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Countdown to Camp (Aug 8/09)

Welcome to the Fighting Bears Cheerleaders Team Website!

Please check back often to be up to date on our schedule and all team information! Be sure to check out all the different links on the left and utilize them often!

Please scroll down for some important updates!

Go Fighting Bears!

 

Update 10/27/2009

Hi everyone!

 

First off I just want to say how PROUD I am of the girls!! As you all saw, they completely wow'd the arena on Sunday and the girls deserve a huge congratulations! Their ability to learn a routine that was extremely advanced and perform it soooo well in front of hundreds of people is an amazing accomplishment for such young children. I am so very proud of them and thank you all for the dedication and support it took from everyone to get them to such a level.

 

Now for the following 2 weeks:

 

It seems that it is my turn to be sick. :( I am sure that after such a stressful couple of weeks everyone could use a bit of a break anyway. SO, there will be NO PRACTICE today or tomorrow. 

 

We WILL be holding a short practice Thursday from 6:00-7:00. We will hopefully have some older Pop Warner girls coming to teach the kids some of their cheers. This should be fun!

 

Saturday's game is FINALLY home!! Yay! We will be playing at Great Oak High School at 11:00 am. This means meet time at the school will be 10:30 am. Tardy policy enforced. :) If it is cold, we will wear liners.

 

For next week, I will cut practice down to Tueday and Thursday only from 6:00-7:00 pm. We will be working on some fun pyramids and stuff to finish off our season with at the Chocalate Bowl on November 7th.

 

Please respond to this email so that I know you got the message about tonight. Thank you everyone!! Go Bears!

 

Competition Update for Sunday

 

Hi everyone! Here is a complete run down of how Sunday will go:

 

* We will be meeting in front of the Viejas Arena (formerlly Cox Arena) on the San Diego State University campus.

Address: Viejas Arena, 5500 Canyon Crest Drive, San Diego, CA  92182-4210

Please go to http://www.as.sdsu.edu/viejas_arena/event_park.html for more info on parking, directions, etc.

I have been told that they have waived the $10 parking fee for us this year. However, being the paranoid person that I am, I suggest that you bring an extra $10 just in case. :)

 

* Meet Time: 6:15 AM.

 

* The coaching staff and teams will be entering the arena at 7:00 AM.

 

* Parents will be allowed in at 7:30 AM.

We ask that all TVPW parents sit together and get the best seats possible. We want to be very visable to our girls as well as to the other teams. :) Please wear our team colors in support.

Entry will be $15 for adults. Children age 15 and under are free.

 

* Please note that the team is located on the opposite side of the spectators. The girls will not have access to you once we are let in. Only PW staff is permitted in the kid's area and security does check. If there is anything your daughter will need from you, pack it in their cheer bag. I will have my phone with me in case of emergency and our entire staff will be there to assist.

 

What to wear:

The girls should be in FULL uniform WITH LINER ON.

Please take the time this week to clean up and shine your cheer shoes. I need them all white and nice and clean.

I will be giving a tutorial on how I want the hair at Wednesday's practice and again on Thursday. Here are some written directions on hair:

 

Hair Directions:

The girls should sleep with their liners and shell on, on Saturday night. The easiest way to have their hair done and correctly curled is to do it the night before.

With liner and shell on, put the girls hair in a HIGH pony tail. (Should be on top of the crown of their head). Only brown or black hair ties are allowed.

With hair up in pony, spray each small piece of hair with hair spray or gel. (whatever will work best in your daughter's hair).

Use either perm rods (the best option) or sponge curlers and roll them all the way down to the base of their head.

Leave the curlers in overnight. Come to the arena at 6:15 AM WITH CURLERS STILL IN.

PLEASE PACK A LARGE ZIP LOCK BAG IN THE GIRL'S CHEER BAGS. When it is time to take out their hair, we will put the curlers in each girls bag. If you have extra hair spray, please pack that with them as well.

The girl's hair should be tightly in place and sprayed entirely with hair spray so that no fly aways or extra hair can move. All bangs must be tightly secured out of face.

 

Schedule:

***The following is a TENTITIVE schedule. They try to follow this time frame but if they become ahead or behind schedule, the competition continues without stopping. Please do NOT rely on this. If you do, you may miss their performance.

 

8:30 AM

Opening Ceremonies

 

8:45 AM

Flag Performances and Awards

 

9:15 AM

Introduction of Judges

Jr Pee Wee and Pee Wee Performances

 

11:30 AM

Mitey Mite Performances and Awards

 

**The girls MUST stay until our award ceremony. After our awards we will bring the kids out to you. I will not release the children to anyone besides a parent unless arrangements are made in advance. :) You may leave at that point, or you may stay and watch the remainder of the competition- your choice.

 

If you have ANY questions about Sunday please let me know. It will be a GREAT day for our team! Go Bears!

 

Update 10/9/09

 

Thank you to all of you for continuing to work hard to get your girls to functions on time and consistently supporting the team. The girls have been working so hard for me and their drive and focus is amazing. This is because you all, as parents, are helping to instill the values in the children that it takes to be successful athletes. You should all be so proud of the kids because what they have accomplished thus far has far surpassed the expectations of a mitey mite cheer squad! Go Bears!

 

Update: 9/1/2009

Review of Pom Policy :)

I have very strict rules for games. This is because there are 30 girls and poms can become a problem if the girls are not held accountable for their actions with them! The following WILL be enforced at games:

*If ANYONE forgets their poms for a game, the ENTIRE TEAM MAY NOT USE THEM.

We are a team. One person's actions effect many and we must look uniform. Please help me out with this by making sure you always have your poms and they are kept in the bag. I recommend leaving the pom bag in your vehicle so that they can never be left behind. :)

*I will not allow any playing around, putting down, throwing, arguing over, etc. of poms.

This is pretty self explanatory. :) I will ask the entire team to put their poms back in their cheer bags if anyone is causing a disruption with their poms.

All patches must be sewn on this week otherwise the girls may not cheer. (Pop Warner rules).

Update: 8/2009

 

Pop Warner Patch:

 

 

Game Day!

We always meet 30 min before game time to have a proper warm up. If your daughter is late to the game (meaning OUR meet time, not the time the game starts) then she will have to sit out the first quarter. I will need them to spend that time stretching and getting ready to cheer starting the second quarter of the game.

 

I understand many of you have multiple children in the program and have to juggle getting to different games at different locations. However, there are several families that have this issue and do what it takes to be on time. I don't do this to be "mean" or even as a "punishment". I do this because it is not fair to the team to have people arrive late. It takes away from their practice, warm up, and even their confidence in what they are about to do. I have 30 girls on this team and need to maintain some kind of order. Their are several families (including myself) that are willing to take kids to and from games in order to help those of you with conflicting schedules. :)

 

Come ready with uniforms on, correct shoes, hair in high pony is designated bow.

**If the girls are not in the correct uniform (including shoes, hair, etc) they cannot cheer**

Use of the liners depends on the weather. If it is a warm forecast, they will NOT be wearing the liners. However ALWAYS bring them with you just in case!! If it is scheduled to be cold for the game time, please have them come with the liners on.

 

Please email me if you have any questions.

 

Donations:

To those of you that have already turned in your donation money- Thank you!! Just a reminder I need everyone to start getting their donation money in. Each child needs to get a minimum $50 sponsorship/donation. Let me know if you need a donation form. This money may come from a local business, family, friend, yourselves, or a combination of all of these! After we pay our $1000 to Pop Warner, all monies we earn go back to our children!

 

 

Practices

Practices start on Tuesday, August 4th. Practice time is 6:00-7:30 pm at Temecula Middle School Field.

You can find us practicing directly behind the little bleachers just below the black top.

 

Please have the girls wear our team colors (green, gold, and white or black).

 

IMPORTANT: Hair must be up in a pony and out of the face. This includes long bangs. NO jewelry of any kind (including earrings) is allowed during practice. Nails must be short (for stunting saftey) and no nail polish. Cheer shoes MUST be worn to practice. The shoes must be a soft, flat tread. Clunky shoes (even athletic shoes) are not allowed because the girls cannot safely stunt with them.

 

If ANY of the above practice rules are broken on any day, the girls will have to sit out of practice. This is Pop Warner's rules and are important for the saftey of our girls.

 

Team Calendar

Please check and print out our calendar for the next month. It has other important dates on there for the month of August including picture day, jog a thon, and carnival info.

 

If anyone has any questions please let me know. Looking forward to a fun season! Go Bears!!

Update: 6/3/2009

 

 

Staff Introduction:

I am SO lucky to have a wonderful coaching staff supporting me! They are:

Team Mom: Suzy Williams

Coach Judi Grasser

Coach Carol Lang

Coach Shanlan Smith

and joining us this year...

Coach Jacki Barat

Coach Erica Arino

Thank you all for your continued help and support!

 

About my cheerleading background:

Cheerleading has been my passion for most of my life. I started cheering in middle school. Continued through high school where I was captain of my team at Murrieta Valley High. After HS I was recruited by UCA (Universal Cheerleaders Association). Instead of working for UCA I went to Cal State Fullerton where I studied dance for a short time. I have coach for and/or done choreography for several middle schools and high schools in Southern California. As both a cheerleader and a coach, I have a cumulative total of 10 National placings. I am currently going into my 12th year as an instructor for Championship Cheerleading (a private camp company) specializing in stunt technique and saftey. This will be my 2nd year with Pop Warner.

 

Some basic rules: please note this does NOT cover all of the rules of the team. All of my decisions are based on what is best for the TEAM and instilling sportsmanship and values into the children. Disciplinary actions or other issues will be dealt with on a situational basis.

We have a large team this year. It is important that the girls learn that they are, in fact, YOUNG ATHLETES. I will be treating them this way. Just as it is your responsibility to get the kids to school on time, it is your responsibility to get the kids to games on time! Their young minds are being molded by US. It is important that they learn the value of team work and being a reliable part of our team! 

 

Therefore, it is very important that the girls arrive ON TIME to games, practices or any other cheer event. I understand sometimes things come up. I am very easy to get ahold of. I have text, email on my BB, and of course a voice mail. I ask that you please let me know if you will be running late. There will be times where even if you DO alert me of your tardiness, your daughter MAY NOT be performing in our half time or other scheduled event. Also, if you are more then 15 minutes late your daughter could be benched for the 1st quarter of the game.

 

The girls must be in correct uniforms and following Pop Warner guidelines or else they may not cheer. If you are unsure of whether or not we are wearing or using a certain item BRING IT to be safe.

 

Nail polish or nail coloring of any kind is not allowed (this is a league rule)

 

Make up in not allowed.

 

Correct cheer shoes (either Nike or Walmart brand) must be worn at all cheer events and practices.

 

Hair must be up in a pony tail at all times. Proper hair bow (to be provided by me) must be worn at all games and performances.

 

Any questions, comments, or issues should be directed to me, not the asst. coaches or team mom. We work as a unit however, I am the final decision maker. I am available to talk with you about any issues before or after practice. (Never during). :)

 

Fundraising

As a large team, we owe the Pop Warner League $1000 this year. Our account will not be considered in the positive or our money until this debt is paid off. This is a yearly payment that all teams must make the the league to help keep registration costs low.

 

I am asking that each team member get a minimum donation of $50. This can come from a local business, family member, friend, yourself, or a combination of all of these! All donations are tax deductible and I will have donation forms with tax ID # available for those who need it!

 

Fundraising is a TEAM EFFORT. We all put forth everything can for our team. I would like everyone to remember that this is for the children and we all do our best. We will not be keeping track of who does what and how many times. Any way you can help out during all fundraising events is appreciated; whether it be donating your time, money, or much needed items. It'll take everybody to make this team a success! :)

 

Poms

We will be using Poms this year! (Yes, I am bending on this one!) ;)  Some rules that will be enforced with the poms:

 

All poms will be labeled with the individual cheerleaders names.

Poms will be kept in a bin to be held by the coaches once games begin. We will pass out the correct poms to each girl before the game, and collect them after.

 

Poms will be held in the girls hands for the ENTIRE game. (unless stunting requires them to put them down). This will keep the game lines organized and uncluttered.

 

If anyone is missing their poms, or the girls start dropping them, fighting over them, ect. the poms will be put away until the next game.

 

Practices

Practices will be Tues, Wed, and Thurs 6:00-7:30 at TMS (Temecula Middle School). Address can be found in the locations page of our site.

Practice times are subject to change slightly with adequate notice given for any changes. :)

 

Games

Games are every Saturday starting August 29th. Times vary week to week. As soon as our game schedule comes out I will post it. We meet 45 min. before game time for warm up. For away games we will offer the option of caravaning or you guys can set up car pooling amongst yourselves.

 

Uniforms

Full uniform is the liner, shell, skirt, bloomers, socks (plain white low ankle socks), cheer shoes, and cheer bow. If it is warm, we will not wear the liner but always bring it with you just in case. Full uniform is required for participation. :)

 

Shoes

Cheer shoes are offered for purchase through Pop Warner for $45. These are optional of our team. You may also use the Cheer Shoe available at Walmart. STREET SHOES ARE NOT ALLOWED. Only ALL WHITE athletic, FLAT SOLED shoes are allowed. If you have any questions or need further details on what to purchase please let me know. IF you are purchasing your shoes from Pop Warner, please note the fitting time in Very Important Dates.

 

Very Important Dates:

 

August 1: Uniform balances due

 

August 4, 5, and 6th: First week of practice.

** Practices will be ongoing from here on out

 

August 8th: Jamz Camp @ Oceanside HS

** More info to come

 

August 15th: Pictures and jog-a-thon

** More info to come

 

August 28th: Carnival

** More info to come

 

August 29th (Time TBA): First Game!!

 

As always, please get into the habit of checking your email and our web site multiple times a day! I have 30 girls to communicate with and I only use email. If you have any questions that can not be answered on our team site, please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

 

To clarify, we are attached to the  FIGHTING BEARS. However, our team site address will not be changing.

 

Looking forward to a great season! We are so excited to get started! Go Bears!!!