Monroe Lions Cheer FAQ’s
Frequently Asked Questions - Cheer 2022
Q: What are the age requirements for the cheer program? Players are eligible to cheer if they are 5 years old by July 31st of the current cheer season through 8th grade. Q: What is the cost to register? When is registration? The cheerleading registration fee is $350. Early Bird registration opens April 1st and runs through the 15th.
Registration ends on July 1st. ALL registration is online. Your child will receive a competition uniform that must be returned at the end of the season (an additional $400 deposit check is required). Families will also be responsible for seasonal dues which are listed under the Registration Info tab. Q: How and What paperwork needs to be handed in? All paperwork needs to be handed in at uniform fittings. Only complete sets of paperwork will be accepted. Don’t forget report cards and medical consent with the doctor’s signature! Q: When are uniform and apparel fittings?
2022 fittings will be June 11th (12pm-4pm) and July 14th (4pm-8pm). A sign up genius will be sent out after you register to choose a timeslot. Q: What is the summer practice schedule? Cheer practices will begin on July 25, 2022. For the four weeks of summer, all teams will practice Monday through Thursday (4 days) from 6:00PM to 8:00PM at Wolfe Park at the Football field. All practices are mandatory. Please communicate with your Head Coach if you have a scheduled vacation or family commitment. Q: What is the practice schedule once school starts? Once school starts, we will be practicing indoors. Your practice schedule will depend on your assigned team. Practices are around 3 hours each. Practice schedules will be finalized once teams are formed. Practices may be added or extended prior to competitions. Q: What is the attendance policy? ALL practices, games, and competitions are mandatory. Cheerleading is a TEAM sport. The entire team relies on each other to learn the routine and to perform it safely. If you know your cheerleader will miss a practice, game or competition at any time during the season please let your coach know ASAP. After 3 unexcused absences, it will be up to the coach and the President of Cheer as to whether your child will be able to remain on the team. Q: Do we cheer at games when it rains/snows? If football is playing a game, we will be cheering. We will cheer in inclement weather. We will modify our cheers and half-time routine as necessary to ensure the safety of the cheerleaders. Q: When and where are the football games? Currently, football games are scheduled to start September 4th. We cheer at home games and away games depending on the football schedule. Most games are on Sundays, but some may be on Saturday. We will know the game schedule by mid-August. However, there can be changes throughout the season so flexibility is important. Home games are played at Wolfe Park. Attendance at football games is mandatory. If your child cannot attend, you must inform the Head Coach. Q: How long is the cheer season? Football games start in September and the regular season ends near the end of October. We will also cheer at any postseason games and championships that continue through November, as necessary. Our competitions start in October and typically end around Thanksgiving. The cheer season will be extended if your team qualifies for the AYC National competition which is in Florida in early-December. Q: Will I need my child’s original birth certificate for registration? If your child participated in AYC previously, they do not need to provide an original birth certificate. If your child is new to cheer or cheered with Pop Warner, you will need to provide an original birth certificate with a raised seal AND a copy. Once the birth certificate has been validated in late August, the original will be returned to you and we will keep a validated copy. Q: When and where are the competitions? The 2021 Cheerleading Competition Season:
October 22nd - Shoreline Locals (Shelton High School)
November TBD - CT States ()
November TBD - New England Regionals (Rhode Island)
December 8th-11th - Nationals (Kissimmee, FL)
All cheerleaders are expected to compete at each competition. Teams must place 1st, 2nd, or 3rd at States to qualify for Regionals. Teams must place 1st or 2nd at Regionals to qualify for Nationals.
*** There will be travel costs for teams advancing to Regionals and Nationals. Costs are offset by fundraising efforts.
