Central Valley Li l Warriors Cheerleading Handbook

Central Valley Li l Warriors Cheerleading Handbook Central Valley Li l Warriors Mar 2016

Table of Contents Welcome... 1 Tryouts... 1 Camps... 1 Summer Practices... 2 Games... 2 Competitions... 2 Uniform... 3 Costs... 3 Important Dates... 5 Attendance Policy... 6 Behavior and Conduct... 6 Rules... 6 Volunteers... 7 Sponsors and Coaches... 8 Contact Information... 8 Appendix... 9

Welcome Thank you for considering the Central Valley Li l Warriors Cheerleaders for your daughter. Our cheerleaders grow in so many ways from their experiences and have a great time being a part of the Central Valley Li l Warriors! This handbook will outline for you all of the financial, uniform, and schedule information you will need to know. I want to provide you with all of the information up front so there are no surprises. Tryouts All girls who are residents of Center Twp, Monaca Borough, or Potter Twp and will be in grades 1 through 8 in the 2016-2017 school year are eligible to try out for the CVLW Cheer Squad. The squad breakdown is as follows: Grade Grades 1-2 Grades 3-4 Grades 5-6 Grades 7-8 Squad Termites Mighty-Mites Midgets Twerps (competition) # of spots 18 25 25 25 Sign-ups are online using the Cheerleading Signup tab of the CVLW organization website. Sign-ups will be accepted until the first day of tryout practices. Tryout practices will be held on April 27, 28, and 29 at the Central Valley Middle School Gym for the 2016 season. Girls MUST attend at least two of these three practices to be eligible to try out. Tryouts will be held on Saturday, April 30. Times will be determined once the squads requiring tryouts have been identified. Only those squads with a greater number of candidates than spots will tryout. For tryouts, girls should wear a solid white shirt, solid color shorts, white socks, and white shoes. Hair should be in a ponytail. No large bows should be worn, but a small ribbon is acceptable. Camps Any girl who makes the squad must attend a mandatory stunt camp and a mandatory choreography camp. The camps give the girls the base skills and the routines they will be using for football halftime entertainment and competitions. The dates for the camps for the 2015 season are listed below. All camps are held at the Central Valley High School Auxiliary Gym from either 5:00 pm-7:00 pm or 7:00 pm-9:00 pm. Specific times for each squad will be determined at a later date. Fees for these camps are paid by the parent and are explained in the fee section. Stunt Camp Choreography Camp May 16 May 23 May 17 May 24 May 18 May 25 May 26 1

Summer Practices Squad sponsors will create and distribute practice schedules for the summer months. The schedules will include two days a week in both June and July, and the first two full weeks of August. The remainder of August will be scheduled at the discretion of sponsors. Practices may be scheduled during the day or in the evening and vary per squad. Practices are held near the CVLW shed next to the CVLW field at Todd Lane Elementary School and in the Todd Lane Elementary gymnasium. Occasionally, sponsors will rent an outside facility such as Monaca Turners or Rain Athletics to practice the routines on a competition sized mat. Sponsors will clearly communicate location of practice on their schedules. Games Girls cheer at all home and away games for both the regular season and playoffs. As soon as a final schedule is available it will be posted on the organization s website and distributed via email from the head sponsor. Parents are responsible to arranging transportation for your daughter to and from games. Girls are expected to arrive 30 minutes prior to the scheduled start of their game in the appropriate uniform attire. There is no eating during the game so please do not bring your child snacks from the refreshment stand. Girls are to bring a water bottle with them that contains water only. Sweet liquids attract bees during warm months and are a hazard to the girls. At the end of the game, you must come and pick your daughter from the sideline. Sponsors will only release the girls if they see you or your designated proxy. This is for the safety of the girls. Competitions Girls on competition squads (Twerp Comp, Termite, Mighty-Mite, and Midget) attend two mandatory competitions that are paid for by the CVLW organization. A third competition is optional and will only be attended if decided upon by the squad. The third competition, if attended, is the financial responsibility of the parent. The two mandatory competitions are listed below: Arcadia Cheerpalooza TBD New Brighton High School Rain Cheerfest September 18, 2016 Hopewell High School You should plan on arriving at the competitions at least ½ hour before the doors open and staying until all CVLW squads have competed. We understand this can be a long day for the girls, however CVLW support each other regardless of their individual squad (twerp, termite, mighty-mite, or midget). Therefore, we expect all cheerleaders to be there to cheer on the first of our squads who competes all the way through the last squad who competes. If you have a previous commitment (i.e. special occasion party or illness) you may request permission from the head sponsor to leave early. 2

Upon arrival, girls are to be dropped off with their squad. Girls will remain with their squad and their sponsor from the time they arrive until their award session completes. After their awards, girls will be released to the parents. At that time parents are free to take their daughter for refreshments and girls may stay with them to watch the other squads compete. Please do not bring your daughter refreshments while she is sitting with her squad. You may pack small snacks (pretzels, chips, etc) that will not stain the uniform and a bottle of water in a small cinch sack or drawstring backpack for your daughter. Girls will NOT bring their large cheer bags as they take up too much space in the stands. Uniform All girls will be required to wear a uniform to games and competitions. Sponsors will inform girls what specific pieces of their uniform they are to wear to each game. The uniform includes the following pieces: Vest* Turtleneck~ Skirt* Briefs~ Socks~ Shoes~ Hair Bow~ *supplied by the organization ~purchased by the parent/guardian Squad sponsors will fit the girls for uniforms in the summer. Please understand the uniforms have not been specifically ordered for your daughter, so sizing may not be 100% ideal. Sponsors will do their absolute best to ensure your daughter has a uniform that fits appropriately. If alterations are required, they must be temporary and be removed before the uniform is returned at the end of the season. DO NOT cut any material on the uniform. If any uniforms require significant alterations, please contact the head cheer sponsor who will contract with a seamstress. Costs Each cheerleader will incur personal costs. These include registration and fundraiser costs from the Li l Warriors Organization, costs for the cheer camps, uniform costs, and other miscellaneous costs. Organization Fees Organization Registration Fee Fundraiser (all must be paid upfront but can be resold to recuperate your costs.) $50.00 1 st child $40.00 2 nd child $30.00 3 rd child $80 (4 lottery tickets @ $20) $40 (2 wing bash tickets @ $20) Volunteer Fee $100* 3

The registration fee is paid per child to the CVLW organization. The fundraiser is a mandatory fundraiser for all members of the organization (cheer and football). The volunteer fee is to be paid in a separate $100 and is refunded if you work two games in the concession stand and/or stick crew. If you choose not to work in the concession stand or on the stick crew, the check will be cashed at the end of the football season. Registration will be on May 9 at Center Stage. Uniform Fees Required Purchases Accessory Pack $25 (Returning cheerleaders may not need all items within this pack and may order items separately.) Hair bow Socks Briefs Turtleneck Shoes** $48 Cheer Bag** ~Pick one of the options listed~ Warm-Up** $12 drawstring OR $17 drawstring w/ embroidered name OR $25 small navy shoulder bag w/ embroidered name & megaphone Optional Purchases $82 ($5 additional for name) Nylon CV Cheer Jacket** $50 Headband with CV Logo** $7 Returning cheerleaders may not need to purchase some of the uniform pieces outlined above. First year cheerleaders should expect all of the costs listed for mandatory items. Optional items presented by C & S are parental decision. Please note that cheerleaders do cheer as long as the boys are playing which includes rain, sleet, and snow. Girls should have gear for all of these possibilities. Fees marked with a ** are payable to C&S Sports and can be paid in two increments. ½ can be paid at the time the order is placed and the other ½ is payable upon delivery of the products. 4

Other Fees Camp Fees $65 Payable at registration to CVLW Practice Rental Fees/Coaches Gifts $15 Sponsors will collect on a squad by squad basis Camp fees include stunt camp and choreography camp which are run by Elite Cheerleading Camps. We contract with Elite to instruct our girls on proper stunting techniques during stunt camp and to teach them their completion routine. Throughout the summer and early fall, sponsors may schedule practice at an outside facility that has a competition size mat. Girls need the experience of completing their routine on a full size competition mat which cannot be simulated at any of the normal places we use for practice. Each squad must pay to rent the outside facilities. Any funds left over after rental facilities have been paid for are used to purchase appreciation gifts for the student coaches. Important Dates This is just a consolidation of all of the dates listed throughout the handbook for easy reference. Event Date Tryout Practice April 27-29 Tryouts April 30 C & S Order Placement & Registration ($) May 9 Stunt Camp ($) May 16-18 Choreography Camp May 23-26 C & S Shoe Sizing June 27 Mandatory Cheer Weeks August 1-5 August 8-12 Arcadia Cheerpalooza Competition TBD Rain Cheerfest Competition September 18 ($)- Money Due 5

Attendance Policy As mentioned in the tryout section, all candidates must attend two of the three tryout practices to be eligible to tryout. Attendance at both the stunt and choreography camp is mandatory. The first two full weeks of August (Aug 1-5 and Aug 8-12) are mandatory. Members are expected to attend all scheduled practices during the summer months of June and July, and the weeks of August, outside of the two mandatory weeks. However, it is understood conflicts may arise. Therefore, members are given 5 excused days from regularly scheduled practices and/or exhibition games to be used for vacation or any other personal commitment as long as prior notification is given. These days may not be used during cheer camp week or any other mandatory practice as noted in this handbook. If you plan on missing any days, please complete a Vacation Intent form (see Appendix) and turn it in to your squad sponsor as soon as possible. After the football season officially starts, all games are mandatory. Special or unforeseen events, (i.e. weddings, funerals, or illness) are excused, but you must give the sponsor notice prior to the event/game. All excuses will be reviewed by sponsors with the head sponsor. In the event of a missed practice or game, the cheerleader or parent of the cheerleader who will be missing must notify the sponsor directly prior to the miss within an appropriate time so the squad can adjust accordingly. (Ex. If you will be missing a game because you are sick the night before, call as soon as you know, so the sponsor can adjust for your absence.) If punctuality or attendance becomes an issue, demerits will be issued according to the standing demerit system. See the Appendix for the Demerit System. Behavior and Conduct As a representative of the Li l Warrior organization, cheerleaders are expected to exude the qualities of a good student and member of the community. Therefore, cheerleaders are to conduct themselves in a respectable and appropriate manner at all times. Foul or inappropriate language is unacceptable. Additionally, cheerleaders must act respectfully toward cheer coaches and sponsors and intentional defiance and disregard for rules will not be tolerated. Cheerleaders must not speak ill of, belittle, bully, intimidate or gossip about another cheerleader, coach, parent or sponsor verbally or in any written or technological format (i.e. text, email, blogging, or social media) If behavior becomes problematic, demerits will be issued according to the standing demerit system. See the Appendix for the Demerit System. All parents/guardians, must also sign and return the Code of Conduct before their child is permitted to participate in organization events. Rules Please arrive at least 5-10 minutes prior to the start of practice and 30 minutes prior to the start of games. Be ready to start on time. For games, cheerleaders will arrive in full uniform, cheer on the sidelines, and stay to cheer as long as football players are on the field (dress for weather) 6

No jewelry is to be worn during practice, games, or competitions including rings, necklaces, watches, bracelets, and earrings. Additionally, cheerleaders are not permitted to wear colored nail polish at competitions. Cheerleaders are not to wear any piece of your uniform (shoes included) without permission from your sponsor. Volunteers Every year, we try to involve parents as volunteers to our program. There are various areas of need. Please read the information below and contact the head sponsor if you are willing to volunteer for one or more of the roles outlined. Some roles will require a lot of volunteer hours while others may only require limited volunteer time. Please take that into consideration while volunteering. Cheer Sponsor This role will require a considerable amount of volunteer time. There will be 2 practices per week in June and July and 5 per week during 2 mandatory cheer weeks in August. Sponsors are also required to be at every football game and at cheer competitions. Team Mom/Dad This role will require a person with easy access to email and text. He/she will be the communication lifeline for the squad. It is important to be able to send emails and/or texts with very short notice. The head sponsor will send updates and information to all sponsors and team moms/dads and the team moms/dads will distribute the information to the squad. The team mom/dad will also collect all paperwork and money for fundraisers and any other occasion we will need to collect for. Team mom/dad will set up snack schedules, send directions to fields (provided), times for games and competitions and any other communication necessary. Most of this position s time will be spent on communication other than the few occasions when your presence is required at the beginning or end of practice to collect money and/or forms. Spirit Mom/Dad This role will require some creativity. The squads will more involved in the motivating and spirit of the cheer and football parents and fans. We will need noise makers and signs for competitions and games. We will be selling spirit merchandise at the games for more fan involvement. The cheerleaders will have player appreciation days for bigger games and playoff games. We will encourage more fan involvement at games. We need a Spirit Mom/Dad to head up these efforts. Funds are provided. Homecoming Mom/Dad This role is exclusively for the planning/decorating of Homecoming. There are plans to make Homecoming a bigger event this year. We need volunteers from each cheer squad and football team to work together on the event. Funds are provided. 7

Sponsors and Coaches Please keep in mind that the women who are squad sponsors do this as volunteers. They donate their time to work the girls to be their absolute best. Please treat them with respect and be courteous of their schedule when contacting them or dropping off/picking up your child. The junior high coaches who are working with these girls are also volunteers. They have committed their time off in the summer to work with our girls. Contact Information The head cheerleading sponsor, Mary Grimm, can be reached via phone, email, or text at 724-561-6751 or cvlwheadcheer@gmail.com. 8

Appendix PRACTICES/GAMES: DEMERIT SYSTEM Cheerleading is a team commitment and cheerleaders are expected to be at practices and games. Practice time is when competition routine is practiced, new cheers are learned, and stunts and friendships are formed. Cheerleaders are permitted to miss 5 non-mandatory practices. These dates must be submitted to the sponsor at the beginning of the season on a vacation intent form. Any misses (with the exception of illness, death in the family, and church/school functions) beyond the excused 5 will result in demerits as outlined below. Additionally, cheerleaders are permitted to miss 1 non-mandatory practice in June or July due to a sports conflict (i.e. softball, gymnastics, dance, soccer). Cheerleaders participating in other sports/activities that plan to use the sports exemption day, must provide the sponsor with the date as soon as the practice/game calendar is available. Notice of this absence must be given at least 3 days in advance in order to be used. If notice is not received 3 days prior, the absence will be recorded as a vacation day, if available. If there are not available vacation days the absence will be considered unexcused and result in demerits as outlined below. Practices between Aug 1- Aug 12 and all exhibition, regular season, and playoff games are mandatory. Any misses (with the exception of illness, death in the family, and church/school functions) will result in demerits as outlined below. Absence from Mandatory Practice Cheerleader Unable To Compete Absence from Games Before Competitions Cheerleader Unable To Compete Absence from Games After Competitions 1 Demerit Per Absence Beyond 5 Absences from Practice 1 Demerit Per Absence TARDINESS: If cheerleader is more than ten minutes late arriving for practices and games, demerits will be incurred as outlined below. More Than 10 Minutes Late 1 Demerit Per Tardy 9

CONDUCT/ATTITUDE: Cheerleaders are expected to exercise good sportsmanship at ALL times. They will be respectful to ALL coaches, sponsors, squad members, and opposing football team members and cheerleaders. Cheerleaders are expected to have appropriate behavior at all times. Eating, drinking (except water bottle), or chewing gum is not allowed at games or practices. Disrespectful Behavior Inappropriate Behavior Eating, Drinking, Chewing Gum 1 Demerit Per Instance 1 Demerit Per Instance 1 Demerit Per Instance DEMERITS Accumulation of demerits will result in a cheerleader being suspended from participating during a game and/or competition as follows: When a cheerleader has to sit out due to demerits with a coach or team mom fully dressed in their uniform to be supportive of their team. No drinking or eating during the game. Every 1 demerit sit out a game 5 or more demerits before competition not allowed to compete* 5 or more demerits after competition suspended for the rest of season * If the demerits are earned within 10 days of a competition, the squad and head sponsors will determine if removing the girl from the routine is a detriment to the squad and decide on competition participation accordingly. 10

Vacation Intent Form Please fill out this form and return to you squad sponsor as soon as you know your scheduled vacation dates. This does NOT excuse your daughter from any MANDATORY practices, games or competitions. Cheerleader Name Parent Name Parent Signature Parent Phone Number Vacation Dates Sports Exemption Form Please fill out this form and return to you squad sponsor as soon as you know your scheduled game/practice dates. This does NOT excuse your daughter from any MANDATORY practices, games or competitions. Cheerleader Name Parent Name Parent Signature Parent Phone Number Game/Practice Dates 11

Handbook Acknowledgement Form I,, parent/guardian of acknowledge that I have received and read the Central Valley Li l Warriors Cheerleading Handbook. I understand the information contained within explains my role and my child s role in the Central Valley Li l Warriors Cheerleading Organization and should I have any questions regarding information presented in this handbook, I will contact the head cheerleading sponsor using the contact information provided within this document. Date: 12