Join the thousands of boys and girls, men and women who are cheerleaders. They enjoy the glamour, the teams, the work, the competitions, the focus, and the fun!

Cheerleading is not as easy as it looks. It takes a lot of hard work, hours of practice, and dedication by not only the cheerleaders, but also their family and friends. But don’t let that discourage you. Whether you start out very young or dive in at bit older, you can be successful.

You should start by getting familiar with cheerleading. There are many school squads where you can talk with cheerleaders and coaches, as well as cheer and dance schools. Become familiar with the sport and you’ll have a better idea of what to expect. Watch the competitions on the television and the cheerleaders at school events. Ask the coach what they are looking for and what they expect of you as a cheerleader.

Still interested? Okay, then it’s time to do some preparation to get ready for tryouts. You need to get your body in shape as well as your mind. Eating healthy foods and getting proper rest is very important. You can’t perform well if you’re not feeing your best.

The tryout consists of following a cheer, and sometimes a dance. You want to see exactly what the instructor is showing. Take note of hand positions that punctuate the words. Have your mom or someone take down all of the words and possibly make some quick sketches to show where your hands and feet should be as you go through the routine. Then go home and practice, practice, practice.

Remember that the cheerleaders on the squad from the year before are going to be back and they’ve been practicing all year. You’re going to be up against some tough competition, but you can do it. Practice smiling too. The judges will be looking for cheerleaders who are smiling and having fun.

Think you got the routine down? Don’t guess. Ask someone you trust and someone who knows about cheerleading to watch you do the routine. Don’t ask your mom or dad. They’ll say whatever you do is wonderful and that won’t help. It may boost your ego, but if you’re doing something wrong, you could lose your spot on the team.

Even if you don’t think you’re ready when tryouts come, go and do it anyway. You’ll learn what your weaknesses are for next time and it’s a good experience. Hold your head up, feel the confidence flowing through you as you perform the routine you’ve been practicing and Smile. Good luck!