Be Ready for the Big Tryout Day!

One of the most stressful and exhilarating times in my life was trying out for the high school varsity cheerleading squad. It took a lot of work and persistence, but it paid off in the end and was completely worth it. Maybe you find yourself in the same boat. For starters, let me give you a starting tip for the upcoming cheerleading tryouts: if you have always wanted to try cheerleading but maybe lack the self-confidence in your abilities, try out anyway. That is what happened to me. Ever since I was a little girl, I would try to memorize the routines of the cheerleaders at my brother's football games. I would then go home and teach my best friend. Then in high school I noticed the audition posters for the squad and decided to give it a go. Because of that, I got to live one of my childhood dreams. So, if you are going to try out for the cheerleading squad, here are a few pointers to remember that will hopefully make it less stressful and more enjoyable.

• First of all, make sure you get all of the information ahead of time. You need to know the cost, location, time, and requirements.

• Go to all of the practices before the actual tryouts. They usually don't give you a whole lot of time to practice before the tryout, so you need all the time you can get. And pay attention the entire time. Chances are that you and your friends will be trying out. But try not to chat too much while they are teaching you. This will put you at a better advantage over the others.

• Practice outside of practice. You can't expect to get the routines down pat if you only do them with the group. Get a group of your friends together to go over the routines over and over again. The more you go over it, the more secure you will be when trying out.

• Stretch before your tryout. Many girls (and boys too) make this mistake. You want to be as flexible and loose as possible for your toe touches. It might be embarrassing to pull something in the middle of the routine.

• Wear school colors. This shows the coaches that you have the necessary school spirit.

• This is going to be a very tiring day for you—both mentally and physically. Find ways to get that extra energy shot so you can make it through smiling the entire time.

• Smile even if you mess up. This happened to me. During the dance routine, I completely butchered a section. But I kept smiling—just like they always told us to do. I made it so I must have done something right. We are human. We make mistakes. Just don't let your face show it. If you get completely lost during the dance or cheer, clap it out.

• Have fun! Just enjoy the experience. And good luck!