Read our whole series of Cheerleading Information & Articles
ALL-STAR CHEERLEADING
So you want to be an all-star cheerleader? Being an All Star cheerleader means getting serious about competition. For someone who is looking to compete, all star cheer squads are a good fit. There aren’t any games to cheer for, and most the cheerleaders go to different schools. Parents are highly involved in taking the teams to competitions & practices. All star cheer squads train rigorously as athletes, which has the sports industry scratching their heads and wondering – is cheerleading really a sport? If you’re interested in learning what it takes to compete as an all-star cheerleader, this guide will help you to know what you can expect!
TRYING OUT FOR ALL-STARS
All star cheer squads have a different tryout process than most school-run cheerleading programs. Usually, teams start recruiting talented new cheerleaders during the months of April through June. This is the start of the new competition season, so the team can come together over the summer and compete through the fall and winter months. All-star candidates can expect to tryout with other cheerleaders in their age group. You attend practices and are evaluated based on your technical cheer skills and the teams’ needs before you are placed on your team. All-star levels range from 1 to 6, with one being the lowest skill level, and six being the highest. The levels are determined by national all-star and safety organizations, such as USASF Cheerleading Rules. Your all-star gym owners will place you on a team congruent with your level and skills potential for your age group. For example, you might be placed on a Junior (age) Level 3 (skills requirements) Team if you are 13 years old and can perform a backhandspring.
One of the differences between All Star cheer squads and other cheerleading programs, is that additional team members can be placed on the team throughout the year. If you missed the tryout “season” between April and June, you can still be placed on a team after the staff has evaluated your skills. When team members are added, coaches sometimes switch people around to different squads, as needed. Keep in mind that every gym is different, so the rules and process might vary from coach to coach or gym to gym.
TRAINING
All star cheer squads generally do not attend summer camp, as traditional school squads do. Instead, they usually hold a camp at their home gym, to learn the choreography for this year’s competition routines. A choreographer or coach will come in and teach material, skills and stunts for the team to use throughout the year. Usually these type of choreography camps are held in the late summer, for about 3-4 days. For all-stars, the point of the camp experience is to focus on your routine & skills for the upcoming competitions.
PRACTICES & PERFORMANCES
Practices for competitions can be intense. All-star cheerleaders are trained athletes that are expected to work hard toward their goals at each practice. All Star cheer squads practice about 2 hours per team on weekdays, and extra weekend practices that also last 2 hours. For smaller programs or younger teams, practice may not be as frequent, so younger all-stars can expect about 5-6 hours per week. Once competition season starts, practice may become more frequent, as your coaches get feedback and assessments from the judges at each competition.
Just like all cheerleaders, when you are in uniform, you are expected to behave in a respectable manner to show pride for your organization that you are representing. Because competition is the focus for all-stars, it is important to keep good sportsmanship in mind at each competition event you go to. Your performances and behavior are a reflection of your gym, your teams, and your program.
FIND AN ALL-STAR CHEERLEADING SQUAD IN YOUR AREA
Log-in to access Sidelinestar.com’s CHEER 411 Resource Directory for a list of local cheer gyms near you and get started in all-star cheerleading!
More from Sideline Cheers
- So You Want to Be an All-Star Cheerleader? Try These Tips
- What to Expect for High School Cheerleading
- Cheerleading in College – How Different is it from High School Cheer?
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