Cheerleading has recently been everything on my mind and the craze to become a cheerleader has taken over me like never before. So I did some research on the various aspects of cheerleading and whether it was possible to be a cheerleader with minimum or no experience. I am sharing my findings in this article.
So can you become a college cheerleader with no experience? The straightforward answer to the question is yes. You can become a cheerleader with no experience. You need to start from the basics, know the requirements and begin practicing the basic moves. Move on to difficult moves as you gain experience. To know everything in detail, read this article till the end.
Can I Join Cheer with No Experience?
Have you always wanted to cheerlead but never got the chance? Or have you recently been drawn to cheerleading and want to give it a serious start?
Just because you didn’t give cheerleading a serious thought back when you were a pre-teen or in school doesn’t mean you can’t become one in college.
When your college team has no age restrictions for beginners, you can always give it a serious try. If you can learn the ropes quite soon, you can be as good as any teammate with experience.
Many girls fall for cheerleading quite late in life, while others start their moves when they are just toddlers. But does it mean that it’s too late? Several college girls think if it is impossible to become a cheerleader so late in life. It is quite normal to think in such a way and feel the pressure, especially if you see experienced cheer girls in the college team.
Learn How Much Does It Cost To Be A Cheerleader In High School? I have broken up the total costs to help you understand what it means to be a cheerleader!
What Age is Too Late to Start Cheerleading?
Some girls start really late in high school or college, but you can’t make out the difference because of the hard work and dedication they put in. Ask yourself whether you are determined enough to compensate for the years of experience with hard work and practice. Here in this article, we shall share some tips on becoming a beginner cheerleader in college without any experience.
How do I Become a Cheerleader with No Experience? Some tips
Once you have made up your mind to get into the college cheerleading team, it is time to make a strategic move. With the aim in mind, prepare yourself to become as good as any of your experienced teammates.
Here are a few tips to guide you through the strenuous process of becoming a cheerleader. Indeed, it is a tough job, especially when you start at the college level, but do not look back if your heart lies there.
Know More About the Team
The first thing to do at the moment would be to enquire about the college cheerleading team. Get to know the members and their skills, the rules of the college team, and their requirements in terms of height, weight.
Aim for a team that is achievable according to your present skill level. If the college team allows anyone with no experience to become a member, you are ready to go.
Prep Yourself a Bit
Even if you have zero experience at cheerleading, prepping yourself a bit is important. It’s like a warm-up before the actual run
begins. Give yourself some time to get ready to face the challenge. Visit the cheerleading tryouts, observe the moves, tumbles, choreography, and work on your stamina and skills.
Start With The Basics
If you have no experience, then start with the basics before you get into a team. Begin with absolute basics like stretching, splits, and other exercises. It makes the body flexible to perform different skills and stunts later. The first step in the preparatory stage is to make the body flexible and fit.
Move On to Difficult Moves to Learn Everything
Once you have started with the basics, it is time to move on to the difficult moves and exercises. Push yourself to learn the kicks and jumps. It is still a part of the preparatory stage before you learn the acrobatics and choreography.
Learn to touch the toe perfectly, make a smooth and sharp kick, a perfect split, and so on. Research a bit on the preparatory exercises for a cheerleader and keep practising each day to make the body perfect and flexible.
Try the Self-Help Books
Reading self-help books to increase your knowledge and confidence is a part of preparing yourself. You need motivation and expert tips to make up for starting late. Books like The Complete Guide To Cheerleading are easily available on Amazon which you can read to know the tricks of the trade. Keep following GoCheerleading.com to stay updated with the Cheerleading tips and tricks!
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Watch Videos on the Internet
There is nothing as helpful as instructional videos to help yourself during the preparatory stage. Search the internet thoroughly to get useful videos of old competitions and tutorials.
Get step-by-step instructions on how to do a perfect cartwheel or how to smoothen your landings when you jump.
Watch the videos to perfect your steps, point your toes, and bring sharpness to the moves. There is no space for floppiness in cheerleading.
Concentrate on Tumbling
Tumbling is often called the most difficult move of a cheerleader. If you do not have any previous tumbling experience at cheerleading, it may be difficult initially.
However, if you have been practicing acrobatics, it will be easier to do the stunts, handstand, cartwheel, and most importantly, the tumbling. Concentrate on difficult things like tumbling, ensuring that you keep the legs straight and the toes pointed.
Observe others very carefully and practice doubly hard to tumble like a pro.
Do I need to do Gymnastics to be a Cheerleader?
No, you do not need to do proper gymnastics to be a cheerleader but flexibility in the body is indeed essential. Since you have no experience and need to learn the skills to match your teammates, it is best to join a few classes. Professional classes and a coach will guide you to make yourself perfect.
You can get enrolled in aerobics and acrobatics to learn how to move your body to fast-paced music in rhythm.
A trainer will guide you to learn the skills needed to perfect yourself at tumbling, dancing, balancing yourself, and performing stunts. If you are already picking things up quite fast with your inborn talent and passion for dance and acrobats, a professional trainer will brush up on the skills.
You can compare yourself to others in the class to understand your plus points and negative points and better yourself each day. Since time is short, make use of the best training. It will seem difficult in the beginning but do not give up. Keep pushing yourself till you are good enough at the balances, stunts, and tumbling.
Know more about Cheerleading vs Gymnastics in this in-depth article here.
What is it Like to be a College Cheerleader?
A cheerleader attracts the crowd with his/her facial expression alongside the energetic dance moves. Practice smiling confidently and improve your facial expressions when you dance. Put up your best smile, and be clear with your expressions to look graceful.
Keep the Voice Loud and Clear
When you shout the cheers and chants, the crowd should be able to hear you. That’s what cheerleading is all about. Shout the slogans and chants with vigor. The voice should be loud and distinct at the tryouts. Practice speaking clearly and loudly in rhythm.
Improve your Looks
Finally, give some time to your physical appearance. All the intense workouts will definitely shape your figure and bring a glow to your face. But, since cheerleading is about appearance and aesthetics, too, along with choreography, focus on your looks.
Try to groom yourself and avoid looking messy. Take care of your skin and hair, go for a nice cut, and tie the hair gracefully in a ponytail. Let your confidence show brightly in your smile, which is the greatest beauty of a cheerleader. She should be radiant with positive vibes and confidence.
Confidence, Passion And Skill
You need three things to become a cheerleader. They are confidence, passion and skill.
Passion is something you have for cheerleading, which is why you really want to get into the college team. The other two appear soon as you practice and groom yourself.
Work on your confidence levels as that’s the most important quality in a cheerleader. Your confidence should appear as a brilliant smile on the face. Confidence lets you take the first step forward and guides you through the journey.
Do You Need Experience to be a Cheerleader?
Take cheerleading as a goal that you must strive to achieve. You may be low in experience and the other girls in the team may perform better stunts, jumps, and tumble way more gracefully than you. However, that shouldn’t be a deterrent in your way. Keep up the sportsman spirit and learn the skills and tactics from them.
Practice consistently every day to improve yourself and match their levels. Practice makes everyone perfect, and do not stop till you feel you are almost near perfection.
You are never too early or never too late to start cheerleading.
Experience Is Not Unachievable
Experience comes with age and skill. It is not something unachievable. Obviously, girls who start at a younger age will have more experience than you. But, there is always a starting point.
Once you start practising and enhancing your skills, you gain experience. As you begin cheerleading with your team, you understand your flaws and drawbacks and work on them. The second event becomes better than the first, and the third one seems even better. It does not take long to gain experience.
Final Thoughts
The final word for all those girls who really wish to get into the college cheerleading team but have no experience would be to take the call. Just go for it with all your desires and passions.
Groom yourself to perfection, focus on the choreography skills, learn from the mistakes, match shoulders with the others. Don’t waste time pondering whether you can do it when you can take the plunge and prove your passions right.
