Question by hello: As a cheerleader how do u grasp the routine so fast?
I want to tryout for varsity cheer leading but im unsure if i will b able to pick up the routine as fast as the girls who have experience. Can u give me any tips?
i want to try out for varsity the end of this year (soph.) i tried out for freshmen squad but i didnt make it im willing to give it another try though
Best answer:
Answer by TumbleBee58
always, always, always for everything you do in the routine count it in counts of 8.
that way when your trying to remember you can try to remember what count the move was on. for example:
high v on 1
roll down 2
set 3-4
jump 5-6
pose 7-8.
thats just basic. but i hope i helped.
Add your own answer in the comments!
Experience does help, but honestly, some people just pick up routines faster than others. Even among long-time cheerleaders, there are some who can memorize things really fast, and others who have to go over it several times before they get it down. But the speed at which you learn a routine has little to do with how well you can do it! Once you’ve got it down, a slower learner can do it just as well as a fast learner! And that’s what really matters – the end result, right?
If you’re the type that doesn’t pick things up super fast, don’t worry. Just be prepared to spend a little more time practicing; doing it over and over until it sinks in, maybe pulling an all-nighter if necessary! If possible, bring a video camera and record the routine, so you can refer to it later if you get stuck. And yes, breaking it down into 8-counts is really helpful. Master each 8-count and then go on to the next one.
In case it helps, here’s my standard “tryout tips” answer. You probably know a lot of this already, but maybe you’ll find something that’s helpful.
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There are lots of things you can start working on to prepare yourself for tryouts. But don’t wait! Cheerleading skills take time and practice to master – so the sooner you begin, and the harder you work at it, the better off you’ll be! Here are some things to work on:
Jumps: There are three main jumps in cheerleading – the toe touch, pike jump, and front hurdler. You can search the web to see what they look like, but it’s important to learn them correctly. The judges will be looking at your form, not just how high you can jump. Sign up for a cheer class or clinic, or take a couple private lessons, so you can learn the proper technique from an expert. Then go home and practice, practice, practice!
Tumbling: Most schools don’t require tumbling skills, but the girls who can tumble will score higher. So start RIGHT NOW with some tumbling classes (not gymnastics), and keep them up until tryouts. Having a good back handspring – and better yet, a back tuck – will help your score a lot. The more often you go, the faster you’ll progress… so go more than once a week if you can! You can also get some extra practice by attending open gyms, and taking private lessons.
Motions: You’ll probably be taught a cheer to perform at tryouts, and you’ll be judged on how sharp and tight your motions are. See if you can learn a cheer ahead of time – any cheer, it doesn’t matter – and practice at home in front of a mirror. Watch to make sure you’re hitting each position precisely, with straight arms and quick, sharp motions. Taking a dance class can also help a lot!
Voice Projection: Cheerleaders need to be loud – but not screechy. When you shout your cheer, yell from your diaphram and make your voice deep, sharp and clear. This sounds easy, but it takes some practice to get it right. And when you’re jumping around in a cheer and yelling at the same time, it’s easy to become breathless and lose your voice! So start “training” your voice by yelling a chant or cheer while you’re doing something active – jumping jacks, jogging in place, etc.
Spiriting: You’ll probably be expected to do some spiriting when you try out. That’s when you jump around and yell things like “Alright! Let’s go Eagles! Fire it up!” while doing some simple arm motions. If you’re not used to doing that, it can feel pretty weird… and you might not know exactly what to do or say. So go to a game, watch the cheerleaders, and see what they do. Make a note of some of the things they say, and what they do with their arms. Then go home and practice in front of your mirror. Make up a little “spiriting routine” that you can practice, so it will become more natural for you.
Smile: The number one tip people give for cheer tryouts is to SMILE! Sounds simple enough, but it’s easy to forget when you’re out there concentrating on your jumps or cheer. So start working on it now. Whenever you practice anything – jumps, cheers, etc – do it with a smile. That way it will become a habit, and you won’t have to concentrate on smiling when you’re out there in front of the judges.
To get an idea of what the judges are looking for, here’s a typical score sheet that many schools use:
Entrance/Smile – 5 pts
Crowd appeal (neat, pleasant appearance) – 5 pts
Spirit (being peppy) – 5 pts
Voice Projection (being loud but not screechy) – 5 pts
Motions (being sharp) – 10 pts
Memory/Recall (ability to learn the cheer) – 10 pts
Jumps (height and technique) – 15 pts
Tumbling (difficulty and form) – 10-15 pts
Dance ability – 5-10 pts
Grades – 10 pts
Citizenship – 20 pts
Total Possible points – 100 pts
I hope this helps some! Good luck!