Tryouts are over, but a new year with a completely new squad is just getting started.  You've been fitted for your new uniform, and your coach has signed your squad up for camp....so what now?  What can your squad do to get into shape for camp?  Regardless of what level your squad was at the end of last season, everyone is starting from scratch at this time of year...Here are some guidelines to get you where you want to be for camp!

At this point, squads should go through a full stretching routine at least three times a week, and general stretching should precede any activity.  Stretching and increasing the range of motion of both muscles and joints will improve your squad's performance and lower your risk of injury.  It's easier to stretch muscles when they're warm, so begin by doing basic total body movement.  Jumping jacks or jogging in place are a great warm-up for your stretching routine.  When you start stretching, remember that static stretching is the safest way to stretch.  Move the body to the point of tension and hold that position for at least eight seconds without bouncing.

Although you may want to jump into your new season headfirst, it is critical at this point to make sure your entire team is properly stretched and conditioned before you start any serious physical activity.  Stretch at the beginning of practice and do some sort of group conditioning at the end, like circuit training.  Granted some of your teammates may be in great shape, but some may have never been this physically active on a regular basis in their whole lives.  Understand that your coach will be assessing your squad's physical condition, and should only move forward once he/she feels comfortable that you entire team is ready to advance to more strenuous physical activity.  

Once you are properly conditioned, start with the basics: motions.  It may be a drag at first, but reviewing your motions will make practices for games and pep rallies easier down the road.  Spend a good deal of time in your first couple of practices going over basic motions.  Partner up and go over all of the motions, checking for correct placement.  Always fix your motions yourself, so your body will remember the movement and automatically hit the correct motion from then on.  If someone else physically corrects you every time, your body will never know what it feels like to hit a correct high V.  Then go home and work on your own motions in the mirror.  Practice makes perfect!  

Next, take some time to work on your squad's jumps.  Make sure that all team members are using the same approach.  If you're lacking a uniform approach, have all team members start with their hands in a high V and swing them inward toward each other, using that motion to initiate momentum for height.  They will then stop their arms in a sharp T motion or a high V at the apex of their toe touch, herkie, hurdler, etc.  Make a jump circle and check each cheerleader's jump for good form.  Make sure each cheerleader's hips are directly under their shoulders.  You don't want them to be leaning their shoulders down in a jump.  Just because it's called a toe touch doesn't mean you actually have to touch your toes!  For some great exercises to help improve your squad's jump, check out this article on Power Jumps!

Start reviewing your traditional cheers and sidelines.  Divide your squad into groups and assign a returning cheerleader in each group to lead the review and/or teach the new cheerleaders your squad's sidelines.  Work on perfecting material the squad already knows.  Review the material from tryouts and add those cheers and sidelines to your cheer list.  This review will help your squad focus on material long enough to perfect, and it's a good trial run for cheer private coaching and evaluation at camp!  In order to become the types of cheerleaders that can pick up material quickly, you must practice learning and perfecting material!  

Camp is a place to learn new skills, so don't push yourselves to have squad liberties for camp if you're not at that level yet.  That's what the instructors at camp are for!  But if you'd like to get a head start on stunting before camp, remember to follow the proper partner stunt progressions! Work on beginning technique like step-up drills, L-stands, etc, so your squad will be able to move on to harder stunts quickly at camp.  Depending on your squad's ability level, you can use some practice time before camp to set stunt groups and work on synchronization of lower level stunts.  This is the time to make sure all of your top girls are prepping the same way to load in to an elevator and doing the same thing with their arms when they ride their cradles.  Just be sure not to overdo it...There will be plenty of time to stunt at camp! 

Don't forget to use this time to get to know each other!  Plan some squad bonding time.  Some of the girls on the team may know each other from last year, but there will probably a few that will feel pretty left out in the beginning.  Plan a pot-luck dinner, an end-of-the-year barbecue, an at-home manicure and pedicure night, or a night of squad mini-golf.  Check out the ESPN airdates of the national competitions and schedule a nationals viewing night to get pumped for the upcoming season.  Whatever you decide to do to promote squad bonding, make sure you keep up with it throughout the year.  Fostering strong relationships and genuine friendships will help the team work through difficulties on the field and at practice!

That should do it!  Being prepared for camp isn't required, but it is recommended!  A good deal of time, money, and energy goes into your camp experience, and you should try to get as much out of camp as possible!  So go get going, and have a great time this summer at camp!