Before emailing the Coach (GSUCheer@GeorgiaSouthern.edu) with questions please read the following in great detail. The information presented is subject to change. All candidates are expected to accept the coach’s decision as final and binding.

Georgia Southern Cheerleading is a demanding, intense, physical activity requiring upper and lower body strength and aerobic conditioning. You must be in good physical condition and be height/weight proportionate. We don’t have minimum/maximum height or weight requirements; however you are expected to improve your physical conditioning throughout the year. Males and females are equally eligible to tryout. Before trying out, please take the time to familiarize yourself with our Guidelines that are linked below.

Before a cheerleader may be formally accepted onto either team she/he must pass a sports physical conducted by the University’s Athletic Training Department. This physical is normally conducted during the summer.

Women may tryout for the Coed, All-Girl, or both teams. However, if you indicate your willingness to be on either team you must accept the appointment you are given and be willing to be moved if necessary. Clearly, women on the Coed team are required to be flyers and must be committed to flying in partner stunts and basket tosses, and middle basing and flying in pyramids. Women who try out for the All-Girl team may tryout as a base, flyer, or both, but must be willing to fill the role to which they are assigned.

Tryouts are currently scheduled for May 22 and May 23, in-person. It is impossible to accommodate everyone’s schedule. If you have a conflict and cannot attend one of the days, please contact the coach at GSUCheer@GeorgiaSouthern.edu. If you are not able to attend either day a video submission is possible, however, preference will be given to those who tryout in-person.

In general the goal of the tryouts will be to have candidates demonstrate their cheerleading talents.

Schedule

Saturday May 22, 2021

11:30 am | Registration & Check-In

12:00 am – ~7:00 pm | Time of completion will be affected by the number of athletes trying out. We may be done well before or after 7:00 PM)

• Strength and conditioning testing
• Performance of cheerleading skills (Jumps, Standing Tumbling, Running Tumbling)
• Sizing
• Partner stunting
• Teaching of tryout material

You will need to make overnight sleeping arrangements.

Sunday May 23, 2021

11:00 am| – ~5:00 PM (completion of tryouts will be affected by the number of athletes trying out.  We may be done well before or after 5:00 PM)

• Strength and conditioning testing
• Performance of cheerleading skills (Jumps, Standing Tumbling, Running Tumbling)
• Partner stunting
• Performance tryout material

Location

Hanner Fieldhouse Main Gym (Click here for directions)

Results

Results will be posted on the Wednesday following tryouts via the University’s Georgia Southern University Cheer website. All candidates are expected to accept the coach’s decision as final and binding.

Eligibility

Students currently enrolled at Georgia Southern University AND prospective students (including high school seniors) who have made the commitment to attend Georgia Southern or East Georgia College during the 2021-2022 school year are eligible to try out for either team.

COVID status

The COVID situation is ever changing and we require that athletes trying out follow current athlete COVID guidelines. Therefore, all athletes trying out will have to have proof of COVID status either with a copy of their vaccine card or proof of cleared COVID status within the previous 7 days. Athletes should arrange to have that test done and the results presented from the previous week.

At tryouts athletes should have and wear a tight-fitting mask when not socially distanced.

Athlete Physical

Athletes trying out need to have had an athlete physical from the previous 6 months.  Since many have not had one it is important that you plan to get one as soon as possible. Athletes may not tryout without proof of a successfully completed Athlete Physical within the last 6 months.  There is no specific form however, what is presented from the doctor should be comprehensive and clearly indicate the athlete is cleared to tryout.

Required Paperwork

Failure to provide the required paperwork will prevent you from trying out!

Please complete the following paperwork and bring with you to event check-in. If you are a minor (under the age of 18) and driving yourself to the event, please remember to bring a completed and signed waiver with parent permission to tryout with you. Minors without parent signed waivers will not be allowed to participate.

• Copy of your Acceptance Letter or Fall Registration
• Proof of Health Insurance (Copy of Front and Back of your Insurance Card)
• Proof of cleared COVID status (vaccine card, cleared COVID test result from previous 7 days)
• Signed first page of the Georgia Southern Cheer Guidelines 2021-2022.docx (attached as part of email)
• GSU Sports Medicine Tryout Checklist
• Proof of Completed Athletic Physical within the previous 6 months
• Athletic Training Waiver
• Athletic Training Release
• Athletic Training Assumption of Risk
• Athletic Evaluation Sickle Cell Waiver
• Personal Info Google Form (attached as part of registration confirmation, completed and submitted ONLINE)

What to Wear

During tryouts all candidates should wear a t-shirt/sports bra, shorts/spanks, socks and flat bottomed athletic/cheer shoes. If wearing a t-shirt or shorts, women tend to be more comfortable wearing a sports bra and spanks underneath. The shirt and shorts should be plain and some combination of blue, white, grey, and/or gold and should not be excessively loose or tight. The shirt worn should be tucked in or absolutely not hang below the hips It is not recommended that you wear silky or slick clothing because they tend to slide off during certain stunts and tumbling skills. For females, hair must be “1/2 up 1/2 down” with a bow and secured away from the face at all times. To ensure all participants’ safety NO jewelry should be worn at any time. This includes watches, rings, necklaces, and body piercings such as earrings, navel rings, eyebrow rings, tongue studs, etc.

Tryout Fee

$40 Tryout fee (Paypal is how we process payments.  You do NOT need a Paypal account. Only a credit card)

Tryout Material

All tryout material will be taught to you on May 22.

Learn all the Georgia Southern traditions and cheers, then perform during the team runout at football–or during basketball season at halftime. Open to kids aged 4-14.

More info coming soon.

The Team Sideline Camp is focused on in-game crowd leading. We normally teach a 2 day camp that we break up fundamentally into quarters.

Day 1 Morning – pre game preparation, crowd leading in the first quarter.

Day 1 Afternoon – crowd leading in the 2nd quarter, halftime

Day 2 Morning – crowd leading in the 3rd quarter

Day 2 Afternoon – crowd leading in the 4th quarter, post game responsibilities.

Focus is on capturing the crowd’s attention and encouraging fans to support their team.  We normally only teach simple stunts that can be used to capture attention or for sign holding and not competition style stunting and pyramiding

We can, however, shape a camp in many other ways to fit your needs.

We charge $50 per cheerleader, per day, so a 2 day camp would cost $100 per person. We do not charge for coaches and look forward to helping you to help your team get better.  We normally do the camp at your school, gym, facility and therefore you do not need to pay for housing or food for your cheerleaders.

Specific camp dates should support your schedule

Please contact GSUCheer@GeorgiaSouthern.edu for more information

The annual Gamecock Challenge at Eagle Creek is scheduled for October 16. Bring your team to compete in Hanner Fieldhouse on the campus of Georgia Southern and then take advantage of the opportunity to tour the campus.  To sign up please work through the GHSA or contact us at GSUCheer@GeorgiaSouthern.edu