Information Packet 2014-2015 Season

Information Packet
2014-2015
Season
We are so excited that you have chosen to become a part
of the Pacific Northwest’s newest All Star Cheerleading
facilities! Our mission at Sonic Elite is to provide your
children a place to enrich their lives through the world of
competitive cheer!
Our goal is to give your children the guidance, skills,
integrity, leadership, commitment, confidence, positivity,
teamwork and hard work as well as share the love for the sport. We take pride in our ability to
focus specific attention on each individual all the while teaching each member to excel in all
skill areas of cheerleading. Our program is about pulling families together and making everyone
a member of our team.
All Star cheerleading is all about serious competition. It’s unlike high school or college
cheerleading because there are no games to cheer at, no spirit-raising, and most of the
cheerleaders on each team will not even go to the same school. So for someone who is looking
for competition only, All Star cheerleading may be the answer.
All Star cheerleading is a competitive team sport incorporating skills from several other
disciplines such as gymnastics, dance, stunting and, of course, cheer. All Star cheerleading
squads do not cheer for other sports teams. They are the team!
All-Star cheerleading teams differ from other teams by training year-round for competitions.
They also differ from most other sports in that every team member is vital to the team and the
performance. There are no benchwarmers. Everybody has an integral part! Each member of the
squad is trained in all aspects of the sport in order to develop their skills to reach their
maximum potential.
The try out process is very casual and fun! It is not a “try out” per say but an evaluation of your
child’s current skill level. We will have every child perform the following solo and then again in
a group; jumps, tumbling skills, dance and choreography.
After try-outs staff will begin placing members in their teams. There may be athletes on any
given team that tumble at different levels than the rest of their teammates. The coaching staff
will place athletes by level the best that they can, but please remember that stunting, pyramids,
jumps, dance, motion and most of all age are the biggest factors when being placed. Some
members will be stronger tumblers than others, we chose our teams based on the positions
that we need filled i.e.; bases, flyers, tumblers, etc. Every athletes is placed on certain teams for
a reason, please trust our staff to make the right decisions and what is best for the team.
A breakdown of the levels offered for All Star Cheer. Levels are based off of age as well as skill
level. We are unable to commit to any levels of our teams until placements have happened.
Eligibility is based on age by August the 31st 2014
Team practices are mandatory. Calendars will be provided once placements have been made to
allow families to prepare for the season to come. Schedule changes can and will occur based on
coaching, weather and gym schedules as necessary.
All Star Cheerleading requires a 100% commitment by athletes and by families. If you are
unable to attend a practice you must notify a coach or staff immediately. Absences can cause
safety factors for other members when you are not there. All Star cheerleading is a team sport
and every member is a key tool to the success of the team. Once absence can cause an entire
stunt group to be out for an evening, we need to be able to plan around these occurrences.
Attendance is crucial to team success. An “absent request form” must be filled out prior to
missed practices. We ask that NO PRACTICE IS MISSED two weeks prior to any competition.
Excused Absences:
-Illness
-School functions that affect grades
-Family emergencies
-Family vacations during holidays and summer break
-case by case situations
**** Vacations are not permitted during competition season, unless
the gym is closed and the athlete has already cleared it with their
coaches. Please see your coaches with any vacations at any time.
Also, any summer vacations must be in writing 2 weeks prior
to the missed practice(s).
Unexcused Absences-School dances
-“too tired”
-don’t have a ride
-traffic
-etc.
Sonic Elite would like to practice with zero distractions; this is for the safety of your child as well
as the safety of others. We ask that there be a “no parent viewing policy” after team
placements has been made.
We do understand the concerns of parents not being able to see what is going on during a
practice and with that we will allow parents to view the last 15 minutes of any scheduled
practice and that all viewing is done from designated viewing areas. We ask that at no time
parents or non-athletes are to enter practice area.
Viewing will be allowed during any open gym, tumbling classes, skill classes, privates, etc. we
just ask that during team practice we allow our coaches and athletes to be fully focused with
zero distraction.
If an injury should occur, it is the responsibility of the parent to seek professional help. Our gym
does not provide any form of medical insurance, medical insurance is the sole responsibility of
each individual athlete.
Upon occurrence of an injury, an athlete must provide a doctor’s note, release form before
stepping back into the gym to perform any form of practice.
COMMUNICATION- Communication is key to any operation and we would like to provide an
open book policy to all athletes as well as parents.
As a parent, you will be receiving information in ways such as weekly email newsletters,
calendars, Facebook page updates as well as handouts at practices.
We will also have a team bulletin board set out in front that will include all updates,
competition schedule and any changes!
FEES- A schedule of all payments including camps, tuition, apparel, etc. has been attached.
Forms will include all due dates.
A late payment fee of $15 will be added to all fees, there will be a 3-day grace period on all fees
and tuition. If something comes up and you need assistance or extensions on any payment
please let us know at least 10 days prior to due date and we will be more than happy to help
you arrange any form of postponement or payment plan.
All fees are NON-REFUNDABLE, if you choose to leave the gym for any reason there will be no
refund, no exception.
Each parent will be asked to sign a financial contract. Each person signing the contract will be
responsible for keeping his/her child’s account current.
Tuition will be due by the 20th of each month, any payment made after the 23rd will have a $15
late fee attached.
Athletes with excessive past due accounts are still required to be at practice but may be asked
to sit out.
FUNDRAISING- We will be working our hardest to provide any every fundraiser possible for our
athletes to help pay accounts and fees. Any fundraisers in which a child is individually earning
money will go directly to their own personal accounts. Any fundraiser that is a group activity
will be split equally amongst all who participated only. The gym will NEVER take a portion from
any fundraiser money earned, this money is for you and we will do everything we can to help
you earn it.
OTHER IMPORTANT GUIDELINES
*All cell phones must be turned
off during practice. We are not
responsible for any lost phones,
iPods or personal belongings,
please store these in your car or
don’t bring them at all.
*Do not gossip about other
teams, parents, coaches,
staff, gyms or rules of our
facility. Again, if you have
questions or concerns please
ask. This can affect your
position on our team.
*Withholding your child from
practice as a form of
discipline is not allowed. This
is unfair and hurts the rest of
the team who is attending
practice. It effects everyone
*Please do not create, duplicate
any Sonic Elite apparel or
merchandise. We love that you
are excited about your team; if
you have something in particular
you want to do, please ask before
doing it.
*It is the parent’s
responsibility to stay
informed, please make sure
you are checking your emails
regularly and reading papers
that are sent home with your
athletes.
*Please do not post videos of
our teams routines online
unless we post them first on
our social networking sites
PRIOR to competition
season, you are free to share
any photos and video we
post.
*Punctuality is a must! Please
arrive to practice 10 minutes early
in order to put on your shoes and
put away your belongings, you
must be on the floor and ready to
go when your practice time
begins.
*No food or drink is allowed
in the practice area at any
time with the exception of
water. This includes, no
Gatorades, PowerAde’s, etc.
*Remove all piercings before
practice, this includes
earrings, belly rings, etc. this
is for your safety, we cannot
stress this enough
We will be attending several competitions throughout the season. Competitions usually begin
in the month of December and we want to make sure that we are all prepared.
Please note, all competitions are out of town, there are no local competitions at this time. All
competitions will be likely in Tacoma, Bellevue, Portland and if we attend a National Event, they
will be out of state. We will get all information to you in as much advance as possible.
For out of state events the likeliness will be that of Anaheim, CA –Dallas, TX- Vancouver, BC and
if we qualify we will attend The Summit in Orlando, FL
**We will only be traveling to one out of state event (besides Portland), the only other time we
will attend a second out of state event is The Summit, which you must win a bid for. IF, we
attend Summit, we will do all we can in fundraising and sponsorships to get there**
TRANSPORTATION- All transportation/accommodations are solely the responsibility of each
family. We will make any and all efforts to provide you information for travel in a timely
manner. We are not responsible for competition cancellations.
If you are unable to get your athlete to a competition please let us know immediately and we
will find another form of transportation for them to ride with another athlete.
Out of state competitions are solely the responsibility of the parents as well, this includes
airfare and lodging.
ATTIRE- Your athlete must wear their uniform shell, spankies and warm ups to all competitions.
Please bring your skirt/shorts in bag.
DO NOT wear your shoes outside, please bring an extra pair of shoes to all practices and events,
remember flyers; your bases will be touching your feet, we need your shoes to be clean and
sanitary.
Please arrive at competitions in full hair and makeup
**A competition packet will be sent out in early November with more specifics**