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Cheerie Tryout Diary : Lisa It is the most nerve wracking, exciting, terrifying, amazing time in the cheerie calendar. I am of course talking about tryout time! This is a wee insight into my thoughts and feelings during each stage of the process. Hope you enjoy! Preliminary Round:  I was really looking forward to this stage, this round is a lot more relaxed than the finals and it is the first chance we vets get to look at the fresh new talent who are auditioning for the first time. The routine we learn is a funky Britney Spears number which I really like, this makes it easy to pick up and perform. We danced the routine in groups of four in front of the judges and I began to feel nervous for the first time that day, there are more girls than there have ever been before at tryouts and there are a lot of strong dancers. As my name is read out as one of the finalists I breathe a sigh of relief but feel very nervous about the week ahead.Midweek Madness: Those of us who made it through to the final stages of the audition process are invited to training to learn another routine for the finals at Hampden. This routine is trickier than the last one and takes a lot more concentration. Despite this no one seems to be really struggling with it which confirms my fears that this year's finals are going to be the toughest yet. On a lighter note, the rest of my week is taken up with panicking about my 'talent' for the finals and finding an outfit to impress the judges. Work out gear is the order of the day for cheerleader tryouts and I can't seem to find anything suitable. I start having horrific daydreams about having to wear the same outfit as last year- a fate worse than death for the fashion conscious cheerie! My talent routine starts to cause me some extra stress also. The Flamenco routine I had been practicing requires a wooden floor and I find out that the suite we are having the finals in at Hampden is totally carpeted. I have a real dilemma as it is too late to think of another routine and the Flamenco just won't work on a carpeted floor. Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finals The day of the final tryout arrives and things are looking up. I eventually found something new to wear and I manage to source a portable wooden floor which I can take to Hampden to dance my Flamenco on. The only thing I have to worry about now is getting the routines right and not letting my nerves get the better of me. Fellow cheerie Alana arrives at my house looking just as nervous as me and we jump in the car and head for Hampden. Alana takes my mind off things as we chat about the talent section which is the most entertaining part of the day. She has me in stitches as I get a sneak preview of her talent performance which looks set to upstage her infamous Marilyn Monroe send up of last year! As we near Hampden we have a sombre chat about the real possibility of just one of us or neither making the squad. Every year we try out the harder it gets, because failing the auditions not only means losing your place on the squad but also losing the friends you have made over the years. We also know that this year is going to be a special year for the squad with World Bowl coming up and we don't want to miss out. When we arrive at Hampden and see all the other girls, the adrenalin and excitement floods back and I try to stop thinking the worst. 
The morning is spent practising routines, and being interviewed and photographed. Everyone has been really friendly and supportive to each other throughout the whole process; however when the judges arrive after lunch the atmosphere becomes extremely tense. As I perform my routines in front of the judges my legs turn to jelly, I remember from last year to focus on Fred MacAulay as he always smiles back and that helps alleviate some of the nervousness. Thankfully I perform the routines without any mistakes and feel quite pleased with my performance. The talent section begins after the last dancers have performed and everyone is much more relaxed. I am absolutely stunned watching the talent on show, there are so many fantastic singers, dancers and gymnasts. The Flamenco routine seems to have gone down well as it was quite unusual and Alana hands in another hilarious performance as 'Sandra Dee' from Grease. The worst part of the day is now sitting waiting while the judges make their decisions. After what seems like an eternity the judges enter the room. We are told that picking this years squad has been the most difficult it has ever been because of the strength of talent available. Unfortunately, there are only 36 places on the squad so some of us have to be disappointed. Debbie reads out the names of those who have made it and my heart starts to race, one by one the names of my friends are called out and they move to the next room. Alana and I are sitting side by side as her name is read out and as I hug her I begin to panic as it is nearing the end of the list. Finally, I hear my name and feel sheer happiness and relief in equal amounts. I skip through to the next room to join my friends!! We have our first official photograph as the new 2003 squad and I get a good look at my new colleagues for the first time. I am extremely excited but sad at the same time as I notice some of the girls from last year didn't make it. The party animals in the squad make arrangements to go out that evening to celebrate but I politely decline- I am physically and emotionally drained and couldn't possibly take anymore excitement for one day! So, after all the stress and excitement I am very proud to say that I am a Claymores Cheerleader for another year. Now the hard work really begins as we train harder than ever to produce fantastic routines worthy of a team hosting the biggest sporting event in Scotland this year. I can't wait for the season to get started and for the fans to see for themselves just how talented a group we really are! |
