Cheering

Welcome to our Football & Cheering Family!!!

Swampscott Youth Cheerleading is a part of the Massachusetts Youth Cheer Alliance (MYCA) and the Youth Cheer & Dance Alliance (YCADA). It is a program open to Swampscott and Nahant residents entering 1st grade through 8th grade fall of 2026. The SYFC goal is to provide a positive learning experience, a focus on sportsmanship, teamwork, safety, and fun! All cheerleaders learn a variety of skills such as cheers, jumps, stunts and tumbling.

Our season starts at the beginning of August and concludes in November. As a part of SYFC, your child will have the opportunity to participate in many town activities in our off-season, and we urge all football players and cheerleaders to be a part of the fun! For example, we have the Strawberry Festival in June and the Holiday Parade in December where all youth football players and cheerleaders can join in the fun of riding in one of our parade floats!

Game Day ~ cheerleaders are assigned to a team and cheer for them weekly at both home and away football games. Cheerleaders perform sideline cheers and half-time routines to support football players.

Competition Day ~ cheerleaders perform routines in a competitive forum against other local cheerleading programs. Routines are judged based on a variety of criteria, such as difficulty, creativity, and technique.

REGISTRATION:
Registration opens April 15th and closes June 15th. New cheerleaders will need to provide a copy of their birth certificate.

TEAM ASSIGNMENTS:
Cheerleaders are assigned to teams by grade/birth years. Teams are subject to change depending on registration numbers. Since cheer team ages/grades do not align with football team ages/grades, it is not guaranteed that your child will cheer for football teams their age on game day.
E Team ~ 1st & 2nd grade
D Team ~ 3rd & 4th grade
C Team ~ 5th & 6th grade
A Team ~ 7th & 8th grade
(Once registration closes the official teams and coaches will be emailed to all families)

PRACTICE FREQUENCY & LENGTH:
E Team: 1-3 days per week / 2 hours each
D Team: 2-3 days per week / 2 hours each
C Team: 2-3 days per week / 2 hours each
A Team: 2-3 days per week / 2 hours each
Each team will be assigned a mandatory choreography practice 1-2 times per season for 2-4 hours.

PRACTICE ATTENDANCE POLICY:
(this is extremely important to know prior to registration)
Cheerleading is unlike other sports – there are no subs waiting on the bench and each cheerleader on the team has a position. When one cheerleader is missing, that means one entire stunt group is unable to practice their stunt or that the entire team may be unable to practice their competition routine and/or stunts.

● All practices, games, choreography days and competitions are mandatory. With that being said, we understand that children get sick or may have an absence.
● After 3 unexcused absences, the coach reserves the right to remove your child from the competition team and have him/her participate as a game day cheerleader.
●All absences need to be communicated to your child’s coach in advance of missing a practice/game. (If ill a doctor’s note may be required before returning to practice)
PRACTICE INFORMATION:
● Practice begins at the beginning of August.
● Practice schedule will be sent via email in July.
● Practices are all mandatory.
● Practices are held at Blocksidge Field and Swampscott Middle School
● Extra practices will be held as competition approaches during October/November.

Practice uniforms will be worn to every practice along with a sports bra and cheer sneakers, unless the coach suggests otherwise.

Airpods and cell phones are not allowed at games or practices. Please arrive at practices and games prepared. This means the player arrives in the appropriate uniform, with no jewelry, hair up in a high ponytail, and white cheer sneakers with white ankle socks.
(Players may need to bring sunscreen or bug spray depending on location/time of game and/or practice)

GAME INFORMATION:
● The game day schedule is available the week before Labor Day.
● Games start the weekend after Labor Day.
● Games are one per week on Saturday/Sunday.
● All cheerleaders travel to both home and away games.
● All games are mandatory.
● Playoffs are TBD

COMPETITION INFORMATION:
● Cheerleaders will participate in TWO competitions at the end of the season.
● Competitions are planned for the first couple of weekends in November. TBD on exact dates.
● Choreography day(s) are mandatory and failure to attend results in your child being unable to compete.

CAMP:
● We will be offering a 2-day optional cheer camp through MCYA
● Hosted by VARSITY Cheer
● Will take place in Lynnfield, MA
● DATES: June 29th- July 1st
● More information to followUNIFORMS:
● We will be ordering new uniforms this season. Each teammate will be required to purchase a uniform that will be theirs to keep.

ITEMS EACH CHEERLEADER WILL NEED:
The following items can be ordered at Fit Night.
(sample sizes available at Fit Night for reference)
● A new uniform
● Navy blue briefs –
● Cheer Sweatshirt– we will be using the same one from last seasonThe following items will also be needed
● White cheer sneakers
● White ankle socks
● Bows TBD (sometimes bows need to be purchased, such as competition bows)

We look forward to another fun-filled season with new and returning cheerleaders!
If you have any further questions, please contact us anytime!

Jenni Doucette & Jill Centola
Swampscott Youth Football Cheer Directors
Please email president@bigblueyouth.com with any questions.

GO BIG BLUE!!!!