The Sonoma State University cheer team has not only been practicing during the pandemic, but they are holding virtual tryouts at the end of April to fulfill their future white and blue squad.   

The team’s ultimate goal is to be able to practice face-to-face while keeping social distancing in mind. Head coach Kaylie Poiani and Safety Officer Terseita Montalvo took it upon themselves to ensure the safety of their team while being able to make that goal a reality. Temperatures are taken at the start of every practice as well as sanitizing different pieces of equipment like tumbling mats.

With normal circumstances, the team would be practicing two to three times a week working on different stunts, tumbling, jumping, and routines for home basketball games. However, due to the pandemic the team now holds mandatory weekly zoom meetings every Wednesday that consist of games, conditioning workouts, practicing different dances or routines, team bonding, and other business matters.

Each player is required to submit proof of completion to coach Poiani regarding their workout schedule containing different strength and conditioning exercises. “It is important we do what we can, so we keep up on our skills but also stay safe during the pandemic,” said senior and teammate Cameron Cox.  

The team is not competing as of this year, but they have high hopes to be back up and running in-person for the upcoming Fall semester. “Next season we are expecting to compete in Stunt the sport and traditional competition cheer where we will compete against other college teams,” Cox said. 

With a sport like cheer, there are two different types of general competitions. “There’s a show cheer competition that is chants or cheers, dances, and stunts,” said senior and teammate Isabel Tostado. Within the last few years, the unit has been mainly training for stunt competitions. Stunts consist of building performances displaying individuals’ skill. Routines are sent out to teams to practice and perform against other teams during a tournament. These competitions also may include tumbling routines, which usually include flips, twists, rolls, or jumps.         

With all the adversity the team has faced throughout the pandemic, they still plan to add to their future depth chart by holding virtual tryouts at the end of April. For anyone who is interested, head to the team’s Instagram page, @ssucheer, to find the basic information form in their bio. The form asks for a resume, cover letter, and tryout video to email to [email protected]. From there, individual zoom appointments will take place for each applicant so current players can get to know them on a deeper level. 

“This year will be a little different: we will be having two separate teams!,” said SSU cheer team president Lauren Yagi. The white team consists of individuals cheering at basketball games and different fundraisers to support the squad. The blue team will be more focused on stunts and other traditional competitions for the future. They are looking to add around 10-15 new applicants to the white team, and 15-20 to the blue team. There is an option to be a part of both teams, if anyone is interested. 

It will be exciting to see how the rest of the year pans out for the squad, as well as new additions to the team in the future. For more questions and content regarding the team’s tryouts, fill out this google form to get in contact with the team.    https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdc2Ut56dKmb41gyu9bVdKA4QwIfgS2jNQCLudh6__Ue5A_og/viewform.