Cheerleading Tryout Information
Thank you for your inquiry into our cheer program. The Marshall Cheer Program consists of one co-ed cheer program with 14 couples on the team.
We cheer for home/away football games, home volleyball matches, home men's/women's basketball and post season football and basketball games.
Our cheerleaders receive some scholarship funding. These scholarships are allotted on a per-semester basis.
Our tryouts are conducted each April. We also conduct up to 3 open gyms dates prior to tryout weekend for interested candidates to come in and work out to become familiar with stunting. FRESHMEN ARE ELIGIBLE to tryout for our cheerleading squad. Information regarding tryouts will be updated on the website as information is finalized.
The following requirements are necessary to participate on the Marshall Cheerleading Squad.
All Cheerleaders must have:
Full Admission to Marshall University (does not include the Community and Technical College)
2.0 cumulative GPA
12 or more full time hours in the University (Community and Technical College hours do not count)
Signed Marshall Cheerleader Code of Conduct on file prior to tryouts.
Completed and cleared physical on file from the Marshall University Training Staff.
Marshall Cheerleaders are given 5 years to complete their 4 years of eligibility. The time begins with your first semester in college. Cheering a semester constitutes an entire year of eligibility toward this time frame.
Skill Requirements (FEMALE):
toe touch
pike
standing tuck
standing back handspring
running tumbling skills
Fight Song (will be taught in open gym)
Dance (will be taught in open gym)
Stunts:
chair
toss to hands
walk in to hands
extension
liberty
heel stretch
single twist cradle
double twist cradle
The extended stunts may be tossed straight up, and you only are required to attempt the single and double twist cradles from one of the stunts. You are required to use guys trying out that will be on the team the following year, but you are not required to use the same guy for every skill.
We also conduct an interview session on the first morning of tryouts. Four students sit in front of the judging panel and each student is asked to answer two questions from random, and then all students end the session with the same question.
Skill Requirements (MALE):
toe touch
pike
standing tuck
standing back handspring
running tumbling passes for score enhancement
Fight Song (will be taught in open gym)
Stunts:
chair
toss to hands
walk in to hands
extension
liberty
heel stretch
single twist cradle
double twist cradle
Please see above (Female Requirements) for explanation on the twist cradles and the extended stunts.
The males also take part in the interview session explained above.
MASCOT TRYOUTS -
Tryouts for "Marco", our school mascot, are conducted along with cheerleading tryouts. All academic standards and University policies outlined for the cheerleaders and other student athletes apply to the students selected to portray Marco. All selected candidates go through rotation of all sporting events, public appearances, Alumni events, etc that are APPROVED appearances for Marco. These appearances MUST go through the coaching staff to keep track of our athletes and our time management.
Mascot candidates are asked to perform the following for their selection process -
1 minute and 30 second skit (in the Marco suit) of your choice. This can be with or without music. The goal is to develop and execute your skit so that the audience successfully knows the story by the end of your skit. This skit MUST be family appropriate to be performed in public at any time.
3 different ways to move across the floor other then a normal walk.
on site you will be given three objects/items for you to imitate.
on site three props will be handed to the candidate for them to use in any manner to develop a story.
Marco Candidates will also go through the interview process. Although Marco is a non-speaking mascot, there are plenty of interviews conducted so our student athletes serving in this role must be prepared for an interview setting.
We encourage you to visit campus and our practices if at all possible. Please contact us to set up your visit so we make sure there is practice the evening you would like to attend.
Once again thank you for your interest in the MU Cheerleaders!
