Competitive Season

Competitive Season

Competition season is between the months of November and February but actual competitions don't start until December. Competitions usually fall on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Wednesday competitions typically start at 6 and only last about 2-3 hours but Saturday competitions start earlier about 8 and can go all day. There are many different competitions you can attend, the ones you go to depend on the ones your coach picks. On the other hand some competitions you must be invited to. All year you compete at these competitions but in reality they do not really count for anything. The competitions that really matter are districts, regionals and states.

Districts

At districts there are many teams competing. You compete against schools in your district and the top four teams advance to regionals. So you must out on a really good performance in all three rounds if you want to make it out.

Regionals

At regionals now there are four teams from each region. Here the competition is pretty stiff everyone wants to make it out so bad to go to the state finals. Again at regionals only four teams will make it to the state finals where they get to compete against the best of the best.

State Finals

At the state finals it is the best teams in Michigan. They are help in Grand Rapids at the Delta Plex and are also shown on television. There can only be one winner and everyone wants the title of state champions. As a state champion you get a medal and ring along with bragging rights. For some people on the team this could be a once in a lifetime experience so they are out to win.

Delta Plex

The Delta Plex is an arena in Grand Rapids that holds many events not just cheer competitions. They have the cheer state finals as well as a huge competition on Valentines weekend. This competition is really fun because you get to stay in a hotel and competition in a huge arena. Although this competition is an extremely long day it is fun. There is a curse at the Delta Plex though. If it is your teams first year going then you are bound to either have someone get sick or hurt or your routine goes horrible. So it is almost a guarantee your first year there you will not do good and something will go wrong.

Football Season

Football Season

During this season you focus mostly on skills and preparing for football games. The season lasts from June all the way until the end of October. You practice all summer long coming up with skills and routines to perform at the games. You also learn all of the chants for during the games and the band dance.

In the summer you also go to cheer camp where you can learn many new skills. At camp it is a great time for the team to bond and get to know each other. Some camps are a weekend long, others only a day and some camps actually come to your school. Personally my favorite were the weekend long ones because you can learn a lot more since you have so much more time. Although camp is very exhausting it is extremely worth it with how much you will learn.

Cheer Camp

Two cheer camps that I have personally been to and have a great reputation are Champion and North American Spirit. Both of these camps are very good and you can learn a lot from them.

1. Champion Cheer Camp is usually help at Alma College and is a weekend long stay. This camp is all outdoors as long as there is no rain. They have very experienced staff and unique stunts. At Champion there are different camps you can attend there is the regular camp or the beast camp, which is when your team really wants to be pushed. All weekend you learn routines and new stunts, then on the final day you perform them for your parents and the other cheer teams. This is an awesome camp that really advances your skills.

2. North American Spirit is another great cheer camp. This camp is typically held at Echo Grove but they also have many other locations they go. North American Spirit also does camps at Saginaw Valley University, Great Wolf Lodge and at your school. This camp is great for learning new skills and team bonding. They also do a final day routine so you can show off what you and your team learned at camp. Camp with North American Spirit is a fun learning experience.

Homecoming Game

On homecoming game day the cheerleaders always wear their uniforms to school and go to a big tailgate before the game. At school there is a pep assembly to get everyone fired up for the game later on. During the pep assembly the cheer team puts on a performance for the school. After school there is a big tailgate before the game. Right before the game the cheer team does the same performance again for everyone. At this game the alumni cheer girls come back to cheer the game along with the freshmen and JV cheer teams. This game is a big event!

The Dos and Don'ts

Getting Competition Ready... The Dos and Don'ts

1. Do wear makeup
     If you do not wear makeup you will be washed out and not look as presentable.

2. Do not over do it
     You do not want to look like a clown so do not put on too much.

3. Do wear hairspray
     You want your hair to be sleek, with NO pieces sticking out.

4. Do not spray without a mirror.
     Chances are you will only miss your hair and hit a teammate.

5. Do have big hair.
     The bigger the better!

6. Do not over do it.
     Big hair is good, messy hair is not, keep it controlled.

7. Do wear deodorant.
     You do not want to smell.

8. Do not wear lotion.
     You do not want to slip or drop anything.
                                        

9. Wear glitter.
     You want to sparkle while performing.

10. Do not wear jewelry.
     You do not want it to fall off or hit someone.

Cheer Terms

The following are all common cheer terms and all definitions are based off of the MHSAA (Michigan High School Athletic Association) cheer leading glossary.

Stunting Positions:

Base: The person on the ground that holds the other girl in the air. They hold the weight, catch and support the person in the air. There are typically two bases per stunt that you want to be around the same height so the stunt is even.

Flyer:  The person that everyone sees in the air that is being help up by the bases. There is one flyer per stunt group and they are usually very petite.

Back Spot: They hold the flyers ankles while she is in the air as well as catch her head, neck, shoulder and back when she is caught. There is one back spot per stunt group and they are typically very tall.

Stunting Terms:

1.Basket Toss: The tossing of a flyer by three to four bases, two of which must have their hands interlocked in a basket position. Once the flyer is tossed she is no longer in contact with anyone and able to do tricks in the air.

2.Bracer: A bracer is a flyer who stabilizes a stunt with another flyer. Bracers are used in pyramids to keep it stable.

3.Cradle Catch: The flyer is caught in a face up position with the catcher’s hands/arms up and by placing one arm under the back and one under the thighs of the flyer. If the Bases are not close enough the flyer will fall through their arms.

4.Cupie: The flyer is held in a feet together standing upright position above the bases heads.

5.Dismount: At the end of the stunt when you set the flyer back on the ground.

6.Elevator: A stunt in which the bases are bent and at shoulder level and the flyer is standing in the hand(s) of the bases.

7. Extension: A stunt in which the bases arms are fully extended above the head, and the flyer is standing in the hands of the bases with the back spot holding the flyers ankles.

8. Liberty: A one-legged stunt with free leg bent, knee facing forward, foot touching inside knee of support leg. You should be able to balance a coffee cup on your thigh if you are doing the position correct.

9. OLE: One-legged extension, any one legged stunt.