SCZ London Cheerleaders

Starting a Cheerleading squad in the UK

So you're thinking of starting a cheerleading squad at your university / school / local council / etc.. Here are few things that you may want to think about when starting up. Even though these tips are mainly aimed at setting up a university cheerleading squad, the ideas behind them can easily apply to your own specific scenario.

Getting Ratified

Now you have a decent idea of what a cheerleading squad is let's actually get one started. Can I please talk you out of having a pep squad that doesn't stunt? I mean it really is your choice, but please think about this for one second. Back in the day when the TomCats hadn't even become the TommyGirls yet and were just Royal Holloway's cheerleaders everyone hated us and our routines were boring. You might as well just join the Dance soc if you don't stunt, and your Union may well say exactly the same thing to you.

Unions don't always like new societies and clubs. You're taking away budget from established societies like Drama and Dance, you have to have a good reason. When proposing your cheerleading club (you're a sports club, you're doing stunts, you promised me remember) first have a chat with the friendliest union rep you can find about what you want to do. Use an example of a well established squad like the Reading Bunnies, and show them around their website pointing out the fundraising work they've been involved in, their awards, and show pictures of stunts.

Find out exactly how your uni ratifies and gives a budget to new organisations on campus. You're probably going to have to go to a General Meeting to propose the ratification (sometimes known as affiliation) of a new cheerleading squad. Take every friend you have with you to second the motion. There may need to be a minimum interest of 20 or so students to get you ratified, and some semblance of a committee, so scrape that many people together. All you have to do is get yourself ratified, you don't need members just yet, you just need to exist.

If you can't get affiliated with your uni, your life's going to be even harder. Please see the Going it Alone section.

Get a Name

It may sound very simple but your name is important. If you have a memorable name other squads will easily recognise you. Look at a list of uni squads, and try to pick a name that's NOT on there. TomCats are named after Royal Holloway's founder Thomas Holloway whose spirit inhabits a black cat that roams campus. It's in our constitution, I didn't make it up I swear. Take inspiration from your uniform colours, your local area, and the name of your uni. For example if Ribchester had a university (it doesn't, but it does have some nice ruins of a Roman bath house and granary) and its colours were black and silver they could call their cheer squad the Ribchester Ravens, because it alliterates, ravens are black and they fly. If you're think of going Co-ed any time soon don't choose a very girly name as it puts the boys off.

Get a Mentor

Luke Skywalker needed Yoda, you need an established squad behind you. Either recruit a local senior squad, or a university squad you admire, or both, for this purpose. Send them an email or give them a call and tell them you need their help. They can recommend a coach for you, or even send one of their members with a qualification to come and give you extra help. Go round to one of their practices and see how its done. Not only will this provide you with a valuable source of advice, but also someone to chat with at competitions. We always used to stalk the Reading Bunnies because they were local and purple like us.

Getting Members

A cheerleading squad can have any number of people in it. A good size for a novice squad is between 10 and 20. However you need as many members as humanly possible. More people means more membership fees, even if they drop out you still have their money. Drop out rates are always high. You may start out with fifty members at the beginning and have five by Christmas. This is just the way the cheer cookie crumbles.

If you're lucky enough to be starting out at the beginning of the academic year you have Freshers Fayre on your side. You may have to book stand space with someone, make sure you sort this out ASAP as Freshers Fayre can be chaos. If you have a uniform wear it, if not have a picture. Loads of girls join for the uniform. I'm told Hertfordshire Sirens make all new members hand over a cheque for their uniform at Freshers Fayre to deal with this. Make a nice stand behind you with pictures of cheerleading (if you print out pictures of cheerleaders wearing your colours no one will know they're not you).

Have free gifts like lollies, or talk to a local bar about giving out money off tokens for drinks (persuade them with the promise of lots of pretty cheerleaders dancing away in their establishment). If there's a bar like an It's A Scream pub ask them if you can have some of their membership forms for their loyalty cards and lure Freshers over with those. Have a social with another sports team already planned and give out fliers to members.
Expect to get a general level of hastle. Sitting on a cheerleading stand at Freshers' Fayre is a lot like handing out leaflets for Scientology on the street. It just seems to make people angry and suspiscious for some reason.

People You Want

Anyone can be a cheerleader, but here's a list of people with skills who are easily lured to the dark side.

Dancers - for obvious reasons.
Actors - Stress that this is not so much cheerleading but physical theatre with vocal excercises.
Gymnasts - Your uni may not have a gymnastics team, where else are they going to tumble?
Break dancers - Same as above.
Ice Skaters - Pretty uniforms, lots of make up, spins and stretches, cheerleading is ice skating without the ice or skates.
Rowers - Stunting builds upper body strength and cheerleading isn't on a cold river at stupid o'clock in the morning.
Body builders - Why lift weights when you can lift girls?

If you don't have a Freshers Fayre any time soon start a relentless campaign of posters and posting on your uni message board. Do a taster session and organise a social for afterwards. See if you can get another cheer squad from near by to come and do a short showcase. Remember, you posters will probably need to be cleared with the union. Practice space must always have high ceilings and access to mats. If someone from outside your uni like a cheerleader or a coach is coming in make sure your or their insurance covers all this.

Getting Committed

Now you have your merry band of cheerleaders you're going to have to have a committe to lead it. This unfortunately requires democratic elections as you're working within the union, damn democracy I blame the Athenians. Your union probably has guidelines as to what position does what. Circumvent democracy by suggesting to the more organised members of the squad that they run for the positions that you think they'd be suited for and helping them with their speeches. You will probably end up being the president. Find out from the union which committe members need to go to what meetings. You don't want to get fined or deratified just because none of you went to the theoric budget meeting.

Make sure as many people on your squad have first aid certificates as possible. You union may offer courses, go on one. Strong arm all drivers over 21 into taking the mini bus test, you will thank me for this one day. Check that the university sports insurance policy covers you for stunts, and that the practice spaces you have booked are appropriate. If you can only get a space with high ceilings and mats every couple of weeks, split your practices into dance and stunting, and do all the non-dangerous stuff in the cack one you have regular access to.