Achieving Cheerleading Excellence: A Comprehensive Guide to UCF Tryouts

The path to becoming a UCF cheerleader requires dedication, skill, and thorough preparation. This article provides a detailed overview of the tryout process, encompassing essential skills, physical requirements, and administrative necessities. Aspiring cheerleaders will find valuable information to guide their journey towards joining the esteemed UCF cheerleading squad.

Preparing for Cheerleading Tryouts

Skill Development

Success in cheerleading tryouts hinges on demonstrating a strong foundation of skills. Cultivating these abilities is paramount for aspiring UCF cheerleaders:

Basing and Back Spotting Skills: Given your experience in basing and back-spotting, continue to hone these skills.
Developing Tumbling Skills: While you mentioned having no tumbling skills, it’s never too late to start. Begin with basic tumbling classes and gradually progress to more complex skills. Many cheerleading gyms offer classes specifically for beginners or those looking to improve their tumbling.
Jumps: Demonstrate proficiency in various jumps, showcasing height, technique, and landing stability.

Physical Fitness and Training

Cheerleading demands a high level of physical fitness. A well-structured training regimen is essential for optimizing performance and preventing injuries:

Enhance Your Physical Fitness: Coed cheerleading can be physically demanding. Engage in a fitness regime that includes strength training, flexibility exercises, and cardio.
Flexibility: Emphasize stretching and flexibility exercises to improve range of motion and prevent muscle strains.
Strength Training: Incorporate exercises that build upper body, core, and lower body strength.
Cardio: Engage in cardiovascular activities to improve stamina and endurance.
Cross-Training: Participate in other sports or fitness activities that can complement your cheerleading skills.

Practice and Refinement

Consistent practice is crucial for refining skills and building confidence:

Practice With Others: If possible, find a local cheer team or group you can practice with.
Record Yourself: Recording your practice sessions can be incredibly beneficial.

Administrative and Medical Requirements

Meeting the administrative and medical requirements is a prerequisite for participating in the UCF cheerleading tryouts:

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Copy of acceptance letter or UCF Student ID.
Copy of front and back of medical insurance card.
Lab results of a Sickle Cell test. (Not just signed note from Doctor) (If you have never had a sickle cell test, you must get a prescription from your doctor and go to a lab and get these run and then bring the results to tryouts……so be sure to PLAN AHEAD!!!!!)
Completed and signed Tryout Registration Form including signed Medical Waiver papers.
General Sport Physical form signed by Physician, Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner indicating that you have had a physical in 2019 and are cleared to participate.

*Please note that anyone trying out for cheer OR dance teams MUST bring lab results showing that you have had a sickle cell test AND a doctor's proof of a physical completed in 2019 (showing you are cleared to participate). You must bring this lab report AND proof of physical on the first day of clinic. Please check with your family physician and plan ahead.

Understanding the Tryout Process

Eligibility

Anyone who is a full-time student at UCF or has received a letter of acceptance may tryout. This includes incoming freshmen and transfer students. Current UCF students must have a minimum 2.0 GPA and be free of any academic or disciplinary probation.

Evaluation Criteria

The team is selected by the coaching staff at UCF. Cuts are made after each session until the final day when the team is named. Audition sessions are closed to the public and are limited ONLY to the coaching staff and the applicants.

What to Bring to Tryouts

Please bring with you to Tryouts a water bottle, tryout form, any athletic wear is fine, socks and shoes. We will ask to see any tumbling you have, jumps, and ask to see flyers stunt.

NEW athletes to UCF will pick a slot to attend tryouts on May 16th AND come a second day on the level tumbling that they have. If you completed the 2020-2021 season with UCF you only need to attend 1 tryout date Monday-Thursday based on your tumbling level.

Read also: Cheering Excellence at UCF

Athletes that are 4-5 years old will pick a slot to come ONLY on Sunday May 16th.

Finding Out Team Placement

Every athlete will wear a number at tryouts. Remembering that number is super important. Monday May 24th by 8pm will put on this page a YOUTUBE link that will show which team you have made (by your number), who your coaches are, and what your practice schedule will be.

Fees and Forms

In order to tryout you must pay the tryout fee prior to your tryout day, fill out the release form, and registration forms.

KnightMoves Dance Team Auditions

The following information pertains to the KnightMoves Dance Team auditions, which occur separately from cheerleading tryouts:

Prep Clinic

Friday, April 12th from 5:30-9pm. The KnightMoves Tryout Prep clinic is the best way to prepare for an upcoming college dance audition. This clinic is for ages 13 and up including middle school and high school dancers as well as college transfer students. The clinic includes across the floor combos, a routine and our Fight Song which is a part of the KnightMoves auditions. We will also talk about our Dance program at UCF and the coaches will be available for Q and A regarding the tryout process. We encourage all underclassmen to attend as well as those planning to audition for the team on the following day. This is an excellent opportunity to improve your skills and can provide an invaluable experience.

Again, although a majority of the girls attending the clinic will be high school seniors who plan to audition for KnightMoves the following day, we encourage dancers ages 13 and up to attend. This is a wonderful opportunity to work with our college dance coaches and learn all about our nationally ranked UCF Dance program.

Read also: Perfect Alumni Cheer Shirt

The clinic is located at the "Venue" which is at the back of the UCF Arena (near Garage F).

Spring Tryouts

Spring Tryouts 2019 - Weekend of Friday, April 12th Saturday, April 13th & Sunday, April 14th .

Skill Requirements

Each prospective dancer will be evaluated on their flexibility, stylistic variety and their performance of the specific skills. We have listed a few of the skills that may be a part of the audition process. Please be prepared to demonstrate all skills on both right and left sides. Strong technique and endurance is important. You should be physically performance ready. You may also bring pants and comfortable tennis shoes for hip hop. PLEASE COME WITH "PERFORMANCE" HAIR AND MAKE-UP.

Attire

Second day of tryouts - Sunday, April 14th

Crop top of your choice (any color) that compliments you, black shorts, and jazz shoes are required for day two of tryouts. You may also bring pants and comfortable tennis shoes for hip hop. PLEASE COME WITH "PERFORMANCE" HAIR AND MAKE-UP.

Although the top you are wearing should be a sports bra/midriff/ crop top your attire should not be revealing and pants should NOT be rolled down on hips. One pair of stud earrings is the only jewelry permitted. No belly rings or other body piercings and tattoos must be covered.

Tryout Schedule & Locations

Tryouts for the 2019-20 KnightMoves Dance Team will be held over the weekend of April 12th, 13th, 14th

Friday, April 12th Location: "Venue" located at the UCF Arena. Park in Garage D or Garage F

5:00pm. Check in begins for the prep clinic.

5:30 - 9pm. Prep Clinic for ages 13 and up including those who will audition for the 2019-20 team. We will take 30 minute dinner break so be sure to pack a lunchbox

Saturday, April 13th Location: "Venue" located at the UCF Arena. Park in Garage D or Garage F

8:30-9:15 registration held at the "Venue" located at the UCF Arena. Park in Garage D

9:15-12:30 start time - floor work and skills evaluation - (cut)

12:30-2:30 lunch

2:30-5:30 session I (cut)

5:45-9:00 Interviews

Sunday April 14th Location: "Venue" located at the UCF Arena. Park in Garage D or Garage F

9:00 AM - start time - session II at the "Venue" located at the back of the UCF Arena. Park in Garage D or Garage F

12:00 - 12:15 short break

12:15 (final cut)

2:00-4:00 Team Meeting

Fall Tryouts

Fall Tryouts 2019 - Fall Tryouts will be “As Needed” if there are spots open on the team.

A meeting will be held for any dancers interested in fall tryouts on August 27th at 6pm in the first floor lobby of the UCF Venue. If you have them completed, please bring your tryout packet, proof of physical and sickle cell lab results with you to the meeting. You will have an opportunity to turn these in if you have them with you. If you need more time, be sure to attend the meeting but bring your paperwork to the audition on September 3rd. Auditions will be held on September 3rd at 6pm.

Dance Prospect Information Sheet

We encourage all future dance team prospects to fill out a prospect information sheet.

UCF Spirit Program

UCF facilitates a number of camps/clinics each year (10 sessions across the calendar) for males and females from elementary school through high school.

UCF broke through for its first cheer national championship in 2003 and reached the pinnacle again in 2007. In 2024, the Knights finished fifth in Division IA Hip Hop, which was the best result in program history.

Linda Gooch is the head coach of the UCF spirit program, a role she has held for four decades. The property is more than just a workout facility, however.

UCF will compete in the DIA Cheer Game Day semifinals on Jan.

UCF will compete in the DIA Jazz prelims on Jan.

UCF will compete in the Coed Partner Stunt (Eliza LaBelle & Austin Robert) on Jan.

UCF will compete in the DIA Cheer semifinals on Jan.

UCF will compete in the DIA Hip Hop semifinals on Jan.

The entire event is streaming on Varsity TV and the FloSports app beginning Jan.

Missed the Action? The always-live stream will feature all-access content and video replays hand-picked by experts on the Varsity TV team. Tune in to Varsity TV 24/7 Network live, starting on Nov. Block schedules have been released. Tune in to Varsity TV from Jan.

tags: #ucf #cheerleading #tryouts #requirements