Spirit Cheer Program Overview & Highlights

Welcome to the Park Ridge Spirit Cheer Program! We are looking forward to a great season and to help our young athletes get the most out of Spirit Cheer. Our goal is for your child to walk away with good cheerleading fundamentals and new skills, high self-esteem, new friends, and a smile!

Park Ridge Spirit Cheerleaders cheer recreationally for the Park Ridge Youth Football teams during an 8-week fall season (September-October). We are not a competitive cheer squad and we welcome all girls at any level of experience. Our focus is on teamwork, respect, and positive attitudes. Cheerleading is one of the fastest-growing sports and Park Ridge Football and Cheer are very proud of our well-established cheerleading program.

What We Teach Student-Athletes

SPORTSMANSHIP

We teach our players the importance of having respect for all players coaches and referees, as well as following all the rules. 

TEAMWORK

All our players learn and the importance of how to be a part of a team so that he or she and his or her teammates can all succeed. 

WORK ETHIC

We not only teach our players the importance of hard work to improve but also that it is fun to accomplish the goals they set. 

RESPECT

We teach our young athletes how to be well-mannered individuals on and off the field so they represent our organization with pride.

Spirit Cheer Program Structure

The Park Ridge Spirit Cheerleading program is for girls from Kindergarten (5 years old) to 5th grade (10 years old)

Program

Mini Level

Mighty Level

School Grade

K – 2nd 

3rd – 5th

Sideline Cheer

Flag Football

Flag/Tackle Football

Stunting

No

No

Spirit Cheer Program Details

Squad placement is determined by the Director of Cheer. Squads will be formed by grade with a maximum of 8 and a minimum of 6 cheerleaders.

  • Mini Level – Sideline Cheer for Park Ridge Flag Football
  • Mighty Level – Sideline Cheer for Park Ridge Flag of Tackle Football

Returning cheerleaders will be placed with the squad they were on the previous year unless otherwise requested.

Spirit Cheer squads will practice one day a week for approximately one hour. Practices typically begin two weeks before the first game (games begin the weekend after Labor Day). Practice times and locations will be determined by the squad coach. We know that many of our cheerleaders are involved in other sports and activities. Each coach will work with squad members to come up with a practice time and day that will work for everyone.

Practice Attire: comfortable clothing (no jeans); sneakers (no sandals); hair pulled back. No jewelry, no candy, no gum. All cheerleaders should bring a water bottle to practice.

Our Orientation Clinic will kick off the cheer season in late August. Cheerleaders will meet up with their squad at the Maine Park field to set structure for the season and we will have older cheerleaders from Park Ridge on hand to assist with teaching basic sideline cheers and chants to the squads. We will also be distributing game-day poms, cheer bows, and sweatshirts. Attendance at the orientation clinic is highly recommended for all participants.

Spirit Cheerleaders will excite the fans at the Park Ridge Football Flag and Tackle team HOME games. The games will be at various times in Park Ridge on Saturdays and will possibly include one Friday night game. The season starts in early September and ends in late October. The game schedule will be posted on our website and in TeamSnap in late August.

Inclement Weather: We typically cheer in the rain. If the football players are playing, the cheerleaders are cheering. Games may be delayed or canceled due to lightning or strong storms. Head Coaches will communicate with their squad via email or text regarding canceled games.

Park Ridge Spirit Cheer provides each cheerleader with a cheer uniform top and skirt, poms, game day hair bow, and a sweatshirt. The uniform top and skirt must be returned at the end of the season. At uniform distribution at the beginning of the season, a $50.00 uniform deposit is required. Personal checks will be returned to you when the uniforms are turned in at the end of the season. Uniforms must be clean and in good condition. Please make checks payable to Park Ridge Cheer with your child’s name written in the memo section. No cash deposits will be accepted. If you do not return the uniform on the designated uniform return day, your $50.00 check will be forfeited.

Other items typically needed for the season are black shortie-shorts, white sneakers, white socks, white long sleeve turtleneck, and black leggings for those cold weather days. These items are purchased by the participant.

Squad members are required to maintain and uphold the reputation of the Park Ridge Spirit Cheerleaders through their own conduct and squad spirit. Our participants are required to be courteous, polite, friendly, and try to have a smile for everybody. All cheers and chants shall be of a positive and sportsmanlike manner.

WHO: Open to Kindergarten through 5th graders, PR Spirit Cheer Summer Camp teaches cheerleading skills that are fun and safe!
WHAT: Our participants will have a blast learning dances, jumps, and cheers!
WHEN: Camp will be held Mon, July 10 through Fri, July 14 from 9:00am-12:00pm
WHERE: St. Andrews Lutheran Church gymnasium- 260 N Northwest Hwy, Park Ridge
COST: $135

UPDATE: REGISTRATION FOR THIS CAMP IS CLOSED. WE ARE AT CAPACITY.

Volunteers

Our Spirit Cheer program is run 100% by parent volunteers. We cannot be successful without the support and involvement of our parents. Ways you can help:

  • Head Coach or Assistant Coach – you do not need to have prior cheerleading experience to be a coach, however, we do require a background check. We will assist you with learning cheers and motions, and there will be an orientation clinic in August to teach all of our cheers to you and your squad. Coaches will also receive a complimentary hoodie sweatshirt (2 per squad). If you are interested in becoming a coach, please contact the Director of Cheerleading as soon as possible. 
  • Team Mom – coordinate a snack schedule for games, coordinate homecoming activities, and assist coaches with any needs.
  • Team Photographer – assist with photographing cheerleaders, collecting, and sharing photos with the squad throughout the season, or create your squad’s very own Facebook page.

Park Ridge Spirit Cheerleaders in Action

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