Frequently Asked Questions |
| We always receive several questions about Planet Cheer and all-star cheerleading as a sport in general. Below is a list of FAQs that we most often hear. You need not be intimidated by all-star cheerleading. Planet Cheer has worked hard to make all-star cheerleading attainable for any cheerleader who wishes to compete nationally. |
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| A. The registration period for 2008 Planet Cheer teams is from May 1-September 1, 2007. To register, you will need the registration fee and the completed Planet Cheer paperwork. We do not hold try-outs for Planet Cheer; (with the exception of the Astros) we hold evaluations. Each cheerleader will be evaluated by the staff of Planet Cheer. The evaluation will consist of learning a short dance and cheer, performing jumps & tumbling and working with the staff on stunting ability. All Planet Cheer teams begin practice the first week in September. |
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| A. The next Planet Cheer Evaluation will take place Saturday, August 25th, 2007. For ages 11 & under, evals will be from 10:00-12:00. For ages 12 & up, evals will be from 12:30-2:30. A dance & cheer will be taught. Cheerleaders will also be individually evaluated on any tumbling skills and stunting ability. They will also be asked to perform jumps in the small groups. Cheerleaders are not judged, just evaluated on their experience for the appropriate placement on a Planet Cheer team. *Cheerleaders 5 & under are not evaluated |
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| A. There are several benefits to registering early for Planet Cheer. First, by registering early, you will lock in the Planet Cheer discount summer tumbling program. During the months May – August, Planet Cheer members can tumble for $80 per session, as opposed to $100 per session. Planet Cheer members also receive an unlimted number of tumble classes as a benefit. Next, as a registered Planet Cheer member, you may join the Planet Cheer Parent Association (PCPA) and begin fundraising immediately for the 2008 competitive season, as the big money fundraisers take place during the summer. Also, Planet Cheer members are the first to know about summer clinics and specialty classes at the gym and have the first opportunity to sign up for popular first- come, first-serve classes. |
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| A. We take cheerleaders as young as 4 yrs. for our Lil’ Dippers team. The gym offers a Cheer 101 class for cheerleaders as young as 2, but is not part of Planet Cheer. |
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| A. The answer to this question is yes, but it is necessary to coordinate your schedules to avoid conflicts. Planet Cheer will provide you with a complete practice schedule for the season, so you may give that schedule to your other coach. While we encourage our athletes to be involved in their schools and communities, it is necessary to make certain that they will not be missing extensive practices (for either their all-star team or their school team) as this will not benefit either. |
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A. The Planet Cheer Performance Team is an option for the cheerleader who wishes to cheer
year-round. Any cheerleader who wishes to be part of a cheer squad for the summer months has
opportunity to join the Performance Team. Practice is once a week and they will learn a routine
for summer performances and exhibitions such as the Great Falls Balloon Festival, Oxford Plains
Speedway, the Moxie Festival, and new this year, the 7th inning stretch at the Celebrity Softball
Game! Cheerleaders who wish to participate on this team must be fully committed, the same as
in-season all-star cheering. Team members are required to purchase a performance uniform
consisting of Planet Cheer shorts, tank, tee, bow. Click here for details.
year-round. Any cheerleader who wishes to be part of a cheer squad for the summer months has
opportunity to join the Performance Team. Practice is once a week and they will learn a routine
for summer performances and exhibitions such as the Great Falls Balloon Festival, Oxford Plains
Speedway, the Moxie Festival, and new this year, the 7th inning stretch at the Celebrity Softball
Game! Cheerleaders who wish to participate on this team must be fully committed, the same as
in-season all-star cheering. Team members are required to purchase a performance uniform
consisting of Planet Cheer shorts, tank, tee, bow. Click here for details.
| A. All Planet Cheer members (both the Summer Performance Team and competitive all-star teams) receive unlimited tumble classes consisting of any set classes that take place during the week. The cheerleader must attend class in their skill and age level. Private instruction is not included in unlimited tumble classes. |
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| A. Private lessons are booked with any of the tumbling instructors at Andy Valley. Payment is due upon services, paid directly to the instructor. Private lessons are available to any member currently enrolled in tumble classes. Pricing is as follows: 1 student: $20 for 1/2 hour 2 students: $25 for 1/2 hour 3 studnets: $30 for 1/2 hour |
| A. Planet Cheer is a competitive travel all-star team. Depending on what team, you can expect extra national competition fees on a per cheerleader basis ranging from $35-$100 per competition, hotel expenses, bus fares and possible flight fares. No team at Planet Cheer attends more than 4 nationals, while most attend only 2. Because trips are planned early, our Event Coordinator has the opportunity to find travel deals and group discounts. In addition, when the gym selects hotels, cost is a primary consideration and many options are given to fit within the needs of each family. Most importantly, our Planet Cheer Parent Association is a separate, non-profit organization that helps our athletes to raise funds for these trips. All athletes have the opportunity to participate in fundraising offered by the PCPA and to share in those profits. The competition schedule for the 2008 competition season is currently being developed and will be available shortly. |
| A. Parents are not required to travel with their child to competitions, although many choose to. If a child is attending a tournament without a guardian, then arrangements need to be made with another family at Planet Cheer, who assumes responsibility for that child. For safety reasons, we do not allow any cheerleader to stay in hotel rooms unaccompanied by an adult. |
| A. The Planet Cheer Event Coordinator will provide you with hotel, bus and possible excursions for competitions. We do not mandate that you use these accomodations, it is simply a service that the gym provides to make travel plans easier for our families. If you choose to travel separate from the group or stay in different accomodations, you must provide the Event Coordinator with your itinerary to be sure the staff is aware of your plans. |
| A. Planet Cheer offers two programs to assist our members with tuition, uniform payments, and travel costs. First, we offer a Sponsorship Program to help with any tuition, specialty classes and uniform expenses. The Sponsorship Program is a barter-based system which asks businesses for sponsorship money in exchange for advertising. There are 3 different levels of the sponsorship program depending on the amount of the donation. The money collected in the Sponsorship Program goes directly to the cheerleader. If you are interested in this program, stop into the office to pick up the form letter. Second, we offer a fundraising-based organization to help with the cost of competition fees and travel expenses. The Planet Cheer Parent Association (PCPA) is a non-profit organization formed by Planet Cheer parents. Board members consist of a representative from each team. The PCPA organizes several fundraisers throughout the year in which any PCPA member can take part in to raise money for their personal PCPA account. Since it’s formation in July of 2005, the PCPA has raised over $50,000 for its members. The cost of joining PCPA is $10 annually. If you are interested in joining the PCPA, stop by the office to pick up an application. |
| A. We do not mandate any type of fundraising for Planet Cheer; we offer our programs only as an option. |
| A. The cost of the uniform varies between teams. The uniform cost is approximately $270, which includes skirt, shell & briefs. You purchase the uniform to keep. We do offer a uniform swap where members can pick up like-new pieces of the uniform at a discounted rate or swap. We keep the same skirt for all of the teams which makes swapping an easy process. We do not mandate the purchase of warm-ups, however we do offer packages with several different warm-up options. You may use the Sponsorship Program to pay for all costs of the uniform. |
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Fortier Family Cheer Center: FAQs >
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| A. A common misconception is that you need to tumble to be part of Planet Cheer. This is not true! We have a team available for ALL ages and ALL skill levels at Planet Cheer. No matter where you are at in your cheerleading skills, you are sure to be part of a winning team that will push you to your full potential! |