Cheer tryouts are coming up very soon, and I know it can be really nerve wracking. I’ve had to do it for three years, and it does get easier the more you do it. My first year I was super nervous. I did well during the actual tryout, but right after I ended up having a panic attack. You will be nervous, and that’s very normal. Try your best and that’s all that matters!

Cheer tryouts for the 2025 season are February 24-26. Tryout day is February 27. If you are thinking about trying out, you definitely should! Here’s some advice on how to make tryouts easier for you:

1. Practice the material at home! If you don’t take the time to practice all the material at home, then the coaches will definitely notice. You want to be able to dedicate your time to the sport, and show that you have what it takes to be a part of the team. The more you practice at home, the better you will be at tryouts. Tryouts are very fast-paced, so they don’t sit there and baby you if you don’t know something. They have a lot to teach you in very little time, so it’s best to review the material at home.
2. Do the mock tryout! I know you are nervous, but doing the mock tryout will help you calm your nerves. My first year trying out, I didn’t do the mock tryout, and I regretted it. I was even more nervous than I would have been if I did the mocked one. Trust me, the mock tryout is worth participating in. I understand it’s scary because it’s in front of all of your peers, but it will help you when the actual day comes. They go over the whole tryout, just like the real thing.
3. If you make a mistake, keep going! We all make mistakes, and it’s understandable. If you make a mistake, don’t stop, keep going. That will show that you are a good performer. The coaches and the judges want to see how you recover from a mistake if it happens. Don’t make a face, or don’t make it obvious that you messed up. Just keep a smile on your face and continue with what you were doing.
4. Spirit! Make sure you spirit like crazy. You want to be cheerful and cheer on your team. You want to show the judges your team spirit. You don’t always have to yell things either. You can wave, do a jump, clap, and so much more. They want to see different ways of spiriting. Make sure to always be spiriting, and try to be the last one to finish spiriting.
5. Be loud and have fun! You want to be as loud as you can. You genuinely want to be the loudest one out there. Even if you mess up the words, as long as you’re being loud, then that’ll make up for it. You want to look like you’re having fun as well. Make sure to always smile, do lots of facials, and yell call outs. Yelling things like “again” and “louder” helps you engage with the audience and shows that you are actually into the cheer you are doing.

If you are trying out this year… good luck and have as much fun as possible!