Southern Miss Cheerleading Homepage

Welcome to the Southern Miss Cheerleading homepage. The Southern Miss Cheerleaders support the Golden Eagles at football, volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, as well as many other community and University functions. From this page you will be able to learn the basics about the Southern Miss Cheerleading program, get information on joining the squad and find the contact information for the Southern Miss Cheerleading program.

Southern Miss Cheerleading Program
The Southern Miss Cheerleading program consists of 2 squads. Both squads cheer at the home football games. The Varsity Cheerleaders and select veteran cheerleaders are responsible for the away football games men's basketball. Both squads are responsible for home volleyball games. The JV/Small Coed squad is responsible for women’s basketball games. In addition, some members of both squads will travel to national competitions when possible.

Scholarship Information
Members of the Southern Miss Cheerleading Squad do receive scholarships. The scholarships typically range between $500 and $1,000 per year. Cheerleaders will only receive scholarships if they fulfill their entire year responsibility as a Southern Miss Cheerleader.

Eligibility Requirements
In order to be a member of the Southern Miss Cheerleading squad you must be a full-time student at Southern Miss and maintain a 2.0 cumulative Grade Point Average based only on work completed at Southern Miss. Transfers and freshmen only need to be accepted to the University.

In addition, each member is required to have personal health insurance. Proof of insurance s required before you will be able to participate in any cheerleading activities, including tryouts, and must be maintained throughout the year.

Cheerleaders may have jobs or extra curricular activities only if they do not conflict with ANY Southern Miss Cheerleading events. This includes all games and all practices.

Tryout Information

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A TRYOUT APPLICATION

In order to tryout individuals must complete and turn in:

1. Acceptance to the University of Southern Mississippi
2. Application for tryouts
3. Waiver attached to application
4. Photocopy front and back of Insurance card
5. Non-Refundable application fee of $25.00 (Checks made payable to Southern Miss Cheerleading)
6. One (1) recent (within last year) photograph of applicant

Stunting Requirements:

The skill in the stunt is required. Participants have the option of how they choose to get into the skill and out of it. For example a liberty can come from either a hands, or from a rewind. It can pop off or full down depending on your skill level.

Men:

• Cupie
• Liberty
• Walk In Extension

Women:

• Liberty
• Heel Stretch full down (minimum)
• Walk In Extension

Tumbling requirements will be:

• Standing Back Tuck
• Standing Back Handspring Back Tuck
• Round-off Back Handspring Back Tuck

These are the preferred requirements for the Competition Squad. There are also a limited number of game cheerleader spots for those who are still perfecting their tumbling skills.

Work on being able to do the stunts with less-experienced partners as well as experienced partners and tumbling on a cheerleading competition floor or basketball court, not on a gymnastics spring floor.

For tryouts, participants should dress in fit t-shirts, sports bras & bloomers (women), shorts and cheerleading shoes. Women may wear tank tops or sleeveless shirts. Men must have sleeves on their shirts. Baggy clothing, sweatshirts and long spandex sportswear are not advised.

Results of the tryouts will be approved by the University administration and then posted approximately one hour after the completion of tryouts. Selected members will be required to meet later that day for an informational meeting. The meeting will last approximately one hour.

Tryout Schedule Tryout will be held the weekend of April 22nd-24th, 2005 in Reed Green Coliseum on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi. Participants will be judged based on athletic ability, spirit and attitude. All sessions are required and are closed to anyone other than those participating. If you have conflicts with the schedule or additional questions, you should contact Jaclyn Rivera, Head Cheerleading Coach & Mascot Coordinator at Jaclyn.Rivera@usm.edu

Friday, April 22nd

• Session #1: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  Session #1 will serve as a workshop to learn Southern Miss spirit routines. In addition there will be a single cut for women’s tumbling. Men will begin stunting during this time.
• Note: Women will be evaluated on a toe touch during the first session.

Saturday, April 23rd

• Session #2: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  Stunting requirements will be evaluated for both men and women. Men’s tumbling will then be evaluated. There will be a short review of the cheer and fight song.

  Cheerleaders will be interviewed individually between the afternoon session and the evening session. Interview times will be scheduled after the morning cut.

• Session #3: 6:00 -? p.m.
  Participants will be evaluated on their spirit, presentation and coordination, as well as memorization of learned material. There may or may not be a second cut on this day.

• Session #4: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  During Session #4 participants will be evaluated on their talent and ability (i.e. tumbling, stunting, etc.). Following Session #4, final cuts will be made and the results posted approximately one hour after. At that time, there will be a MANDATORY meeting for all of the newly selected squad members; meeting will last approximately one hour.

*Schedule and format of the tryouts are subject to change at any time.

Stunt Clinics: - There are no scheduled stunt clinics at this time.

Appearance Request Form 

Additional Information
If you have additional questions or concerns, or are interested in learning more about the Southern Miss Cheerleading program, please use the contact information below.

Contact Information
If you need to contact the Southern Miss Cheerleading Program for any reason, please use the following information, please do not contact the Southern Miss Athletic Department with questions about cheerleading or spirit groups:

Jaclyn Rivera
Head Cheerleading Coach & Mascot Coordinator
Southern Miss Athletics
118 College Dr. #5017
Hattiesburg, MS 39406
E-mail: Jaclyn.Rivera@usm.edu
Fax: (601) 266-6595