Fort Mill High School Cheer 2016-17 Information Packet

Tryout Packets Due by 4/14

*Please Turn in Packets to Coach Haleigh

Head Varsity Cheerleading Coach:

Haleigh Cahill

603-545-1205

2016-17 Fort Mill High School Cheerleading

Guidelines

This packet was reviewed with parents/cheerleaders during the tryout information meeting on April 4th and will additionally be reviewed at the Parent Meetings once the JV and Varsity teams have been selected.

Cheerleader and Parent Expectations

Team member expectations:

Not abiding to any of the below expectations will result in consequences including but not limited to: conditioning, used of an unexcused absence, suspension from the team, removal from the team.

Cheerleaders are expected to be respectful to their teammates and coaches. In addition, cheerleaders should treat other teams with respect at events or through forms of social media.

Any potential issues with team members or the coaches should be discussed in private in a non-hostile manner.
Cheerleaders are expected to speak to coaches in a respectful way using manners.
If a conflict is brought to the attention of the coaching staff, the coaches will have a discussion with all team members involved.

Cheerleaders are expected to be on time. If practice starts at 4 and you are not on the mat with your hair up, shoes on, completely ready, you are late. If tardiness is unavoidable, coaching staff should be informed and a disciplinary action will be issued at the discretion of the coach.
Drinking or use of drugs can result in immediate removal from the team. This includes if a cheerleader is at an event where there is drinking or drug use occurring.
Cheerleaders are student-athletes. School comes first and cheerleaders are expected to maintain good grades. If a cheerleader is having difficulty in class, they should notify the coaching staff.
Team members are expected to fully participate at practice. The only excuse to not participate will be a doctor’s note or note from the athletic trainer. If you are planning to participate in another sport or team you will not have exceptions made for you to not participate. Please keep that in mind if you plan to do an allstar team or another sport.
Games and competitions are required events and will not be excused. Missing a game or competition can result in immediate removal from the team.
Practices are not optional, this includes summer practices. Cheerleaders will not be excused for vacations, concerts, birthday parties, etc.
Tumbling once a week is REQUIRED for varsity members. If a cheerleader does not go to tumbling, it counts as an unexcused absence. Cheerleaders will be expected to attend tumbling between May 1st and November 19th. When our competition season ends, seniors do not need to continue tumbling if they wish not to. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are expected to continue tumbling to maintain and improve their skills. JV cheerleaders are not required to attend tumbling but it is highly encouraged.
Cheerleaders should not stunt or tumble without a coach present. Cheerleaders will also not be allowed to spot other team members for tumbling skills.
Cheerleaders are responsible for not only remembering to bring all necessary items to practices/events, but also to bring these items home with them. The Coaching staff will not be responsible for lost jackets, poms, or other items that are left behind. If a cheerleader loses any item it will be the responsibility of that cheerleader and his or her parents to reorder the item.
Cheerleaders should not question or try to change the decisions made by coaching staff. This includes but is not limited to: clothing decisions, uniform decisions, hair styles, requirements to ride on the bus, practice times, etc. Cheerleaders should understand that decisions made by the coaching staff are final and not up for negotiation.
Cheerleaders should understand that being a FMHS cheerleader is a privilege, not a right. They should maintain a good attitude and work ethic throughout the season. Attitudes are more important than any skill a cheerleader may possess. If a cheerleader has a bad attitude and it is a continuous issue, it will be cause for dismissal from the team.
Cheerleaders should be “team players”. They should be willing to sacrifice, time, talent, and perhaps personal feelings for the good of the team. This includes accepting constructive criticism with the understanding that it will benefit the cheerleader and the team.
Social media should be used with EXTREME caution. Parents should monitor the social media use. Any comment, picture, etc. that is deemed inappropriate to the image of the cheerleader, team, coaching staff, school, or other schools in the league may result in suspension or dismissal. Cheerleaders with facebook and/or instagram will be required to be followed/friends with the FMHS cheer page. Additionally, if something is put up that the coaching staff feel is inappropriate, the cheerleader will be asked to take down the post.
Your spot is not guaranteed. Changes can be made at any point during the season based on what the coaching staff feel is in the best interests of the team. This includes stunting positions. The coaching staff has the right to change a cheerleader’s stunting positionor routine spot at any time.

Parent Expectations:

One parent per team member is required to volunteer for at least one event during the season. Some of the events we will need volunteers for include: Little Jacket Camp, concessions during basketball season, car wash, football “Pink out” bake sale, and more. If a parent is willing and able to participate in more than one event they are welcome to do so.
Parents should understand that the best 24 cheerleaders will take the floor for competitions. Spots are not guaranteed and can be changed at any time. Parents should not contact the coaching staff to discuss spots on the team or other team related decisions.
Parents are expected to follow the “chain of command” if they have a concern they would like to address.
Parents are expected to be supportive of the full team at events.
Parents should understand that it is their son or daughter’s responsibility to discuss any concerns with the coaching staff. It is not acceptable for a parent to contact the coaching staff to discuss decisions made by coaching staff, cheerleader placement in the routine, stunting positions, personal opinions, etc.
If parents wish to contact the coaching staff to ask appropriate questions related to either team, they should email the coaching staff. JV parents should CC Coach Haleigh on any emails sent to the JV coaching staff. It is not appropriate to show up at the end of practice to meet with the coaching staff without scheduling an appointment. Please allow for 24 hours for email response from coaching staff.
Ultimately it is your decision if you want your son/daughter to be part of the Fort Mill High School Cheerleading program. If you do not agree with the coaching staff in regards to how they choose to run this program, you can schedule a meeting with Coach Haleigh. At this meeting, you will be asked to bring your son/daughter’s uniform pieces. If you do not feel that you can agree and respect the decisions made by the coaching staff at that time, you will be asked to turn the uniforms in and your son/daughter will no longer be on the team.
Parents should understand that if their son/daughter loses or damages their uniforms, ultimately the parents of that cheerleader will be responsible for replacing this uniform. This includes if the cheerleader loses/damages their bow(s), poms, warm up, practice clothes, etc.

Cheerleader Appearance and Clothing Guidelines:

Jewelry and Tattoos Policy

All jewelry needs to be out for practices, competitions, and events. This includes but is not limited to: ear piercings of any kind, necklaces, belly button rings, nose piercings, bracelets of any kind, rings, etc. No exceptions will be made! DO NOT GET PIERCINGS DURING THE SEASON.

If a cheerleader chooses to get a tattoo, it cannot be visible when they are in uniform or practice wear.

Nails

Nails should be kept short. Nail polish is allowed for games and practices as long as it is a neutral color that does not stand out. Nail polish and/or acrylic nails are not allowed during competition season (between the first competition and state).

Practice Clothes

Cheerleaders should wear shorts, a t-shirt or tank top, sports bra, and cheer shoes to every practice. If the cheerleader wishes to practice in her sports bra, she needs to have a shirt to wear over the sports bra. Cheerleaders are absolutely not allowed to be in the halls or any other area then where our practice is with only a sports bra on. Before cheerleaders leave practice, they should put their shirt on over their sports bra. If this becomes a problem, all team members will be required to wear shirts over their sports bras at all practices.

Running mile(s) is something we do as a consequence or for conditioning. Cheerleaders should plan to bring running shoes to all practices. If the cheerleader forgets their shoes, they will be required to run in whatever shoes that they have.

School Clothes

On the days of games, competitions, or other events, cheerleaders will be asked to wear something as a team to school (examples would be school colors, dress up, certain practice shirt, etc.). This is NOT optional. What to be worn on these days will be announced at practice and/or on group me. If the cheerleader does not wear what he or she is supposed to there will be consequences including but not limited to: conditioning, use of an unexcused absence, suspension from a game or event, extra team conditioning, and ultimately removal from the team. This includes if the cheerleader loses the shirt, can’t find it the morning of, “didn’t see the message”, etc.

Game and Competition Uniforms

A uniform contract will be handed out with the uniforms given to each cheerleader. If a uniform is not handed back in the same condition as when it was given to the cheerleader, the parents of that cheerleader will be sent an invoice to pay for that uniform. This includes multiple rhinestones being missing, torn parts, make-up or other staining, under arm stains, etc.

All uniforms should be washed with nothing else and HUNG TO DRY. Do not put uniforms in the dryer. Washing the uniforms incorrectly can lead to the uniform being damaged. Uniforms should be washed frequently to avoid staining.

Switching uniforms is not allowed unless the coaching staff has given the instruction to do so.

The uniform to wear to a game, competition, or event will be announced prior to the day of the event. Cheerleaders are expected to be prepared with the full uniform. For games this includes poms, black or white socks, shoes, all uniform pieces, and (weather depending) additional warm up pieces. If they do not have a piece of their uniform, they are responsible for contacting their parent or guardian to have them bring it BEFORE the event starts. Not having the items can result in consequences including but not limited to: conditioning, use of an unexcused absence, suspension from a game or event, extra team conditioning, and ultimately removal from the team.

If the cheerleader loses their bow, poms, or warm up they are responsible for purchasing this item again before the next game or event. Bows can be purchased from Coach Haleigh. Poms can be purchased at Varsity.com OR used poms can be purchased from Coach Haleigh. The Warm Up will need to be ordered through Coach Haleigh. Please note that ordering new poms and/or warm up will cost additional money to have the item rushed in order to be there for the next game or event.

Competition Uniforms

All cheerleaders will need to wear a bra that does not have the straps showing when wearing the uniform.

Flyers are required to wear blue nike pros (not black) under their uniform. If bases or backspots would like to wear nike pros under their uniform they can, but it is not required. If they choose to wear them, they need to be the blue nike pros.

When in Uniform/Clothes that say Fort Mill Cheer

When cheerleaders are wearing their uniform, practice wear, warm up jacket, etc., in the community they should appropriately and respectfully represent Fort Mill High School and the cheerleading program. Cheerleaders in uniform should not be acting in a way that would represent FMHS cheer inappropriately.

General Schedule Information:

Monthly schedules will be emailed to parents and posted to groupme.

Changes to schedules will also be put on groupme and emailed to parents. Please note that it is the cheerleader’s responsibility to know the practice schedule. They should store it on their phone or print it and keep it somewhere safe.

An April/May Schedule is attached. Varsity will practice in the morning during June and August. JV’s scheduled will be announced. Both teams have July “off”. When school resumes Varsity will have practices after school and JV’s practice schedule will be announced. Schedule when school starts. Saturday practices will be added if needed.

When competition season ends, we will have a few practices to review basketball game material. From that point on, we will not have regularly scheduled practices, just basketball games.

Allstar Cheerleading and Other Sports/Activities:

Any cheerleaders who participate in allstar cheer or another sport/activity should provide the coaching staff with a schedule. If the schedule is not provided ahead of time it will not be excused. The coaching staff is willing to work with allstar schedules as long as the cheerleader is able to prioritize and manage time between teams effectively.

*Cheerleaders who do allstar cheer have the option to not continue into basketball season*

Practices, Games, and Competitions

Practices:

Practices are mandatory through the State competition in November. Practices are closed to parents and friends. Cell phones are to be out of sight at practice. If a cheerleader is on their phone during practice without a coach’s permission, there will be consequences. This could include taking their cell phone until the next practice. EVEN IF IT’S ON A FRIDAY, yes no cell phone for the whole weekend. How will they ever survive?

Excused absences: cheerleader illness or death in the family. If either of these things occurs, the coaching staff needs to receive notification from the parent in order for it to be excused. If a cheerleader notifies a coach but a parent does not, it will be considered unexcused.

Unexcused absences: anything that is not above. A cheerleader is allowed 2 unexcused absences. After this, they will be removed from the team. Please note that unexcused absences cannot be “used” for games, competitions, or required events. If a cheerleader misses a game, competition, or required event, it can result in automatic removal from the team. It will be considered unexcused if a cheerleader sleeps through a morning practice.

It is up to the coaching staff to determine if the absence is unexcused or excused.

If a cheerleader is going to be late to a practice, the coaching staff should be notified. If practice starts at 4pm, they are late as of 4:01 if they are not on the mat and ready. If being late consistently becomes an issue, it will be counted as an unexcused absence.

Football and Basketball Games:

The current game schedule is a tentative schedule for the 2016 season. If changes are made to the schedule they will be announced.Varsity does both home and away football games. JV does home freshmen and JV football games. During basketball season the Varsity team cheers for all home boys and girls games as well as the away game vs. Nation Ford. JV cheers for the freshmen, JV boys, and JV girls games. We will discuss the basketball schedule further in depth closer to basketball season.

Cheerleaders will be asked to arrive early to warm up and go over formations.

Cheerleaders are allowed to stay after school as long as they are acting appropriately.

Meals will not be provided for all games/competitions. The coaching staff will announce if/when a meal will be provided for an event.

Competitions:

Competition Season starts in September and goes until the State Competition on November 19th. The competition schedule will be announced when it is finalized. Competitions will be on Saturday’s (with the exception of Varsity Region which usually takes place on a Wednesday). Cheerleaders should plan to keep Saturdays open September 26th –November19th until final competition schedule is handed out.

Varsity: Will take part in 6-9 competitions

JV: 3-6 competitions

Bus information for games and competitions:

We will take a bus to away football games, competitions, and to the away basketball game at Nation Ford.