General Questions
Q: What are the age ranges for cheerleaders?
A: SMYO Cheer Elite ranges from 4 to 18-year-olds.
Q: How long is the season?
A: The season begins in July (conditioning clinics) and last until the end of April/May. The prep team season begins in October and ends in March/April.
Q: Where will practice be held?
A: Most practices take place at the Charles County Fairgrounds. Occasionally, practices may take place in Waldorf, MD in September/December due to activities held at the Charles County Fairgrounds. Please note if we obtain our own practice space, the location will reside in Waldorf, MD (Charles County).
Q: What is included in the registration fee?
A: The fee includes a uniform (that you keep), practice wear, competition shoes, competition hair accessories, and SMYO insurance fees.
Q: What is level 1 cheerleading?
A: Level 1 cheerleading requires cartwheels, round-offs, forward and backward rolls, front and back walkovers, knee or waist level single leg stunt, prep level stunts, straight cradles, and no basket tosses. .
Q: What is level 2 cheerleading?
A: Level 2 cheerleading requires back handspring, front handspring, Level 1 tumbling connected to a handspring, prep level single leg stunts, extended two-footed stunts, half-twisting mounts, barrel rolls, begin basket tosses. .
Q: What is level 2.1 cheerleading?
A: Level 2.1 cheerleading requires level on tumbling (see above) but level 2 stunting, which is prep level single leg stunts, extended two-footed stunts, half-twisting mounts, barrel rolls, begin basket tosses.
Q: What is level 3.1 cheerleading?
A: Level 3.1 cheerleading requires level one tumbling (see above) but level 3 stunting, which is Front Flip Twist, Single Leg Extended Stunts, Full Twisting transition to Prep Level or Below, Full Twisting transition at Prep Level, ½ Up to Extended 1 leg stunt, Release Move to Prep or below, Level Appropriate Tic Toc style transitions, Inversion to Extended 1 leg stunt, Downward Inversion below Prep Level, Straight Cradle from Extended 1 leg, ¼ twisting dismount from Extended 1 leg stunt, Full twisting dismounts from Prep/Extension.
Q: What is the requirement to join the team?
A: There are no requirements. Everyone is welcome. Cheerleading is a learning sport. Just bring a positive attitude and the coaching staff can teach the rest.
Q: Are there try-outs?
A: Everyone makes a team but we will have placement try-outs. Placement try-outs allow the cheerleader to be placed in a certain level of a cheer team.
Q: What additional attire will I need to purchase?
A: All cheerleaders must have practice shoes that they will wear to practice daily. There is no specific brand that we require. We do not recommend Converse, Vans, or shoes with ridges at the bottom. This is not the same as their competition shoes. Optional attire are cheer warm-ups and cheer jersey.
Q: Does my cheerleader need tumbling experience?
A: No, tumbling skills are not required but highly encouraged.
Practice Questions
Q: When will practice start?
A: Practice begins end of July or first week of August. Practice for the prep team start in October
Q: What are the practice days?
A: Practice days are Sunday through Saturday. Will vary based upon team.
Q: How long are practices?
A: Practices normally last for 2 hours. Practices can last longer closer to competition. For the younger ages, those times may be adjusted.
Q: Are practices mostly held in the evening?
A: When practices are held Monday- Friday they are usually 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Practices on the weekends are determined based on location. Will vary based upon team.
Q: Are parents allowed at indoor practices?
A: To ensure that the athlete is fully focused at practice and with limited space, we generally have closed practices. Coaches will inform parents when they may attend an indoor practices.
Q: What is the practice attire?
A: Cheerleaders can wear loose or spandex shorts, leggings, sweat pants, short sleeve shirts, and tennis shoes with shoelaces, no sleeveless shirts, jewelry, or fake nails.
Competition Questions
Q: Where are the competitions located?
A: The coaching staff strives to keep locations of competitions as close to home as possible. Most competitions we will compete at are within 2 hours of Southern Maryland. In the past we have competed in Ocean City, MD, Virginia Beach, VA, Orlando, FL, and Lancaster, PA. If teams attend the One Finale, the competition has four different locations that will be decided upon by the Cheer Board and Coaches.
Q: How many competitions will my cheerleader attend?
A: Three guaranteed competitions (1 guaranteed competition for prep team), with a strong possibility of attending more.
Q: Is out-of-state travel involved?
A: Yes. Most competitions are held in Maryland; however, larger competitions may be held out of state (East Coast). Parents are responsible for all travel expenses to include hotel expenses and access to competitions (cheerleaders do not pay an entry fee).