Leah of the Pack

Last night at cheer practice we had a mini photo shoot to take pictures for a skills video that we are putting together. There were some pretty cool shots so I thought I'd share my favorite.. and it seems like I have a lot of favorites. S/O to our fabulous photographer Terri, she's the best.

So many great things come along with the arrival of spring and one of those are cheerleading tryouts! There is nothing more nerve wracking or exciting as tryout time. I've been to my fair share of tryouts in my current 10 years as a cheerleader and I have picked up many tips along the way. These are in no particular order of importance!

1. Be Outgoing: As a cheerleader, you will be asked to volunteer at many different events, so having a good presence during face to face conversation is important. One way to show that you have a fabulous personality (which you do) is to make friends during tryouts. Don't stand in the corner, go out and get acquainted  with the other girls! Having a few friends during the tryout process will help calm your nerves and it also shows your potential new coach that you are super friendly and are great at getting along with others. And who knows, you might find your potential roommate or future best friend - I did!

2. Look The Part: The coaches and judges are not only judging you on your skills but also taking into consideration how you will reflect the university or school. Make sure to wear your school's colors or school's apparel! When it comes to hair and makeup, don't go overboard with makeup. You want game day makeup: a little mascara, natural eye shadow or a natural smokey eye, a little blush and a touch of lipstick is a must! Nude lip gloss always looks nice but I always get a little added boost of confidence from wearing some pink or sometimes red lipstick.

3. SMILE: A smile goes a very long way. You want to look like you're happy to be there. Always smile, even when just reviewing the material. A good, enthusiastic expression will set you apart from all the other cheer hopefuls. Also, during the actual tryout in front of the judges if you mess up just smile! My freshman year of college cheerleading tryouts I messed up the fight song so badly. I forgot half of it and ended up just standing there, smiling and clapped it out. The smile on my face showed that I was able to stay calm in case I ever messed up in front of a crowd. If anything fails, remember to keep smiling.

4. A Positive Attitude: Tryouts are always stressful because you are learning new material, some of it may be things you have never done before. Remember to stay positive if you find yourself getting frustrated. No one expects you to be perfect when you're learning. And if someone does offer you pointers, always be polite, never snippy!

5. Show That You Are Coach-able: The coaches and judges know that some of this may be new to you but they want to see how you learn the material. Be open to suggestions such as trying a new stunting position. When someone gives you constructive criticism remember they are only saying it to benefit you so reply with respect. Don't have a boatload of excuses such as "but I've always been a top girl" or "I only tumble on a spring floor."

6. Throw Skills You Know You Can Hit: This is so important. Even if every single girl is throwing a standing tuck, but you can only do two standing back handsprings, or a back tuck where you touch down 80% of the time, always throw the skill you can to without error. Now is not the time to throw a skill you just first landed a week ago or to try something new. Throw what you are 100% confident in. Also, whatever skills you demonstrate at tryouts you will be expected to have for the rest of the year. If you don't plan on keeping a skill then it might not be the best idea to showcase it at tryouts.

The main things: be confident, smile and have fun!