GYFCA: Cheerleading

Cheer FAQ

GYFCA Cheer Information    

How often is practice?

Practices will take place during the weekdays and NO WEEKENDS.  We will start the season practicing 4 days a week, Monday-Thursday 5:45pm-8:00pm. Once school begins, we will practice 3 days a week and those days will be determined when p[ractice starts in June or July 2010.

 

Where is practice being held?

Practice will be held at either, The Eagles Club, Gilberts Elementary or the new Gilberts Town Center Community Park.  Gilberts Elementary may be utilized as an indoor practice facility in the event of inclement weather.  Our goal is to make it as convenient as possible for all program participants, parents, and coaches.  Competition girls who are eight years of age or older will compete at least once,  or possibly three times if we make it to regional and or nationals. 

 

Why is the cheer package required?

In addition to the cheer uniforms that are included with the registration fee, GYFCA is requiring the purchase of a cheer package, which includes additional items  such as, body liner, cheer shoes, hair bow, briefs, and socks.  This is mandatory so that all members of our cheer program have identical uniforms. 

 

When will my child be sized for his or her uniform?

Sizing for the uniforms will take place in May or June of 2010.

 

GYFCA is looking for cheer coaches and team Moms.  If you are interested in joining a fun and exciting program, please contact us at 847-687-6930 or you may contact Lauren Valentino at laurenmarievalentino@yahoo.com



2010 Cheer Information

For cheerleading information contact Lauren Valentino at laurenmarievalentino@ yahoo.com

GRIZZLY CHEER TEAM COMPETES AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

The Gilberts Grizzlies cheer team competed in a regional cheer competition on Sunday, November 15th and did very well.  In order to get to the regionals, our cheer team had to do very well in the Chicagoland Pop Warner cheer competition in Bolingbrook a few weeks ago.  After finishing in second place in the first year of a cheer program at the Bolingbrook competition, the cheer team was invited to compete in the regional competition at NIU. 

After a very early morning drive to Dekalb, the girls had a very long day, but it paid off.  The girls did very well and finished in fifth place out of twelve teams in this competition.

Congratulations to head coach Lauren Valentino and her assistant coaches, Rebecca Rothgeb, Stephanie Boc, other assistant coaches, and the Hampshire High School cheerleaders that have helped out this season too.

We look forward to even bigger and better things to come from the cheer aspect of our football program in the future.

POP WARNER CHEERLEADING & DANCE:

Cheerleading was officially recognized in the 1970's, but has been a part of the Pop Warner program for several decades. The first ever National Cheerleading competition was held in DeKalb County, GA. Today, 160,000 children are participating in cheerleading and dance around the United States.

Participation in the Pop Warner Spirit Program provides kids an opportunity to perform in an organized, supervised, safety-oriented environment. Pop Warner programs emphasize fun for all and encourage the development of qualities important long after Pop Warner days are gone.

The Spirit Program is growing in numbers each year due to the popularity of the sport. In an effort to keep pace with the many new changes in the cheer & dance industry, there are a few basic rules that are unique to Pop Warner Spirit Squads. For a complete list of Pop Warner guidelines, please download the Official Pop Warner Rulebook.

 

TYPES OF SPIRIT SQUADS

 
 

1. Traditional Spirit

Traditional Spirit squads compete during the Pop Warner playing season from August 1st through December 31st.

2. Year-Round Spirit

The year-round season begins January 1st and ends July 31st. A Year-Round squad must compete in one competition from January 1st to July 31st. *Note: Year-Round Cheer Medical and Registration due by February 1st

* Tryouts of any kind within Pop Warner are prohibited.

The ages of all spirit participants in the program shall correspond to the overall ages that the League is permitting for players, unless League rules dictate that the ages of the spirit squad shall correspond to the playing ages of the team with which they are associated.

  CHEER & DANCE DIVISIONS  
Division Name
Age Range
TINY-MITE
5-6-7
MITEY-MITE
7-8-9
JUNIOR PEEWEE
8-9-10-11*
PEEWEE
9-10-11-12*
JUNIOR MIDGET
10-11-12-13*
MIDGET
11-12-13-14-15*
JUNIOR BANTAM
12-13-14-15*
UNLIMITED
12-13-14-15
BANTAM
13-14-15-16*

*The asterisked (*) provisions in each division are for those leagues/associations that carry “older but lighter” football players. The age of the spirit participant may match the age of the football players in that same division. (i.e., if the league permits a football player to be a 13 year old, older-lighter junior midget, then the spirit squad may also sign-up a 13 year old participant on the corresponding cheer/dance squad.) The spirit participant is matched in age only, weights do not apply.

* Only a League that requires the ages of the spirit squads correspond to the playing ages of the team with which they are associated shall be permitted to send spirit squads to any competitions sanctioned by PWLS outside their League. Outside their league would be defined as PWLS Region or PWLS National Competition.

* A squad, regardless of the ages of its spirit participants, must be rostered, certified and registered in the same age division as the football team with which it is associated (e.g., it cannot cheer at midget games and compete as a junior midget cheer squad). The only exception to this rule is a squad registered as “Cheer/Dance without Football”. Reference Rule 1 - Formation of Squads for the definition of Cheer/Dance without Football.

* The participant’s age on July 31st of the current year shall be the participant’s age for the coming season.