SADDLEBACK VALLEY CHEER INFORMATION
Sign-Ups will start in March and continue until June or when teams are full.
CHEER REGISTRATION FEES
- $315 Flag and Tackle Cheer
- $40 Challenger Cheer
A deposit of $100 is required to register with our program. The balance must be paid in full at uniform fittings, typically held in early June. If you register your daughter after uniform fittings, the entire registration fee will be due at the time of sign up. In addition, failure to pay the balance in full with result in your cheerleader being removed from the roster and placed on a waiting list.
CHEER UNIFORM
Our uniform consists of the following items:
- Shell (vest)
- Matching Skirt
- Sleeves (Midget level only)
The uniform is checked out to each cheerleader at the beginning of the season and must be returned at the conclusion of the season.
ADDITIONAL CHEER UNIFORM ITEMS
In addition to the items above, each cheerleader will receive a long sleeved body liner, a pair of cheer briefs and a game day hair bow. Those items are included in the registration fee and do not need to be returned at the conclusion of the season.
SPIRIT PACKS
All Cheer participants are required to purchase a spirit pack that is worn during scrimmages, practices and cheer camps during the season. Spirit packs will be available for purchase at our uniform fittings. Our spirit pack includes a tee shirt and shorts, with SV or Saddleback Cheer logo of some type. All cheerleaders must purchase a Spirit Pack each year.
ADDITIONAL ITEMS
All Cheer participants are required to purchase cheer shoes. Each team will choose the shoe they wish to wear. In addition, some teams may opt to purchase competition hair pieces and hair bows.
CONTACT INFORMATION
For any questions regarding our Cheer program, please contact our Cheer Director: Debi Romo: SVCHEER2010@GMAIL.COM
SADDLEBACK VALLEY CHEER
Our cheer squads accompany their football team and cheer at their games each Saturday from late August into November. Our opponents are in cities throughout Orange County as well as a few cities in LA County. All of our squads participate in our conference cheer competition, typically held on a Sunday in late October/early November. There, they will compete against all other cheer teams in our conference. In addition to cheering at games, our squads are involved in other competitive cheer competitions, which can last into the following calendar year (January/February).
Our cheer teams are filled on a first come, first served basis. We encourage you to sign up early in the year to secure a place on a squad. There are no tryouts, so all girls are accepted onto our teams, regardless of their cheerleading experience.
Each squad has a Head Coach and trainers (student demonstrators). Some teams may also have assistant coaches. These folks are all volunteers and dedicate hundreds of hours each season to our program and to their squads. Each team also has a team mom and a business manager. Our program could not function without the help of these volunteers! All volunteers must pass a criminal background check as well as Megan’s Law. All volunteers are screened annually, regardless of their tenure with our program.
Our cheer teams are a big part of SVPW and we have many National Titles that we are very proud of! Our girls work hard and it shows! Come join the fun!
POP WARNER CHEER HISTORY
Cheerleading was officially recognized in the 1970's, but has been a part of the Pop Warner program for several decades. The first ever National Cheerleading competition was held in DeKalb County, GA. Today, 160,000 children are participating in cheerleading and dance around the United States.
Participation in the Pop Warner Spirit Program provides kids an opportunity to perform in an organized, supervised, safety-oriented environment. Pop Warner programs emphasize fun for all and encourage the development of qualities important long after Pop Warner days are gone.
The Spirit Program is growing in numbers each year due to the popularity of the sport. In an effort to keep pace with the many new changes in the cheer & dance industry, there are a few basic rules that are unique to Pop Warner Spirit Squads. For a complete list of Pop Warner guidelines, please visit the Pop Warner website.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When does the season begin? The first weekday of August.
When will our head coach contact us? Sometime in April or May.
How long does the season last? 4-6 months (includes August—preparation month). The season opens around the first weekday of August to begin conditioning the cheerleaders. The first game of the season is typically the last Saturday in August and continues into November. Competition season begins in late October/early November and continues into late January/early February for Jr Pee Wee levels and above.
That is a really long season. Can my daughter stop and start? No. It takes everyone’s commitment to make each squad a success. Any other obligations that would conflict with regular attendance at cheer practice/games/competitions should be carefully considered before registering.
How many days/hours do the cheerleaders practice? 4 or 5 days a week during August (10 hours per week maximum). After the Labor Day holiday, it goes down to 3 days a week (6 hours per week maximum). Each cheerleader’s practice time is tracked in early August. A cheerleader cannot begin stunting until she has completed 20 hours of conditioning. Each football team may participate in up to 3 scrimmages against other teams (from other cities). Cheerleaders will sometimes accompany the football team to their scrimmage—the head coach will make that decision. Scrimmages are considered a practice and may be held on either a weeknight or Saturday.
Where are practices held? Los Alisos Middle School, Glen Yermo Elementary, Del Lago Elementary, Newhart Middle School, El Toro High School, Laguna Hills High School and other schools as needed.
What if we already have a vacation scheduled for August? Please discuss this with your Head Coach as soon as possible. Regular attendance is preferred during August due to the fundamental instruction and mandatory conditioning that takes place during the first 2 weeks of August. Most teams will excuse absences during August, but will set an attendance policy once school starts.
How many games will be played? 10 for tackle and 8 for flag. Additional games will be played if the team makes playoffs (Jr Pee Wee levels and above).
When and where are games played? All games are on Saturdays. Home games are played at both El Toro High School and Laguna Hills High School. Away games will vary by location~~our conference covers all of Orange County and a few cities located in LA County (i.e. Long Beach, Lakewood, Montebello, Pasadena), so there is travel involved each week. Most cheer teams are required to arrive to their game site at least 1 hour prior to kick off. Your head coach will determine that time each week.
Who does the scheduling of the games? The Orange Empire Conference
Is there a refund policy if my cheerleader changes her mind and decides not to participate? No, SVPW does not give refunds. In very rare cases due to injury or illness, a credit voucher for the following season may be issued. Approval of said voucher will be determined by the Board of Directors.
Why must I furnish a copy of my cheerleader’s report cards? It is a National Pop Warner rule that each cheerleader provide proof of scholastic fitness in order to be rostered. It also qualifies those eligible to participate in local and national award ceremonies. Report cards are collected at cheer camp in July or on the first day of practice. Be sure to save all current school year report cards. If your cheerleader does not meet the minimum grades required by National Pop Warner, she will be allowed to submit an Academic Waiver, which will allow her to participate through the end of September. By October 1st, all cheerleaders under an academic waiver must furnish a Progress Report from their school. OEC will review those Progress Reports and determine if the cheerleader will be allowed to continue the season or not.
Is a baptismal or hospital birth certificate sufficient to prove my cheerleader’s age? No. The only acceptable proof of age is a certified county birth certificate or a passport.
Why must my cheerleader have a physical & release form? Pop Warner rules mandate that each participate is physically cleared to participate in our program. A free physical will be available at registration. In addition, SVPW will offer a one day free or low cost physical (typically in June or July). If you are unable to make that date, you can take our Pop Warner form to your physician for completion. Please be sure to discuss any medical issues (ie asthma, allergy to bee stings, etc) with your Head Coach prior to the season starting.
What is Certification? Certification of all cheerleaders takes place in August. Each team has a book that houses all cheerleader information (contract, proof of age, picture, medical release, etc) in individual sleeves. The book is checked, approved and sleeves sealed by a Conference Commissioner. The last piece of Certification is scholastic fitness (report cards). All cheerleaders must be scholastically eligible to participate.
What uniform does the registration fee cover? Your cheerleader will receive a shell (vest) and skirt that are checked out to you at the beginning of the season and then returned at the conclusion of the season. The Midget cheerleaders are also issued zebra sleeves that must be returned. All cheerleaders are issued sleeves and briefs (aka spankies) that do not need to be returned at the conclusion of the season.
What else do I have to purchase/pay for? You will need to purchase a Spirit Pack, which is our practice uniform (tee shirt and shorts). You will also need to purchase cheer shoes. Some teams also use a gym during competition season (one day a week) and there are fees for that usage that are split amongst the team. There are also some pre-season cheerleading camps that your daughter can attend.
What else does my registration fee cover? Our League is assessed fees by our Conference to cover expenses such as insurance, national charter fees, referee fees, etc. There are also field usage fees and general operating expenses that the registration fees cover. All cheerleaders receive a picture package and trophy, the costs of which are also covered by the registration fee.
How much volunteer time is expected from parents? Each cheerleader’s family is expected to work at the snack bar during the season.
Why must parents participate so much? SVPW is run exclusively by volunteers. All parents are expected to help out in some capacity.
Can anyone be a Head Coach? No. Anyone wishing to participate as a head coach is required to submit an application and successfully pass an interview conducted by the Board of Directors as well as mandatory background checks.
Can I request a certain Coach or Team? No, we cannot guarantee any squad or coach.
What happens if my cheerleader misses practice? Each Head Coach sets their own policy on absences. If a cheerleader misses one or more practices during the week, they may have limited or no cheering time in that week’s game. This is a safety issue not only for your cheerleader, but for the rest of the team.
Is it mandatory to participate in the “all cheer” fundraiser in August? No. While we prefer that everyone participates, you can opt out of that fundraiser by submitting a check for $60. All proceeds from this ‘all cheer’ fundraiser are allocated for our end of season banquet, which is for all SV cheerleaders.
Is it mandatory to fundraise? Each team decides how they want to fundraise. Some teams require a ‘buy out’ of $40. Others require all parents to solicit a sponsorship or donation of at least $100, and other teams do fundraising activities. All fundraising at the team level goes towards each team’s individual expenses, such as competition bows, competition entry fees, etc. Check with your Coach and/or Team Mom regarding your own team’s fundraising goals.
Who can I talk to if I have a question about cheer registration or if I want to refer another family to your program? Please contact our Cheer Director, Debi Romo at SVCHEER2010@GMAIL.COM.
How are volunteers screened? National Pop Warner rules dictate that all volunteers (coaches, team moms, and anyone who will have direct contact with the cheerleaders) must pass a background check each year. The submission forms remain confidential and are shredded at the conclusion of the season. The background checks are run prior to the start of the season and include both Megan’s Law and criminal background checks.
Who can I talk to if I have a complaint? There are plenty of people who are willing to listen! Always start with your Head Coach. The Head Coach has the final authority on how her team is run provided that she is operating under the rules of the local Conference and Pop Warner Nationals. If you are unable to discuss the issue with your Head Coach, the Cheer Director should be contacted.
