Josy

Chapter 5- The try out- Josy

I didn't get home until 1am this morning. I had the choice not to go to school today. But I had the first round of cheer try outs after school. And they pay attention to your attendance of your classes. I check my school email, as Elaina told me to. There was a try out info email sent out on Saturday to everyone who signed up at the club fair.

FROM:sonnyroye

TO: future cheerleaders/spirit kids

SUBJECT: tryout information:please read

HEY, NEWBIES!

OR MORE LIKE FUTURE CHEER GALS. THIS IS A MANDATORY EMAIL. IF YOU  DIDN'T READ THIS BEFORE TRY OUT ROUND 1, YOU'RE OUT. BOTH SPIRIT SQUAD AND CHEER SQUAD TRY OUT TOGETHER. ALL STUDENTS WHO SIGNED UP FOR TRYOUTS ARE HERE. HERE IS THE LIST OF THINGS YOU MUST KNOW:

1. LETS TALK ABOUT WHAT TO WEAR... OUR SCHOOL COLOURS ARE BLUE AND GOLD. PLEASE WEAR A BLUE SHIRT OR GOLD SHIRT, IF YOU ARE IN GYM THIS SEMESTER YOUR GYM SHIRT THAT THEY GAVE YOU WILL WORK FINE:). NEXT, BLACK SHORTS (MOST PEOPLE DON'T HAVE BLUE OR GOLD SHORTS UNLESS YOU'RE A BASKETBALL PLAYER), BLACK CAPRI LEGGINGS WORKS TOO. WHITE SOCKS ARE IDEAL, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY, BLACK OR BLUE WILL WORK (WE AREN'T THAT PICKY WITH YOUR SOCK CHOICES, AS LONG AS THEY'RE MATCHING). OLD WHITE TENNIS SHOES OR CHEER SHOES WOULD BE GREAT! PLEASE PUT HAIR IN HIGH PONYTAIL, NO BOWS OR HEADBANDS PLEASE! IF YOU DO MAKE THE TEAM YOU WILL GET A TRACK SUIT, GAME UNIFORM, WARM UP UNIFORM, BOWS, AND TRACKSUIT AND SOME OTHER SWAG (PLEASE SEE #3 FOR MORE DEETS)

2. THE FIRST TRY OUT ROUND INVOLVES HOW WELL YOU CAN FOLLOW CHOREO. THIS WILL BE A BASIC CHEER COMBO.EVERY APPLICANT WILL HAVE TO PARTICIPATE TOGETHER. IF YOU CAN'T FOLLOW YOU'RE OUT. NEXT ROUND WILL BE TUMBLES AND FLIPS, WE WILL GIVE YOU LIST OF 3 (EXAMPLE: SOMERSAULT, CARTWHEEL, FRONT LAYOUT) AND THAT IS THE ORDER YOU HAVE TO PERFORM. IF YOU MESS UP OR GET THE WRONG ORDER YOU'RE OUT. THE THIRD ROUND IS A SOLO DANCE. IF YOU MESS UP, YOU'RE OUT.

3. THERE WILL BE A COST IF YOU MAKE THE SQUAD. THERE ARE CHARGES FOR CHEER CLOTHES, SHOES AND BAGS, AS WELL AS AN ADDITIONAL COST FOR TRAVELLING. WE DON'T HAVE TOTAL CALCULATIONS FOR THIS, BUT IF YOU MAKE THE SQUAD YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED. IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD THIS FOR FINANCIAL ISSUES, PLEASE LET US KNOW (DON'T BE EMBARRASSED, I PERSONALLY KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE).

4.IF YOU MAKE THE SQUAD THERE WILL BE A LIST IN GYM B. AND YOU WILL GET AN EMAIL, MAYBE. THERE WILL ALSO BE SUBS/WAIT LIST.

GOOD LUCK. AND SEE YOU ALL TOMORROW. TRY OUT AT 3:30 SHARP, MONDAY.

-SONNY

I packed an old duffel bag full of white shoes, a hair brush, deodorant, a blue lululemon tank, black nike shorts and some other stuff I may need.

I get a ride from Elaina that morning. She is in her cheerleading uniform, with the big hair, bow, shoes and everything. Her chestnut brown hair is curled too. My outfit consists of a high waisted black skirt and a blue and white striped crop top.  I'm wearing my black ankle boots that have a 1-inch heel. My hair is in a high ponytail, and has some bobby pins in for fly aways. We park at the senior parking lot. I meet up with Shannon. And we walk to our first classes together.

Its after school and Shannon and I are sitting on the bleachers, we are in our cheer tryout outfits with the rest of people trying out. Right at 3:15pm,  Sonny and Elaina get up to the front.

"Hello girls! I am your cheer captain, Elaina Macy. This is my assistant Sonny. I hope you girls are ready for some chereo!" Elaina starts.
"First we are going to discuss what happens with this round! It's pretty simple you just have to follow along as well as you can, with the routine. Then you are lined up and we will go from there. Also we only can take a few of you. Now please welcome Chloe and Amanda!"
Amanda stands up from sitting on the bleachers. She's smiling and her hair is down. Her makeup is full on, fake eyelashes, eyeliner, bold red lipstick, contour, mostly the works. She's in her cheer uniform too with a letterman jacket on top. Chloe walks to the middle of the gym with speakers, her hair is red and in a high ponytail. She has a natural makeup look and she is wearing her cheer shirt and black shorts.

"Hey girls! I'm Amanda. Today Chloe and I will be showing you a simple routine. Well simple for us anyways. We will show it to you a few times then you will have to follow along. In an hour you all will perform it, if we think you don't have it, you're out." Amanda gave a fake sympathetic face and proceeded to show us the routine.

Then we got off the bleachers and joined Amanda and Chloe. Amanda gave me a grin as I set up myself behind her. We followed along for the next hour. Then they split us into groups. I was in a group with two other freshmen and two sophomores and a junior. Shannon's group went before us. Her timing was off and she forgot to smile. She was so focused on trying to get the routine perfect, I could tell, that she wasn't really paying attention to her other group members. Which, meant she wasn't very in sync with them. Next was my group, I put my "cheerleader" smile on and followed along in my group.

After everyone is done we line up side by side. Elaina and Sonny walk around us, writing names on a clipboard. "Okay, if we call your name, you can collect your stuff and leave." Elaina says she is about to continue when Sonny pipes up, "Remember there is always next year to try out again." Elaina then continues, "Right, okay. Shelley M, Cleo T, Monique L, Brie T, Taylor-may J, Elli Kim, Destinee X, Hanna P-" As Elaina reads out the list as people leave the line and collect their belongings. The list continues, "Olive H, Kaylee J, Katharine L, Shannon R, Kassandra B, and finally Erin L." Elaina says as she sets the clipboard on a bench. I squeeze Shannon and she leaves.

Once everyone whose names were called leaves, Elaina gives us a smile, "Well congrats. For making it into the next round, at least. We see some potential in you. But let's see what you really can do now, shall we? Cheerleading isn't all just about the outfits and the spirit, the dancing and flips, it's about sportsmanship and trust. This is the most important round. We will give you an order of tumbles you will have to do. If you get it in the right order and accomplish perfectly, you will pass this round. If not you're out." Elaina says.