NRMF Cheer
2009 Policies and Expectations

In an effort to have another successful season, we have decided to put out our expectations for our parents & cheerleaders this year. We ask that all parents and cheerleaders adhere to the following policies:

General Information
• If you ever have a problem, with anything, please follow the chain of command. Coaches first, then cheer coordinator, and if necessary, the executive board.
• When contacting our staff, please remember that they are volunteers. Respect them as well as their hours with their family since they are few and far between during competition season. Coaches should also never be interrupted during practice and/or games.
• NO GOSSIP. Please do not gossip about children, parents, staff, other teams, organizations, etc. Gossiping is shallow and unnecessary. We believe it is better to confront a problem head on rather than listen to idle talk.
• No profanity, vulgar, or abusive language.
• All squad and routine decisions are at the discretion of our coaching staff. We ask that you trust our staff and their decisions.
• Practices may be changed or added at any time during the season.
• Anyone threatening to quit or pull their child from the squad will be dismissed immediately. In Pop Warner cheerleading, time is not a luxury we have to play around with.
• It is the parents’ responsibility to know what is going on within the organization. Please check the website and your e-mails daily, as well as attend our monthly meetings.
• Withholding a child from practice should never be used as a form of punishment. You are not only punishing your child, but every other squad member, parent, and coach on that squad.
• We will do our best to work with extracurricular activities. However, if the other coach refuses to work with our mandatory practices and games, you may have to make a choice.
• On days that we have competitions scheduled, please plan on being committed to that all day. Competitions often run long and your child is expected to be there cheering on her sister squads all day.
• The NRMF Cheer program is highly regarded for their sportsmanship and class. We expect our parents and cheerleaders to uphold our wonderful reputation at all practices, games, and especially competitions.
• We reserve the right to add, change, or remove rules at any point.


Attendance
• After Labor Day, all practices, games, special events, and competitions are mandatory.
• The only excused absences will be due to sickness (with a doctor’s note) and religious instruction.
• Our staff has surveyed cheerleaders and parents, so our practice schedules are made around each teams’ religious commitments.
• Any cheerleader who misses 3 or more excused/unexcused practices and/or games shall be considered for dismissal from the competition program and shall meet with our staff to discuss disciplinary action.
• Cheerleading is a team sport and in order to have the best squad possible, every member needs to be present at all times.

Tardiness
• Tardiness is defined by 15 minutes late to practice or games.
• Excessive tardiness or absences will result in dismissal from our competition program.

Practice Dress Code
• NEW Sneakers should be worn indoor practices and competitions.
• OLD Sneakers should be worn to outdoor practices and games
• We ask that your child carry their sneakers into indoor practices so that outside dirt doesn’t get on our cheer mats. We recommend they wear some sort of flip flops or slides and change when they get inside.
• All cheerleaders should have their name on the inside of their sneakers.
• Cheerleaders should wear properly fit clothing. No baggy clothes, no hooded sweatshirts, no jeans, and no clothes with any sort of button or zipper.
• NO JEWELRY! Wearing jewelry of any kind could result in injury to your child or another.
• All cell phones are considered a distraction and should be left on silent away from the practice area.
• Fingernails should be short and polish free. No fake fingernails are allowed.

    *Hair must be pulled back and away from face

Game Dress Code
 *Uniforms should be worn for all games. Please check the website on the day of games to see what your child should be wearing.

*Any child coming before or staying after their assigned game should bring a change of clothes.

*We consider it inappropriate for cheerleaders to walk around with their uniform unbuttoned, skirt folded, etc. Any cheerleader spotted wearing a uniform in an inappropriate way will be asked to change immediately.
*Cheerleaders are not allowed to eat or drink while in uniform. (Water only please) 

*Hair must be pulled back and away from face and worn in a high ponytail with a game day bow.