A couple 'allstar' friendly things I put into play was:
- We have tryouts the week after Worlds (yes I know this collides with the Summit but you can try out via video too if contact us. We usually have these people make it as alternates of the program and then they can earn a legit spot by the end of summer. we dont hand out more alternates than people who could make the program). This also means we usually get people who go to Tech for school first. They are less likely to fail out so grades are less an issue. It is a ridiculously hard school with probably the best degree you can get of any team that goes to NCA Daytona (except M.I.T.... and my kids freaked out when they saw M.I.T. cheerleaders more than any other school).
- All practices are open. Seriously. Come film our nationals routine. I don't understand secrets. The best team is going to do the best thing they can. It isn't like I am going to watch squad standing fulls and go: Dang it! Why didn't I think of that! This also allows you to watch how practice works and how we work. If you come in and watch a practice and don't think we are a fit I completely understand. We want people who like the culture.
- Have a very friendly website / online social media presence. This means a lot to prospective athletes nowadays.
- Don't have a college clinic. They are rarely productive, just make money for the teams, and in cheerleading what skill can you really learn new that you didn't have access to talent at your allstar gym. I'd rather refer you to an allstar gym to help them make money to learn skills to come in.
- Have a productive tryout over a 'showcase' tryout. I don't understand choosing someone based on skills because they hit it once for tryouts. No other sport (and we are considered a sport at Tech) does it that way. The coach chooses what he wants. I choose what we want. A good mix of attitude and skills. If a freshman walks in with amazing skills why wouldnt we want them on the team? We have 2 days: day 1 we see your tumbling. We have people throw a few passes and do a few standing skills. If you have been around cheerleading enough you know who has a skill and who struggles. Next all the returners are required to stunt with all the new athletes. I don't want a super group that can hit anything I ask. That doesn't show me anything. I want to know if that new freshman that walked in who is an ex level 10 gymnast has a good attitude and is decent at trying new stunts. If you attempt a fullup the correct way, even if it doesn't hit, I know eventually you will get it. Day 2 is actually a showcase to our AA. Everyone has, by our definition, a simple clean tryout. Everyone is expected to get a perfect score day 2. We even put our fight song online to learn if you want. Why make it more difficult for all these people to learn a fight song that never changes and I don't want to spend multiple practices going over anyway.
Now a lot of these differences to us are a necessity to help us be more productive. Schools with an overflowing of talent don't have to care if their methods are efficient or really work because the sheer amount of talent allows them to work how they want. Like Tennessee having tryouts over Worlds. Pretty much she is saying they don't care to attract a high level of talent at Worlds because they believe they are above it. And then look at Tennesse's placement at UCA since Worlds has started to become popular. It is highly related.
