All-Star How Competetive Are College Cheer Try Outs Getting?

[Keep_Believing]

Well if this thread is talking about the person I think it is, she just made OSU Cheer.

Thanks, I didn't even know she was trying out there! That is great!

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

My 2 CP's say all the time they are going to cheer in College. I adore my girls and hope all their dreams come true. I won't say anything to deflate their dreams, but seeing amazing athletes not making teams makes me wonder how realistic cheering in College will be.

Your kids are all junior aged, right? So you have some time.

My biggest advice is that once high school rolls around, it's important for them to start generally thinking about where they'd like to go to school.

THEN start thinking about cheer. Do you want to be part of an all girl team? Co-ed? Small co-ed? Competitive? Game day focused? Ex: If you've only ever stunted all girl and have no interest in co-ed, then you maybe wouldn't choose a school whose only offering is co-ed.

Once you have an idea of what type of squad you'd like to be on, then look at your general schools of cheer interest. Ex: There are schools like Ok State, UL, who offer an all girl, small, and large coed experience.

Then align your cheer search with your academic school search. I always feel like you shouldn't choose a school JUST for cheer. So if you want to go cheer at Kansas, you need to actually look at Kansas academically, whether they have the majors of your interest, visit the campus, etc. because a school is not just where you will cheer, but where you will LIVE and STUDY.

Attend ANY clinics your schools of choice offer. That gives you an opportunity to learn their style, what they look for, etc. It also allows you to ASK QUESTIONS without the pressure of a tryout.

There are other things, but this is a really good starting point in terms of college advice.

 

[njallday]

Well if this thread is talking about the person I think it is, she just made OSU Cheer.

that's even stranger to me. is that common to just try out somewhere else if you don't make a team? like this isn't just an all star gym down the street... this is COLLEGE and your entire future. i get being sad that you didn't make it and really wanting to cheer... but that is just wild to me. and it's May. so you've more than likely paid nonrefundable tuition and housing deposits to the original school. possibly even attended orientations and made your schedule, depending on the school. you go to college for an education, not cheerleading. cheerleading is an added bonus.

hate to break it to everyone, but cheerleading isn't everything. there is, in fact, a world out there beyond it.

 

[Keep_Believing]

Thanks, they are 11 and 12 (will turn 13 in Aug.). Right now they think they know what they want, but there is time so that could all change. Youngest wants to be a flyer on a small CoEd team at a College that will help her get into a good Vet. school. Oldest wants to be on an all girl team. She would like to fly, but also enjoys side basing. She wants a school that has a good nursing program. When I was there age I had no idea what I wanted to do! They even have specific colleges picked out! LOL As for me Mom, I just want it to all slow down and move very slowly. I am not even close to being ready for them to grow up and move away from home.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

that's even stranger to me. is that common to just try out somewhere else if you don't make a team? like this isn't just an all star gym down the street... this is COLLEGE and your entire future. i get being sad that you didn't make it and really wanting to cheer... but that is just wild to me. and it's May. so you've more than likely paid nonrefundable tuition and housing deposits to the original school. possibly even attended orientations and made your schedule, depending on the school. you go to college for an education, not cheerleading. cheerleading is an added bonus.

hate to break it to everyone, but cheerleading isn't everything. there is, in fact, a world out there beyond it.

Meh.

It's May. So you likely have paid deposits but have only been to like, "spring welcome days" not actual orientation which is typically fall. You have not made a tuition payment yet.

It's also entirely possible that whomever this girl is was also accepted to OSU, and didn't just decide to go there. Most people line up MULTIPLE tryouts because you apply to multiple schools. You apply to University A, B, and C, and tryout at all 3. This way, if you don't make one or two, you have options. Not unheard of!

 

[BuegeSmalls]

that's even stranger to me. is that common to just try out somewhere else if you don't make a team? like this isn't just an all star gym down the street... this is COLLEGE and your entire future. i get being sad that you didn't make it and really wanting to cheer... but that is just wild to me. and it's May. so you've more than likely paid nonrefundable tuition and housing deposits to the original school. possibly even attended orientations and made your schedule, depending on the school. you go to college for an education, not cheerleading. cheerleading is an added bonus.

hate to break it to everyone, but cheerleading isn't everything. there is, in fact, a world out there beyond it.

Yes yes yes!! If a school has great academics and you don't make the cheer team then don't settle for your fall back school just because you made the team there. I can see using cheer to be a tie-breaker if you can't still can't decide between school but don't let it be your only reason for going there.

 

[njallday]

Meh.

It's May. So you likely have paid deposits but have only been to like, "spring welcome days" not actual orientation which is typically fall. You have not made a tuition payment yet.

It's also entirely possible that whomever this girl is was also accepted to OSU, and didn't just decide to go there. Most people line up MULTIPLE tryouts because you apply to multiple schools. You apply to University A, B, and C, and tryout at all 3. This way, if you don't make one or two, you have options. Not unheard of!

I had a real life 4 day orientation in May and then a full week and half in the fall when the semester started. It's not completely unheard of.

It's not unheard of to change your mind, either. but if you selected a school... you usually arrived at that decision for a reason. whether that be a specific major, academic strength, scholarships, location etc.

I have heard of kids trying out at more than one school that they could not choose between to see if they made the team at one and not the other to help them make a decision. So if that's the case here, ignore me. But if she picked Tech for whatever reason, I personally think it's crazy to change that whole plan based on the results of cheerleading tryouts. i am not her. whatever works, and i genuinely hope there is never any regrets for any of these kids in similar situations. you only get to do college once. (well, i'm on round 3, but only once with the true undergrad experience.)

 

[cheernerd5678]

Was she trying out for coed/a flyer? They may not have needed flyers this year or something. I've been looking at Texas tech for school, and I looked in to their cheer team and i wouldn't think it was more competitive than OSU.... They have an all girl and a coed team, I think it said coed required a full but all girl didn't (but jumps to tuck, standing tuck, standing bhs tuck, and a running pass were required). This is just off of the top of my head so I may be wrong. It's very likely that it was the makeup of the team - maybe the other girls going for her position were just a little better.

 

[sophfemme]

Well honestly Texas Tech and OSU is pretty comparable in terms of Academics...and usually if you are accepted at one then you will accepted at the other. Girls from her program(and same team) have been accepted at both so I'm sure they encouraged her to try out for OSU. If she didn't make it there she would have probably gone to Texas Tech. If the two schools are similar to each other and she gets to cheer at one and not the other why wouldn't she.

I'm a music major and I auditioned at TCU, Rice, SMU and UT(although I knew in my heart UT was out a long time ago and didn't even audition there I just sent in my tape). And I got into SMU with scholarship, but got rejected from both TCU's music program(I got into the school) and Rice. Each audition of mine was fairly similar and I knew professors at each school, and while my parents wanted me to go to Rice and were disappointed when I didn't get in. In the end my dream school was SMU and I'm very much happy there. So for parents out there with kids wanting to cheer at different colleges. If all things considered you are happy with all three schools or whatever (and they are all close by) then go ahead and try out for all three. If Cheer is important to her whatever school she gets on the cheer squad, that should go into consideration for the school she ultimately chooses.

 

[HeatUniqueJ]

Reading all this makes me think cheering in college is a really difficult thing to accomplish . Do people with non level 5 skills even get a chance to cheer in college in the US? May sound silly but i have no clue since we don't have college cheer over here

 

[BuegeSmalls]

Reading all this makes me think cheering in college is a really difficult thing to accomplish . Do people with non level 5 skills even get a chance to cheer in college in the US? May sound silly but i have no clue since we don't have college cheer over here

Yes. The only level 5 tumbling skill I have is jumps to tuck and next year will be my third year cheering in college. Not all programs are competitive so you don't have to have a full and whatever else. Some schools have level 3/4 requirements (running & standing tucks) and fulls are preferred. It's the top schools, the ones with the most national titles (ex. Kentucky, OSU, Louisville) where level 5 skills are totally required.

Most only game day schools require at least a back handspring (or higher) for tumbling in addition to strong stunting game day and stunting skills. For example, my school only does games (and occasionally a routine for half time or exhibition) and tumbling is not required but you get more points if you do tumble. You can make the team without tumbling but you have to have tight motions, nice jumps, good game day presence, can pick up material quickly, and have the potential to be a coed flyer.

 

[sportygal2012]

I thought I knew who you guys were talking about until you said she made osu cheer. Now I'm just lost

 

[cheernerd5678]

Reading all this makes me think cheering in college is a really difficult thing to accomplish . Do people with non level 5 skills even get a chance to cheer in college in the US? May sound silly but i have no clue since we don't have college cheer over here

Yes but not at a lot of the bigger cheer schools. A lot of big sports schools require a standing tuck minimum even if they aren't one of the most competitive. Some schools have no tumbling requirement and others are just a bhs. Usually ones with no tumbling requirement are smaller or super selective academically.

 

[HeatUniqueJ]

Yes. The only level 5 tumbling skill I have is jumps to tuck and next year will be my third year cheering in college. Not all programs are competitive so you don't have to have a full and whatever else. Some schools have level 3/4 requirements (running & standing tucks) and fulls are preferred. It's the top schools, the ones with the most national titles (ex. Kentucky, OSU, Louisville) where level 5 skills are totally required.

Most only game day schools require at least a back handspring (or higher) for tumbling in addition to strong stunting game day and stunting skills. For example, my school only does games (and occasionally a routine for half time or exhibition) and tumbling is not required but you get more points if you do tumble. You can make the team without tumbling but you have to have tight motions, nice jumps, good game day presence, can pick up material quickly, and have the potential to be a coed flyer.

I think cheering in college sounds like a lot of fun and a great experience! Sadly i probably wouldn't even qualify to be a Mascot haha
It still sounds great and i wish we had something similar here

 

[njallday]

Well honestly Texas Tech and OSU is pretty comparable in terms of Academics...and usually if you are accepted at one then you will accepted at the other. Girls from her program(and same team) have been accepted at both so I'm sure they encouraged her to try out for OSU. If she didn't make it there she would have probably gone to Texas Tech. If the two schools are similar to each other and she gets to cheer at one and not the other why wouldn't she.

I'm a music major and I auditioned at TCU, Rice, SMU and UT(although I knew in my heart UT was out a long time ago and didn't even audition there I just sent in my tape). And I got into SMU with scholarship, but got rejected from both TCU's music program(I got into the school) and Rice. Each audition of mine was fairly similar and I knew professors at each school, and while my parents wanted me to go to Rice and were disappointed when I didn't get in. In the end my dream school was SMU and I'm very much happy there. So for parents out there with kids wanting to cheer at different colleges. If all things considered you are happy with all three schools or whatever (and they are all close by) then go ahead and try out for all three. If Cheer is important to her whatever school she gets on the cheer squad, that should go into consideration for the school she ultimately chooses.

but that's your major, cheer (while it may not seem like it to some) is an extracurricular activity. that is huge difference.

 

[King]

We are having a D1A small coed advanced and an intermediate coed. I have 16 fulls on the small coed and the intermediate is a lot of handsprings. Just look up the intermediate division from NCA and find a college you might like.

Btw: Whatever college you think you might want to cheer for I highly recommend visiting a practice. Clinics are all smiles and sunshine. How a program works is more defined by a random Tuesday than by the days when they are ok their best behavior. It's one of the reasons we make all our practices open (to administration and potential recruits). If how we run things doesn't pass these peoples scrutiny before they get here is rather them not come.


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