GCISD Cheer Tryouts Casey Warren, Kamin Leach - GHS Courtney Farmer, Leslie Ferris - CHHS

Tryout Qualification  Candidates must be enrolled and in attendance in the GCISD by the day of tryouts.  If a candidate earns a spot on the cheerleading squad, they must be a GCISD student for the remainder of the school year in order to continue to participate.  In accordance to District guidelines and policies, candidates may not have missed more than 10 days of class per semester.  High school candidates must have a cumulative GPA of no less than 2.80 (not rounded up) on the current five point scale. Middle school candidates must have no less than a fall semester average

Tryout Qualification  Candidates may not have been placed in out-of-school suspension (OSS) or placed into the District’s disciplinary alternative campus (VISTA) at any time during the school year.  Candidates shall satisfy all fees owed to the GCISD before tryouts.  Candidates shall have turned in all required paperwork for tryouts at a time designated by the sponsor.  Once a candidate has made the team, the candidate is required to have a physical on file by the end of May.

Required Paperwork DUE MARCH 19th AT 4 PM  Fall Semester Report Card (non-GHS only)  Medical Release / Constitution / Tryout Agreement  Candidate Information Sheet  Concussion Acknowledgment Form  GCISD Drug/Alcohol Pledge ALSO REQUIRED  Obtain Tumbling Certification

Tumbling Certification  The purpose of the Tumbling Certification is to provide an evaluation that the candidate can be called upon to perform the minimum tumbling skills safely throughout the year. SAFETY IS GCISD’S CONCERN. Demonstration of tumbling skills during the Tumbling Certification process shall in no way lessen the need to demonstrate tumbling skills within the tryout process.  All candidates will be required to show proficiency and safety on the following list of tumbling criteria: 11th and 12th Standing back tuck Round-off back hand spring back tuck 10th Standing back hand spring Round-off back hand spring back tuck 9th Standing back hand spring Round-off back tuck

Tumbling Certification  CANDIDATES WILL HAVE 5 MINUTES TO COMPLETE THE SKILLS. IF THE TIME EXPIRES BEFORE THEY USE ALL 3 ATTEMPTS FOR ONE OR BOTH SKILLS THE CANDIDATE WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO RETRY THE SKILLS.  Candidates who do not meet the proficiency of these skills in a manner deemed to be safe will not be eligible to tryout.  The tumbling certification will take place before the tryout and will be judged by qualified tumbling instructors. The tumbling certification will occur on two days, with the 9th and 10th grade candidates on one day and the 11th and 12th candidates on another.

Tumbling Certification  February 24th – Ninth and Tenth Grade, CHHS  February 25th – Eleventh and Twelfth Grade, GHS

Tryout Clinics  March 16-18, GHS, 4:30-6:00  Important Information: -Workshops are mandatory--those who are not in regular attendance will not tryout -Closed to friends and family -No video cameras allowed -Wear shorts, t-shirt and sport shoes -No jewelry, gum, food or drinks (except water) -Be on time

Tryout Clinics  Monday, March 16th 4:30-6:00 -stretch -learn dance -draw tryout numbers  Tuesday, March 17th 4:30-6:00 -stretch -review dance -learn cheer  Wednesday, March 18th 4:30-6:00 -stretch -review cheer and dance -jump demonstration/critique -tryout process overview and demonstration -work in tryout groups

Tryout Information  Candidates who meet the qualifications shall not be discriminated against because of race, gender, national origin, or educational handicap.  All candidates will learn a cheer and dance that will be taught the week of tryout clinics. No tumbling or jumps will be incorporated into cheer or dance. Participation in the tryouts clinic is mandatory.  There will be two tryout days, with the second day being optional. The best score from the tryouts will be used to determine qualification.  Candidates within the district shall tryout together. The attire for all candidates shall be the same: a uniform tee shirt, black athletic shorts, no-show socks, cheer shoes, and no bow in the candidate’s hair. Order of performance shall be determined by random draw within the grade ranking. Candidates shall try out in grade order on the first tryout date and will reverse order on the second date.

Tryout Information  NOTE: Attempting to demonstrate any tumbling skills the candidate has not already mastered is dangerous. Candidates who have not mastered a skill should substitute the highest level skill that they have mastered.  Candidates will perform a set of individual and group skills before a panel of 3 judges. The judges will evaluate the candidates utilizing the score sheets presented in the tryout meeting (see attached). Scores will be averaged. (The dance will be performed in a group. All other requirements will be performed individually).  A candidate must receive a minimum score of 23.0 (not rounded up) from the judges to earn a spot on the team. If these scores are not obtained, the candidate shall not be considered for membership. Judges’ scores are final.  Judges’ score sheets may be reviewed in an administrator’s office by appointment only, for those that did not achieve the minimum score. Viewing the scores should take place within ten school days following the tryouts.  The tryout process is videotaped for the judges’ and administrative use only.

Tryout Information  Location:CHHS  What to Wear: -Tryout t-shirt tucked in -Black Shorts -Pony Tail NO BOW White socks (no show) -White cheer shoes -No jewelry

Tryout Dates  Day 1: Thursday, March 19th Check-In: 4:15 pm (or time designated by sponsor) Tryout Begins:4:30 pm  Tryouts will be by grade, starting with freshmen and ending with seniors. Tryout order and groups will be determined by the selected numbers from the previous day.  Day 2: Friday, March 20th (OPTIONAL) Check-In: 4:15 pm (or time designated by sponsor) Tryout Begins:4:30 pm  Tryouts will be in reverse order of day 1, starting with seniors and ending with freshmen. This tryout day is optional, so groups may vary from day 1.  *** You may not leave the tryout facility either day until a coach or administrator has formally dismissed you. This is due to the possibility of callbacks.

JUDGE’S INFORMATION  TRYOUT FORMAT:  Candidates will come out in groups of three to perform the dance.  Group will exit and each candidate will enter individually to exhibit the following skills in any order they choose: Standing tumbling Running Tumbling Jumps – 5 connected, the last being a toe touch Cheer  After the last candidate in the group has finished, please pass score sheets to the tabulator.

JUDGE’S INFORMATION  TUMBLING  All candidates have already passed a certification stating they can do the following skills: Freshmen: Standing back handspring and round off back Sophomore: Standing back handspring, round off back handspring back tuck Varsity: Standing back tuck, round of back handspring back tuck  All candidates have two attempts to show a running tumbling skill and two attempts to show a standing tumbling skill. An attempt is defined as the stopping of continuous movement once movement has begun. The attempt with the highest score will be recorded.

JUDGE’S INFORMATION  SCORING:  When judging candidates please adhere to the point breakdown listed on the score sheet. Please comment only by checking any applicable descriptions in the comment section of the score sheet.  If you give a candidate an overall score of a 23 or better, they WILL be on the squad.  When judging freshman, please keep in mind that they have met tumbling requirements and that we are looking for coachable potential.  If you feel that all candidates are strong and should make the team that is absolutely fine. We do not want you to cut someone because you feel you have to.

Coach’s Contact Information  Casey Warren and Kamin Leach - GHS  Courtney Farmer and Leslie Ferris - CHHS