Tumbling at Tryouts

Tumbling is a significant part of any cheer program, which is why it is important to include it as part of your tryout process.  Making some sort of tumbling requirement on your score sheet will show the importance of tumbling and that you want it as part of your program.

Here are some ways to incorporate tumbling at tryouts and keep it safe:

Tumbling should only be a small part of your score sheet.

When you look at most competition score sheets, tumbling is not a large percentage of the score.  It is typically the score that will differentiate one team from another, but you will find it is not nearly as important as the cheer or the stunts and pyramids. If you make your tryout score sheet reflect this, the candidates will not feel the pressure to throw skills that are not safe for them yet.

Add a potential for tumbling score to your tryout scoresheet.

Some of my best tumblers have been those who make my teams with no tumbling experience, but it is clear at tryouts they have the athleticism and mental focus to get advanced skills.  I have had athletes with just a cartwheel, learn a round-off, back handspring, tuck by competition season. For this reason, I give a score for potential. I also have an athleticism score as part of the overall score.  Most athletes with no cheerleading background, if coached well, can become incredible tumblers, so look at potential.

Give a score for the beginner skills.

If you are building stronger tumbling into your program, or if you have strong athletes that you know can get more advanced tumbling skills, then make sure to give them some credit for beginner skills.   Can they perform a forward roll perfectly? It is surprising how many cheerleaders don’t know how to do this, but if you have someone new to tumbling and can easily catch onto the technique, then they will be able to build on that foundation. What about a perfect cartwheel, round-off, or walkover?  Having great technique in these skills is the foundation for more advanced skills, so give them some points for the beginner skills.

Only let them throw the skills they have mastered.

Tryouts is not the place to throw a back handspring or a tuck for the first time. If you are unsure of their abilities, let all the candidates know that throwing a skill by themselves and not being ready will cause them to lose points.  This way, it takes the pressure off to throw a skill and you can keep it safe.

Bring in an experienced tumbling coach who can spot. 

If you do want to see how close your athletes are to mastering certain skills, during the week of the clinics, if you are not able to spot, then bring in a tumbling coach who can spot.  Since you are not familiar with all of the candidates trying out, have them perform other skills leading up to the skill they want to have spotted. If they want to do a back handspring with a spot, make sure they perform a back walkover well.  If they want to do a round-off back handspring, tuck, make sure they can do a strong round-off back handspring with a strong rebound. Then, have your spotter over-spot, so you can provide the best safety. Make sure the athletes know that the spotter is over-spotting.  Then, the spotter can adjust.

Perform without spots at tryouts.

Only let your candidates perform skills they have actually mastered at tryouts.  If you have seen them spotted on a back tuck at the clinic and you know they are not ready to throw the tuck at tryouts, don’t let them. Make sure you let them know that you are noting that they have been working on a tuck with a spot and give them at least a point for that.

Tumbling is part of cheerleading and you can make it part of tryouts.  Just be sure to be safe and find ways to assess their skills and potential without putting on the pressure to throw skills they are not ready to throw.