INFORMATION
PACK 2016
www.CHEERFX.com.au
Welcome to Cheer FX.
We are super excited for another fantastic year after having had amazing success in
both 2014 & 2015. We have created wonderful milestones both in the gym and on
the competition floor as we head into our 3rd year. This information pack is
designed for new members and existing members to give you all the necessary
information you will need for 2016. Please keep this pack for future reference
during the cheer/dance season.
ABOUT CHEER FX
At Cheer FX we provide classes in All Star Cheerleading, Dance and Tumbling. All
Star Cheerleading is one of the fastest growing sports in Australia and encompasses
elements of gymnastic style tumbling, dance, acrobatics and other cheerleading
skills such as jumps and arm motions. Within our dance program we teach Pom,
Jazz, Hip Hop and Contemporary/Lyrical. We believe we provide the perfect
environment for athletes and dancers to develop positive life skills, sportsmanship
and teamwork.
All the Cheer FX staff are either USASF, Gymnastics Australia or CSTD accredited
coaches/teachers. We believe in a structured program that encourages athletes to
progress safely with excellent technique. All our staff participate in ongoing
training with leaders from the dance and cheerleading industry to ensure that they
teach within the specified guidelines as dictated by USASF - the world governing
body.
We are continually upgrading our facility at Cheer FX. For 2016 we will have a
fully equipped training facility, including:
Full size dance floor, mirrors, ballet barres ,various items of equipment to facilitate
tumbling classes, strength and conditioning equipment , full size 9 run sprung floor,
10 meter air track and a 2 run tumble floor.
Gym Contact Information
Unit 9, 657 Deception Bay Road, Deception Bay
[email protected]
0448 822 530
Gym office hours Monday
to Friday 3.30pm-7.30pm
If you have any questions outside this time please feel free
to email or call us.
STAFF & QUALIFICATIONS
Karen Offield – Gym owner/ Level 2 Cheer & Tumble USASF qualifications.
Karen will not only help out the coaching staff but will also be responsible for all
administrative matters.
Miranda Offield- Gym owner/ Head Cheer coach/Level 4 Cheer & Tumble USASF
qualifications.
Miranda is Head Coach of our cheerleading & Tumbling program. She has been a
cheerleading athlete for 10 years. She has also been coaching for 8 years.
Maddy Parker- Head Dance teacher/ CSTD Teaching Certificate.
Maddy has been dancing for 16 years and teaching for 6 years.
Jordan Shaw - Tumble coach/Level 5 tumble USASF qualifications. Jordan has
been tumbling for 7 years with previous involvement in gymnastics. He was our
tumble coach at Cheer FX in 2015 and will be joining us again for 2016.
Bianca Sinclair- Cheerleading & Flight school Coach
Bianca has been involved in Dance, Tumbling, Acro and Cheerleading for many
years and in January 2016 Bianca will sit for her Level 1 & 2 cheerleading
qualifications.
Cheer FX also has fantastic assistant coaches that help out with teaching
our younger athletes.
Cheer FX will be offering 8 different cheer
teams ranging from levels 1-4 in Tiny, Mini,
Youth, Junior, Senior and Open age groups.
We take students from ages 3 years and up.
Our dance program will include Pom, Jazz,
Contemporary/Lyrical and Hip Hop to suit
all ages, as well as technique classes.
Our 2016 training timetable will be
advised at the beginning of 2016.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Our cheerleading/dance training terms run the same as school terms.
Term 1 – Monday 1st February - 24th March
Term 2 – Monday 11th April – 24th June
Term 3 – Monday 11th July – Friday 16th September
Term 4 – Monday 3rd October – Friday 9 December
School Holiday programs will be offered. Details of which will be announced
closer to the time.
(Cheer FX does not run classes on public holidays except for the 3rd of October)
COMPETITIONS FOR 2016
AASCF WINTERFEST (Boondall Entertainment Centre)
17-19th June – All Dance and Cheer teams excl Tinys
AASCF CHEER BATTLE (Gold Coast Convention Centre)
29th-31st July – All Cheer Teams excl Tinys
CHEERCON (Logan Metro Sports Complex)
20th of August – All Cheer and Dance teams excl Tinys
AASCF STATES (Gold Coast Convention Centre)
9th - 11th September – All Dance and Cheer Teams
AASCF SPRING CARNIVAL TBA
15th-16th October - All Dance and Cheer teams
AUSTRALASIAN MAJORS (TBA)
22nd & 23rd October- Cheer teams only excl Tinys
AASCF NATIONALS (Gold Coast Convention Centre)
25th-27th November – All Dance and Cheer teams excl
Tinys
AUSTRALASIAN CHEER AND DANCE PINNACLE
(Gold Coast Convention Centre) 28th November – Invitation only event. Teams
must qualify at AASCF events to enter this competition for free.
Please note that attendance for athletes in all competitive teams is mandatory
DESCRIPTION OF CLASSES OFFERED
Cheer
A cheer routine incorporates stunts, pyramids, tosses (Level 2 – 6), tumbling, jumps,
motions and dance to high energy music. Emphasis is placed on proper technical
execution, visual effect, team uniformity and synchronisation.
Students will be required to purchase a Cheer FX competition uniform, cheer shoes,
team bow and makeup. Students will perform their routines at all the competitions.
Level 1 ~ Perfect for beginners with little to no cheerleading experience. No skills required.
Level 2 ~ Athletes need to have tumbling skills that include back handsprings & round off back
handsprings as well as the level 1 skills.
Level 3 ~ Athletes need to have previous All Star cheer experience as well as the following tumbling
skills, standing triple back hand springs, front tucks, round off back tucks and the level 1 & 2 skills.
Level 4 ~ Athletes need to have All Star Cheer experience and tumbling skills including round off
layouts, standing back tucks and all skills from level 1 - 3.
Level 5 ~ Athletes need to have significant All Star cheer experience as well as significant tumbling
skills that include full twists, jumps to standing back tucks and mastery of level 1 - 4 skills.
Flight School (compulsory for all flyers)
Flight school provides an hour of flyer specific conditioning and training. Activities
include strength work, stretching, balance, aerial awareness and learning to hold
body positions. Flight school is compulsory for flyers. It is also very popular with
other athletes who want to increase their flexibility.
Group Stunt (TBA if we offer in 2016)
The aim of the group stunt routine is to safely demonstrate as many stunts as
possible. The routine must be performed to music, however the routine does not
have to be choreographed directly to the music.
Students will either have the same uniform as their cheer team or may choose
to wear Cheer FX training attire as a group. Students will perform only at some
competitions.
Partner Stunt (TBA if we offer in 2016)
The aim of the partner stunt routine is to safely demonstrate as many stunts as
possible. The routine must be performed to music, however the routine does not
have to be choreographed directly to the music. This is performed by one base and
one flyer of either sex.
Students will either have the same uniform as their cheer team or may choose
to wear Cheer FX training attire as a group. Students will only perform at some
competitions.
Pom
Poms must be used 80% of the routine. Exception: Male team members are not
required to use poms. Important characteristics of a Pom routine include
synchronisation and visual effect, clean and precise motions, strong Pom technique,
and incorporate dance technical elements. Visual effects includes level changes,
group work, formation changes, the use of different colour poms, etc.
Students will be required to purchase a Cheer FX competition uniform, jazz shoes,
headpiece, poms and makeup. Students will perform at most competitions but
not all.
Hip Hop
Routines can incorporate street style movements with an emphasis on execution,
style, creativity, body isolations and control, rhythm, uniformity and musical
interpretation. Teams may also put an additional focus on athletic incorporations
such as jumps, jump variations, combo jumps and other tricks. (Examples: Dance
Crew, Crumping, Breaking, Stepping, etc.).
Students will be advised by the dance teacher early in first term what the shoe
requirements will be. Costume will be decided around term 2. Students will
compete at most competitions but not all.
Jazz
A jazz routine incorporates stylised dance movements and combinations,
formation changes, group work, leaps and turns. Emphasis is placed on proper
technical execution, extension, control, body placement and team uniformity.
Students will be required to purchase jazz shoes. Costume will be decided around
term 2. Students will perform at most competitions but not all.
Contemporary/Lyrical
Contemporary dance is a style of expressive dance that combines elements of
several dance genres including modern, jazz, lyrical and classical ballet.
Contemporary dancers strive to connect the mind and the body through fluid dance
movements. Contemporary dance stresses versatility and improvisation, unlike the
strict, structured nature of ballet. Contemporary dancers focus on floorwork, using
gravity to pull them down to the floor.
Lyrical dance is a dance style that blends ballet and jazz dance. Lyrical is
generally smoother and a bit faster than ballet, but not quite as fast as jazz. A
lyrical dancer uses movement to express strong emotions such as love, joy and
anger.
Technique classes
Jazz Technique class (Compulsory for Pom and Jazz dancers)
All dance students in either a pom, jazz or contemporary competitive teams must
do one Jazz technique class a week. Technique class will involve balance, agility,
coordination and work on improving posture, grace, flexibility, strength and turns.
Ballet Technique class (Compulsory for Contemporary/Lyrical dancers)
All dance students in contemporary/lyrical must do one Ballet technique class
a week. Technique class will involve balance, agility, work on improving
posture, grace, flexibility, strength, turns, adage and allegro.
CHOREOGRAPHY DAYS
Choreography days are designed to teach the athletes their competition
choreography over a couple of set days. This allows the time in training leading up
to competitions to work on hitting the stunts, cleaning and perfecting all the
routines. These days and times will be advised once you have accepted your offer.
Choreography days will also cost an extra fee of $30-$60 per session for each team
depending on the length of the day.
FEES AND COSTS (DANCE AND CHEER TEAMS)
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 1 Hour a week - $11 per hour
 2 Hours per week - $10 per hour
 3 or more hours per week - $8 per hour
 All tumbling classes - $10 for non Cheer FX competitive athletes and $8 for
Cheer FX competitive athletes. (Tumbling classes are compulsory for all
athletes. This class is also separate to your cheer class)
Unlimited classes $65 a week including one tumbling class per week.
Not included in the $65 a week unlimited fee are the following:
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 Group Stunt - $10 per one hour session per athlete
 Dance duos - $25 per half hour
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 Private tumbling session - $40 per hour for 1 athlete or $50 shared between 2
athletes.
 Partner stunting - $25 per half hour for two people.
10% discount will be given for 2nd/3rd child however this will not apply to
group stunt, privates and partner stunting or to anyone who reaches the $65
cap. Discount will be applied to the children in the family with the smallest
itemised account.
PAYMENTS
Total costs for the year will be itemised for each athlete upon offer of team
placement. All term fees will be paid via direct debit from each families bank
account over a continuous 40 week period. This will be scheduled either weekly,
fortnightly or monthly. Competition fees will be included in your Direct debit fees.
30 days notice in writing needs to be given in order to cancel direct debits should
your child decide to leave Cheer FX. There will be a dishonour fee for all
unsuccessful debits and the direct debit amount will automatically be doubled on
the next payment. After two unsuccessful attempts cheerleaders/dancers will not
be able to participate in class. Direct debit from credit cards will incur a 3.5% fee.
Costumes, privates, group stunt, solos, duos, training gear and competition
uniforms will require upfront payment before classes commence or before items
are ordered. Any additional tumbling classes will also be required to be paid for
a term in advance.
ADDITIONAL COSTS
$50 covers your yearly Cheer FX Gym t-shirt and AASCF insurance. This will need to
be paid via EFT or cash when you accept our team offer.
If you attend tumbling classes only a $15 fee will be charged for AASCF personal
accident insurance. This will need to be paid at your first lesson either by cash
or eftpos.
Music levy - $30 per routine your child is in. This will be included in the direct
debit fees.
Choreography days - $30-$60 per session. It is expected that there would be at
least 2-4 sessions per team excl Tinys. This will be included in the direct debit fees.
Training uniform costs. Training uniforms will be fitted at the beginning of term 1
for those who wish to purchase items. It is envisaged that students will be fitted
for competition uniforms and Dance costumes in late February also.
Cheer shoe fitting days will be advised at the beginning of the year.
Dance shoes & costumes for dance, incl shoes, makeup, etc. - TBA
Pom students require Black jazz shoes with elastic sides
Uniform for cheer/pom approx $280 – Please note a new uniform will be required
by all students in 2017 as we change our uniform design every three years.
Tiny Cheer athletes will be required to purchase Cheer FX shorts to be worn
with their athlete tshirt at competitions and plain white sandshoes.
Cheer bows & makeup approx. $70
Poms $30 per pair
Competition entry fees - Competition costs range between $35 - $100 per
competition. There may also be additional costs for those who compete in multiple
routines. All competition fees will be included in your direct debit fees. AASCF
Nationals are our most expensive competitions. All competitions provide photos
and videos of all our teams competing excluding Australasian Majors & Cheercon.
Any extra training workshops will be advertised in advance with costs throughout
year
Training Attire
Cheerleading Training attire-
We will be ordering training attire for 2016; this
will include crop tops, tank tops, muscle singlets, spankies (bike shorts), tights and
more. All students are welcome to wear their own training gear if they wish but it
must be suitable for cheerleading and no loose fitting clothing, denim, zippers etc.
Initially runners (not volleys or vans or canvas shoes) are fine for training.
However, athletes will be required to wear white Cheerleading shoes to training
and for competition. Any other white sport shoe is unsuitable, as they do not have
the correct grip on the soles for cheerleading.
Jazz/Pom/Technique training attire- Leotards, Crop tops, fitted singlets, shorts,
tights and jazz shoes
Contemporary/Lyrical training attire- Leotard & toe thong dance shoes must
be worn. (These can be purchased at Dance & Play North lakes)
Ballet technique attire- Leotard with the option of wearing stockings and ballet
skirt. Ballet shoes must be worn. (These can be purchased at Dance & Play
North lakes)
Hip Hop training attire- Loose fitted clothing for example- Full length tights or
baggy harlem pants, baggy t-shirts, crops with baggy tanks etc.
(Type of Hip Hop shoes will be determined by teacher in class in term 1)
Hair, Jewellery & HygienePlease have all hair tied back so it is completely out of your face and not likely to get
caught during stunts or other activities. All jewellery must be removed prior to
class, we will not be held responsible if a child disobeys these rules and is injured.
Cheerleading is a contact sport and jewellery of any sort becomes dangerous to
both the wearer and teammates. If your child is required to wear medical jewellery
please advise the gym or coach and we will be able to assist you with options.
As cheerleading is a sport that requires close contact with other people, we also ask
you to be especially aware of your hygiene when attending training. Showers and
deodorant are essential. As we are all aware, many school children can become
infected with head lice from school and so forth so please note that parents will be
notified if any athlete is suspected of having head lice. We would then recommend
immediate treatment before that student returns back to training. So we ask that
all parents be vigilant and check their child’s hair regularly.
All of our guidelines must be followed including wearing appropriate clothing and
removing jewellery otherwise your coach may ask you to sit out. This will be at the
discretion of the coaches and is for safety reasons.
Competition uniform/costumes
Uniforms are to be purchased by each athlete. All athletes will require their own
white cheer shoes (if they do cheer), cheer team bow and gym shirt to wear to
competitions.
Dance and Pom students will also be required to purchase a
uniform/costume, gym shirt and all athletes will need their dance shoes, hair
pieces and other accessories depending on which dance class they take.
Photography at Competition
Most competitions have professional photographers. Most competitions provide
photos as part of the entry fees. It is also a possibility that these photos are used for
promotional purposes by the coach, gym or competition organisations in Australia. If
you have any concerns about this, please let us know as soon as possible.
Cheer FX WILL use images of your child for promotional advertising unless
permission is revoked in writing.
Committing to Cheerleading
To be an All Star cheerleader each athlete needs to be dedicated to the sport.
Members are not chosen based on popularity, attractiveness or familial status but
on the skill they can offer the team. It is a large commitment. For the success and
safety of our athletes we train from 4-5 hours per week over a number of days
depending on the level and age of our athletes. Each athlete is also required to take
part in tumbling sessions in order to improve their tumbling skills. Most teams will
attend 5-7 competitions in a season and these can be one day or two day (incl Fri
nights) commitment especially if they participate in dance as well as cheerleading.
Each athlete is part of a group that competes in stunts which involves in a lot of
cases throwing an athlete into the air. The person who is being thrown relies
heavily on her bases (catchers) to know what they are doing. In turn the person
who is being thrown into the air (flyer) needs to have good technique so that she
doesn’t injure her bases on the way down. As a result we spend a lot of time
perfecting these stunts. If an athlete is absent then that entire group cannot practice
their routine. During the year the athletes will progress to harder stunt skills that
will then be incorporated into their performance. So again if there is an absent
athlete that group of four cannot learn the new progressions. In some cases (during
pyramid stunts) the entire team cannot practice when even one athlete is missing.
Lastly please remain aware that this is a team sport and all decisions are based on
what is best for the team and the team performance. There may be times when
you as a parent or the athlete question a coaches decision. Before discussing these
issues with gym staff or other parents you should always ask yourself whether the
decision was better for the team even though your child may no longer be in the
position they had hoped. There are always ups and downs in an All Star
cheerleaders career but rarely are these decisions made with any bias.
At Cheer FX, we believe that everyone who is involved with us represents us. As such,
our athletes are encouraged to promote Cheer FX in a positive manner at all times. A
simple rule is to respect everyone all the time. Anyone with issues regarding the
behaviour of others in our club are asked to contact Miranda and have her deal with
the issues. Abusive behaviour, lying or any other form of negative behaviour are
grounds for removal from the team or club. As well as showing respect for our team,
we will not tolerate negative comments about other teams or their programs. We
encourage all athletes to socialise and mingle with other clubs and teammates but if
you are caught sending rude or inappropriate messages you will be subject to
immediate removal. In addition, you CANNOT use the Cheer FX name or any
variation of our name in your email address or indicate on facebook or instagram
that you are an employee at Cheer FX.
Tumbling
Our first priority is safety. Athletes will not be allowed to progress to the next level
until it is appropriate for them to do so. As frustrating as it might be at times, we
believe in perfection before progression. We do not allow students to learn
advanced tumbling skills before perfecting their basics (more oomph less ouch).
This policy ensures long-term success as well as confidence. Proper technique is
everything!
Injuries
Parents and athletes need to note that cheerleading is a highly competitive and
potentially dangerous sport. The stunts involve being lifted above people’s heads
and any tumbling involves risks and could lead to injuries. At Cheer FX we take
every precaution to limit these injuries. Unfortunately, we cannot prevent them all.
In the unfortunate event that your child is injured we will take every necessary step
to ensure your child’s well being.
GENERAL RULES
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 You must arrive at all practices, competitions or any scheduled event on time.
 Any bags, phones, jackets etc. must be taken into the gym and stored in the
appropriate area. Mobile phones must be switched off during practice.
 COMPETITIONS: All athletes are required to wear their club t-shirt, singlet or
jacket to and from all competitions and over the uniform at all time other than
competing. Athletes are required to wear at least one piece of Cheer FX
apparel at all times during the competitions to promote club unity and
presence.
 Only Athletes and Coaches are allowed on the gym floors.
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 No one is allowed to call out to athletes or try to get their attention
during practice. This is extremely distracting to everyone.
 Missing a practice within 3 weeks prior to competition will result in dismissal
from a team for that particular competition and will not receive a refund for
the competition entry fees.
 There will be no arguing or questioning of the coaching staff’s decisions
at competitions or practices.
 No profanity or abusive language at practice, competitions or over the
phone will be tolerated and may result in removal from the club.
 We encourage you to watch all Cheer FX teams at competitions when you
can and parents to support every team equally and all athletes equally.
 Parents, relations or friends are never allowed to speak to competition
officials for any reason; any issues must be raised with Karen and Miranda.
 No gossip will be tolerated about an athlete on your team, any coaches or staff
of Cheer FX or any other team. It is much better to address a problem with us
than listen to idle gossip.
 We do not allocate athletes to teams based on friendship or travel
arrangements.
 It is your responsibility to know what is going on with your team. Please check
your emails and our FX Express facebook page regularly.
 We have a 3 strike rule at Cheer FX. Failure to turn up to training sessions
more than three times without prior arrangement and doctors certificate will
result in dismissal from a team. Coaches plan their lessons based around full
attendance of athletes. If anyone athlete is absent then four or more other
athletes also cannot train properly.
 All Choreography is the property of Cheer FX and cannot be duplicated or
used by any other team/club/athlete.
COACHES AND CHEER FX CONTACT DETAILS
If you are going to be late to a training session please text Miranda on 0448 822 530. If
you need to contact the coach outside of training hours please refer to the contact
details on the front page. Please do not hesitate to ask questions about any issues.
Having said this, coaches personal mobiles are not to be contacted unless for an
emergency or at competitions. Should you wish to discuss your child’s progress
with the coaches please contact Karen in Reception to organise a meeting outside of
training hours. Under no circumstances is a parent allowed to approach a coach
during training or back stage at competitions. Please see Karen in the first instance.