Pacific Lutheran Cheerleading

Eligibility: Any full-time PLU students are eligible. Before trying out, one must have a current physical on a PLU form (available online) and be cleared by the training room.

Tryout Process: Tryouts for the upcoming year will be held in the spring. This year tryouts will be held Monday, March 10 through Thursday, March 13, 2008 from 6-8 p.m. in the Olson Auditorium balcony. The tryout process will consist of each athlete learning two chants, one dance, jumps, and one stunt. Each individual must also have a dance of their own prepared. Tumbling will count as extra since it is not currently required to cheer at PLU.

Showing: For incoming freshmen and transfers that are not able to tryout during March, a showing will be held in the second or third week of September. During that week, interested athletes can schedule a 10-minute tryout time with the cheer coach. These individuals will need to show jumps, a stunt, and two chants and one dance of their own. All athletes that achieve the average score of the March tryouts will be placed on the squad. These individuals will be given a video of all the cheers and dances to learn on their own, plus will immediately start practicing with the squad. Once each individual masters the material, he or she will begin cheering at games.

Requirements: The judges are looking for an all-around athlete. High jumps and kicks, sharp movements, correct motions, loud voice, personality, strength, rhythm, etc. are just a few of the requirements that are judged. To make the squad you must be dedicated, work hard, be a team player, have a positive attitude, and be willing to do what is best for the whole squad. Two uniforms will be purchased by each member. This will cost around $900. Uniforms change every two years.

Practice: For those athletes that make the squad during the March tryout, clinics will begin the following week. Practice is four days a week for two hours a night, Monday-Thursday. We break at the end of spring semester in May. Over the summer all members have a videotape with all the dances and cheers that must be learned. This year we will be attending a camp for three days in August at Central Washington University. We resume practice two weeks before fall semester starts. These two weeks consist of six hour days, Monday through Thursday. Once the semester starts we go back to the two hour a night schedule and games on Saturday's. The season usually lasts through late October or early November. The basketball season will start in late November/early December. Games are on Friday's and Saturday's, and the season usually ends in late February or early March. Since most material will already have been learned during the football season, the practice schedule will lessen as the basketball season arrives.

Schedule: It is important that all athletes have a clear schedule from 4 PM on every day. Members of the cheer squad must be able to attend summer camp and all summer practices as well.

Need more info: Contact coach Kristen Barton at kristenjbarton@comcast.net.