical illness (MUST have Dr. Note) if able, cheerleaders are expected to attend practice to watch and learn, even if they are not practicing o Excused Absences cannot be used for Camps, Jamboree or October Mandatory Practice weeks and Competitions o Homework is NOT an excused absence ** At any time it is as the discretion of the VP of Cheer to determine any special circumstances. ORJT has an excused attendance policy, but it is not designed for a cheerleader to pick 3 days to be absent because they feel like it, homework, party, or other unexcused activities. This is designed for unforeseen emergencies and illness. Game and practice attendance is mandatory, if your child is absent, her entire stunt group and squad suffers.

Cheerleader Appearance ORJT is a community organization that is a feeder program to Oak Ridge High School Football and Cheer. We expect all cheerleaders to appear as natural when wearing ORJT uniforms and/or participating in ORJT events. Make-up must be kept natural at games, events, and competitions, no heavy make-up. Hair - must be in normal hair shades during the season. No pink, purple, blue, or other unnatural colors can be worn during the season. Jewelry NO jewelry can be worn at practice, games, and competitions. Please REMOVE all earrings. Behavior We expect appropriate behavior at all events and/or in ORJT uniforms. As an ORJT cheerleader, you are expected to act appropriately on social media and in any other public forum. Violating these rules can result in removal from the organization. Full list of guidelines are listed in ORJT Code of Conduct that you sign when you register your cheerleader. Bullying/Negative Behavior ORJT promotes a positive social environment for all cheerleaders, Coaches, Instructors and Board Members. It is critical that ORJT events, games, practices, etc. are kept positive and girls are not displaying negative verbal or physical behavior. We have a ZERO tolerance on bullying and it will be dealt with accordingly. Social Media cheerleaders are expected to act appropriately on any and all social media outlets. That includes, but is not limited to, posts, pictures, friends, and comments. We do not support negative or lewd behavior. Parents Behavior we rely on parents to foster positive attitudes and to serve as role models for their cheerleaders by not engaging in negative talk/gossip with other parents, other cheerleaders, Coaches, Instructors, or Board Members. This damages the experience for our cheerleaders and families.

2017 ORJT Football Games (Saturdays) MM Midgets cheerleaders perform at all home and away games. Mascots perform at all home games only through the end of halftime. Football Game Times: MM 10-12pm JPW 12-2pm PW 2-4pm JM 4-6pm Midgets 6-8pm Mascots will perform with a different squad at each home game, squads and times are TBD Game/Practice/Event - Pick Up Cheerleaders need to be picked up as soon as practice is over to prevent coaches from having to stay late. Coaches cannot leave practice until all cheerleaders have been picked up. Cheerleaders who want to walk home after practice must bring a note signed by their parent. The note authorizes them to walk home unsupervised by any ORJT staff. Cheerleaders who want to stay at the field after practice and wait for a sibling who is still practicing will need to bring a note signed by their parent authorizing them to stay at the field without parent supervision. No coach will transport any child home after practice due to being left alone. Legal safety measures will be taken if a child is left unattended. Cheerleaders must be picked up from all games and not left to roam the field with friends. Again, coaches cannot leave until all cheerleaders have been accounted for. We are not babysitters.

Practice Schedule July 24 thru the First Game in August Football schedule will be published soon MM-Midget Mon Thursday Mascots Tues-Thurs End of August to end of September MM-Midget Tues Thursday Mascots Tues & Thurs October MM-Midget Mon Thursday Mascots Tues-Thurs (can be reduced based on squad needs) Practice Guidelines Cheer practice is mandatory to attend, we do not have replacement athletes to take your chills spot. Many participants must sit out if we are missing just one cheerleader. Please make every effort to not have your child miss any practices. All practices are closed to parents to limit distractions. We will have parent shows so you can see all the hard work our cheerleaders are putting in. Please do not speak to coaches about your child s position in any aspect of their cheer team. All positions/placements are made for the best value of the squad, not individual cheerleader or parent preferences. If you do not want your child to be a flyer for our program, please do not try out. We only have 25 positions so to limit our placements puts any team at a disadvantage. o Positions can change from year to year, please respect the authority of the coaches and instructors to put the right cheerleaders in the right spots.

Safety First Our first priority is the safety of your child and all of our athletes. The best equipment available and the most qualified coaches attainable are provided in our program. Again, this year all Head Coaches, at least 1 Asst. Coach, Cheer Uniform Manager, VP of Cheer, and Asst. VP of Cheer will all be AACCA Cheer Safety Certified. We do ask that parents are open about any health issues. Any child that cannot participate in heavy physical activity such as running or is not able to lift in stunting should consider if competitive cheer is right for them. Cheerleaders do cheer during some of the hottest parts of the day, so if heat is an issue for your child please consider your child s safety. We do provide water spray bottles to keep the cheerleaders cool, along with cold wet towels if needed. Cheerleaders MUST bring their water bottles to all events. If your child requires an inhaler, you MUST provide a spare inhaler to the coach during the season and indicate it on your registration form. Parent Volunteer Requirements ORJT is 100% by parent volunteers, including Coaches, HS Instructors, and Board Members. ORJT simply cannot exist without parent volunteers, it is critical for our success. You can volunteer for any job, football or cheer and most jobs do not require special training. All of the information about volunteering is on our website, jrtrojans.org under Parent Volunteer Info on the left hand navigation bar. Volunteer requirements are as follows: 1 athlete 12 hours 2 or more athletes 20 hours Mascots only 8 hours Most of the volunteer hours are done through our football games in 2 hour shifts. You can work any game, in any position, regardless of what squad your cheerleader is on. Working a different game than your cheerleader is performing allows you to get hours, but still watch your cheerleader perform. If you can t work the games, we have plenty of other opportunities that you can do. Please reach out to Kristen Roeder, VP of Admin - vp-admin@jrtrojans.org or Celeste Gill - vp-cheer@jrtrojans.org. She can help you with other ORJT needs and Celeste can help you with cheer specific needs. You MUST reach out as soon as you know if you can t work games on Saturday; don t wait until the last minute, it could be too late to find hours for you. Communicate with us if you need help, don t wait until the last minute. We have opportunities during the summer, before the season starts if you need to get hours done early.

ORJT 2017 Estimated Fees Registration and Uniform Fees are estimated and can change Mascot New Uniform Mascot No Uniform or Used Uniform MM/JPW/PW JM/M New Uniform MM/JPW/PW JM/M No Uniform or Used Uniform New Uniform $150 $150 Used Vest $30 $30 Used Skirt $30 $30 Jacket, Sweatpants, shoes, & Pink Out socks Stunt and Halftime Camps Registration (ONLINE) *Included items listed below Raffle Tickets Paid on line $180 $180 $180 $180 $115 $115 $165 $165 $240 $240 $320 $320 N/A N/A $100 $100 Volunteer Deposit (Midgets Only) $100 $100 A parent or guardian MUST be present at fittings to approve order form as items are not returnable. Cheer uniforms are custom fit and ordered for your child, if you drop from a squad after the order has been placed, we cannot return any of the items. We accept credit cards, checks, or cash. A $ 25.00 returned check fee will be required for non-sufficient funds. Uniform Exchange We are providing the uniform exchange again this year. If you have a uniform that no longer fits, you can sell it at fittings, vest $30 and skirt $30. All uniforms for sale must be turned in to Kirsten Fodge during clinic at ORHS. If your uniform pieces sell, you will get $30 for each piece. You can sell either piece or both. Please see Uniform Exchange rules for process. If your child needs a uniform, you can either purchase a brand new uniform or look for a used uniform through the Uniform Exchange. We will have all available used uniforms at fittings for girls to try on. If you find a used set that fits your daughter, each piece is $30. You can buy only a vest, only a skirt, or both pieces. Cash or check only, no credit cards for uniform exchanges.

Registration for Cheer Once you ve been offered a position on one of our cheer squads, you will need to go to www.jrtrojans.org to register your cheerleader in our program. During the online registration, you will pay for your Jr. Trojans registration, Stunt and Halftime Camps, raffle tickets ($100). Midget families will also pay the volunteer deposit ($100) which is refunded at the end of the season as long as you have completed your hours. Remember, we need your volunteer time, we don t want to keep the deposit. You will also complete and sign all registration forms electronically. You do not need to print any registration forms during this process unless you choose to. The Medical Authorization form is the only registration form that must be printed from our website, signed by your Doctor and turned in during our paperwork turn in event. We will communicate this date at a later time. Season Registration The registration fee covers/includes the following items: Bows camp, camp day, Jamboree, pink out and competition Camp Outfit Jamboree Outfit Personalized ORJT Backpack Briefs (spanks) navy blue and white polka dot game day, pink and white polka dot game day in October, and solid navy for competition Pink Out socks Competition Fees (1 comp for Mascots, 2 comps for MM-M) Stunt and Halftime Camps Stunt Camp is $40 is for MM/JPW/PW/JM/M. Mascots do not attend Stunt Camp. Halftime Camp is $110 and all squads attend, Mascots/MM/JPW/PW/JM/M. The total for both camps is $150. Raffle Tickets Each registrant is required to pre-pay for 20 raffle tickets, valued at $5 per ticket. This means you own all 20 raffle tickets and can enter the raffle for yourself or you can sell the tickets to family/friends to help recover some of the cost. You can keep a few, sell a few, you can do what you want with the tickets. Uniform Payment Plan A payment plan is available, 25% down, and you must turn in 3 post dated checks to cover the balance. Inquire for details. What Is Due At Paperwork Turn? Date and location TBD 1. Medical Clearance Form/Physical Examination Form (physical must be done after April 15, 2017) 2. New cheerleaders only, copy of Certified Birth Certificate 3. Proof of Residency

ORJT Post Season Competition Team ORJT will continue our post season competitive team this year. Once our regular season is underway, the Comp Team coaches will determine the level and ages that will be allowed on this squad. A minimum of 15 members would need to apply for teams to exist. This team will be up to the discretion of the Competitive Team Cheer Coaches. Additional costs are required for this team as it is not part of the Football/Cheer season, it typically runs end of Nov-March. The National division is very competitive and for the team to proceed, we need at least 15 members. ORJT competitive teams give parents and cheerleaders a full competitive schedule at a very low price. Prices average $600-$750. This includes the following: 3-4 Regional/Local Competitions Nationals at Disneyland Facility use fee Coaches travel expenses Competition Music Travel Wear Air Fare (one-way) Shuttle From airport Hotel for 2-3 days Disneyland Hopper Pass Competition Hair Bow Cheer Competition Banquet We have found that our competitive teams greatly improve cheerleading skills. Cheerleaders will practice 2-3 days a week in the evening starting immediately after our regular season. Schedule will be released once the dates get closer. The team usually has 1 Regional competition at the beginning of December, then have the remaining time off till the new year, this season will conclude at the end of February with Nationals the first weekend in March. Cheerleading has become a very competitive market with youth cheerleading competing with cheer gyms. We want to give every cheerleader the opportunity to cheer with their friends, learn multiple routines, increase skills during the year (Youth can cheer up to level 5) while making cheer affordable for parents.