Tips For A Uca School

[Ucahopeful]

hi, I'm new here. I'm trying out for cheer in a few weeks and my parents want to know everything about cheering in college before they let me commit. I may have a lot of questions but they're just very protective of me. If anyone could answer some it would really help :)

I guess for starters what's the atmosphere of uca like as opposed to nca which is more what I'm used to (raised in allstar cheer) what should I do for tryouts? (Male)I've noticed that I can't really wear my traditional allstar style stuff to tryouts and Ill probably have to give up my nfinities :( but it still looks fun. Is it worth it? Like giving up dancing and jumps/crazy choreography for college? I really hope so. What is camp like. I know high school camp, at least the ones I've been to, can be crazy competitive and all about winning the end of camp competition, but I've been told college is more laid back, more like a vacation. :/ Is it more about skills? And what's nationals like? I've been to high school Nationals for years and it's always fun but stressful. We never got anytime to enjoy disney because we were always practicing or rushing somewhere. Is college basically the same or even more stressful? Sorry if I sound paranoid I'm just really stressed about this. What is college cheer nationals like? Or really college cheer in general?

 

[GForce]

In general college cheer can same very different than allstar/competitive high school cheer. But, the passion is still there. I thought it was going to be hard going from competitions to just cheering games. But you still have that adrenaline in front of the crowds and that want to perform (if that makes sense).

My college team doesn't compete, so we work strictly on game day things at practice. Although that sounds like it could be boring, the material you are working on is now totally different...2&1/2 high pyramids, flipping baskets, ect.

Hope that helps a little bit!

 

[Official OWECheer]

In general college cheer can same very different than allstar/competitive high school cheer. But, the passion is still there. I thought it was going to be hard going from competitions to just cheering games. But you still have that adrenaline in front of the crowds and that want to perform (if that makes sense).

My college team doesn't compete, so we work strictly on game day things at practice. Although that sounds like it could be boring, the material you are working on is now totally different...2&1/2 high pyramids, flipping baskets, ect.

Hope that helps a little bit!

And THAT is why I love college cheer.

 

[Ems]

I've been to UCA college camp (at UCSB) and I think it's waaaay more fun than UCA high school camp. You primarily focus on stunting, though you do have a few cheer classes, no dances. There is usually a fight song option, but usually only small schools with no popular fight song do it. You have the normal evaluations for cheers with stunts. On the last day is the "competition" where schools will play out a game day scenario, which includes cheers and stunts. They split it up by 2 year schools and 4 year schools as well as coed and all girl, and you just perform in front of your "division," not the whole camp. It's not super competitive, but no one joked around either, though if you don't win, no big deal. They're still like long exhausting days, but it's way more enjoyable. And no one walks around yelling chants like they do in high school. Thank goodness.

 

[Official OWECheer]

I've been to UCA college camp (at UCSB) and I think it's waaaay more fun than UCA high school camp. You primarily focus on stunting, though you do have a few cheer classes, no dances. There is usually a fight song option, but usually only small schools with no popular fight song do it. You have the normal evaluations for cheers with stunts. On the last day is the "competition" where schools will play out a game day scenario, which includes cheers and stunts. They split it up by 2 year schools and 4 year schools as well as coed and all girl, and you just perform in front of your "division," not the whole camp. It's not super competitive, but no one joked around either, though if you don't win, no big deal. They're still like long exhausting days, but it's way more enjoyable. And no one walks around yelling chants like they do in high school. Thank goodness.

That sounds annoying haha. Also @Ucahopeful UCA schools are BIG on gameday skills. I made a video about that (yes, I'm plugging) if you would like to learn more about those. But it's typical for all-star cheerleaders to take gameday privates with college cheerleaders to prepare for college cheer tryouts. Schools, especially UCA schools, pay VERY close attention to that. I believe Tayler Easton (former Clemson cheerleader) said on here that Clemson only looks at your gameday skills on Day 1 of tryouts. If you have bad gameday skills, you're finished. Only on subsequent days do they actually looks at stunting and tumbling ability. And mind you, Clemson is an NCA school.

 

[Ucahopeful]

no one walks around yelling chants like they do in high school. Thank goodness.

I feel you there. My coach always made us yell every where we went, so so terrible.

 

[Official OWECheer]

I feel you there. My coach always made us yell every where we went, so so terrible.

That must be irritating. Especially at camp.

 

[Ucahopeful]

That must be irritating. Especially at camp.

Without a doubt, but besides that I loved camp. My team always did great.