OBJECTIVE

The objective of WVPW Cheerleading is to familiarize young participants with the fundamentals of cheerleading, and to provide them an opportunity to participate in the sport of competitive cheerleading in an adult supervised, organized and safety-oriented manner.

For answers to any questions about the cheer program, contact:

COACHING OPPORTUNITIES:

Mitey Mite - Asst coaches
Pee Wee - Asst coaches

Contact:

Falcons cheer continued the West Valley tradition of excellence in 2007 with eight 1st place trophies, one 2nd place trophy, and National Championship qualification by all three competitive cheer teams!!

Come join us for the 2008 season and cheer for "the best in the West"!

ELIGIBILITY

Any child residing within the boundaries of WVPW wishing to cheer is eligible to participate if they are at least 5 years old and not older than 15 years old as of July 31, 2008. WVPW offers cheer "mascots" for girls aged 5 and 6, which may be assigned to any age level team. All other ages will be assigned to an appropriate team based on age and ability.

TEAM PARTICIPATION

Cheerleaders will be assigned to a team according to their age as of July 31st 2008:

* Age as of July 31st

Pop Warner sets limits on the size of each team, depending on the number of adult coaches. A large squad consists of 20-35 cheerleaders and requires 3 adult coaches. A small squad consists of 19 or fewer cheerleaders and requires 2 coaches. There are no tryouts. The Cheer Athletic Director assigns participants to teams on a first-come, first-served basis, based on age, date of registration & payment, experience needed to make a team complete (i.e., tumblers and flyers), and prior head coach recommendations.

Participants may request to participate on a particular team, but WVPW does not guarantee that the request will be granted. If your cheerleader is returning and the Head Coach does not think your cheerleader is ready to move up, you will be informed. Participants can request a specific team and let us know that is the only acceptable team. If the squad is full, the participant will be placed on a waiting list.

Team placements will be announced in mid-May or early June. We cannot announce teams prior to that time due to anticipated changes as some of our cheerleaders are trying out for all star or school teams and may be informing us of their intent to pursue those opportunities instead of Pop Warner. Once team placements are announced, there is still potential for some additional changes related to late sign-ups or drops. After August 1st, team placement will not change unless there is an eligibility issue.

PRACTICE SCHEDULE AND TIME COMMITMENT

The 2008 season begins August 1st. The regular season runs through the end of October. The season will continue through the end of November if the team qualifies for Regionals or through mid-December if the team qualifies for Nationals.

During the month of August, practices are held 4 days a week. Each practice is 2½ hours. After Labor Day, the practice schedule is reduced to 3 days per week, 2¼ hours each practice. In addition, cheerleaders cheer at the football games, which are typically held on Sundays, but may occasionally be on Saturdays.

If a cheer squad qualifies for Regionals, practices will continue throughout the month of November with regional competition held the Friday after Thanksgiving. Last year, all three of our competitive teams qualified for and competed in to the regional championships, so this is a very real possibility.

If a cheer squad qualifies for Nationals, practices will continue for the first week of December, and travel to Orlando, Florida will take place the second week of December. Last year, all three of our competitive teams went on to the National Championships, so again this is a very real possibility.

The specific practice schedule will be determined based on facility available and team placement. Generally, participants have been able to manage participating in school activities held on an after school basis simultaneous with Pop Warner, but it is difficult to make commitments to other activities during the Pop Warner season.

New for 2008! Cheer Boot Camp!!!
All teams will participate in our 1st annual 5-day Cheer Boot Camp for the first week of practice: Monday July 28th - Friday August 1st from 6:30pm-8:30pm at Saratoga High School on the football field. Attendance is mandatory as we will be reviewing association-wide best practices for essential skills. Regular team practice schedules will commence starting Monday August 4th.

ATTENDANCE

Due to the nature of the sport, a practice missed by one cheerleader has a significant impact on the squad, particularly on that cheerleader's stunt team. As a result, practices may only be missed due to illness or (if the head coach is notified in advance by a parent) due a compelling personal reason.

Please make an effort to schedule your family vacations during June and July. Although we allow some flexibility for pre-arranged vacations, August is a critical month where skill sets are being evaluated and positions determined.

COST

The registration fee for Mitey Mites and Mascots is $250 per cheerleader. Registration for JPW through Midget is $350 per cheerleader. In addition there will be mandatory fundraising by each cheerleader to help offset the cost of our facility rental. The registration fee is due in full by June 2nd. The registration fee covers uniform rental, facilities rental, equipment, competition fees, patches, trophies, gifts, insurance, conference dues, scholastic registration, first aid supplies, administrative costs and miscellaneous supplies. A portion (or all) of the registration fee may be earned back through fundraising or sponsorship.

In addition, each cheerleader will be required to purchase cheer gear (described later), which may cost between $200 (returning cheerleaders) to $400 (new cheerleaders).
Cheerleaders on teams qualifying for Regionals or Nationals will incur travel costs. Fundraising will be provided on a team-by-team basis to help offset the cost of travel.

EQUIPMENT AND GEAR

Each cheerleader is required to purchase a practice uniform, warm-up suit, cheer shoes (game and competition), socks, dance pants and a sports bag. Returning cheerleaders may be able to use some of their existing gear provided it is in good condition and is the same style as was used in the prior year.

Our 2008 uniform fitting will be held June 7th. Registration fees must be paid in full prior to the uniform fitting. Additionally, a deposit of ½ the amount due for gear must be paid at the time of the fitting. Full payment is due August 1st.

COMPETITIONS AND TRAVEL

There are three local competitions that all teams participate in (Mascots and Mitey-Mite are exhibition-only). The first is Spirit Jamboree, held in mid-September. This offers the teams an opportunity to receive constructive feedback from a judging team in a non-competitive environment. There are no awards given at the Jamboree. Invitational Competition, held the 2nd weekend in October gives the teams the experience of performing in a competitive setting with awards given, but does not determine advancement to additional competitions. The third competition is Conference Championships, held locally two weeks after Invitationals. First, second and third place teams at Conference qualify for Regionals.

Regional Championships are held Thanksgiving weekend in the Bay Area. Do not make out of town plans for your family! Competition is that day after Thanksgiving, guaranteed. First and second place teams at Regionals qualify for Nationals.

National Championships are held at Disney World in Orlando, Florida the second week of December. Pop Warner provides some competitive travel packages to offset the cost of this trip, which typically involves a 4- or 5-night stay in Orlando, complete with a park-hopper pass and meal tickets. Four to five days of school will be missed, and Pop Warner provides letters to the schools to explain the absence.

2008 Cheer Competitions:

Jamboree - Mid-September
Invitationals - 1st or 2nd weekend in October
Conference Championships - Last weekend in October
Regional Championships - November 28th
National Championship - Week of December 7th - 14th