Question by vampirexbarbie: What should I do to prepare for Cheerleading tryouts?
I haven’t cheered since Middle School b/c I hurt my knee and I really need to know what I’ll need to do to prepare for spring tryouts at my high school. Please & Thank you.

Best answer:

Answer by Lola Fritz
Your Jump score is a BIG score that is used more during Jr.high, high shool, and all-star teams, then less as you go on to college. Here are some basic tips to help your jump score:

1.) Practice Beforehand – To get your jumps tryout ready, you need to practice well in advance. At least prepare a month or 2 before tryouts so that you can get your muscles strengthened and trained.

2.) Height – Having more height will make your jumps easier to hit. Do jumping exercises (Read about later in this answer) beforehand to help you with your jump height.

3.) Technique – Make sure you concentrate on your toes being pointed, legs straight, and chest up among all things. It will not only make your jump look better, but it will make it easier to hit your jump.

4.) Toe Touch – This is the most important jump at all tryouts. Concentrate more on this jump than the others (Keep your chest up and kick your legs behind! Don’t actually touch your toes).

5.) Flexibility – Good Stretching daily (if not every other day) for at least a month or 2 before tryouts will really improve your jumps.

6.) Agressive – When you throw your jump make sure you pull agressively. Snap the jump quick on the way up and down to make the jump kick high, to make the jump look great, and to allow you enough time to finish.

7.) Finish – Make sure you land with your feet together and squeeze your landing for a second or 2 for a solid finish.

Your Stunting score can be a bigger part of your Tryout Score as you go on to High school, all-star, and/or college cheerleading. Here are some basic tips to help your stunting score:

1.) Hit it – Really concentrate on hitting your stunt, because if you don’t then you will have big deductions.

2.) Solid over difficulty – Do stunts that you hit solid, rather than trying difficult stunts that are really shaky OR are difficult to hit. In most cases you will get a better score on the solid stunt that is less difficult.

3.) Technique – Make sure you are doing the stunt correctly. Things like having your chest up, toes pointed, legs straight, etc. will NOT only make the stunt hit easier BUT will also get you a higher technical score.

4.) Control – Make sure your stunt is controlled. You can control your stunt (make less shaky) by squeezing and Not over-doing your movements (like pulling too hard). It will make the stunt look better, and give you a better chance for the stunt to hit.

5.) Dismount – You dismount is also part of your stunt. Instead of throwing a cradle, try adding a tuck out cradle, toe touch cradle, OR even a fulldown as long as it’s solid. This will add more to your stunt and set you apart.

6.) Add difficulty – If you can try to add difficulty to a stunt. Instead of doing a ground up liberty, try to full it up and so forth.

7.) Finish – Finish and hold your landing solid. It will make the stunt look more complete if the finish is good.

Your Tumbling score will make a BIG difference at your tryouts. Here are some tips to increase your tumbling score:

1.) Do something – Always try something even if you don’t have any tumbling. At most you can do a forward roll. A carwheel or a round off to splits (or toe touch) will get you some points. If spotters are allowed,…take advantage of them.

2.) Be able to do it – The 1st reason is safety. The 2nd is that you will get more points for hitting a less difficult skill solid rather trying a slightly more difficult and falling.

3.) Form – Remembering things like keeping your toes pointed, legs together, and other technical issues will score you a point or 2 higher.

4.) Stick the landing – Stick your landing by squeezing it at the end and holding. This will help you get a perfect score.

5.) Difficulty – Add more to your tumbling to set yourself apart from everyone else. Yes throwing a more difficult skill will score you higher, but you can also add simple skills to add more difficulty.
(For example instead of throwing a backtuck, try throwing a toe touch backtuck.)

Your School spirit and enthusiasm will be judged and scored at tryouts. Here are some tips to increase your spirit score:

1.) Spirit in – When you run to your spot in the beginning, make sure you spirit in. It will we make a great 1st impression with the judges.

2.) Smile – Smile as much as you can during your tryout. (during stunts, the cheer, the dance, sideline, and even standing at attention)

3.) Hit the crowd – Always hit the crowd after each skill, stunt, cheer, jump, and sideline. This will really make you stand out.

4.) Say it out loud – When you are saying you cheer, sideline, or hitting the crowd, make sure you say it loud enough for all to hear.

5.) Energy and confidence – Make sure you keep your energy up when you do tips 1-4. Don’t just go through the motions of hitting the crowd and smiling, but get your energy up and appear as though this it the best day of your life.

There are so many

Add your own answer in the comments!