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Updated April 11, 2026

Thank you for your interest in Ohio University Cheerleading!

 

2026-27 Ohio University Cheer Team Tryouts are scheduled for Friday May 15th and Saturday May 16th.

Location --

PING RECREATION CENTER
Area B
82 South Green Drive
Athens OH 45701

Friday May 15th --

  • 5p to 6p - Registration
  • 6p to 9p - Tryout Clinic

Saturday May 16th --

  • 9a to Noon - Tryout Clinic
  • Noon to 1p - Lunch (on your own)
  • 1p to 4p - Cheer Team Tryouts

MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Additional information coming soon


JOIN THE TEAM!



Ohio University Cheerleading is a traditional co-ed team with up to 24 members -- 12 females as flyers and 12 males as bases.

  • The minimum tumbling requirements for females are a standing back tuck, standing handspring tuck, and a power roundoff tuck on a dead mat. NO EXCEPTIONS. Standing skills MUST be true standing, no "step-step-push".

  • Females are not required to have tumbling beyond our minimum standards, but you will earn more points in tryouts for more difficult skills that are properly executed.

  • Males and females are required to successfully hit a chair (a basic partner stunt) at tryouts to make the team.

This is a CHAIR - an entry-level co-ed partner stunt.

The boy tosses the girl into the air and catches her with the palm of his right hand under her hip. He grabs the left ankle for stabilization and pushes up, taking some of the weight off his outstretched right arm.

The girl remains tight as she is being tossed then leans back slightly after she is seated in the "chair".

We teach this partner stunt at our clinics as part of a progression that includes the body mechanics of the toss and the girl's role in getting maximum height out of the toss.

Males and females will learn their roles in the partner stunt as well as safety techniques that minimize the chance of an injury.

  • There are no other minimum partner stunt requirements but we strongly encourage some college level co-ed experience. This can be obtained through college stunt clinics, all star gyms, or high school cheer programs that teach co-ed partner stunts.

  • Females cannot be afraid to fly and males must be physically capable of basing a female stunt partner.

  • We don't judge strictly on skill -- your potential and your coachability are also evaluated.


- TRYOUT TIP -


If you're thinking about trying out, get in the gym early. Like January or February early. Our tryouts are in May.

Take a slow and steady approach with basic weightlifting, cardio, and other tasks that build your overall strength and endurance. As you progress, shift your workouts to high intensity, short duration weightlifting that simulates the physical skills used in stunts and tumbling. This applies to both males and females.

Be ready for a full day of physical activity at our stunt and tryout clinics and on the day of tryouts.

In addition to making you physically prepared for college cheerleading, this extra work will give you a huge confidence boost when we get the chance to train and learn together at our stunt and tryout clinics.


 

 

ITINERARY FOR PRE-TRYOUT CLINIC DAYS:

  • The pre-tryout clinics simulate the format and skills necessary for tryouts and allow time for practice, learning, and questions.
  • During clinics, we will start each day with tumbling checks.
  • Please make sure your standing tucks, back handspring tucks, and power roundoff tucks are ready to go.
  • We will make cuts after tumbling checks if you do not meet the minimum requirements.
  • We will then break into two groups -- Partner Stunting stations with Coach Rick and Tumbling stations with Coach Becky.
  • At the end of each day, we will teach and/or review a sideline cheer and our fight song.


 

ITINERARY FOR TRYOUTS:

  • You will try out in groups of three.

  • FEMALES - You will be required to demonstrate these skills:

    • Standing back tuck
    • Standing handspring tuck
    • Power roundoff tuck
    • Your two best tumbling passes (standing or running, your choice)
    • Your two best partner stunts (one can be a chair, plus another higher level partner stunt)
    • An Ohio University cheer
    • Spot cheer (taught immediately before tryouts)
    • The dance to the Ohio University fight song

  • MALES - You will be required to demonstrate these skills:

    • Two partner stunts:
      • a chair and another more difficult partner stunt (using the same girl or two different girls), or
      • a chair with two different girls
    • Males may be called on to stunt with a number of girls trying out as well as spotting various partner stunts

 

 

  • GIRLS - WHAT TO WEAR
    • Short sleeved tee shirt and athletic shorts in hunter green and/or white OHIO school colors
    • White hair bows and natural makeup
    • Nails should be unpolished, neutral colors, natural colors, or OHIO hunter green and/or white school colors
    • We will be partner stunting so cheer shoes are required
    • No Spandex shorts

  • GUYS - WHAT TO WEAR
    • Short sleeved tee shirt and athletic shorts in hunter green and/or white OHIO school colors
    • Sturdy athletic shoes are required
    • Tape and prewrap will be provided for your wrists

  • EVERYONE -
    • No jewelry of any type -- this is a safety issue
    • No horseplay -- be attentive to direction from the coaching staff and your stunt partner
    • Unless there is an urgent and immediate safety issue, no talking when stunts are in the air
    • Bring your own water bottle
    • Be prepared to work hard and have fun!


 

 

 

- ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS -

 

 

  • To be eligible to try out, you must be registered as a student at the Athens campus for the Fall 2026 semester -- or have a letter of admission to Ohio University if you are a first year or transfer student.

  • The Cheer Team is managed and funded by the Ohio University Athletics Department. Our coaches are University employees. Cheerleaders enjoy many services available to student athletes and are bound by certain policies and restrictions that govern all student athletes. This will be discussed in depth at work week prior to college cheer camp.

  • Ohio University has one traditional college co-ed cheer team composed of up to 12 males and 12 females. Our team cheers for football and men's and women's basketball. Males are used as bases. Females are used as flyers in partner stunts and basket tosses and may be placed at the mid or top level on pyramids. Females cannot try out for base or backspot positions.

  • All cheerleaders must be comfortable working with different stunt partners and in different places in pyramids. We need your flexibility and coachability to make us a more versatile team.

  • A "safety first" attitude is mandatory during practices, games, exhibitions, clinics, etc. All cheerleaders must understand when and how to spot stunts and pyramids. We will teach you this skill. Our goal is to be injury free for the entire season.

  • As a student athlete, you will have mandatory weight room conditioning throughout the season. Physical conditioning improves skills and endurance and reduces the chance of an injury. The coaching staff will monitor your ongoing participation.

  • Tumbling requirements for females are evaluated at tryouts and your skills must be maintained throughout the season. No exceptions. Tumbling checks occur at every practice and before every game from summer work week and cheer camp in July through the end of basketball season in March.

  • All cheerleaders must maintain a 2.0 GPA to remain on the team. Academics are the most important part of your college career. We want you to excel in the classroom and graduate. Assistance is available to any cheerleader experiencing academic issues. If you are struggling, request help early so you can get back on track and maintain good grades.

  • Cheerleading at Ohio University is a major time commitment. We normally practice at least two nights a week with extra practices scheduled as necessary. Football game days are an all day event and basketball games can occupy several afternoons or evenings a week including weekend doubleheaders. We do travel to some games and that may include overnight accommodations. Our cheer team normally travels to bowl games for football and some post-season tournament play for men's and women's basketball. We also participate in a limited number of public relations events on and off campus throughout the year.

  • A normal season of events looks something like this:
    • MAY -- Tryout clinic, tryouts, and team selection
    • JUNE -- off
    • JULY -- off
    • AUGUST-- Work week and UCA Cheer Camp, pre-season practices, first football game
    • SEPTEMBER -- Football games and practices
    • OCTOBER -- Football games and practices
    • NOVEMBER -- Football games, basketball games, and practices
    • DECEMBER -- Basketball games and practices, Bowl Game for football
    • JANUARY -- Basketball games and practices
    • FEBRUARY -- Basketball games and practices, Stunt Clinic
    • MARCH -- Basketball games, MAC tournament, other post-season tournaments
    • APRIL -- Stunt Clinics and open practices

  • Attendance at games, practices, and other cheer team functions is mandatory unless you are ill or injured.

  • All candidates are required to try out in person at our Athens campus. We do not accept live or recorded video tryouts.

  • At this time, Ohio University DOES NOT compete as a cheer team. Competition is a future goal for our program.
  • Ohio University supplies warmups, shoes, shirts, shorts, uniforms, and other items that are part of your cheer attire. There is no cost to the cheerleader. The university also pays for and arranges travel, meals, and lodging when the cheer team accompanies our football and/or basketball teams to an away game or tournament.

  • There are additional team rules on personal conduct, attendance, travel, uniforms, coachability, respect, etc. that will be made available to all cheerleaders during work week.

 

 

 

 

*** THE IMPORTANT STUFF! ***

 

THE FOLLOWING FORMS MUST BE COMPLETED:

(Click the BLUE hyperlink to view the form)

  • The 2026-27 Online Tryout Registration must be electronically submitted through Google Docs. This is for new and returning cheer team candidates. We need to know who will be attending tryouts.

    REGISTRATION FORM
  • Please read the 2026-27 Liability Waiver and Team Policies and Commitment documents thoroughly. Print these forms from your home or office computer and sign them. Parent/guardian must also sign if you are under 18. We will *not* have a computer and printer available for you at the Convocation Center. Have both documents ready to turn in on the first night of the Tryout Clinic.

    LIABILITY WAVIER


    2026-27 OHIO CHEER TEAM POLICIES


  • We will also need a copy of your current health insurance card and your Ohio University Student ID. If you have not received your Student ID yet, please bring a copy of your acceptance letter from Ohio University.


  • We require documentation of a physical examination completed by a Physician, Physician's Assistant, or Nurse Practitioner within the last 12 months. OHIO Cheerleading *does not* have a specific pre-participation form. Any sports physical form, including the Ohio High School Athletic Association form will be OK. Click the blue hyperlink below to view and print the OHSAA sports physical form. Bring this form to your doctor's appointment and have it completed. A current sports physical exam form is required to process your tryouts paperwork.

    OHSAA FORM




 

The coaching staff needs COPIES of everything -- not the originals.

We are required to keep hard copies of every document,
regardless of whether or not you are selected as a cheerleader.

No pictures of documents on your cell phone.

If you submit original documents (instead of a copy) we may not be able to return them.








We can't wait to meet you!
Good luck at the upcoming clinics and at tryouts!!!

 


 



QUESTIONS NOT ANSWERED HERE?

Contact our Coaching Staff

Coach Becky: dickenr@ohio.edu

Coach Rick: callebs@ohio.edu

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This web page was created in a simple HTML format
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© Copyright 2026 | Ohio University Cheerleading, Athens Ohio USA

Updated April 11, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

www.ohiocheer.team | Ohio University Cheerleading | Athens Ohio

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