As cheer tryouts approach, athletes across Clarkston Junior High School are preparing for another sideline season. Often, when you think of cheer tryouts, you only think of the performance during tryouts, students often spend weeks preparing. From stretching to practice stunts and memorizing cheers, cheerleaders often work hard before tryouts so they are confident and prepared to show their skills.
Cheer tryouts are competitive because students are fighting for spots on certain teams by showing their skill level in a short amount of time. The athletes are judged on motions, jumps, tumbling, stunting, and overall confidence and work ethic. This can be stressful to most which is why people prepare in advance.
Freshman Eliana Henry at CJHS explained that preparation can become part of our everyday routine, leading up to chats, “As tryouts begin to start, I practice my emotions and tumbling every day so I can be my best on tryout day, and it helps calm nerves.”
As teamwork plays a role in cheerleading, athletes often prepare for tryouts in groups, whether that’s in stunt groups or going to tumbling together. Freshman Ella Mork at CJHS explained how teamwork helped her prepare for tryouts, “Preparing for Tryouts in groups helps me stay motivated and push myself to work towards my goals and get ready for a new season.”
Behind cheer tryouts is hours of hard work, determination, and commitment, while their performances at tryouts are long, the preparation behind cheer tryouts reflects the passion of the athletes involved.
