Q&A for How to Be a Cheerleader

It depends on your effort. If you stretch about 20-30 minutes a day WITH THE CORRECT STRETCHES, you can get it in as little as a week. Hold your stretches for 30 seconds each.

There is no set size for cheerleaders. As long as you work on your strength, endurance, and flexibility, you should have what it takes to cheer.

Practice each day. Make time in your schedule to practice and work on memorizing one small chunk of a cheer at a time.

Practice hard and go into the audition with high energy and positivity. This will make you look like cheer material.

Luckily for you, it doesn't matter what size or gender you are when it comes to cheerleading. If you're really interested in becoming a cheerleader, then go ahead! If you don't make the squad, you can always ask the coach for advice on what to improve and how.

It depends on the cheer squad. On some squads, cheers may involve touching your toes and doing the splits. Go to a few games and see what is required.

No. However, if you're interested in cheer camp, this can be a fun way to improve your skills and make new friends.

As many times as it takes to get it down perfect, there is no particular "right number" of times you can do this, it's about your own state of readiness, not quantities. Practice when you have the time and the motivation. Practice more in the lead up to a competition or performance. And if you must have a number, practice no less than four times a week.

It depends on the school. If you do know how to tumble, you are more likely to make the team. It is always better to tryout with at least a cartwheel then nothing. You can make up for your lack of tumbling experience by being confident and knowing what you are doing.

You can begin to train to be a cheerleader as soon as you can walk. However, wait until your body is a little more developed. Cheer, with the stunting and tumbling involved, wreaks havoc on your body and can result in many joint problems.

You can talk to other people in the squad to become friends with everyone. So, try to become friends with people who are first trying out like you and become friends with the people in your stunt group and just become friends with almost everyone. Being noticed as someone who is at ease doing this may count in your benefit.

Start slow when trying a new routine. If you try tumbling gradually, you can build up your skill over time. Going in increments can reduce your fear of falling.

Your size does not matter when it comes to being a cheerleader. Just make sure you have endurance, strength, and flexibility.

You can try out next year. Start practicing now so you can be at your best when it is time to try out. Take cheer classes to improve your skills or have a cheerleader friend teach you a routine.

Be confident. People love that. Also, if you are shy, you should definitely challenge yourself and put yourself out there, as even that can help you to be confident.

Yes, you will need to wear your hair up if you have long hair. Otherwise, your hair will get in your face while you are doing stunts, and can mess you up.

Yes! It's always a good idea to put yourself out there and make new friends. Remember, the worst that can happen is you won't make the team. In a few years, that won't feel like as a big a deal as it does now. Also, you can always try again next year if you don't make the squad.

It depends on the requirements of the squad. Ask the coach or the head cheerleader.

The easiest way is to do yoga. You can take courses online, or in your community. There are also many helpful videos on the internet.

You can get a spotter (someone to hold on to you or basically help you do things) that you trust. Watch a lot of YouTube videos and if you think you've got it but are just scared, think of yourself doing it a million times.

Wait until you make the team to buy a uniform. Most teams do not require you bring a uniform to practice.

A round off is the most basic tumbling skill. Despite it's simplicity, it is still a vital skill in cheer. Make sure you have a round off before you try out for the squad.

Practice until then. My cheer squad for the junior high is 7-9 and the high schools is 10-12. Even if you aren't old enough, you can take kiddie camp, dance, or tumbling to help prepare you to become a cheerleader when you're old enough.

If your team expects you to wear a bow, then you must do so, so that it makes you look part of your cheer team. It depends on what your cheer coach expects. As for bows being ugly or not, they can be done neatly to make them appear nicer.

If you fall out of the stunt, I can almost guarantee that your bases and back will catch you every time. But in order to keep that from happening, try to stay locked out until dismount, and always squeeze your gut. If one leg is higher than the other, give it a quick tap so your base knows.

Do not let the mean girls get to you. Just ignore them and focus on why you decided to join the team.

Of course not! Anyone can become a cheerleader at any age as long as you are physically capable of performing the moves.

Just imagine the judges are your parents. Deep breathe a few times and you will not be as nervous.

Usually yes, but it really depends on your team/town. If you are uncomfortable with wearing makeup, you can talk to your coach about it.

Yes, people with all different body types participate in cheerleading, it's perfectly fine if your thighs are thick.