Welcome to the 2019-2020 Pepster Tryout Meeting

La Serna High School Pep Squad Purpose To strive to maintain enthusiasm, good sportsmanship, and school spirit at all athletic contests and rallies through the performance of cheers. To develop and learn leadership qualities as well as those skills necessary for working as a member of a team such as tact, understanding, the ability to follow as well as lead, mutual respect for others, responsibility, and tolerance.     

La Serna High School Pep Squad Purpose

Pepster Selection Process Scoring Information The process includes five stages.  1. Clinic Attendance & Tryout Packet - 5% Clinics are conducted for the purpose of instruction. Because attendance at clinics is a measure of commitment, roll will be taken. Special circumstances preventing attendance on a given day must be cleared in advance with the advisor. Athletes must also follow Uniform guidelines during clinic attendance    

Pepster Selection Process Scoring Information 2. Teacher Recommendations – 20%   Since classroom teachers are often the best judges of essential qualities such as attitude, cooperation, and effort, each current teacher will be asked to complete a confidential rating sheet providing information about those traits as well as tardiness and attendance.       6

Pepster Selection Process Scoring Information 3. Grade Evaluation - 20%   All girls will submit grade transcripts that will be evaluated and given a point value. Probationary Status, Eligibility, citizenship grades, and D’s & F’s will affect overall points.        7

Pepster Selection Process Scoring Information 4. School Attendance - 5%   Records of attendance for the previous year will also be used in the evaluation process. Evaluation of school attendance and tardies will be given a point value.       

Pepster Selection Process Scoring Information 5. Technical Judging - 50%   In order to have a unified team look when performing and competing, technical expertise is necessary. Candidates will perform routines at closed tryouts for evaluation by judges selected by the advisor and assistant principal.       

Sideline Cheer, Pom , Important Dates April 2– Meeting for Candidates & Parents (Cafeteria, 7:00 P.M.) April 15–Workshops begin (Small Gym) Mon, Tues, and Wed 3-5:30 Wear plain white shirt or tryout shirt and crimson or black shorts, tennis shoes or jazz shoes (song). Failure to follow the above uniform guidelines will result in a loss of points April 15 – Completed tryout packet due to advisor by 4:00 P.M (including teacher recommendations and transcript (non LS students) April 16– 1st Cut will be announced at end of clinic April 17 – Last day of workshops . Tumbling, stunting, and dance technique evaluated by coaches. April 18 – Closed tryouts - Small Gym, 3:00 P.M. (Varsity cheer is first group) 10

Pepster Tryouts  50% of your points will be earned from your performance at the tryouts. You will earn these points for:

Sideline Cheer, Pom , Performance Guidelines Turns – Song Varsity song – mandatory double turn and single leg hold turn Advanced technical skills (leg hold turns, specialty leaps) – V/JV song Mandatory Pom and Jazz routine– V/JV song Showmanship Jumps Stunting – cheer Tumbling – cheer Varsity cheer – mandatory jump to handspring/running handspring. JV cheer standing and/or running handspring. Mandatory Cheer and Dance

Sideline Cheer, Pom Tryout Procedure Tumbling, stunting and jumps will be evaluated by coaches and given a point value on Wednesday during clinics. Friday’s Judges panel will evaluate the execution and showmanship of the tryout cheer and dance Scores from Wednesday and Thursday will make up the remaining 50% of tryout score . Pom Flexibility, turns, leaps will be evaluated by coaches and given a point value on Wednesdy during clinics. Friday’s Judges panel will evaluate the execution and showmanship of the pom routine. Scores from Wednesday and Thursday will make up the remaining 50% of tryout score.

La Serna High School Pep Squad Constitution Organization: The La Serna High School pep squad may consist of the following: Varsity Sideline Cheerleaders (Soph/Juniors/Seniors) Varsity Sideline Pom Leaders Junior Varsity Sideline Cheerleaders (Soph/Juniors) Junior Varsity Sideline Song Leaders (Freshmen/Soph/Juniors) Freshman Sideline Cheer (freshmen)               14

Eligibility Students should be enrolled at La Serna High School at the time of tryouts. Assistant principal of guidance will determine tryout eligibility on a case by case basis depending on registration status. "Eligible" or "Probationary" status as determined by the District Policy on Eligibility for Participation must be in effect at the time of tryouts for current LS students, and maintained throughout the entire year of participation.               

Eligibility Each student must enroll in the Pepster Workshop class for the first semester of the year following selection. Pepsters participating on a competition squad will continue to be enrolled 2nd semester. Pepsters not on a competition squad will be dropped from the pepster class at the second semester and enrolled in PE (freshman or sophomores).

Eligibility Status Students must have a 2.0 GPA or higher in all enrolled courses each quarter. Students must pass in at least four classes each quarter. Students can have no more than one “U” in any quarter. Pepsters are allowed a probationary status of one quarter, if the following quarter eligibility is not restored, the pepster is considered ineligible and the pepster will be removed.               

Eligibility No pepster may be concurrently involved in athletics. Pepsters may not have jobs or extra-curricular activities which conflict with game assignments, practices, competitions or other cheer commitments. Conflicts will be cause for suspension or dismissal from the squad.                18

Term of Office Newly chosen sideline Cheer and Pom members are encouraged to participate in our spring cheer and pom camp. Summer practice is for pepsters participating on the competition squad. Cheer and Song members are eligible to participate in competition as a member of a competition team. However competition is a privilege and the advisor and coaches have the right to select competition teams based on attitude, dependability, maturity and skill. Game Duties begin with mandatory prep week July 29-Aug 1 and continue through winter of 2020. Inability to complete all season’s game duties will result in dismissal from the Pep Squad. Any student who resigns or is dismissed from the Pep Squad will be ineligible to try out the following school year.               

Paperwork Due Dates: Due Monday April 15th – by 4:00pm Packet checklist Application Agreement Liability Release Consent Student Petition Emergency Information Transcript of Grades and Attendance (non LS students) Teacher recommendations in sealed envelopes (non LS students). Must have 1 for every teacher in its own sealed envelope! All paperwork can be found on Cheer and Song Website.

Additional Tryout Details Sign up for tryout reminders: Text the Message @tryoutsls to 81010 All Current LS Students must complete online tryout signups by Friday April 5. The link is on the Pepster website.

If your athlete makes the team: There is a mandatory athlete and parent meeting Sunday April 28. *Cheer teams 10:30-12:00 meeting *taco bar social for athletes and parents (cost TBA) 12:00-1:00, *song teams 1:00-2:30. Uniform fittings will also occur on this day so athlete should wear briefs and a sports bra or bathing suit.  We will also be selling LS cheer and Song gear for parent and pepster purchase ☺

Fundraising Opportunities Colisium Booth!! Restaurant Nights Mixed bags Car Wash Junior Cheer Camp Sponsors Mr. La Serna Skills Camp Other events - TBA 23

Year in a Nutshell May: Nov: Optional Spring camp Car Wash fundraiser Crimson and White Game June: Vacation: June 1-23 Athletic packets due Junior cheer camp All comp squads practice July: Overnight camp 7/23-26 All sideline squads Beach Party Mandatory sideline work week August: Start Competition routines V cheer comp choreography camp Getting ready for football Sept: Busy!!!! Fall Sports season begins Competition practice begins (Saturdays) Oct: Busy!!!! Fall Sports season continues Competition practice continues Nov: End of football season Competition season begins! Jamboree (District exhibition of bands, and cheer teams) Thanksgiving – practice first ½ of break! Dec: Competition Season continues (2 competitions) Christmas break- practice over break Jan: BUSY!!!!! Winter sports begin Comp season in full swing! 2 competitions Feb: BUSY!!!!! Comp season High School Nationals Florida (vcheer only) USA Nationals (all squads) More winter sports March: Banquet April: Try-outs

Thanks for coming!