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All Cheer! (history, tips, jumps, & more!)
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Flag Cheers
Flag Cheers
Click on the file to see some of the Flag cheers and other information.
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The Prep, Lift, and Landing
The toetouch is the most widely used jump in cheerleading and dance today. Other popular jumps include the pike, the around the world, the spread eagle, and the side hurdler. The three main parts to the toetouch, and other jumps, are the prep, the lift, and the landing. The prep is like the birth of the jump. It gives jumps height and grace. Without the prep, jumps would be more difficult. The lift is important because it is what extends your legs and your arms into the right position. The landing completes the jump. This seemingly unimportant part of the jump is what most people have difficulty with. Landing with feet together gives the jump a finished look.
#1 - The Prep
Your basic prep begins with feet together, your weight focused through your toes, and arms in a high V motion. Next, lift your body up through your shoulders, quickly swing arms in a circle, and bend at the knees to build up to the lift.
#2 - The Lift
You should jump off the ground, pushing through your toes, when your arms reach the top of their swing. Once you are airborne, use your abdominal muscles to pull your legs up toward your arms. Hit your jump with your body upright (don’t lean down) your head up (SMILE) and your toes pointed.
#3 - The Landing
Bring your legs together quickly so your feet are together when you land. Also bend your knees slightly to take the pressure off of your knees and ankles. If your feet aren’t landing together, lower your jump and concentrate on good form. As you practice, your muscles will strengthen and you will be able to jump higher AND have a good landing.
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TIPS
Toetouch Tips: Don't try to actually touch your toes. In a great toetouch, your hands will usually reach for the insides of your ankles. *If you place your arms slightly lower than a "T" motion, it might make good jumps look even better.
Front Hurdler Tips: The front hurdler is a relatively difficult jump. It is usually performed at a 45 degree angle from the crowd . The front leg goes as high as possible, like a front kick, and the back leg bends behind you.
Side Hurdler Tips: Bring your front leg straight up, extending it out to the side. Your knee and shoelaces should be facing up. At the same time, bend the other leg, bringing it upward until your entire thigh is level with the ground.
Herkie Tips: It is performed almost exactly like the side hurdler with one MAJOR difference - the back leg. The back leg has the knee pointing DOWN instead of level with the ground. There are also two acceptable arm positions for this jump, do whichever is easier for you.
Table Top Tips: This jump may also be called an Abstract or a Double Hook depending on where you live. Make sure that your legs are parallel to the ground, like you're sitting on a table. Arms may be placed in a High V motion to give the jump a higher look.
Spread Eagle Tips: This jump also has many names including the "X" jump and the Open. Remember that for this jump your knees face forward. Also, make sure that you hit an excelent High V cause that can make or break your form!
TRYOUT INFO:
• I am a cheerleader and when I tried out I just made them think I was calm. Layoff the make-up, be happy, loud and do the best you can! Remember to have FUN!
• Try and wear school colors the day of try outs. Look neat. Don't try to do flips and cartwheels if you can't.
• If you have to walk forward when you do your cheer individually, walk back after the cheer facing the judges, without turning around. Keep smiling when you are walking back!
• If You don't have any school colored clothing, wear something that flatters you. Keep your movements tight and positions stiff. When you're doing your Pep Rally after your cheer, try not to repeat yourself. Make your team feel like they are the best and most of all, SMILE!
• Make sure to look confident even if you aren't.
• The best tip I have is to go out there and have fun. Even if you mess up just get right back in there. Also, be loud. The judges will pick the people who are yelling for their team and are excited about it.
• Try to do your best even in front of a large crowd. Remember all your motions and cheers. If you mess up go on don't worry about it. The last and most important thing is HAVE FUN!!!!!!
• BE SHARP! Make sure those toes are pointed and those motions are stiff. BE LOUD! Put some energy into your voice. SMILE! Have a great time and show it!
• If you get nervous, think of the judges farting! That should make you smile!
• Always remember to yell fron your stomach and not from your throat. Offer to start the cheer or chant in your tryout group, that will catch the judges eye.
• Always look at the judges! Don't stare off in space, even if it isn't your turn.
• Be polite and introduce yourself to the judges.
• Condition! Cheerleading is a sport. An out-of-shape athlete will have a very difficult time making an elite squad.
• Pay close attention to every single detail. Pratice, procrastination will not help. Do not whine or argue with the coach. When asked to do something, do it immediatley. Be stiff. SMILE. Always have tons of pep.
• When You try-out ALWAYS remember to SMILE and make a good appearance. If they don't tell you what to wear, always wear white socks and have clean tennis shoes. Also, Have your hair back out of your face. Stretch A LOT before your tryout. When you do your jumps, point your toes and don't look down. DON'T scream, yell. And remember, have FUN!
• If part of your tryout involves making up a cheer, or putting motions to a cheer, don't wait until the last minute. You should practice this cheer just as much as any other cheer involved in tryouts. Putting it off will only make you less confident when you get in front of the judges.
• Smile no matter what, make sure your arms are always straight, be as loud as you can, and don't look nervous. If they see you have self confidence, they'll know that you are ready and you know exactly what you're doing.
• Get involved with the organization or sport you are interested in cheering for.
• Make sure tryouts won't interfere with your homework. If your school uses teacher evaluations, tryouts is the worst time to turn in late assignments.
• Exercise for at least two weeks before tryouts to make sure you're ready. Be loud. Use your diaphragm not your throat. Keep your hair out of your face so the judges can see that big smile! Have self confidence!
• This one's from a real coach! It makes it a lot easier if the girl who is trying out wears a plain white short-sleeve t-shirt and black sweatpants. It keeps a straight line and helps me to see form and movements.
• If you try out in pairs or groups, no matter what the person next to you does, don't pay any attention! If someone messes up go on with exactly what you are doing and pretend not to notice. And always SMILE!
• Some judges deduct points for yelling "Woo". Try to spirit and be loud, but instead, yell "Go Big Red" or part of a chant. Also, if you plan to spirit into tryouts or during your tryout, think of things to say ahead of time, so you won't just keep saying "Tiger Spirit" over and over, or even worse, get nervous and say nothing at all. For example you can say Touchdown wolverines" "Let's go cats" "Alright AHS" "Score Six points!" or "Red and white all the way"
• A very important thing to remember when you are trying out, is to just show spirit! When you come in yell spirit verses! Like, GO ROCKETS, WE'RE NUMBER 1! Judges really go for that! Do it when you come on the floor and when you go off, and even when you mess up! You have to make them think that you meant to do it, even if they know you didn't, try anyway! The judges have to know that you are ready to perform no matter what happens!
• ALWAYS get enough rest and eat well to keep your energy for tryouts. DON'T load on caffine, candy, etc... EAT HEALTHY!
• The thing that worked for me was looking the judges straight in the eye and always keeping a big smile on my face, even when I messed up!
• If you have a real good feeling when you're out in front of people, and being judged on what you do, you can be sure that your true smile * no fake ones* will come out while your in the spot light. Still try to smile just in case the nervous stuff gets to you. Remember, you are the one, you can do it, you can make it and all eyes are on you so do your best and crack that beautiful smile.
• Always remember to cut your words, never sing your cheers, and keep your moves tight and strong. Above all else, the key to a successful try-out it ATTITUDE!!!
• Smile even if you mess up. Yell loud and sharpen your words. It will help you keep your motions crisp. Look like you're having fun! Have a good attitude and believe you can make the squad. Have confidence when you are pep-ing out, dancing, etc. The judges will notice!
• Just go out there and have fun. Even if you mess up just get right back in there. Also, be loud. The judges will pick the people who are yelling for their team and are excited about it.
• Try to do your best even in front of a large crowd. Remember all your motions and cheers. If you mess up go on don't worry about it. The last and most important thing is HAVE FUN!!
• Keep eye contact with the judges at all times.
• Don't wear anything that says you were already a cheerleader. The judges may think you are trying to impress them and it could backfire. If you were already a cheerleader, your skill speaks for itself!
• As a former coach and one who still judges tryouts, the most important thing is to be calm. Trying out if very nerve wracking, I realize. But a judge knows that if you can stay calm, collected and confident in a tryout, you'll do very well at games and competitions!
• Drink lots of water about 4 hours before so your vocal chords are ready and you'll be able to yell loudly.
• If you mess up, keep going. The judges will be glad that if you are out in front of a crowd you can handle it if you get lost.
• I've got a tip for competition and try outs to smile put Vaseline on your teeth. It makes you smile.
• When you tryout, put your heart into it. Show the JUDGES you love it yell LOUD! Ask a previous cheerleader to help you. Use natural looking makeup.
• If you can, practice with a friend. Or ask your friend to watch you and give you ideas of how to improve.
• When tryouts come along, you should be excited, not nervous. When you do your jumps, instead of just doing it, say something like "Let's go Blue!" while you prep and then do your jump. For your next jump try something else like "Spirit Knights" this will show that your enthusiasm and spirit is not just turned on and off for the games and tryouts.
• Work hard at try-out practice. The sponsor or coach is still watching, so show them what you'd be like at regular practices. If the first time you land something, like a back handspring, is right before try-outs, stick with what you had planned on doing before. It's better to do something you know you can do correctly every time. Don't ever change your try-out cheer the night before try-outs, you won't have time to be fully prepared, and you wouldn't want to mess up halfway through because you changed something and forgot it. SMILE!!!
• I have really long, thick hair. If you do too, be sure to tie it up and away from your face with a new hair band. An old one might break during your tryout, also keep a spare one "just in case."
• The best tip I can give is for a person trying out to talk to the coach and past cheerleaders to find out what they are looking for! Make mental notes of these things and make a point to learn the things you don't know. The next would be let your real personality shine through, show that great smile and you'll be out there cheering for your school before you know it.
• You should ALWAYS remember to smile! Also be confident and hit your movements with tight positions. Remember no judge wants to see a sagging V in Victory!
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History of Cheer
Just as any anything else, cheerleading has quite a history behind it. In ancient times spectators cheered for runners in races held during the first ever Olympic Games in ancient Greece. In the 1860's students in Great Britain began cheering at competitive sporting events and soon the idea spread to the United States. At Princeton in New Jersey, in 1865 the first pep club was formed and they created the first-known cheer:
"Tah rah rah
Tiger Tiger Tiger
Sis sis sis
Boom boom boom
Aaaahhhhh!
Princton! Princeton! Princeton!"
The history of organized cheerleading started in 1898. The University of Minnesota was having a pitiful football season. One fan decided to write a letter to the Ariel, "The Official Paper of The University of Minnesota," and complain. He wrote "Everyone's been crying, 'Keep up your spirits, and we will have a winning team bye and bye.' I say give us a winning team and our spirits will take care of themselves."
Everyone agreed that something had to be done and soon a meeting was called of all University of Minnesota students and faculty before the game with Madison Wisconsin. One of the University's professors presented a brilliant scientific thesis on fan support. He stated that the collective stimuli of several hundred students focused on sending positive energy in the team's direction would help the team win. The professor concluded with a rousing cry: "Go to Madison! Go to Madison! Apply the summation of stimuli!".
The game came and went, and the Gophers got killed 28-0. The cheer didn't work. It just didn't roll off of the tongue the right way. Something different had to be done to get the Gopher fans riled up. This is where Jack Campbell, a then first-year medical student, stepped in and he became the first ever cheerleader. Someone needs to lead the yells with organized cheering, he explained. And there needed to be variety, not just "He's all right" and "They're all right." So, the next game, Campbell led the crowd in a cheer that marked history:
"Rah Rah Rah!
Ski-U-Mah Hoo-Rah
Hoo-Rah!
Varsity! Varsity!
Minn-e-so-tah!"
Thus, cheerleading in the United States was born.
Cheerleading, believe it or not, was dominated by men in its early years. However, when large numbers of young men went off to fight in World War II, the tables turned. More than 90 percent of cheerleaders were female from that point on.
The evolution of cheerleading to a sport, again led by The University of Minnesota, started in the 1920's with the inclusion of gymnastics and tumbling routines. This helped cheerleaders to become known for their athletic ability. The 1930's brought on the growth of showmanship in cheerleading, and cheerleading became more entertaining to watch. Widespread use of the megaphone started in the 1900's and the famous pom pon was introduced in the 1950's by Lawrence Herkimer.
Herkimer has done so much for cheerleading in the United States. He founded the National Cheerleading Association at Southern Methodist University after the holding of the first and second cheerleading clinics in 1946 and 1947. He also taught at the first cheerleading camp at Sam Houston College. The first year fifty two girls attended and by the next year the size of the camp had grown to 350. Herkimer had no idea that he would end up with 20,000 girls attending cheerleading camp in the summertime. Herkimer also was the inventor of a very popular cheerleading jump which was named "the herkie" after him.
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Thanks to this Brianne Peterson, and this website: http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/8339/jumps.html for most of the great info on this page & some of the clipart!
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