As a cheerleader you will be expected to attend practices, just as you are expected to attend the tryout clinic prior to tryouts.  If you make the team, you will be required to enroll in the cheer class (Pep Squad), come to all scheduled practices (even those taking place over summer break), and you will be required to participate in a cheer camp during summer vacation.

·         Summer camp: $350 (covers all tuition, room and board.  Travel expenses to the location may add to this slightly.) Camp must be paid in full no later than the end of MAY and be in the form of a cashier’s check or money order only.

·         Uniforms: approximately $550.00 (includes shell, skirt, liner, spankies, bows and shoes for women, and pants, shorts, top, and shoes for men.)  Uniforms must be paid in full prior to the order being placed!

·         summer camp outfits: (which become practice wear for the year) approximately $500 (includes 3-4 tops, and 3-4 bottoms, 2 pairs of socks.)

·         three competitions: approximately $60-$100 each

        In order to participate in cheerleading, you must have good grades (no F's or D's allowed!) and maintain a basic GPA.  Due to the time commitment cheerleading requires, good grades are a must.  As this is often a part of your overall tryout score, the better grades you have, the more points you will earn towards your total score.

        Cheerleading requires a lot from its participants.  Cheerleaders have to be in good physical health in order to perform the tasks set before them while limiting the possibility of injury.  For this, we require that each cheerleader get a physical stating that s/he has no physical or mental ailment precluding them from being able to participate in the sport safely.

        This means that you need to come to all meetings ready to practice and perform.  To that end, you must be dressed appropriately.  This means:

·         shorts or stretch capri-style pants so you can easily move without covering your ankles.

·         Sneakers

·         Absolutely no jewelry!!!  (this includes, but is not limited to watches, rings, earrings, and necklaces)

        This also means that you must come to meetings, practices and games on time, ready to learn and plan new cheers and dances, willing to do your part for fund-raisers and ready to participate in other cheer activities.

        Everyone wants to be respected.  You will be expected to respect your coach, your team, your teammates, your school and yourself in all you do inside and outside of practice.  You will also be held accountable to your coach, your team, your teammates, and your school. Responsibility starts with yourself.  If each person shows the proper respect and follows the rules and regulations set forth before them, we will have a wonderful cheer experience.

        Cheerleading can, but does not have to, be an unsafe sport.  We do all that we can to ensure that this activity is safe for everyone involved.  This requires discipline from each participant, as well as from the instructor.  Every cheerleader must make safety a priority, and an act as common or requiring as little thought as tying one's shoes.  Each participant must maintain a cool confidence in the skills they are preforming and stay focused to ensure the safety of themselves and others.  This plainly requires discipline.

        Cheerleaders can be one of the strongest and most visible leadership groups on a campus. As such, we must always be certain to set the proper example.  You are expected to go above and beyond the normal expectations for students in citizenship, community service, and academics.

       As a team, it is vitally important to be able to work together in spite of any differences in opinions.  There is no place for a “bad attitude”.  In order to be the best team you need to be able to trust and count on your fellow teammates.  You’re going to spend a lot of time with each other, which can either create close bonds of friendship or  complicate pre-existing conflicts.  If there is a problem, it needs to be dealt with quickly, in a caring matter and by following the chain of command.

      This also includes cooperation with the advisors and/or coaches.  It will make things work far more efficiently if you are willing to follow instructions the first time they are given.  This also helps maintain safety standards.  We all want to make sure that no-one is doing anything that could be potentially dangerous.  Therefore,

·         there is to be no practicing of stunts without the coach present

·         you must properly stretch before you begin any practice sessions

              If during the tryout period the coach/advisor has to speak to you about inappropriate behavior three times, you will automatically be disqualified from tryouts and have lost the chance to be a part of the MSJC Eagles Cheer Squad for the up-coming year.  It does not matter whether or not you are the best cheerleader in the world, a bad attitude will not be tolerated!

        There are a lot of expenses involved in cheerleading.  In order to minimize the cost to students we have set up a few fund-raising opportunities.  Everyone is expected to participate and play an active roll in the fund-raising activities.  This is a key way of demonstrating your team spirit and cooperation.  The cheerleaders who have taken this to heart have been able to raise significant amounts of money to help cover their cheer expenses.