Important Dates/Times/Locations

26-27 TRYOUT PACKET KEY TAKE AWAYS

Reno High School Cheer

2026–2027 Cheer Program Overview

Reno High School Cheer promotes school spirit, positive sportsmanship, and pride in our school and community. Being a Reno High cheerleader is both an honor and a responsibility, and athletes are expected to represent Reno High with integrity both on and off campus.

Key Dates

Pre-Tryout Clinics

(Recommended but not required)

April 6th 3:00pm-6:00pm Beginner Stunts - Dance and cheer motions - Flexibility

April 8th 3:00pm-6:00pm Transition Stunts - Tumbling Basics

April 13th 3:00pm-6:00pm Dismount Stunts - Fight Song - Jump Technique

April 15th 3:00pm-6:00pm Elite Stunt - Reno Style

April 20th 3:00pm-6:00pm Elite Stunt - Cross Tumble - Pom Dance

April 22nd 3:00pm-6:00pm Elite Stunt - Sideline cheers

IN THE RENO HIGH SMALL GYM

Cost:
• $10 per clinic
• $50 for all six clinics

Sideline Cheer Tryouts

April 27 — 3:00–5:30 PM
April 28 — 3:00–5:30 PM
April 29 — 3:00–5:30 PM
April 30 — 3:00–5:30 PM
May 1 — Final Tryout (Judges)

Teams announced the evening of May 1.

IN THE RENO HIGH SMALL GYM

Competition Cheer Tryouts

November 14
8:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Eligibility Requirements

To try out for Reno High Cheer, athletes must:

• Maintain at least a 2.0 GPA
• Have no F grades at the time of tryouts
• Be a full-time Reno High student
• Complete athletic registration and physical
• Submit three teacher evaluations
• Turn in the tryout packet by April 24

Required teacher evaluations:

• English teacher
• Math teacher
• One additional teacher

** Athletes must have finished the fall 2025 semester with at least a 2.0GPA and no F's on their report card.**

Cheer Season Timeline

Sideline Cheer Season:
May 1, 2026 – March 2027

Competition Cheer Season:
November 15, 2026 – March 2027

Season breakdown:

Summer May – July

Conditioning & UCA Camp

Fall Aug – Nov

Football Games

WinterNov – March

Competition Season & Basketball

Spring March – May

Off-season & next tryouts

Team Structure

For the 2026–2027 season, Reno High plans to have:

• JV Sideline Team 16-18 athletes  (9th-11th grade)
• Varsity Sideline Team 20-24 athletes  (9th-12th grade)
• JV Competition Team
• Varsity Competition Team

Important notes:

• Sideline and competition cheer are separate teams.
• Athletes must try out separately for competition cheer in November.
• Being on a sideline team does NOT guarantee a spot on the competition team.
• JV athletes may make Varsity competition and vice versa.

** If you are a junior not willing to make JV sideline cheer, please mark that in your tryout packet. Juniors not willing to make JV and seniors who do not score in the varsity scoring range will be cut on the final day of tryouts**

Practice Schedule

Summer (May–July)

JV & Varsity
Monday–Wednesday
3:00–5:00 PM

Optional tumbling available through Five Star Athletics or Inspire Nevada.

Fall (School Year)

JV Practice

• Monday & Tuesday: 3:00–5:00 PM

• Wednesday: 2:30–4:30 PM

Varsity Practice

• Monday & Thursday: 3:00–5:00 PM

• Wednesday: 3:30–5:30 PM

Additional practices may be scheduled as needed.

Game & Performance Expectations

Cheerleaders perform at:

• Football games
• Basketball games
• Pep rallies and assemblies
• Community events
• Competitions

Game attendance expectations:

Varsity

• All home & away football games

• All home basketball games

• Select away basketball games

JV

• All home & away football games

• All home basketball games

Athletes must arrive 30 minutes before games.

Attendance Expectations

Athletes must:

• Attend practices consistently
• Communicate absences with coaches beforehand
• Maintain strong academic standing

Important rules:

• Missing practice before a performance may result in not performing.
• Missing 3 or more unexcused practices/events may result in probation.
• Work, appointments, vacations, or homework are not considered valid reasons to miss practice.

Conduct Expectations

Cheerleaders are held to high standards both on and off campus.

Violations that may lead to suspension or removal include:

• Alcohol, drugs, or tobacco use
• Fighting or assault
• Inappropriate social media behavior
• School suspensions
• Violating team or school policies

Uniform & Appearance Standards

Cheerleaders must:

• Wear designated practice attire
• Keep nails short and remove nail polish for competitions
• Remove all jewelry during practices and performances
• Wear proper cheer shoes and athletic attire

Uniforms are property of the Reno High Cheer Program and must be returned at the end of the season.

School colors: Red, White, and Blue

Estimated Costs

Costs vary depending on team placement and items already owned.

Sideline Cheer

Approximate total cost:

• JV: $900 – $1,130
• Varsity: $1,540 – $1,845

Includes items such as:

• Uniform pieces
• Practice gear
• Cheer backpack
• Warm-ups
• Poms
• Camp fees
• Shoes (if needed)

Competition Cheer

Approximate cost:

• $760 – $810

Includes:

• Competition entry fees
• Music
• Props
• USA Nationals travel expenses (flight, hotel, admission)

Fundraising

Fundraising is an important part of the cheer program and helps offset athlete costs.

Examples include:

• RedLine fundraiser
• Car washes
• Team pledge fundraiser
• Business sponsorships
• Mini Huskies Camp
• Holiday grams
• See’s Candy sales

Funds may go toward:

• Individual athlete fees
• Team expenses (travel, meals, equipment)

Parent Responsibilities

Parents are expected to:

• Communicate with coaches
• Ensure athletes have transportation to events
• Support fundraising efforts
• Attend meetings when possible
• Support program expectations and decisions

Monthly parent meetings will be scheduled throughout the season.

Encouraged Tryout Skills

Tumbling Skills are not required, but encouraged.

JV
• Standing back handspring
• Running back handspring

Varsity
• Multiple standing back handsprings
• Running tuck

Stunting skills will be taught at prep clinics and the week of tryouts 

JV - athletes should be able to complete each skill in the novice section and working on the intermediate section

Varsity - athletes should be able to complete each skill in the novice and intermediate section and working on the advanced section

What you will be judged on at tryouts

• Jumps - Double toe touch & jump of choice (pike or hurdler)

• Standing tumbling (we will only judge back handsprings or higher - walkovers and front handsprings will not go towards your tryout score)

• Running tumbling (we will only judge back handsprings or higher - walkovers and front handsprings will not go towards your tryout score)

• Cheer - this will be taught the week of tryouts

• Dance - this will be taught the week of tryouts

• Fight song - this will be taught early at prep clinics and is posted below 

• Stunting - this will be separated in novice, intermediate, and advanced stunting skills

• Flexibility for flyers - we will be judging heel stretches on both legs, arabesque (standing on right, pulling left), scale (standing on right, pulling left), and scorpion (standing on right, pulling left)

You will be judged on execution and technique of each category and difficulty on tumbling and stunting categories

Required Before Tryouts

Athletes must complete the following before April 24:

✔ Submit tryout packet
✔ Complete athletic registration
✔ Submit athletic physical (you must complete a new physical every year , physicals must be turned in BEFORE April 24th)
✔ Turn in three teacher evaluations
✔ Maintain 2.0 GPA and no F’s

Stay Updated

For the most up-to-date information, schedules, and announcements:

Website
www.renohighcheer.com

Instagram
@renocheer

Band App (links are sent out when you complete the interest form)

Tryout 26-27 Material

Fight Song 

With the goal before you

the red and the blue 

now all together

smash them and go through

raw raw raw

against the teams from Reno 

fight must they show

three cheers for Reno

the red and the blue

red and blue

Reno Huskies!

Other tryout material will be released April 27th

Questions or concerns, please email Jordyn.Williams@washoeschools.net

Important Dates/Times/Locations

Tryout 25-26 Material

Fight Song