Thank you for your interest in becoming a Pirate Cheerleader. Tryouts for the 2025 - 2026 team will be held in the Spring of 2025 in a recruitment-style, invitation-only structure. Please read through our FAQ section or email director Haley Elkin (helkin@whitworth.edu) for any questions. For the most up to date information on tryouts, please follow our social media pages. 

CLICK HERE FOR TRYOUT REGISTRATION (Open Jan. 1, 2025): Click Here for Tryout Registration

Tryouts for the Whitworth Cheerleading Team are held in the following format: 

• January 1st - February 28th, 2025: Video Submissions 
• March 1st, 2025: Tryout Invitations Sent Out
• April 5th, 2025: Day 1 of Tryouts (In-Person) 10am - 1pm 
• April 6th, 2025: Day 2 of Tryouts (In-Person) 11am - 1pm
• April 6th, 2025: Team Announced, First Team Meeting

Video Submission Process: 

• Register for the tryout process using this link (Open Jan 1, 2025): Click Here for Tryout Registration
• Following registration, tryout material will be sent to you over email. Tryout material will be learned and submitted by February 28th at 5:00pm. 
  • Tryout Material Consists of: 

• • 1. Fight Song (Please click here to learn Fight Song choreography).

• • 1. • (Please click here for Whitworth Fight Song Music). 

• • 2. 2 or More Stunt Skills (Video clips cannot be older than 3 years. Please showcase your highest/cleanest skills).

• • Videos Will Be Submitted By: 

• • 1. Post your video unlisted on Youtube. 

• • 2. Send the link in an email to helkin@whitworth.edu. 

• • 3. Please include your name, age/grade, and why you want to be a Whitworth Cheerleader (maximum 4 sentences) in the body of your email. 

• • 4. Example tryout video here: Click Here for Example Tryout Video

• Judges will evaluate submissions and send out in-person Day 1 and 2 tryout invitations on March 1st, 2025. If invited to tryouts, tryout material will be sent in the email. Tryout material will be learned and ready to perform on Day 2 of tryouts. 

Tryout Invitations: 

• If tryout prospect video submission score is sufficient, the tryout prospect will be invited to in-person tryouts on April 5th and 6th. Invitations will be sent via email, to the email that video submissions were sent through. Everyone will hear back, even if they are not invited to in-person tryouts. If you do not hear back by March 2nd, please email helkin@whitworth.edu to inquire on the status of your tryout. 

In-Person Tryouts: 

• In-Person Tryouts are invite-only, and will take place in the Whitworth Fieldhouse on the following dates/times: 
  • Day 1: April 5th, 10am - 1pm
  • Day 2: April 6th: 11am - 1pm
• Day 1: 
  • Fitness Test (1 mile run, timed plank, 1-minute push ups) 
  • Tryout Practice 
    • Graduating senior cheerleaders will be assisting in cleaning tryout material and answering questions. 
  • Stunt Time
    • Coaches will break tryout prospects into stunt groups. Coaches will not score stunting, but will use insights gathered from stunt time to make final decisions. 
• Day 2: 
  • Tryout prospects will be broken into groups of 3 - 4 to try out in front of judges. After your tryout group has finished, you are free to leave the fieldhouse. 
  • Final team selection will be posted on the Whitworth Cheer Instagram (@whitworthcheer) at 1:30pm. Those selected for the 2025 - 2026 Whitworth Cheer Team will meet in the WALT 3rd floor Synergy Room (building number 58 on campus map, next to the Fieldhouse) for the first team meeting of the season. Click here for a Campus Map. 

 How is the team selected/announced?

Following in-person tryouts, judges will tally up scores and choose the 2025 - 2026 team. Team selection will be posted on the Whitworth Cheer Instagram (@whitworthcheer) at 1:30pm on April 6th, 2025. Those selected for the team will meet in the WALT Synergy Room (3rd floor meeting room) at 2:00pm. The WALT is building number 58 on the Whitworth Campus Map.  Click here for a Campus Map. 

What should I wear to tryouts? 

Prospective cheerleaders will be asked to wear either a black or white sports bra or tank top with black spandex or shorts for both days of tryouts. 

Day 1: Tryout participants should be dressed appropriately to exercise and stunt. 

Day 2: Tryout participants hair and makeup should be "game day ready" (natural glam makeup, neutral/natural makeup. Your makeup should reflect what makes you feel most confident!). Please wear a black or white sports bra or tank top with black spandex. 

What should I bring to tryouts? 

Day 1: Headshot (any recent photo of you that judges can use during deliberation), hair tie to put up hair for fitness test and stunting, water bottle.

Day 2: Water bottle

 

What does "game day ready" hair and makeup look like?

"Game day ready" as a Whitworth Cheerleader consists of natural glam makeup (neutral eyeshadows, light face makeup). Eyelashes are okay accepted. Hair should be neatly styled and look presentable, as if you were going to cheer a game in the Pine Bowl or the Fieldhouse! 

What experience is required? Do I have to know how to tumble? 

No formal cheerleading experience is required to make the Whitworth ??Cheerleading team. Coaches and judges are looking for a positive attitude, potential to improve and learn quickly, a strong work ethic, and a desire to make the team better as a whole. If you do not have any cheerleading/stunting experience, open gyms are a great time to practice/learn these skills. Open gyms are announced on the Whitworth Cheer Instagram (@whitworthcheer). Tumbling is not required to make the cheerleading team but will add points to your overall tryout score. 

What if I do not make the team? 

 If you have any questions about what you can improve on, please wait to contact coaches after 48 hours of the team being announced. 

What can I do to prepare for tryouts? 

Exercise and drill cheerleading motions! Clean technique is always best. Attend open gyms if possible and make sure you are up to date on any further information, which will be provided first on our social media pages. 

Instagram: @whitworthcheer

Facebook: Whitworth University Cheerleading

Tik Tok: @whitworthcheer 

For any further questions, email Haley Elkin at helkin@whitworth.edu. Go Pirates!