Cheerleading

Instructions for new and returning members (2024/2025):

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

Step 2: Fill out the "Panthers Athlete Details" form. This is for all members (new and returning), including individuals that wish to join social cheer. The link to the form can be found at the top of this page alongside our contact details. Alternatively, copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://forms.office.com/e/N6qd7qqZGd

*If you are wishing to join social cheer only, this is all you need to do and we will be in touch with you.

Step 3: 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 4: Once you have filled out the form and 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 and we are pleased to announce the addition of a new Level 3 adaptive abilities competitive stunt team for 2024/25 (Season 15). Our cheer-dance squad consists of a competitive Pom team and our new competitive Lyrical team which is being introduced for the year 2024/25. All of these teams get the opportunity to perform and compete nationally! In addition to our competition squad, we also provide a non-competitive performance, Varsity team designed for developing athletes and those who still wish to perform but not compete. They will have opportunities to perform at showcases and a variety of sports matches and events throughout the year! If competing and performing is not for you, 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 as well as our Varsity performance team. 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. 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' 15th 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 filling out the form and reserving your slot.

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 24th September 2024:

Clubs and Societies Freshers Fair

Time = 10:00am - 4:00pm (10:00am - 11:00am = quiet hour)

Location = Student's Union

 

Wednesday 25th September 2024:

Tumble Workshop

Time = 7:30am - 9:00am

Location = Gymnasium, Keele Sports Centre

 

Wednesday 25th September 2024:

Keele Panthers Give It A Go

Time = 11:00am - 1:00pm

Location = Alderton Hall, Keele Sports Centre

 

Thursday 26th September 2024:

Try-out Dances Workshop

Routines taught for the following try-outs: Cheer, Pom, and Lyrical

Time = 7:30am - 9:00am

Location = Walshaw Hall, Keele Sports Centre

 

Friday 27th September 2024:

Stunting and Lifting Workshop

Time = 7:30am - 9:00am

Location = Walshaw Hall, Keele Sports Centre

 

Sunday 29th September 2024:

Taster Sessions

Time = 11:30am - 12:30pm (Pom)

Time = 12:30pm - 1:30pm (Lyrical)

Time = 1:30pm - 3:30pm (Cheer and Adaptive)

Location = Walshaw Hall, Keele Sports Centre

 

Monday 30th September 2024:

Pom Drop-in

Time = 7:30am - 9:00am

Location = Gymnasium, Keele Sports Centre

 

Wednesday 2nd October 2024:

Lyrical Drop-in

Time = 7:30am - 9:00am

Location = Gymnasium, Keele Sports Centre

 

Thursday 3rd October 2024:

Cheer Drop-in

Time = 7:30am - 9:00am

Location = Walshaw Hall, Keele Sports Centre

 

Friday 4th October 2024:

Cheer Level 2 Try-out (Session 1 of 2)

*If you have indicated a preference for being placed on the level 2 team please attend this session in addition to the Sunday try-outs. Here we will be assessing tumbling and stunting ability only and we will only ask to see level 2 skills. Athletes attending this session will still be expected to attend Sunday try-outs. Everyone who attends Sunday will still be considered for both level 1 and 2. Please keep an eye on our social media for the skills being assessed at this Friday session.

Time = 7:30am - 9:00am

Location = Walshaw Hall, Keele Sports Centre

 

Saturday 5th October 2024:

Pom Try-outs

Time = 2:30pm - 4:00pm

Location = Gymnasium, Keele Sports Centre

 

Saturday 5th October 2024:

Lyrical Try-outs

Time = 4:00pm - 5:30pm

Location = Gymnasium, Keele Sports Centre

 

Sunday 6th October 2024:

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

Time = 11:30am - 3:30pm

Location = Walshaw Hall, Keele Sports Centre

 

Saturday 12th October 2024:

Varsity Development Try-outs

Time = 2:30pm - 5:30pm

Location = Gymnasium, 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 £59.95 and covers you for the whole academic year of 2024/25. 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 2024/25. 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: £97

Cheerleading Pom membership = Competitive Pom dance team membership: £90

Cheerleading Lyrical membership = Competitive Lyrical dance team membership: £75

Cheerleading Adaptive Stunt membership = Competitive L3 adaptive abilities stunt group membership: £20

Cheerleading Varsity Development membership = Non-competitive development and performance team membership: £65

Cheerleading Social membership = Non-competitive, non-performance, social session membership: £35

 

 

COMPETITIVE TEAM TRAINING SESSIONS (commencing week beginning 7th October 2024)

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

*Please be advised that on weeks beginning 11th November, 2nd December and 16th December, sessions will differ. This will be communicated to each team with plenty of notice.

*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). Competitive members should also attend the conditioning focused social cheer sessions on 26/10, 30/11, 14/12 (in line with Sports Centre Capacity). Team Captains will come to an alternative arrangement if you are unavailable for social cheer sessions.

 

CHEER LEVEL 1

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

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

 

CHEER LEVEL 2

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

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

 

POM

Monday 7:30am - 9:00am (Sports Centre: Gymnasium)

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

 

LYRICAL

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

 

ADAPTIVE STUNT GROUP

Saturday 1:30pm - 2:30pm (Sports Centre: Gymnasium)

 

 

NON-COMPETITIVE TEAM TRAINING SESSIONS (commencing week beginning 14th October 2024)

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

 

VARSITY DEVELOPMENT

Saturday 4:00pm - 5:30pm (Sports Centre: Gymnasium)

Members of this team will also be required to attend social cheer training for any skill-based sessions. These sessions are:

Saturday 19th October - tumble and dance - 2:30pm - 4:00pm (Sports Centre: Gymnasium)

Saturday 9th November - stunting and jumps - 2:30pm - 4:00pm (Sports Centre: Gymnasium)

Saturday 7th December - tumble and dance - 2:30pm - 4:00pm (Sports Centre: Gymnasium)

Members of this team that wish to participate in a joint half-time performance with Staffordshire University Cheer Team during Varsity week will be required to attend the following additional sessions:

Wednesday 23rd October, 5:00pm - 7:00pm (Staffordshire University, LRV)

Wednesday 6th November, 5:00pm - 7:00pm (Staffordshire University, LRV)

Wednesday 20th November, 5:00pm - 7:00pm (Staffordshire University, LRV)

Wednesday 4th December, 5:00pm - 7:00pm (Staffordshire University, LRV)

Members of this team will be given the opportunity to sideline cheer at sports team matches and fixtures. The team captain will inform you of when these are and ensure everyone has equal opportunity to partake.

 

SOCIAL TRAINING

Saturday 2:30pm - 4:00pm (Sports Centre: Gymnasium)

*Please note, normal practices will not take place on the following dates: Saturday 2nd November (Club Fundraiser), Saturday 16th November (PvP), Saturday 23rd November (Club Fundraiser), Saturday 21st December (Winter Vacation).

 

 

Showcases 24/25:

Prospective date; 13th December 2024 - Semester 1 Keele Panthers Charity Showcase (Prospective location; Keele Sports Centre, ST5 5BG)

Sunday 15th December 2024 - Momentum Cheer Blast Off Showcase (Sir Stanley Matthews Sports Centre, Staffordshire University, ST4 2YJ)

Prospective date; tbc - Semester 2 Keele Panthers Charity Showcase (Prospective location; Keele Sports Centre, ST5 5BG)

Competitions 24/25:

16th February 2025 - Future Cheer University Nationals (Manchester Central, M2 3GX)

15th March 2025 - Legacy Alpha & Omega University Nationals (Resorts World Arena, Birmingham, B40 1NT)

22nd & 23rd March 2025 - BCA Cheer and Dance Cymru Clash (International Convention Centre Wales, Newport, NP18 1DE)

 

 

WELLBEING ACTIVITIES:

 

Saturday 19th October:

Time and Location TBC

Club Welcome Social (meet the committee, get to know your team, opportunity for questions, activities)

 

Wednesday 13th November:

Time and Location TBC

Activity: Coffee Afternoon

 

Saturday 30th November:

Time and Location TBC

Activity: Christmas Compliment Baubles

Write a compliment about a teammate and place it inside a Christmas decoration.

 

 

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
25/09/24	Beach Day	All returners and newcomers are welcome to our first social of the year! Dress in your favourite beach day attire. You do not have to be a member to attend, we'd love to get to know all of you before try-outs.
02/10/24	Army Cadets	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 army cadet outfits.
09/10/24	Sleepover	Fancy going straight from a night-out to bed? Come along to our sleepover social in your pj's and comfies!
16/10/24	WELCOME SOCIAL	DRESS AS THE FIRST LETTER OF YOUR NAME Now that tryouts are finished and team placements have been made, come along to our welcome social and get to know your new teammates!
23/10/24	Cops and Robbers	Returners = Cops Newcomers = Robbers
30/10/24	Fright Night	It's the spooky season, so come in your best halloween outfits!
06/11/24	Dress as your type	Most of us probably have the same type, and that's a walking red flag.
13/11/24	Magic Mike	We expect to see some Channing Tatum dance moves tonight.
16/11/24	Past versus Present	One of the biggest socials of the year! PvP brings together current and alumni members for the best night out yet. Wear Keele Panthers merch/kit or colours (black, red and gold)
20/11/24	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
27/11/24	Heroes and Villains	Returners = Superheroes Newcomers = Villains
04/12/24	Rhinestoning Cowboy Hats	This Wednesday we will replace our regular social with an activity. In preparation for our Cowboys and Buckle Bunnies chairty night out on the 5th December, we will be rhinestoning our cowboy hats and making decorations for our clubs upcoming event.
05/12/24	Cowboys and Buckle Bunnies K2 Charity Night Out	Instead of our usual Wednesday night social, this week Keele Panthers are going to hold a charity night out event in collaboration with the Dance Society. Dress for the rodeo!
11/12/24	Christmas	Our last social of semester 1! Wear anything festive.