Hey Cardinal Fans!
So it's been a while since our last post, oops! Hopefully you've seen us around this semester either at football games, FroYo World's opening, on Facebook, Twitter, or Youtube.
Anyway, we have some exciting news to share with the Wesleyan community- the Wesleyan Cardinal Cheerleader's are officially working towards NCA's National College Cheerleading Championship in Daytona Beach, Florida this April!
We're working hard to put together a routine to submit for video qualification and promise to regularly update the site to let you all know how we're doing.
For now, be sure to stay tuned to our Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube accounts and we can't wait to see you all this Friday, November 16th at 5:45pm for the first Wesleyan Men's Basketball game of the season!
Showing posts with label cheerleading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cheerleading. Show all posts
Support the Squad!
So it's official, the Cardinal Cheerleading Squad now has more cheerleaders than it does uniforms for the upcoming season! While we're thrilled to see our team grow, it presents a real challenge as we are still completely financially independent from Wesleyan University.
We are committed to keeping our team open to all members of the Wesleyan student community, regardless of initial athletic ability, gender, sex, previous experience, or financial resources. Squad members are already responsible for their own practice uniforms, shoes, game and competition accessories, bags, and body wear, so asking for additional funds for uniforms would make an already significant burden unmanageable for members of our team. It would also mean uniforms would be owned by individuals, rather than the team, and need to be reordered almost constantly. This is not a road we want to go down.
Before we can focus all of our energy on competition and cheering on the Wesleyan family, we need to make sure our financial business is in order. A very generous anonymous donor has helped to cover the costs of coaching, travel, safety certification and training, and other incidentals thus far but financial independence is one of our top priorities.
If you're interested in supporting the team you can do so by
-Purchasing Cardinals gear available exclusively through our online store;
-Donating any amount you are able via our GoFundMe page;
-Sharing this information!
Thanks for all of your support so far; we're looking forward to a great season!
Go Wes!
We are committed to keeping our team open to all members of the Wesleyan student community, regardless of initial athletic ability, gender, sex, previous experience, or financial resources. Squad members are already responsible for their own practice uniforms, shoes, game and competition accessories, bags, and body wear, so asking for additional funds for uniforms would make an already significant burden unmanageable for members of our team. It would also mean uniforms would be owned by individuals, rather than the team, and need to be reordered almost constantly. This is not a road we want to go down.
Before we can focus all of our energy on competition and cheering on the Wesleyan family, we need to make sure our financial business is in order. A very generous anonymous donor has helped to cover the costs of coaching, travel, safety certification and training, and other incidentals thus far but financial independence is one of our top priorities.
If you're interested in supporting the team you can do so by
-Purchasing Cardinals gear available exclusively through our online store;
-Donating any amount you are able via our GoFundMe page;
-Sharing this information!
Thanks for all of your support so far; we're looking forward to a great season!
Go Wes!
Learn the Cheers! *HUSTLE*
This summer, we want to encourage Cardinal Fans to learn the words to a few of our chants and cheers! Keep a look out for featured videos from our YouTube Channel, Wesleyan Cheerleading, so you're ready for the fall!
Hustle, Hustle, Cardinals Hustle!
H!
U-S!
T!
L-E! X3
Squad Basics: What's a "Flyer"?
Over the next few weeks, we'll spend some time explaining the basic positions that make up an effective cheerleading squad so that when the season starts, the "Cardinal News" section of the site actually makes sense to the Wesleyan Community!
Every member of a cheerleading squad has a unique, yet equally important role. However, if you're used to more traditional sports with offensive positions and defensive positions, this is not so easy to see. One of the most visible positions though is the "flyer," or the squad member who leaves the ground during a stunt.
Flyer's have important jobs, obviously, but they're often under appreciated and seen as simply the lightest members of the team. Any cheerleader will tell you how very wrong this in. In fact, flying requires so much strength that the size of a flyer really has little to do with success of a stunt or stunt group! The most valuable member to any squad is one who is appropriately conditioned to handle any role- back base, base, spotter, flyer, tumbler, etc. This increases the overall versatility of the team, as well as cohesion and success as everyone understands how everyone works together.
However, the skills required for each of these positions are still different.To be a flyer, one must:
Every member of a cheerleading squad has a unique, yet equally important role. However, if you're used to more traditional sports with offensive positions and defensive positions, this is not so easy to see. One of the most visible positions though is the "flyer," or the squad member who leaves the ground during a stunt.
Flyer's have important jobs, obviously, but they're often under appreciated and seen as simply the lightest members of the team. Any cheerleader will tell you how very wrong this in. In fact, flying requires so much strength that the size of a flyer really has little to do with success of a stunt or stunt group! The most valuable member to any squad is one who is appropriately conditioned to handle any role- back base, base, spotter, flyer, tumbler, etc. This increases the overall versatility of the team, as well as cohesion and success as everyone understands how everyone works together.
However, the skills required for each of these positions are still different.To be a flyer, one must:
- be confident. You are about to leave the ground and potentially fly through the air. If you do not believe in your own ability to be successful, you probably won't be.
- trust their stunt group. While you are largely responsible for supporting your own weight, your body will literally be in the hands of 2-4 team members. If you do not feel comfortable or trust them to "put you up" and "bring you out" safely, you will be too distracted to safely and correctly perform the stunt.
- have a strong sense of timing and balance. It is not easy to hear 8 feet in the air, give or take. You and your stunt group need to have practiced the point where you have your own rhythm and can easily communicate, non-verbally. As only one or both of your feet/ankles are supported by the bases, you need to be able to quickly and consistently find your center of balance and stay there.
- have strong core, leg, back, and arm muscles. Essentially, you must be incredibly fit. If you cannot complete several sets of pull ups,"supermans", leg lifts, push ups, sit ups, and a variety of other excersizes you will not be able to support yourself.
Does this sound like you, or something you'd want to try with a little more practice? Check out our Summer 2012 Workout and Contact the Squad to learn more about being a Cardinal Cheerleader!
Sideline Competition for the Cardinal Cheerleaders!
Thanks to the hard work of the Wesleyan Cardinal Cheerleaders, UCA (Universal Cheerleading Association) is now considering the formation of a college division in their Sideline Competition!
This would mean that the Cardinal Cheerleaders would be eligible to compete on the state, regional, and national level with other college-level squads who focus on Sideline and half-time appropriate cheers, chants, stunts, and routines.
Want to learn more about Sideline competition? Check out UCA's Sideline Competition rules for high school here!
This would mean that the Cardinal Cheerleaders would be eligible to compete on the state, regional, and national level with other college-level squads who focus on Sideline and half-time appropriate cheers, chants, stunts, and routines.
Want to learn more about Sideline competition? Check out UCA's Sideline Competition rules for high school here!
A Sneak Peak at Next Fall
First of all, a big congratulations to the Wesleyan Class of 2012 on their graduation yesterday!
Commencement marks the official start of summer for almost everyone at Wesleyan, which means a much needed break. Not for the Cardinal Cheerleaders, though! We are already hard at work on plans for next season, and while we're not quite ready to share everything yet, we do have just enough info to tie you over...
1) This fall, we will be introducing our coach, Ms. Andrea Gargano, to the Wesleyan Community. Andrea has been working with us since the end of February and we can't wait to show off all the new stunts, cheers, and tumbling skills we've picked up.
2) At Homecoming and Family Weekend (October 19th-21st, mark your calendars!), the Cardinal Cheerleaders will be offering a mini-camp for Cardinal fans of all ages on both Friday and Saturday. Learn a few chants, cheers, and dance counts and have a chance to join in on the sidelines with the Squad during the games! More information will be available after the start of the semester in September.
3) Starting in September, the Squad will be splitting practice time between Freeman Athletic Center and a local gym. This will allow us to strengthen our stunting and tumbling skills in a practice space that meets the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators safety regulations. The move will enable us to move further along in the recognition for competition process.
4) Finally, our website isn't the only place to stay up to date on the latest Cardinal News! Follow us on Twitter (@WesCheerleading) and be sure to "like" our Facebook page as well!
We have a lot planned already for the 2012-2013 school year, but we still have to ask... What do YOU want to see from the Cardinal Cheerleaders next season?
Commencement marks the official start of summer for almost everyone at Wesleyan, which means a much needed break. Not for the Cardinal Cheerleaders, though! We are already hard at work on plans for next season, and while we're not quite ready to share everything yet, we do have just enough info to tie you over...
1) This fall, we will be introducing our coach, Ms. Andrea Gargano, to the Wesleyan Community. Andrea has been working with us since the end of February and we can't wait to show off all the new stunts, cheers, and tumbling skills we've picked up.
2) At Homecoming and Family Weekend (October 19th-21st, mark your calendars!), the Cardinal Cheerleaders will be offering a mini-camp for Cardinal fans of all ages on both Friday and Saturday. Learn a few chants, cheers, and dance counts and have a chance to join in on the sidelines with the Squad during the games! More information will be available after the start of the semester in September.
3) Starting in September, the Squad will be splitting practice time between Freeman Athletic Center and a local gym. This will allow us to strengthen our stunting and tumbling skills in a practice space that meets the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators safety regulations. The move will enable us to move further along in the recognition for competition process.
4) Finally, our website isn't the only place to stay up to date on the latest Cardinal News! Follow us on Twitter (@WesCheerleading) and be sure to "like" our Facebook page as well!
We have a lot planned already for the 2012-2013 school year, but we still have to ask... What do YOU want to see from the Cardinal Cheerleaders next season?
Cheerleading: A "How To"
Watch any TV show or movie with a cheerleading squad and you would have to agree that it takes strength, flexibility, stamina, and a whole lot of trust to be a cheerleader. As Coach Andrea often reminds us, "cheerleading is a team sport in the truest form." Unlike on other teams, one member cannot compensate for another's weaknesses. If a flyer cannot hold themselves up or a base cannot support their weight the stunt won't leave the ground, no matter what.
But how to you condition properly so that you are flexible enough to hit a split and strong enough to lift a team member of equal or greater weight than yourself above your head for four quarters straight?
Google "Cheerleading Workouts" and you'll get thousands of hits ranging from Yahoo answers, suggestions from UCA (Universal Cheerleading Association) and NCA (National Cheerleading Association) and even a brief overview from the LiveStrong Foundation. There are so many options that it's hard to know who to trust!
If you really want to know what it takes, check out the Cardinal Cheerleading Summer Workout, on the "About the Cardinal Cheerleaders" page. You'll find a link to Coach Andrea's work out plan, as well as great resources for stretching, jumps, and arm motions.
Like the work out? Learn more about joining the team here!
But how to you condition properly so that you are flexible enough to hit a split and strong enough to lift a team member of equal or greater weight than yourself above your head for four quarters straight?
Google "Cheerleading Workouts" and you'll get thousands of hits ranging from Yahoo answers, suggestions from UCA (Universal Cheerleading Association) and NCA (National Cheerleading Association) and even a brief overview from the LiveStrong Foundation. There are so many options that it's hard to know who to trust!
If you really want to know what it takes, check out the Cardinal Cheerleading Summer Workout, on the "About the Cardinal Cheerleaders" page. You'll find a link to Coach Andrea's work out plan, as well as great resources for stretching, jumps, and arm motions.
Like the work out? Learn more about joining the team here!
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