2018 2019 Marmion Academy / Rosary High School Cheerleading Program Contact Information: Head Coach Assistant Coach Paige Whiting Gianna Pecoraro (630) 986-2272 (815) 757-7571 pwhiting@rosaryhs.com gcheer12@gmail.com Mission Statement: To develop and promote the ideals of responsibility, hard work, and sportsmanship while upholding the pride and traditions of both Marmion Academy and Rosary High School. We are united through the unification of the student body, alumni, fans and religion. We will support as many athletic events as possible to encourage a positive game-day atmosphere for both schools. Coaches Mission Statement: To teach athletes the skills and techniques of cheerleading along with lifelong skills while maintaining professionalism, keeping it fun, and providing a line between coach and athlete. Tryout Information Monday April 23, 2018 5:00pm 7:00pm Learn/review skills Tuesday April 24, 2018 5:00pm 7:00pm Tryout Try out Attire: Tryout Requirements: - Plain White T-Shirt - Respectful - Black Shorts - Positive attitudes - Cheer Shoes or Tennis - Coachable Shoes - Team Spirited - Hair up and out of your face - Hard working and Tough - No Jewelry - Strong and proud - Cheer Bow (optional)
Expectations and Guidelines There are several responsibilities that come with being a Marmion-Rosary Cheerleader. Respect: Show respect for yourself, teammates, coaches, the school, and the sport of cheer. Professionalism: Show professionalism with whatever you do or say since it is a direct reflection on the cheer program. Communication: As a cheerleader it is your responsibility to communication with teammates and coaches. Learning how to communicate well now, will help you advocate for yourself later in life. Strike Policy The Three Strike policy will be strictly enforced if any of the following rules in this handbook are not followed At the coach s discretion. Strikes will be given if the girls are bullying, not properly dressed, foul language/gestures, disrespectful, etc this varies by situation and is up to the coach s discretion. 1st Strike : Verbal warning to cheerleader (Coach will be contacting parents) 2nd Strike: Cheerleader will be benched at next athletic contest (Coach will be contacting parents and Athletic Director.) 3rd Strike: Removal of cheerleader from the team. (Coach will be contacting parents and Athletic Director.
Marmion Rosary Team Yearly Schedule April Try outs Merchandise fundraiser Volunteer Special Olympics May Camp / Summer payment due Off Season Conditioning: Monday s and Thursdays (starting May 3 rd ) Poster pictures June Overnight Camp June 9-11 (every cheerleader must attend) Car Wash Fundraiser Weekly Practices: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday from 8-10AM July Stunt Clinic July 13 & 14 Little Cheer Clinic July 25-27 Weekly Practices: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday from 8-10AM August IHSA No Contact until school starts Red & Blue Scrimmage Football Games Weekly practices: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday Time TBD September Weekly practices: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday Time TBD Football Games October Weekly practices: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday Time TBD Football Games Competition Try outs Choreography November Weekly practices: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday Time TBD No practice during Thanksgiving Break Competition Showcase December Weekly practices: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday Time TBD Basketball Games Saturday/Sunday Competitions January Weekly practices: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday Time TBD Basketball Games Saturday/Sunday Competitions IHSA Varsity Sectionals February Weekly practices: Monday and Thursday Time TBD Basketball Games IHSA Varsity State Series March Cheer Team Awards Banquet
Practices Practice Times Summer o Practice Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday 8-10 AM o No Practice week of July 4 th Football Season o Practice Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday (Time TBD) Basketball/Competition Season o Practice Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday (Time TBD) Expectations Be on time, prepared, and ready to practice. o Example: If practice is at 4:30pm be in the gym ready to go, getting out mats at 4:20. Attendance during practices is mandatory. Every cheerleader must help set up and put away cheer mats. Cheerleaders must wear the required T-shirt on the required days. o Monday: MA T Shirt with Black Shorts o Tuesday: RHS T Shirt with Black Shorts o Thursday: Marmion- Rosary T shirt with Black Shorts Dress clean and professional o Cheer shoes at all times o Hair up and out of face o No long nails / jewelry If a cheerleader is absent from school for more than half of a school day, then they will not be permitted to practice. All practices are closed to the public unless otherwise stated by coaches. This is NOT a time to be eating, drinking, and putting on make up/fixing hair. Please take care of these responsibilities prior to arriving to practice. Cell phones during practice is not allowed. If there is emergency parents/guardians should contact the coach directly. Consequences if expectations are not met If cheerleader is late, not prepared, on their phone, have jewelry or long nails, eating cheerleader will either be given extra conditioning, asked to put mats away by themselves, or they will sit out of practice, etc. everything at coaches discretion.
Game Days Before the Game A short practice/warm up takes place before each game- Arrive early. Attendance will be taken. o Example: If game is at 5:30pm be in the gym ready to go, getting out mats at 5:20pm. Have everything in your bag including cold weather gear. This is NOT a time to be eating, drinking, and putting on make up/fixing hair. Please take care of these responsibilities prior to arriving at the game. If the game is away- we will travel there together as a team. During the Game Cheer your team on to victory! Be enthusiastic and focus on the game! Strongly represent your team by following the cheerleader expectations. Do not engage in unsportsmanlike conduct of any kind. Never leave the side-line without permission. The cheer team will remain at attention on the side-line during half time to cheer on the dance team and marching band. Cheerleaders are required to know all game day material. If cheerleader is injured or academically ineligible by the Athletic Director then they will be required to attend games, dressed in full uniform and sit with the coaches. After the Game The cheer team will meet together in a huddle to receive performance evaluations from the coaches and spirit acknowledgements. Congratulate the football/basketball, dance team, and marching band on a job well done. ** New this Year, we will be helping clean up the stadium after every game. Everyone must participate in cleaning up the HOME AND AWAY bleachers. Clean up after yourselves, cheerleaders will not be allowed to leave until track, gym, field house, bus has been picked up. DO NOT ask the coaches to leave the game early. Only prearranged absences or reasons for leaving early are: funerals, weddings, and major family events. If the game is away, parents may take their daughters home This will need to be arranged prior to game day, not during or after the game.
Please send email or text. Verbal arrangement are not acceptable I will need documentation (email/written/text). o A parent can only take their daughter home no other cheerleader, unless that cheerleader s parent provides documented permission that their daughter may ride home with another cheerleaders parents. Consequences if expectations are not met If cheerleader is late, not prepared, on their phone, have jewelry or long nails, eating cheerleader will either be given extra conditioning, asked to put mats away by themselves, or they will sit out of practice, etc. everything at coaches discretion. Absences Excused absences include: Extreme illness Major family event o Vacation o Wedding o Funeral College Visits Anything else, including work, is not an excused absence and therefore must not interfere with cheer. Absence Procedures If a cheerleader has an illness and cannot attend practice or game, the cheerleader must notify Coach Paige either by text, email, or phone call. If a cheerleader knows she will be missing practice in advance due to an excused absence, then she must have a parent notify Coach Paige at least 24 hours in advance in writing (email, note, or text) Failure to communicate absences and having to miss due to an unexcused absence will result in a strike. In the event of an injury, attendance is still required. You are still part of the team and should not miss anything. You must still change for practice. Failure to do so will result in a strike.
Communication In the event you have a concern, please follow the chain of command listed below to maintain a professional channel of communication. This helps the cheerleader learn to advocate for herself. Please do not violate this chain of command: IHSA Chain of Command 1. Coach (cheerleader expresses a concern first; then the parent if necessary) 2. Athletic Director (cheerleader expresses a concern first; then the parent if necessary) 3. Principal 4. Superintendent 5. School Board Uniforms Wearing the Marmion Academy and Rosary High School uniform is a PRIVILEGE! Please respect the uniform and how you look while wearing it. Expectations Look your best while wearing the uniform. If either uniform is damaged or lost, it will need to be replaced. The financial responsibility will be of the cheerleader. Do not remove tags, or tack the uniform without coaches permission Fundraisers Fundraising is an important part of being on the cheer team. Fundraisers will allow us to get new equipment, gifts, and team bonding activities throughout the year. Fundraisers this season are: Merchandise Sales: Car Washes: Summer Little Cheer Clinic Winter Little Cheer Clinic T-Shirt Sponsors All Cheerleaders are required to participate in each fundraising activity.
Spirit Stick After every cheer event, a spirit stick will be given to the cheerleader the best cheerleader. This award is given by their teammates and will be regulated. The cheerleader needs to keep the spirit stick in their cheer bag, if the cheerleader loses the spirit stick they will have to make a replacement. Grades It is really important that the cheerleaders maintain their grades. Coaches receive a grade report every week (Any grade below a C appears on the grade report). 1 st week on the grade report: Coach has private talk with cheerleader to give her a warning 2 nd week on grade report: Coach talks to athletic director and sends email to alert parents, athletic director talks to teacher to see if the cheerleader is taking the necessary actions to improve her grade. 3 rd week on grade report: If it is clear that the cheerleader is not trying to improve their grade they will sit out. If the teacher and athletic director believe improvement is being made the cheerleader will continue to participate. Updated Policies and Reminders IHSA By-Law Teams must have a second try-out or Re-evaluation of current team members on or after October 23 rd for their competition season. o A One day Competition Team Try-out will be held October 23 rd 5-8PM @ Marmion Zero Tolerance Policy Bullying or Mean Girl Behavior will not be tolerated on our team. Code of Conduct for Performance Based Activities: Drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco use will not be tolerated. IHSA by- Law for Hair, Nails, Jewelry, Shoes, and Gum The by-laws must be followed at every practice, game, and competition. If a cheerleader must be reminded multiple times, then she will receive a strike
Expenses There are expenses that each cheerleader will incur during the season as decided by the coaches and team needs: Payment plans are available up on request. Uniforms are property of Rosary High School and Marmion Academy and will be lent to each cheerleader. New Returning Summer Practice Clothes (3 t-shirts/3 pairs of shorts) 75 75 NCA Instructor 185 185 Hotel 75 75 Food 45 45 Stunt Clinic 60 60 Camp Total $440 $440 Football Season Marmion Sports Boosters (optional) 50* 50* Warm ups 80 * Duffle Bag 25 * Silver Poms 20 * Game day Bow 10 10 Rain Jacket 95 * Football Total $270 $80 Competition Season Participation Fee 150 150 Rosary Booster 50 50 Competition Bow 15 15 Competition Shoes 80 80 Competition Total $435 $435 Summer Payment Schedule: Due May 14 th Checks make payable to Paige Whiting Football Payment Schedule: Due July 16 th Checks make payable to Marmion Academy Competition Payment Schedule: Due November 5 th Checks make payable to Rosary High School Overall Total $1,115 $935