Cheerleading

Instructions for new and returning members (2025/2026):

Step 1: Read the information on this page to decide which team(s) you would like to join/try-out for.

Step 2: If trying out for a competitive or performance team, sign up by "purchasing" one of the FREE try-out reservation slots under the products tab of this page (products tab at the bottom of this page). If you are trying out for more than one team, please ensure you have "purchased" your try-out spot for every team you would like to try-out for.

Step 3: Once you have reserved your space by purchasing the free product(s), you are registered for try-outs. Please keep an eye on your emails and our social media for any updates. We look forward to seeing you!

 

What do we offer? Cheer, dance and the most sparkly kit on campus!

We are a competitive cheerleading and cheer-dance squad. Our cheerleading squad consists of Level 1 and Level 2 cheer. Our cheer-dance squad consists of a competitive Pom team and our competitive Lyrical team. All of these teams get the opportunity to perform and compete nationally! But perhaps you fancy gaining some new skills and keeping up wth your fitness, social memberships are available to all which offer fun skills-based and conditioning sessions without the commitment required for our other competitive and performance-based teams!

Tryouts are required for anyone wishing to join our competitive teams. Both newcomers and returners are required to tryout for these teams. Please reach out to us if you cannot make the tryout dates but would still like to join us. If you already know that you'd like to become a non-competitive and non-performance social member, please get in contact with us also.

Our main aim is working towards National University competitions that occur during semester 2. Building community, supporting other sports teams, and volunteering our time to fundraise and hold charity events is an integral part of being a Panther! Our philanthropy and hard-work earned us the AU Community Shield in 2023/24, Team of the Year 2024/25 and most importantly AU Club of the Year 2024/25! We are a supportive and caring group of individuals that want to share the love we have for our sport and help our members to thrive and enjoy the variety of aspects university life has to offer. We hold regular socials that all members are welcome to attend. Over the year, we will also host well-being socials, activities and group-trips, and our end of year awards party! Additionally, we organise a tour in the Spring or Summer holidays, to give members the opportunity to travel, bond with team members, and celebrate the successes of our club! 

As a club we accept and encourage people of all ages, ability and gender to join cheerleading and cheer-dance, as we pride ourselves on our sportsmanship, inclusivity and diversity. No prior expereince of cheerleading or dance is required to join our club; all we ask is that you have fun! Cheerleading is for all, and we remain committed to the ethos of our sport and our university. We are aware that everyone joining us is a student and we will always prioritise your studies first. Please consider the level of commitment that you are able to make to us around your studying and other commitments before deciding which teams to tryout for.

We also receive coaching and training from Momentum Cheer, Team England Coaches, who have expert knowledge in our sport and are enthusiastic, encouraging individuals that share Keele Panther's love of cheer!

Please keep an eye on our social media for any updates on upcoming events, tryouts and training and do get in contact with us via email or instagram if you have any additional questions (Instagram: @keelepanthers   TikTok: @keelepanthers0)

We are extremely excited as we enter Keele Panthers' 16th season and can't wait to meet all of you!

 

Try-out Process

Remember, we are not looking for perfection, we are looking for potential! Our main priority is that everyone is safe and having fun. Don't be afraid to ask for help or ask questions, we are always happy to assist.

1. Ensure you have registered for try-outs by reserving your slot by purchasing the free product below in the products section.

2. Please arrive 10-15 minutes before try-outs to get your number and to allow us to check your registration.

3. Wear clothes you are comfortable moving around in (basic gym wear is acceptable e.g. shorts, leggings, T-shirt). Please either wear cheer shoes or clean trainers for cheer team try-outs. For dance teams, you may wear trainers, jazz shoes or barefoot. Make sure you bring plenty and water.

4. Please remove all jewellery. If you wear acrylic or false nails, please either remove these or ensure they are short. This is for the safety of yourselves and other members.

5. Hair longer than shoulder length needs to be tied back. For hair shorter than shoulder length, just ensure it is not bothering you and it's out of your face.

6. Inform us of any injuries or conditions we should be aware of that may impact your try-outs.

7. Do your best and have fun!

*Please keep an eye on your Keele email (the one you entered for registration) for team placements following try-outs fo rnext instructions.

*Before try-outs we are hosting a number of workshops and taster sessions for you to attend. We will also post videos of some of the skills we will ask to see at try-outs, so please watch our social media and attend sessions to familiarise yourselves.

 

WELCOME WEEK SCHEDULE: Workshops, Taster Sessions and Try-outs

*Anyone is welcome to attend any of the following sessions and tryouts. All of these are free.

*All individuals that tryout for a competitive team and are unsuccessful, will automatically be invited to attend the Varsity Development team tryouts and will be considered as reserve athletes for competitive teams.

 

Tuesday 29th September 2025:

Pom Drop-in

Time = 7:30am - 9:00am

Location = Alderton Hall, Keele Sports Centre

 

Thursday 2nd October 2025:

Cheer Drop-in

Time = 7:30am - 9:00am

Location = Walshaw Hall, Keele Sports Centre

 

Saturday 4th October 2025:

Pom Try-outs

Time = 2:30pm - 4:00pm

Location = Gymnasium, Keele Sports Centre

 

Saturday 4th October 2025:

Lyrical Try-outs

Time = 4:00pm - 5:30pm

Location = Gymnasium, Keele Sports Centre

 

Sunday 5th October 2025:

Cheer Try-outs (Level 1, Level 2 & Adaptive)

Time = 11:30am - 3:30pm

Location = Walshaw Hall, Keele Sports Centre

 

IMPORTANT INFO ABOUT MEMBERSHIP PRICES:

(Please make sure you buy the correct membership for the part of the club you are attending! We would recommend NOT buying any membership until team placements are made!)

*Please be aware, the Athletics Union requires all members to also purchase an AU membership. This entitles you to be part of any sports club at Keele, including Panthers. The cost of this is an additional £62.95 and covers you for the whole academic year of 2025/26. Please contact the AU with any questions you have about the AU membership.

*All of our team memberships cover you for the entire year of 2025/26. Additional payments for competition fees, uniform etc. will be explained in your team placement email. Please get in touch with us if you need assistance on where to go for financial support.

*Regularly check emails and updates from the university and SU for possible grants, funding and scholarships available this year. We will advertise any financial assistance that we are aware of.

Cheerleading Stunt membership = Competitive L1 and L2 cheer team membership: £72

Cheerleading Pom membership = Competitive Pom dance team membership: £79

Cheerleading Lyrical membership = Competitive Lyrical dance team membership: £45

Cheerleading (Adaptive) Stunt Group membership = Competitive stunt group membership: £25

Cheerleading Social membership = Non-competitive, non-performance, social session membership: £25

Other fees such as competition fees, uniforms, shoes and bows will apply for competitive teams!

 

COMPETITIVE TEAM TRAINING SESSIONS (commencing week beginning 6th October 2025)

*Please arrive 10 minutes before each session is due to start to help put out equipment and get ready!

*Please keep an eye on your Keele emails and  Whatsapp for any changes to training. If unsure ask a member of committee and your team captain.

*All competitive team memberships entitle the individual to attend social cheer sessions in addition to their team training times (provided numbers do not exceed Sports Centre capacity).

 

CHEER LEVEL 1

Thursday 7:30am - 9:00am (Sports Centre: Walshaw Hall)

Sunday 1:30pm - 3:30pm (Sports Centre: Walshaw Hall)

 

CHEER LEVEL 2

Friday 7:30am - 9:00am (Sports Centre: Walshaw Hall)

Sunday 11:30am - 1:30pm (Sports Centre: Walshaw Hall)

 

POM

Tuesday 7:30am - 9:00am (Sports Centre: Alderton Hall)

Wednesday 7:30am - 9:00am (Sports Centre: Walshaw Hall)

 

LYRICAL

Sunday 9:30am - 11:30am (Sports Centre: Gymnasium)

 

NON-COMPETITIVE TEAM TRAINING SESSIONS (commencing week beginning 13th October 2024)

*Please arrive 10 minutes before each session is due to start to help put out equipment and get ready!

 

SOCIAL TRAINING

Saturday 2:30pm - 5:00pm (Sports Centre: Gymnasium)

 

Showcases 25/26:

Momentum Showcase: 7th December 2025

 

Competitions 25/26:

15th February 2026 - Future Cheer University Nationals (Manchester Central, M2 3GX)

14th March 2026 - Legacy Alpha & Omega University Nationals (Resorts World Arena, Birmingham, B40 1NT)

29th March 2026 - ICC University Nationals (Telford International Centre, TF3 4JH)

WELLBEING ACTIVITIES:

Please keep an eye out for messages and social media posts regarding wellbeing activities. Semester 2 prospective acitivities include: movie night, competition pin decorating, compliment t-shirts (show-offs), stone painting, Varsity crafts, club picnic etc.

Get in touch with Emily, our Wellbeing Officer, if you have any questions or concerns, or need a friendly face to talk to!

 

 

WEDNESDAY NIGHT AU SOCIALS: 

Here is the plan of the socials we will be running in semester 1!  We would love to see you all there! Keep checking our social media for updates and changes to the theme! 

 

Date	Social	Theme/Dress
24/09/25	PJ Party	All returners and newcomers are welcome to our first social of the year! Fancy going straight from a night-out to bed? Come along to our sleepover social in your pj's and comfies! You do not have to be a member to attend, we'd love to get to know all of you before try-outs.
01/10/25	Men in Black	Another opportunity to get to know each other before try-outs; you do not have to be a member to attend! We look forward to seeing you in your best men in black outfits!
08/10/25	Frat boys & Sorority girls (joint with men's rugby)	Cheer - Frat boys! Rugby - Sorority girls!
15/10/25	Magic Mike	We look forward to seeing you in your best magic mike outfits!
22/10/25	Princess & the Pea	Returners: Princesses Freshers: Peas (Green Paint Essential!)
29/10/25	Halloween	It's the spooky season, so come in your best halloween outfits!
05/11/25	Dress as your type (joint with men's football)	Most of us probably have the same type, and that's a walking red flag.
12/11/25	London Tube Stations	Be as creative as you can!
19/11/25	I'm a Celeb	Think jungle attire - just like the programme!
26/11/25	White Lies	Wear a plain white top (one that you don't mind being written on) You'll need a sharpie and a white lie about yourself
03/12/25	Minions	Yellow paint essential!
10/12/25	Christmas	Our last social of semester 1! Wear anything festive.