High School Cheer FAQs
If you are unable to find your answer, please feel free to email us at [email protected] and we will be happy to answer any and all questions.
Do I have to have experience to be a part of Lakeridge Cheer?
We do not require any experience to be a part of program, although in order to make our highest level team (Varsity Traditional Competition), you will most likely need prior skills in cheer and/or tumbling.
I don't know how to tumble. Can I even be a cheerleader?
Absolutely!! Many of our athletes come to us with no tumbling experience. For Varsity Sideline and Varsity Game Day Competition Team there is no experience needed. For Varsity Traditional Competition we are looking for AT MINIMUM a front or back walkover, although a back handspring or higher is preferred.
I'm not flexible enough to be a cheerleader! Should I even join?
Cheerleading is not all about flexibility, nor do you need your splits to be on one of our teams. If you aren't flexible now, you will be by the end of the summer through practices and conditioning. When it comes to selecting team members we want strong athletes with potential! Our program needs members of all shapes, sizes, heights, and abilities to make our teams work.
Do you cut at registration?
We offer a NO-CUT Varsity Sideline Team! This means that all you need to do is follow the steps on the registration form and you can be a member of our Varsity Sideline Team. Members register in May the spring prior to the school year.
For our competition teams - Varsity Game Day Competition Team and Varsity Traditional Competition Team - we have evaluations in August. We will select up to 30 members from our Sideline Team to represent our program in game day competitions and 9-23 for traditional competitions. Athletes may be selected for both the Game Day and the Traditional Competition Teams.
I'm a freshman, can I make varsity?
Yes, all those who register make the Varsity Sideline Team. For our Varsity Game Day Competition Team and Varsity Traditional Competition Team, we will take freshmen if the skill level is there.
Do you allow athletes to participate in other activities or on other teams?
We allow, and encourage, athletes to be active members in their school and community. This can include choirs, city league teams, school plays, etc. BUT, Lakeridge Cheer has to come first. Members cannot miss any practices, games, or events for any other activity during the season you are cheering in. Participation on other teams, such as an all-star team, can be very hard to juggle time-wise and Lakeridge Cheer must be first priority.
We offer our Varsity Sideline Team as a way to be involved in cheer for only one season. Therefore, if you participate in a fall sport, but would like to cheer for the winter season (or vice versa!), we have a spot for you! You are not limited to having to cheer for both fall and winter seasons.
I don't know if we can afford cheer. Is there a way to fundraise?
Yes! We offer a handful of fundraisers throughout the summer to help you pay for cheer. Members must be active in participation and willing to work to earn money towards their account. If you are, then you will have cheer paid for in no time! For reference, a general look at our fees:
Item*
Camp $475.00
Uniform Skirt $50.00
Practice Gear $250.00
Tumbling Fee $275.00
Conditioning Fee $50.00
District Pay to Play Fee $315.00
Approx Total $1,365.00
*Costs vary depending on if member is new or a veteran. District fee may be waived. Payments are spread out over 4 payments and we also offer payment plans!
We travel a lot during the summer. Is this a problem?
While we do have conditioning and tumbling over the summer, we only require that you are there if you are IN TOWN. If you have vacations planned, conditioning and tumbling are excused. But if you are in town, you need to be there. Summer practices help prep the athletes for fall and winter seasons and allows us to practice LESS during the school year. We do have some mandatory dates over the summer that are REQUIRED for all. These are:
Camp Kick-Off - August 3rd
Summer Camp - August 4th-7th
Competition Choreography - August 15th-17th
Sideline Camp - August 18th-August 27th
Are your calendars set in stone?
Practice schedules are always set in stone due to facilitating multiple teams in our program and working around other sports at Lakeridge High School. Game and competition schedules are tentative as they may be changed by the school hosting. We do our best to keep you informed of any changes immediately since your time is as precious as ours!
How important is being at every practice?
Regardless of team, EVERY practice is important. We understand that illness and family emergencies happen, but we need every team member at every practice in order to be productive. Each team only practices 1-3 times a week and it's essential that we use every minute available with the entire team. If one member is missing, it affects a whole stunt group. Please do your best to plan accordingly, especially since the practice schedule is given out a year in advance.
Can we attend different tumbling classes?
We offer once a week tumbling classes at Lakeridge with our tumbling instructor Etta Susemiehl. To keep skills consistent, we ask that all members attend this class together. If you would like to take ADDITIONAL tumbling classes, we always encourage that. Etta offers private lessons and we also have a list of reputable gyms for your cheerleader to attend.
How do you select the Varsity Game Day and Varsity Traditional Competition Teams?
We are one of the top competitive teams in the state and are looking to keep that tradition alive. When selecting the Varsity Game Day Competition Team, the coaches are looking for strong technique in motions, energy in performance, strong work ethic and coachability.
For the Varsity Traditional Competition Team, the coaches are looking for advanced skills in all areas of cheer. This includes jumps, motions, dance, stunting and tumbling. All varsity competition team members must have AT MINIMUM a front or back walkover. We are also looking for complete stunt groups. We can't have a team full of flyers and no bases or vice versa.
We will select members for the Varsity Game Day Competition Team and the Varsity Traditional Competition Team in mid-August. This gives team members who might be a skill or two behind to work on gaining those skills over the summer. The Varsity Game Day Team will have up to 30 members and the Varsity Traditional Competition Team will have 9-23 members, based on coaches discretion.
Do you go to Nationals every year?
While we have attended nationals every year for the last 17 years or so, it is never a guarantee. Factors include if the coaching staff feels that the team is dedicated enough and is skill-wise at a level that warrants a big trip. We also need parent and school support. This is a year by year decision that is made in over the summer.
Do I have to have experience to be a part of Lakeridge Cheer?
We do not require any experience to be a part of program, although in order to make our highest level team (Varsity Traditional Competition), you will most likely need prior skills in cheer and/or tumbling.
I don't know how to tumble. Can I even be a cheerleader?
Absolutely!! Many of our athletes come to us with no tumbling experience. For Varsity Sideline and Varsity Game Day Competition Team there is no experience needed. For Varsity Traditional Competition we are looking for AT MINIMUM a front or back walkover, although a back handspring or higher is preferred.
I'm not flexible enough to be a cheerleader! Should I even join?
Cheerleading is not all about flexibility, nor do you need your splits to be on one of our teams. If you aren't flexible now, you will be by the end of the summer through practices and conditioning. When it comes to selecting team members we want strong athletes with potential! Our program needs members of all shapes, sizes, heights, and abilities to make our teams work.
Do you cut at registration?
We offer a NO-CUT Varsity Sideline Team! This means that all you need to do is follow the steps on the registration form and you can be a member of our Varsity Sideline Team. Members register in May the spring prior to the school year.
For our competition teams - Varsity Game Day Competition Team and Varsity Traditional Competition Team - we have evaluations in August. We will select up to 30 members from our Sideline Team to represent our program in game day competitions and 9-23 for traditional competitions. Athletes may be selected for both the Game Day and the Traditional Competition Teams.
I'm a freshman, can I make varsity?
Yes, all those who register make the Varsity Sideline Team. For our Varsity Game Day Competition Team and Varsity Traditional Competition Team, we will take freshmen if the skill level is there.
Do you allow athletes to participate in other activities or on other teams?
We allow, and encourage, athletes to be active members in their school and community. This can include choirs, city league teams, school plays, etc. BUT, Lakeridge Cheer has to come first. Members cannot miss any practices, games, or events for any other activity during the season you are cheering in. Participation on other teams, such as an all-star team, can be very hard to juggle time-wise and Lakeridge Cheer must be first priority.
We offer our Varsity Sideline Team as a way to be involved in cheer for only one season. Therefore, if you participate in a fall sport, but would like to cheer for the winter season (or vice versa!), we have a spot for you! You are not limited to having to cheer for both fall and winter seasons.
I don't know if we can afford cheer. Is there a way to fundraise?
Yes! We offer a handful of fundraisers throughout the summer to help you pay for cheer. Members must be active in participation and willing to work to earn money towards their account. If you are, then you will have cheer paid for in no time! For reference, a general look at our fees:
Item*
Camp $475.00
Uniform Skirt $50.00
Practice Gear $250.00
Tumbling Fee $275.00
Conditioning Fee $50.00
District Pay to Play Fee $315.00
Approx Total $1,365.00
*Costs vary depending on if member is new or a veteran. District fee may be waived. Payments are spread out over 4 payments and we also offer payment plans!
We travel a lot during the summer. Is this a problem?
While we do have conditioning and tumbling over the summer, we only require that you are there if you are IN TOWN. If you have vacations planned, conditioning and tumbling are excused. But if you are in town, you need to be there. Summer practices help prep the athletes for fall and winter seasons and allows us to practice LESS during the school year. We do have some mandatory dates over the summer that are REQUIRED for all. These are:
Camp Kick-Off - August 3rd
Summer Camp - August 4th-7th
Competition Choreography - August 15th-17th
Sideline Camp - August 18th-August 27th
Are your calendars set in stone?
Practice schedules are always set in stone due to facilitating multiple teams in our program and working around other sports at Lakeridge High School. Game and competition schedules are tentative as they may be changed by the school hosting. We do our best to keep you informed of any changes immediately since your time is as precious as ours!
How important is being at every practice?
Regardless of team, EVERY practice is important. We understand that illness and family emergencies happen, but we need every team member at every practice in order to be productive. Each team only practices 1-3 times a week and it's essential that we use every minute available with the entire team. If one member is missing, it affects a whole stunt group. Please do your best to plan accordingly, especially since the practice schedule is given out a year in advance.
Can we attend different tumbling classes?
We offer once a week tumbling classes at Lakeridge with our tumbling instructor Etta Susemiehl. To keep skills consistent, we ask that all members attend this class together. If you would like to take ADDITIONAL tumbling classes, we always encourage that. Etta offers private lessons and we also have a list of reputable gyms for your cheerleader to attend.
How do you select the Varsity Game Day and Varsity Traditional Competition Teams?
We are one of the top competitive teams in the state and are looking to keep that tradition alive. When selecting the Varsity Game Day Competition Team, the coaches are looking for strong technique in motions, energy in performance, strong work ethic and coachability.
For the Varsity Traditional Competition Team, the coaches are looking for advanced skills in all areas of cheer. This includes jumps, motions, dance, stunting and tumbling. All varsity competition team members must have AT MINIMUM a front or back walkover. We are also looking for complete stunt groups. We can't have a team full of flyers and no bases or vice versa.
We will select members for the Varsity Game Day Competition Team and the Varsity Traditional Competition Team in mid-August. This gives team members who might be a skill or two behind to work on gaining those skills over the summer. The Varsity Game Day Team will have up to 30 members and the Varsity Traditional Competition Team will have 9-23 members, based on coaches discretion.
Do you go to Nationals every year?
While we have attended nationals every year for the last 17 years or so, it is never a guarantee. Factors include if the coaching staff feels that the team is dedicated enough and is skill-wise at a level that warrants a big trip. We also need parent and school support. This is a year by year decision that is made in over the summer.