Lipscomb Cheerleading FAQ’s

Important Dates for 2012-2013

• TUESDAY, AUG. 28 (6:30 PM) – Informational Meeting / Hall of Fame Room of Allen Arena
• WEDNESDAY, Sept. 5 (8:00-9:30 PM) – Open Practice (optional) / Cheermoore Athletics
• THURSDAY, SEPT. 6 (6:30 PM) – Tryouts / Allen Arena
• FRIDAY - SUNDAY, SEPT. 7-9 – Camp and Retreat (mandatory)

Details: Camp/Practice will be held Saturday morning and possibly for a few hours on Friday night.  We will travel on Saturday morning to the retreat and return Sunday morning.

1)       How many cheerleaders compose Lipscomb’s squad?  Our team is composed of 12-18 members. The number varies each year depending on the talent available. We typically consist of all-female stunt groups, although male students are welcomed.

2)       How are tryouts run?  Tryouts are formatted like a practice.  There is no material that needs to be learned ahead of time.  All materials will be taught to you that day.  Attire is purple shorts, a Lipscomb shirt, and a white bow.  There is an informational meeting prior to tryouts in which you will receive all paperwork to be completed by tryouts. An informational meeting, open practices and tryouts will be conducted once students return for the school year. No practices or camps are scheduled prior to August.

3)       What is required to tryout?  No minimum skills are required to try out.  Our squad performs standing back handsprings, running tumbling, and stunt skills at games.  The best way to gain an idea of the talent recommended is to visit a home basketball game and see the team cheer.  That will provide a familiarity with the style and talent level of Lipscomb cheerleaders.

4)       What is your seasonal schedule?  We cheer at ALL home basketball games for men and women and selected local games. We also participate in a number of events throughout the year to represent the university.

5)       How often do you practice? Because we choose to have a fall tryout, we hit the ground running in September to prepare for games that start the first week of November. Shortly after tryouts we hold a Saturday camp and retreat, which are both mandatory. We will practice two nights per week in September and October: Wednesday nights from 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm at Cheermoore Athletics, and one additional evening on campus to be determined by the team.  During the season we will continue our Wednesday night practices.

6)       What Athletic rules do the cheerleaders follow?  Because the NCAA does not currently list cheerleading as a sanctioned sport, we have no restrictions regarding official visits, eligibility, etc.  Prospective members may visit campus, meet current cheerleaders, and attend games.  Coach Amy Benefield is eager to meet and host prospects at games, but her on-campus time during the day is limited.

7)       Do the LU Cheerleaders compete?  Our team is extremely talented, but we do not currently compete in any local or Nationals competitions.  We feel strongly that the first role of a cheerleader is to create a positive game-day experience for fans, students, and players. Outside the game experience, our time will be spent serving the Nashville community as Lipscomb ambassadors.

8)       Do the Lipscomb Cheerleaders receive any compensation?  Yes, each cheerleader is awarded a scholarship (at least $1,000) toward tuition for spring semester tuition.

For more information, please contact Coach Amy Benefield (amy.benefield@gmail.com)

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