Always Hold a Cheer Tryout

This is for the coaches who do not (or cannot) make cuts at tryouts for your team. 

If you are either not allowed to make cuts due to school rules, or maybe you don’t want to have cuts because you barely have enough athletes trying out, STILL CONDUCT A TRYOUT!

Why should you have a tryout?

1. You will have an official start to the season.
2. By having a formal process that includes a mandatory meeting, paperwork due, and several days of a tryout clinic, you will be able to see who is truly committed. You want to have specific expectations, so while you are not cutting anyone, in order to be on the team, they must meet certain expectation.
3. You will give those interested in cheerleading an opportunity to see what it is like while at the tryout clinic. They may learn that they just don’t like stunting.  They may discover that they just don’t like cheering as much as they thought they would.
4. You will gain an assessment of what kind of skills your team has and what their potential will be.
5. You can give feedback on what each of them did well and what they need to improve upon.

It is much better to have students back out at tryout time than right before camp or right before the football game.  If you do not have tryouts, give it a try! You might see a difference in your program next season.