High School Tryout Score Sheet

[Deleted member 4831]

I reciently took over a high school team halfway through this past fall season. With winter season coming up I'm planning my tryout, however I've never held a tryout before. In the fall these girls didn't compete due to so many changes but I'm determined to get them to compete in the winter. I've googled tryout scoresheets and got some good ideas but I would love to hear about your schools tryout process.

 

[Velchs]

Some tryouts go by points and you earn points by the skills you have. Sometimes it isn't scored by points. I have done both though

I learned a dance and cheer. Everyday we show the coach jumps. Then we would have day of stunts and at the end the stunt tryout part. Then there is a day for tumbling where at the end is tumbling tryouts. The tryout possessive is 4 days. On the last day we do jumps chant and dance in groups of three in front of the judges

 

[BuegeSmalls]

We had to get a teachers evaluation and a coach's evaluation--which was either filled out by your previous cheer coach from last year and they just took care of it for you, or a past coach from another sport.

We had to perform a dance, cheer (learned 3 and they just randomly picked one during the tryout), school fight song, two jumps (toe touch and jump of choice), standing tumbling pass, running tumbling pass, and a stunt. For the stunt they put us in random groups and we just did an half cradle or smush. Just a basic stunt because some of the girls trying out had never cheered before. Then she puts all the total scores in a spread sheet and took the 15 highest for varsity and then made cuts for JV. Of course, the top 15 might not be all the right positions for the stunts so she has to work that out. And you had to have atleast a standing back handspring (tuck preferred) to even be considered for Varsity.

ETA: here is the score sheet the judges used: Menomonee Falls Cheerleading go under the docs (on bottom) and open tryout score sheet

 

[CaliCoach]

I have coached and judged many high school tryouts and I have found that the easiest, most efficient way to score tryout canidates is by having 5 categories (running tumbling/standing tumbling, stunting, dance, cheer, and jumps). For each category, I put a space for the judges to put either + (superior), @ (average), or - (below average). Then I have a line next to the +/@/- where judges can write brief comments to explain. At the bottom of the page I put Varsity Game, Varsity Comp, JV Game and JV Comp and ask the judges to circle which team(s) they think the applicant would represent best and be an asset to. The reason I don't use numerical scoring is because it is a pain for me to add up and what team does a 7.5, 6.8, 8, or 5.5 represent?? More important than the scoresheet is who you choose to judge your tryouts. Make sure you have people in that room with you who you trust and value their opinions. I know, for me, I use the judges as more of a sounding board to bounce ideas off of like, "would you take this flyer over that flyer" or "if I take a large varsity instead of medium, which 4 girls would you say I should pull up to fill those positions"?

Let's just be real here, coaches choose their teams or at least that is how it should be. Most judges that attend tryouts know nothing about the applicants' attiudes, work ethic or dedication. We all know there is always the extremely talented cheerleader who constantly sits out at practices because she "jammed her pinky" or "stubbed her toe" and then there is the girl who is the good base, who never sits out, but still doesn't have her standing back that you need on Varsity, however her amazingly positive attitude and talent elsewhere are what make you put her on the team. No other high school sports team would ever have judges who don't know their athletes choose their teams and Cheer should not be an exception.

I hope my rant wasn't too off base there. You can probably tell I've had some experience with this. I would be happy to send you my scoresheets I used this season if it helps you.

 

[Sophie]

I don't have our score sheet on me. but its out of 100 points.
jumps : 5 points
tumbling : 5 points
dance: 45 points
school traits and definitions : 20 points
attendance of tryout week : 5 points
cheer: 10 points
arm motions: 5 points
cheer : 5 points

 

[uwont4getme]

I don't have our score sheet on me. but its out of 100 points.
jumps : 5 points
tumbling : 5 points
dance: 45 points
school traits and definitions : 20 points
attendance of tryout week : 5 points
cheer: 10 points
arm motions: 5 points
cheer : 5 points

my goodness! your coach must want really good dancers!

 

[Sophie]

my goodness! your coach must want really good dancers!

its on memorization, spirit, coordination of arms, staying on beat, stunting, jumping and tumbling

 

[Deleted member 4831]

Thank you for your input everyone. I have used most of the elements you guy have mentioned into my score sheet and will hold tryouts next week. Thank you!

 

[MHSCheercoach]

I have an extensive tryout where the girls are judged on their Overall Appearance (5 pts) which everyone gets a five as long as hair is appropriate and clothing is appropriate, Each Jump (i.e. tow touch, choice herkie, front hurdler, double toe, kick, and splits) all 5 points each, Sideline 20 pts, Group Cheer 20 pts, Individual Cheer 20 pts (they make it up on their own), Dance 20pts, stunt 10 pts, and tumbling 10 pts. I broke the tumbling and stunts up 5 points possible for difficulty and 5 points possible for execution this way you didn't have girls throwing a back handspring that looks bad or they biff it scoring any higher than someone who can do a well excuted front walkover or roundoff. Same with stunting. There is also two teacher evaluation scores that are out of a total of 20 points each that are factored into the total scores. I even broke up the sideline and cheer portions to 5 points max. for voice, 5 points max for motions, 5 pts max for overall impression, and 5 points for their incorporation of motions/jumps as they are required to make up a portion on their own. To make the squad you first have to make a certain percentage of the score, for example 70% then I take the top 10 or 12 that make that score for the team. It's alot of scores but I have it all set up on my computer so I just input the judges scores and it automatically pulls the highest scores for me.