Secure a paid bid to Worlds with tips from teams who’ve been there, done that.
By Heather Larson
Let’s face it, every team wants to receive a paid bid to The USASF Cheerleading Worlds. It’s not only a great confidence booster, but it also means your team doesn’t have to worry about the expenses that go along with performing at the largest competition of the year. For most divisions, a paid bid includes lodging, transportation and other costs (up to $25,000) for the maximum number of participants in that division, plus two coaches.
The success and popularity of Worlds has grown rapidly over the past few years—twice as many countries participated in 2009 than did in 2007—so the competition for a bid has gotten even more intense. Now more than ever, squads have to make sure they’re on top of their game season after season to earn this coveted honor. Check out how, despite the odds, California All Stars, Stingray Allstars, Rockstar Cheer and Spirit of Texas repeatedly earn paid bids to Worlds each year.
Team: California All Stars
California All Stars took gold in Senior Unlimited Coed Level 5 and won a silver medal in both Small Senior Limited Coed Level 5 and Small Senior All-Girl Level 5 at Worlds 2011.
Years competing at Worlds: 6
Their secret to getting a bid: The owner of the California All Stars, Tannaz Emamjomeh, says she makes sure her team is prepared when it comes time to compete for a bid, because without a paid bid, the team couldn’t afford to attend the competition. “This is the event we work for all season, where the best of the best compete,” she says. “We make sure the kids are mentally, emotionally and physically ready. Building up their confidence and making them feel like they’ve already succeeded is key for us.”
The coaches at California All Stars research and study the score sheets for competitions and then base practices accordingly. The kids also need to work really hard and make their team a priority, says Emamjomeh. California All Stars’ athletes have to fit a certain criteria to Level 5 standards, she says.
At the same time, the coaches like to maintain a positive atmosphere, especially during practice. “Our coaches focus on the strengths of our team, the team itself and the overall well being of the support system around them,” Emamjomeh says.
Team: Stingray Allstars
Stingray Allstars out of Marietta, GA, won a bronze in the Small Senior All-Girl Level 5 in 2011.
Years competing at Worlds: 7
Their secret to getting a bid: This team ups their chances of getting a paid bid by going to 10 different competitions throughout the year. “First, we start at tryouts by looking at an individual’s overall athletic ability to determine what role he or she might play in a Worlds’-level competition,” says Stingray president Casey Jones. “Looking for key position players when they first come to us is important.” When it comes to practice, Jones says his staff hammers home the fundamentals, and they also feel that a positive attitude is everything. “It’s so easy to shatter a young person’s self-esteem and you don’t want to do that,” Jones says.
The Stingrays also aim for perfect technique in everything they do, which they achieve by teaching the specific skill correctly, practicing it until it’s flawless and then moving on in the proper progression. “A team member must perfect one move before he or she is allowed to move on to the next skill,” says Jones. The Stingrays will even to redo sections of their competition routines to better suit the Worlds’ score sheet.
Coaches need to have a thorough understanding of the World’s score sheet, says Jones. Once they have settled on the routine they feel will score the best according to the score sheet, he says it becomes imperative that their team execute that routine as perfectly as possible.
“We also try to gain a competitive advantage by capitalizing on our strengths and focusing on what we do well,” says Jones.
Team: Rockstar Cheer
Rockstar Cheer took home a silver medal in the International Open All-Girl Level 5 and a bronze in Small Senior Limited Coed Level 5 in 2011.
Years competing at Worlds: 4
Their secret to getting a bid: “We just coach to the best of our ability to make it to Worlds,” says Scott Foster, owner of the Greenville, SC, team. “Making sure our routines peak and are as clean as possible works for us.”
Paying attention to the details of a performance is key. Small mistakes can add up, and their main goal is to prevenr those from happening. Foster says the coaches take the time to clean and perfect the skills in the routines and choreograph them so that they hit the score sheet.
Foster insists that Rockstar Cheer doesn’t do anything special to get noticed, but they put together teams and routines that are the best they can do for every competition all year long.
Team: Spirit of Texas
Spirit of Texas out of Arlington and Coppell, TX, took silver in Large Senior Limited Coed Level 5 and bronze in International Open Coed Level 5 at the 2011Worlds.
Years competing at Worlds: 7
Their secret to getting a bid: “Do a lot of research on the score sheets and talk to other gym owners who’ve gone before you,” says co-owner Brett Hansen. “Ask them any questions you may have.”
Hansen prepares teams for each competition according to the score sheet and what the judges will be looking for. At each national competition, the score sheets require different moves, jumps, stunts, pyramids, etc., than they do at Worlds. You may have to revamp your entire routine for Worlds. While rules may limit the number of rotations in tumbling, runs or stunts, you need to pay attention to formation and spacing to make it look synchronized.
Focus on clean execution and showmanship, says Hansen. Make sure you increase the difficulty of the routines and balance that with great basics that are very visual and just as entertaining.
Hansen also says he believes the Spirit of Texas routines are easy to watch and to judge. “Our athletes have that clean, all-American genuine look and offer beautiful smiles, which makes them captivating to watch, he says.
“We try to put fun, clean, creative and difficult routines on the floor so we’ll get that paid bid to Worlds,” says co-owner Brad Vaughn. And they’ve done just that every year for the past seven years.
In preparation for the coming season’s competitions, Spirit of Texas has recently completed tryouts and formed what they believe will be the strongest teams for the upcoming year. Hansen says they like to form teams with powerful athletes in every category, not just the best tumblers.
Comments are closed.