Spirit Programs

Parent and Athlete Informational Meeting

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Welcome

FAUBION COACHING STAFF

Ashli Gann

agann@mckinneyisd.net

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Ellen Turcato

eturcato@mckinneyisd.net

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AGENDA

PHILOSOPHY AND PURPOSE

TIME COMMITMENT

EVALUATIONS

TEAM SELECTION & SKILLS

REQUIRED FORMS

IMPORTANT DATES

McKinney ISD Spirit

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COSTS

QR CODES

PHILOSOPHY AND PURPOSE

• RESPONSIBILITY

Play a leadership role in building teamwork

Help the school achieve its goals and objectives

Maintain a higher standard of behavior and academic achievement.

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• EXPECTATIONS

Skilled in all aspects of cheerleading

Publicly demonstrate a skill level suitable for the team position

Enthusiastically support all athletic teams

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• COMMITMENT

Begins the day the team is posted through the last day of the following school year

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The purpose of the cheerleaders is to support the curricular and extracurricular activities of McKinney ISD by promoting school spirit. Being a cheerleader is an honor and a special privilege. Cheerleaders and mascots exist to promote good sportsmanship, good citizenship, and wholesome and enthusiastic school spirit. Cheerleaders and mascots are first representatives of their school district and community. They should exemplify both individual and group behavior suitable to their position and in accordance with the rules as stated in the MISD Student Code of Conduct and MISD Extra/Co-Curricular Contract, MISD Cheerleading Guidelines and any campus handbook.

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Time Commitment

Cheerleading requires a HUGE time commitment.

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• Practices outside the school day - up to 8 hours
• Weekly sideline cheering
• Pep Rallies

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Demanding dedication and expectations

School cheer is first priority

No excused absences for outside competitive teams (cheer, soccer, volleyball, etc.)

YEAR LONG

Required to be in the cheer athletic period

Athletes may participate in cheer and athletic

Requires constant open communication with all coaches

CLASS PERIOD

Required events outside of cheering at games

Camp, competitions and appearances

REQUIRED EVENTS

EVALUATIONS

• MISD cheer coaches will hold evaluations for the selection of all teams
• Closed evaluation process
• Must be enrolled in and attending a MISD campus prior to the first day of evaluations
• Academically eligible
• Based on 1/14 (lose)grade report: 1/27 (gain) and 2/14 (gain)
• Submit online application and required forms
• Attend all evaluation sessions to receive maximum score
• Athletes should notify a coach either in person, by phone, or by email of any absence, prior to evaluations.
• See MISD Spirit Guidelines for complete list of eligibility requirements.

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• Black or navy shorts
• Plain white t-shirt with no visible logo
• White sports bra for females
• White cheer shoes
• Hair should be secured away from face in a high ponytail
• No jewelry may be worn
• Nails must be neutral color palette and sport length.
• Failure to comply with the dress code may result in the candidate being dismissed from the evaluations and ineligible to try out for a position on a team.

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EVALUATION DRESS CODE

TEAM SELECTIONS

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• Candidates will be evaluated and selected by the cheer coaches at each campus during an evaluation clinic.
• Coach’s decisions are final.
• It is the responsibility of the parent to make sure your athlete(s) is attending the evaluation clinic and completing the paperwork for the campus for which the student is zoned.
• If an athlete makes the cheer team at one campus and moves to another campus or is not zoned for the campus the athlete was selected, the athlete forfeits the position and will not be placed on the team at the new campus.
• Once uniforms and practice wear are ordered, changes and/or cancellations will NOT be made. Because items are ordered immediately following the fitting, there are NO refunds for any reason.

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Cheerleaders/mascots may not perform if the skills are not maintained/performed and minimum conditioning standards are not met.

SKILLS EXPECTATIONS

Expected to maintain and consistently perform the skills that are demonstrated during evaluations.

Weekly skills evaluations

SKILLS

CHEERLEADING

MASCOT

Candidates are expected to maintain and consistently perform the skills that are demonstrated during evaluations.

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Evaluation Material: Material will be posted on each campus athletic website on

February 14, 2025. It is an expectation that candidates know all material prior to

the first day of evaluations. Material will not be taught during the evaluation clinic.

• Cheer
• Band Chant
• Stunts
• Tumbling
• Dance
• Motions
• Jumps (individual and connected)
• Spirit
• Leadership
• Overall Presence/Attitude

• Crowd Appeal
• Dance/Band Chant
• Character/Antics
• Choreography of planned/impromptu skit
• Use of props
• Spirit
• Leadership
• Overall Presence/Attitude
• Cut music and provide prior to the final day of evaluations

TEAMS

• May consist of up to 30 members.
• High school mascots are considered part of the Varsity team and should be a sophomore, junior or senior.

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VARSITY

• May consist of up to 16 members.

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JUNIOR VARSITY

• Freshman teams are open to freshmen only.
• May consist of up to 16 members

FRESHMAN

MIDDLE SCHOOL

• 8th Grade Team: may consist of up to 30 members.
• 7th Grade Team: may consist of up to 30 members.
• Mascots are considered part of the cheer team.

STEP ONE

• Each candidate will be given instructions on how to find the results of the evaluations during the evaluation clinic.
• If a candidate wishes to receive feedback regarding skills evaluated during tryouts, the candidate should email the coach directly to schedule a meeting.
• All tryout results are final. Meetings will only be to provide skill specific feedback.

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RESULTS

• Athlete will contact coach via email or in person to request a meeting.

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STEP THREE

STEP TWO

• Coach will schedule a meeting date with athlete.

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• Coach and athlete will meet, and coach will provide specific skill feedback.

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REQUIRED FORMS

MISD SPIRIT APPLICATION

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RANK ONE

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McKinney ISD Spirit

www.reallygreatsite.com

It is not necessary to fill out new forms for evaluations if the athlete is a current cheerleader in McKinney ISD.

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ALL FORMS ARE DUE BY FEBRUARY 12, 2025

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Read the MISD SPIRIT GUIDELINES

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REQUIRED FORMS

PHYSICAL FORM

McKinney ISD Spirit

www.reallygreatsite.com

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• If a student is currently a cheerleader/mascot for MISD or participates in athletics in MISD, the physical currently on file will suffice for evaluations. If selected to the team for the 24-25 school year, a new physical on the 24-25 MISD Physical Form must be submitted to the cheer coach on campus by May 9, 2025.
• Students who do not currently have a physical on file for the 24-25 school year, may get the MISD Physical Form from the cheer coach on campus. If the 25-26 physical forms are not ready by January 31, students who do not currently have a physical on file may use the 24-25 physical form. Physicals dated after February 1, 2025, for students who are new to trying out for cheer will be allowed to use the physical for the entire 25-26 school year

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• High school candidates will submit current MISD physical to athletic trainer on campus.
• Middle school candidates will submit physical to middle school campus cheer coach.

EVALUATION DATES

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• Middle School Evaluations
• Wednesday, February 26 and Thursday, February 27, 2025
• Evaluations will be held in the gym at each middle school campus
• 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM; current 6^th and 7^th grade candidates
• Friday, February 28 is a make-up day if needed
• High School Evaluations
• Monday, March 3 and Wednesday, March 5. 2025
• Evaluations will be held in the gym at each high school campus
• 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM: current 8^th -11^th grade candidates
• Thursday, March 6 is a make-up day if needed

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High School Evaluations

Middle School Evaluations

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Evaluations will be held in the gym at each high school campus

• 4:30 PM – 7:30 PM; current 8^th – 11^th grade candidates
• All candidates should arrive dressed and ready to warm-up.

Evaluations will be held in the gym at each middle school campus

• 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM; current 6th and 7th grade candidates
• All candidates should arrive dressed and ready to warm-up.

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EVALUATION TIMES

COSTS

McKinney ISD Spirit

www.reallygreatsite.com

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The following is a list of expenses that may be incurred. This is simply a guideline of the approximate cost of being a cheerleader/mascot of McKinney ISD. All monies will be collected will be with a cashier’s check or money order. NO cash or personal/business checks will be accepted. NO refunds.

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High School Package $825: includes practice wear, personal accessories, and camp

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Middle School Package $600: includes uniform; practice wear, personal accessories, and camp

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• Payment Option One: Money Order or Cashier’s Check for the FULL amount due at the uniform fitting.
• Payment Option Two: Two installments with the first installment due at the fitting and the 2^nd installment due on April 10, 2025. Money order or cashier’s check only.
• High School Installment Plan - $500 due day of parent meeting and $325 due April 10.
• Middle School Installment Plan - $400 due at fitting and $200 due on April 10.

MIDDLE SCHOOL IMPORTANT DATES

PARENT AND TEAM MANDATORY MEETING

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Monday, March 3 at 5:30 PM.

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• Mandatory for a parent/guardian to attend.

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Wednesday, March 5

• 7:30 AM – Dowell
• 9:00 AM – Evans

Tuesday, March 4

• 7:30 AM – Cockrill
• 9:45 AM – Faubion
• 1:30 PM – Johnson

FITTING DATES

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Tuesday, March 4 and Wednesday, March 5

• Athletes should wear a snug fitting tank top, shorts or leggings, sports bra, and spandex.
• Bring socks to try on shoes.
• Athletes will not be allowed to try on garments unless they are wearing appropriate attire listed above.
• Please bring a cell phone or laptop to enter sizing information on the Fitting App.
• Times are tentative and may change.

IMPORTANT DATES

CAMP DATES

High School

• Please reserve the first two weeks in June. As soon as dates are released, firm dates will be released.

Middle School

• Dates: June 2-4
• Location: TBD

PRACTICE DATES

• Calendars will be available at the uniform fittings. All anticipated dates will be listed, and others will be added later as schedules of events become available. All dates on calendars are mandatory unless otherwise stated.

COMPETITION DATES

Middle and High School

• MISD Spirit Championship TBD; first or second weekend in December

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High School

• UIL Spirit Championship
• Generally held during the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend in Ft. Worth. The UIL announces final dates of this competition during late summer/early fall preceding the event. This is a mandatory event for all Varsity cheerleaders. All other cheerleaders should be ready to attend if selected to the team.

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

MISD SPIRIT GUIDELINES

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MISD IMPORTANT DATES

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MISD REQUIRED FORMS