Welcome to the 2024

Tinley Park Bobcats Cheer Program

On behalf of the Tinley Park Bobcats Recreational Cheer Organization, we invite you to join our 2024 season! Our organization is proud to be a member of the ICA (Illinois Cheerleading Association). The Tinley Bobcats Cheer Program is committed to developing good sportsmanship, self-esteem, team spirit, teamwork, and discipline.  The season will be spent learning the fundamentals of cheer, cheering for weekly football games, working together as a team, and an option to participate in multiple ICA competitions! At the end of the season, we hope that participants have gained an appreciation for the sport of cheer and have developed a sense of community spirit and engagement.

The Bobcats Cheerleading organization welcomes cheerleaders from Kindergarten through 8th grade. There are no try-outs, evaluations nor minimum skill requirements for any of the Bobcats cheerleading squads.

Registration Information
Registration for the Fall 2024 season will be open from January 31st - April 15th

Cheer Team Details
We have potential for 5 teams for the 2024 cheer season: Pee Wee, Super Lightweight, Lightweight, Junior Varsity & Varsity.

Team breakdown by grade level will be based on final registration numbers.  After March 1st, we will make the determination of the grade level breakdown per team, but they typically consist of 2-3 consecutive grade levels per team.  All girls will be cheering for the grade level they will be in for the 2024-2025 school year.  Due to the competitive season and ICA rules, we will not be able to take team requests.  

Fees
Please note that pricing listed below for the season is all-encompassing and payment plans are available during the checkout phase of registration. A $150 deposit is required to finalize a participant's registration and then the remaining balance can be broken into a payment plan, if desired.  You will bring the additional funds as needed to purchase warmups and other spiritwear at the uniform fitting event in May

Sideline Only Participation Fee:
$250 + $80-125 for additional clothing and backpack if needed

The fee of $250.00 covers participation in “sideline” cheerleading.  It includes the rental of the game day cheer uniform, briefs, a body liner, team cheer shoes, a professional skills clinic, a cheer camp, two team clinic/camp t-shirts with a matching camp/clinic bow, a game day cheer bow,  breast cancer awareness items for October and an end of season trophy. ****At uniform fitting in May, cheerleaders will be sized for warm ups to wear during inclement/cold weather.  If you own these items, you may reuse from a previous year.  (we also recommend the purchase of a cheer backpack for cheer materials- cost is $45)  The “sideline only” season runs from June – October, with practices being held twice a week during the months of July through August and then games occurring on Sundays from late August until late October.

Competition Participation Fee:
+ 300 & $80-$125 for additional clothing and backpack if needed

Participating in competition season is HIGHLY recommended as it truly is the most exciting part!  Please note that prior cheerleading experience is NOT necessary in order to participate.  All new and returning cheerleaders are welcome and encouraged! The competitive cheer season fee of $300 covers the cost of the athlete’s admission into 2-3 ICA competitions, the indoor practice facility rental with cheer mats, professional competition choreography, competition music, a competition uniform, a competition hair bow and various other competition extras for the athlete.  The competitive team season runs from July until November.  All competition participants also participate in cheering on the sidelines of games on Sundays during August, September and October.  Competitions typically occur on Saturdays.  Competitive teams practice 2-3 times a week from July through early November.  Additional Saturday morning practices may be called as teams near competition dates, if deemed necessary by their coaching staff.

UPDATE*****State competition is now scheduled to occur  November 14-17.   The start of the season will move up to provide camp and clinic days during the months of June and July to allow for adequate time to obtain skills  for the season.  Most of our competitions will occur from mid September to late October this year.  Look for emails with more details in mid- April.      

****Cheerleaders who receive a “bid” to the ICA’s Annual State Championship will incur an additional fee of $165 which is their entry fee into the renowned event. 

Uniform Pickup
Cheer fittings and uniform pickup will be held in May 2024 in Tinley Park.  It is essential that all registered cheerleaders are fit for their uniform during these fittings.  This will ensure that we have all uniform pieces needed to begin the season.  During uniform fittings, it is a good idea to have the cheerleader wear a leotard to make the fitting run quickly.  There will also be an opportunity to view and order Spirit Wear for your athlete and yourself at that time.

*A $200 season uniform deposit fee will be required for each registered child at the time of uniform fittings.  Checks should be made payable to the Tinley Park Bobcats and post-dated November 17th, 2024. These checks will not be cashed; however, they will be held until uniform return.  When the uniform has been inspected and turned in on-time, the check will be returned to you.  If uniform pieces are missing and/or uniform is turned in damaged, the check will be cashed.

Practices
Tinley Park Bobcats Cheer Program will begin preparing for the 2024 season beginning approximately the week of  June 10th.  Teams will participate in skills camps in June and early July with regular  practices 2-3 times a week beginning mid July. The specific days of the week that teams practice varies by team, but they are always located in Tinley Park.

Practice Attire: Comfortable shorts/leggings/sweats (no jeans or jean shorts), gym shoes (no sandals/flip flops, or bare feet), no bare midriff tops/crop tops, no jewelry, no fake nails, and hair must be pulled back.

*Cheerleaders are responsible for bringing their own labeled water bottle to each practice.

Games
For the 2024 season, cheerleaders will be assigned to cheer for a mix of home and away tackle and flag football.  Some games will  follow the tackle and flag football teams.  Participants will cheer for their appropriate grade level team.  Games will be played on Saturdays and Sundays from mid-August through the end of October and will always be located in Tinley Park and surrounding suburbs.  A specific schedule will be released once the football program finalizes it in early August. All cheerleaders are required to attend and participate in sideline cheerleading for the football games.  If a cheerleader misses more than 2 scheduled games for the season, they may be unable to participate in competitions per ICA regulations.  Cheerleaders are required to arrive 15 minutes prior to every game.  Any cheerleaders not at the practice proceeding the game that week and on-site 15 minutes prior to game time will not be allowed to participate in the halftime routine for that day in order to ensure all participant’s safety during the performance.

Competitions
Cheerleaders are highly encouraged to participate in our competition season.  During competition season, cheerleaders will participate in 2-3 ICA competitions.  Exact dates for the competitions are released in early spring. Competition team practices start in late June/early July and are mandatory.  We understand that emergencies happen, and coaches are willing to work with you individually; however, in order to have successful practices, attendance is required.  Competition guidelines will be strictly enforced.  Tinley Park Bobcats follow the ICA rules during our competition season.

***Please also note that some of our competitive teams may receive a “bid” and advance to the State Championship.  The event is held during the window of November 14th and November 17th.  Teams that qualify will compete two of the four days and one of which WILL be a weekday.***

Attendance Policy
It is expected for all cheerleaders to attend all practices and games through the playoff season.  Cheerleaders are expected to stay for the entire game.  Missing practices or games is always a concern.  If only one girl is missing, we cannot practice stunts or dance parts properly since every girl plays an important role in the routine. As a courtesy to the coaches and fairness to the team, it is expected that parents communicate any situations that may require the athlete to miss practices or games to the head coach well ahead of time.  We certainly recognize that there are extenuating circumstances that may lead to a cheerleader missing practice, but please discuss these with your head coach if they arise.

Cheer Clinic
The Bobcats Cheerleading program is very excited to bring our teams to a professionally hosted Skills Clinic where enhancement of cheer fundamentals will be the focus.  Attendance is mandatory.  The clinic will occur in the summer of 2024.

Cheer Camp
All cheerleaders will attend an internally hosted camp that will be held at the start of the season. Attendance is mandatory.  Cheerleaders will cover motion drills, jumps, stunts and sideline cheers!  We plan to utilize this time as an organization for overall team building and truly setting a strong foundation for our season.

Mandatory Fundraiser
All Tinley Park Bobcats participants will be required to participate in one mandatory fundraiser.  

Electronic Policy
Cell Phones or any other devices are not allowed during practices and games.  If cheerleaders must have these items with them, they must stay in their bag for the duration of the game or practice.  The coaching staff is not responsible for holding onto, or possible loss of electronic devices, or any other personal items.  If a parent must get in touch with their child during a game or practice, please call your coaches.

Stunt Groups
All routines and stunt groups will be chosen at the discretion of the coaching staff with the safety of each cheerleader being a priority.  Every member of the squad and position given is an integral part of the team.  Part of the coach’s responsibility is to do what is best for the team and stunt groups as a whole.  No one cheer position is any better than another or guaranteed for the entire season.

Parent Meeting
When the season begins, we will host a mandatory parent meeting.  At this meeting, we will review the expectations for the cheerleaders and parents, explain important rules for ICA and will discuss other important information.  The date and time are TBD.  Please make yourself available for this meeting when the date is released.  

If you have any further questions concerning the program, fees or coaching opportunities feel free to contact the Cheerleading Commissioners at the following email address: [email protected] 

Tinley Park Bobcats Cheerleading Organization
Shanté Jackson & Julie Kuhn
Cheerleading Commissioners
www.TinleyParkBobcats.org

Refunds: The deadline for refund requests for game team cheerleaders is June 1st.  After June 1st, refunds will only be issued for medical or relocation reasons with appropriate documentation/doctor’s note.  Spirit wear, bodysuits, briefs, shoes & practice attire is non-refundable.  There is a $20 processing fee assessed on all refunds.  There are no refunds on competition cheer fees.