Cheer Tryouts

Tryout Information:

• First Round Tryouts: video submitted by April 9th, 2025
• Invite to In-person tryouts notified on Friday, April 11th
• Second Round In-Person Tryouts: Friday, April 18th - Saturday, April 19th (Invite ONLY)

First Round Video Tryout

Welcome to the video submission requirements for the 2025-2026 tryout season! After reading over all of the details and requirements, please piece all of your videos together to submit during registration. Videos must be submitted on or before April 9th, 2025. Email sdsu.cheer@sdstate.edu for issues.

• Introduction
  • At the beginning of your video, please have a short introduction with your name, current school and grade, cheer experience and stunting position, and why you want to cheer for South Dakota State University!
• Tumbling
  • At SDSU, we use tumbling regularly to help create a more entertaining gameday atmosphere! For this video submission, you must demonstrate:
    • your highest level of standing tumbling and running tumbling.
• Stunts
  • ○ At SDSU we stunt in All-Girl group stunting. For this video submission, we would like to see:
    • Straight up Lib
    • Any switching skill (low to high, switch up, etc.)
    • Full up
    • Skill of your choice (Elite level recommended)
• Motions
  • ○ Traditions and motions are a huge part of the SDSU Cheer program. Through different cheers and fight songs, we help keep the crowd engaged in the sporting event or appearance we are at. For this video, the SDSU Fight Song will need to be included. Below are two links for a front facing and back side of the fight song.
    • SDSU Fight Song Front
    • SDSU Fight Song Back
• Proper attire
  • Plain white t-shirt, plain black shorts, shoes appropriate for cheering.
  • Hair: Half up/Half down with WHITE bow or ribbon | Make Up: Gameday

Once all videos have been reviewed by our coaching staff, invites will be sent out for our in person tryouts by Friday, April 11th.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at sdsu.cheer@sdstate.edu

Commitments

Mandatory Summer Practices & Events *Subject to Change

• Practice: May 30-June 1, June 27-29, July 11-13, July 26-28
• Golf Tournament Fundraiser: August 24th (Brookings, SD)
• UCA College Camp: July 30th (Travel), July 31st - August 3rd (College Camp - Wisconsin Dells, WI)

School Year Practices

• Practice begins when school is in session and runs through the completion of SDSU Men’s & Women’s basketball seasons.
• Practice 1 – 2 times a week. Strength & conditioning workouts are 2 – 3 days a week for the full school year.

Special Events

• Cheerleaders are required to attend all SDSU Cheer fundraisers. Cheerleaders are required to attend University Athletic sponsored events in which their presence is requested.

Fundraising

• Funding for nationals, uniforms, practice gear, warm-ups, poms is produced through multiple fundraising opportunities throughout the year. Each individual must meet their fundraising requirement (approx. $1,800) in order to cheer; or pay the cost of these expenses. Dues are subject to change based on team fundraising.

Additional Information
If a camper will require any accommodations due to special needs, we ask that you notify us via email or in writing of those needs a minimum of two weeks prior to the camp start date so we can make the accommodations.

Questions Contact
Further questions contact sdsu.cheerleading@gmail.com

Jackrabbit Cheer Camps are open to any and all entrants (limited only by number, age, grade level and/or gender).