Welcome! We are looking forward to our 2023 season and we hope to have your athlete be a part of our program. Our cheer program is designed to provide a positive learning environment that focuses on having fun, building self-esteem, and learning teamwork while safely gaining cheerleading skills to propel our athletes to the next level.
Levels of Cheer
Our cheer program is open for athletes from Kindergarten through 8th grade; this is based off of the grade they are entering into in the Fall of 2023. A maximum of 3 school grades may be combined to form a team.
Girls will not be assigned or guaranteed a level until after registration due to the amount of girls registering.
Kindergarten Cheer - Cheer for the 1st Quarter of all SLW Home Games and Half Time of the Homecoming Game. Practice starts late July and will be 2 days a week until school starts. After school starts, practice will be one day a week. Kindergarten cheer is not eligible to participate in ICA competitions. Cost will be $75 plus new Cheer Bow.
Sideline and Competition Cheer
Patriot Cheerleaders are STRONGLY encouraged to do both the sideline and competition elements of our cheer program; however, we understand that this is not always feasible. Please note if you do decide to only do sideline, your practices will be much more limited compared to the competition practices. Unfortunately, kindergarteners are not allowed to compete due to ICA ruling which is out of our control as a program. If an athlete is unable to commit to all competition dates we ask that they do sideline only.
Athletes are not eligible to complete after missing 6 games/practices without doctors notes. Injured Athletes must be cleared 2 weeks prior to a competition.
Practices
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Sideline Cheer
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Sideline cheerleaders should expect to practice 3 times a week from mid/late July through August. When school starts, practices will go down to 1 practice a week Time TBD.
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Practice for the sidelines team will be outdoors at Manhattan Junior High.
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- Competition Cheer
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Practices will be 3 days a week - Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday - from mid/late July through the first week of December (provided teams qualify for the State Competition).
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Practice from mid/late July through August will be outdoors at Manhattan Junior High. Time TBD
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Starting September 1st, practices will move indoors (Time TBD) and will be hosted at either Manhattan Junior High or Wilson Creek. A few select practices may be hosted at Lincoln-Way West High School due to camps and choreography.
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There will occasionally be practice days added on an as needed basis.
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Games
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We host our home games at Lincoln-Way West High School.
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Both sideline and competition girls cheer at all Patriot games. Each team will cheer for the team they are on. Each team will cheer 8 games throughout the season with the first game being in early August. Our official schedule will be released to us in June and the website will be updated to reflect the accurate game locations, dates, and times. Games are not optional and all athletes must attend.
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As for Labor Day, we do typically take the weekend off of games; however, in case there is a rained out game prior to Labor Day, we will use this weekend to make up for that rained out game.
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Our cheerleaders do cheer at all games.
Playoffs
- At the end of the regular season, we will start playoffs with hopes of making it all the way to the Super Bowl, which is typically at the end of October.
- Due to the nature of playoffs, we will not know dates and times of our games until the Monday/Tuesday leading into the week of the game.
- Our cheerleaders do cheer at all playoff games provided it does not interfere with a competition.
Competitions
Our competition teams will partake in three competitions through September, October, and November with the opportunity to compete in the State Competition which is usually hosted the first weekend of December. This year State is held November 30th - December 3rd. Each level competes for two days.
- All athletes are expected to be at all competitions and practices the week of competition.
- Please try and register for Religious Ed Classes On Monday
- Competition Cheerleaders will have additional camps and choreography.
- Practices will be 3-4 days a week - Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (possible Monday and or Friday on a rotating schedule) - from mid/late July through the first week of December (provided teams qualify for the State Competition).
- Practice from mid/late July through August will be outdoors for 2 hours at Manhattan Junior High. Times will be announced in June.
- Starting September 1st, practices will move indoors
- Practices are held at a variety of locations including but not limited to Manhattan Junior High and LC Chiropractic. A few select practices may be hosted at Lincoln-Way West High School or Cheer City due to camps and choreography.
- There will occasionally be practice days added on an as needed basis. As competition approaches coaches may add in additional practices due to injuries and illness.
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Registration
Due at Time of Registration
$250 Registration Fee - 1st - 8th Grade
$75 for Kindergarten (Does not include the current 2023 Cheer Uniform)
- $25 Returning Player discount
Included
- Uniforms for sideline/competition
- Outdoor/Indoor Practice Space
- Halftime Routine
Additional fees:
Extra Equipment/Fees to Purchase at Fitting
- $30 Cheer Bow (new 2023) Mandatory this year
- $65 – Warm Up Jacket (Same jacket as 2022 season - Optional)
- TBA – Team Practice Shirt and Pink Out Game Gear (new shirt for 2023 season)
- $50– Competition Gifts (Competition Athletes Only)
- Clinic/Camp Fees
- $90 +/ – Cheer Shoes - Nfinity Rival 2 **These will be fitted and paid for on a different date TBA** (recommended for competition )
$150 Raffle Fundraiser Fee (Required)
- This is PER CHILD - not per family.
- You pay for the raffle tickets upfront and then you can sell the tickets to recoup your money.
- When you sell the tickets, the only thing you need to turn in to your Team Mom the week leading up to Homecoming is the sold ticket stubs.
- The Raffle will be conducted during the Homecoming Game. Winners need not be present.
Check Deposits Due at Fitting - Post Date for October 01, 2023 ($350 Uniform, $250 Parent hours, $165 State Fee)
$350 for Uniform Deposit
- This check will NOT be cashed if the full uniform is returned at the end of the season.
- In the case where the full uniform has not been returned, this check will be cashed.
$250 for Parent Participation
- This is PER FAMILY - not per child.
- This check will be cashed if your family does not complete your 3 SHIFTS of volunteer work. Please note, these are shifts, not hours. Parent signup will be sent up closer to the start of the season.
$165 State Competition Fee Per Athlete
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- This is not cashed unless athlete’s team qualifies for State
If you have any questions, please contact Nicole Klaric or any Board Member or email us at general@manhattanpatriots.com.
