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PROGRAM OVERVIEW
We are Irvine Youth Football & Cheer (IYF&C), an Irvine based non-profit corporation dedicated to bringing the benefits of organized football and cheer to the youth of Irvine. We provide opportunities for girls ages 5 to 14 to participate in cheerleading. Our organization is run entirely by volunteers, most of whom have children in our football and cheer programs. We have sponsored football in Irvine for over 30 years, so long that now some of our alumni have children in our program and serve as coaches. Our teams are known as the Irvine Chargers.
Applications accepted after July 1, 2010 cannot be guaranteed a uniform in time for the first game. You will not be considered registered until all required payments have been made.
CHEER DIVISIONS
The program is appropriate for first time cheerleaders and seasoned veterans. The goal of the cheer program is for our cheerleaders to have fun yet (a) develop self-confidence, (b) learn cheer and dance routines that are increasingly sophisticated with their age and experience and (c) perform at games and a competition event.
Squad Placement
Girls will be placed on squads according to age and ability, each of which is associated with one of our Irvine Chargers football teams. As in football, placement is not left up to the parent; rather there are certain criteria for squad placement. Please do not ask for your cheerleader to be placed on a particular squad. We understand that your child may desire to be with a friend or cheer for a particular football team, but we are confident that wherever they are placed they will make new friends had have a wonderful experience.
CHEER PRACTICE
General
Cheer Camp location will be advised once the league receives our field allocation from the city. Everyone must arrive at practices on time and be appropriately dressed in spirit wear (distributed on physical day), socks and tennis shoes, no jewelry or jeans. Hair must be pulled back and secured in a ponytail and out of the face. Girls not dressed properly will not be allowed to practice. Water should be brought to each practice. No gum will be allowed.
Pre Season Training
Cheer camp will be held July 26 through September; two hours each evening Monday - Friday. Schedule TBD. All cheerleaders and mascots are required to attend. Mascots schedule is 1-2 nights per week for 1 1/2 hours.
Regular Practices
Practices starting the week of September will consist of three, two-hour sessions per week. The head coach of each squad will determine the exact practice schedule. We cannot overemphasize the importance of participating in practices. We stress both individual cheerleader development and commitment to the squad. Practice time is spent learning and practicing cheers and dance routines, which includes a lot of coordinated activity by the squad that can only be learned through practice and repetition.
We ask that you support coaches and cheer staff working with your child in order to encourage a positive and enjoyable experience for all. Although tempting, please do not coach from the sidelines. Leave the coaching to the coaches. Each parent will be required to sign an Adult Code of Conduct contract at the beginning of the season.
COMPETITIONS
Every year our cheer squads are required to participate in the OCJAAF Competition. Please refer to the 2010 Calendar for the date, time and location. At this event, hundreds of cheerleaders from 23 sister organizations in Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside counties compete in cheer and dance routines in front of an audience numbering in the thousands. Cheerleaders and parents should anticipate that this is an all day event.
In addition to the mandatory OCJAAF competition, we offer the opportunity for our squads to go on and compete at the regional and national level. While these competitions are not mandatory, we strongly encourage full participation. The regional competition is usually held in November. If our girls qualify at the regional level they advance to nationals, which will be held in Las Vegas, February, 2011.
Even though football teams are organized into leagues based on geographic considerations, it is important to know that some travel is involved and distances can be as much as a 100 mile round trip. Our games may be played in Orange County, Los Angeles County, and Riverside County.
FOOTBALL GAMES
Each cheer squad is associated with one of the Irvine Chargers football teams. Attendance by all Cheerleaders is mandatory for all their team's football games, including scrimmages, regular season games, and playoff games. Regular season football games will begin on Saturday, September 11th and continue thru November.
Before you register your child, make sure that you completely understand the travel requirements and the importance of your child's total participation in every event, home and away.
PHYSICALS & EXAMINATIONS
Physicals are required for all cheerleaders. IYF&C has arranged for physicals to be performed June 19, 2010 Check the Calendar for time and location. The cost of this physical exam is included in the registration fee.
If you cannot attend this event, or if you wish to have the examination performed by a personal physician, the examination will be at your expense. If a private physical is performed, the physician must complete and sign the OCJAAF cheerleader contract. Physicals are required before a cheerleader is allowed to attend practice. Please contact your Cheer Coordinators for additional information.
CHEER COSTCost Philosophy
We are a non-profit corporation and budget our expenses to operate on a break-even basis. While we sponsor football and cheer programs, the cheer program is separately and independently budgeted.
Participation Fees
$300.00 Registration fees include:
- 100.00 value in raffle Tickets
(We provide the raffle tickets as a way to offset the cost to participants. You may sell the raffle tickets and keep the money raised or keep the raffle tickets for yourself. The raffle is held during our Pep Rally. Please refer to the Calendar for the date, time and location.)Spirit Pack (Practice T-shirt, Shorts & sweats)
OCJAAF Competition Fees
Usage of Cheer Ladder
Insurance and Field Usage Fees
League Pictures
- Game Day Hair bow
- Snacks given to the opposing team on game day
Transportation to OCJAAF Competition – we travel as a team to this event
Food for Competition (includes breakfast, snack and lunch)
Cheer Trading Pins for competition day
What is NOT included in your Registration Fees:
Mandatory items:
Cheer Uniform (Includes Shell, Skirt, Shoes, Socks, Body Liner, Bloomers & Pom Poms) approximately $200.
Sweat Outfit - $50
JAMZ Magic Mountain participant/entrance fees for girls - approx $35.00*
JAMZ Nationals participant/entrance fees (if we qualify) - approx $100.00*
Fall Fundraiser to help cover the costs that are NOT included in the registration fees. If you choose not to participate in the fundraiser, the buy out cost is $100.00
Not Mandatory, but something we like to do as a team:
End of year party
Coach’s/team mom gifts
Treasure Box gifts
REFUNDS
Refunds will be issued in the following circumstances:
If a cheerleader decides not to participate prior to the first day of practice, the refund will equal the registration fee less $125.
If a cheerleader decides not to participate after the first day of practice but before the first game, the refund will equal the registration fee less $150.
No refund will be given with respect to a cheerleader deciding not to participate after the first game.
Refunds will not be given for raffle tickets. Refunds will not be given for uniform costs.
UNIFORM FITTINGS
Fittings will be in May. You can received 20% off of your order if it is paid in full in May. We will also have fitting at Physical Day, June 19, 2010. All uniforms must be paid for at the fittings. You will not receive a uniform until payment has been received in full.
APPLICATION PROCESS
An application must be completed for every prospective cheerleader. Payment in full must be received by physical day. An application may be completed by registering on-line. Just click the registration link on the Irvine Chargers home page.
All information requested on the application must be provided accurately. This information is used to prepare an OCJAAF player contract required for the certification process. An incomplete application will not be accepted and may result in a prospective cheerleader losing a spot on squad. Please, as a courtesy to our all-volunteer staff, make every effort to ensure that your application is complete and accurate. Additionally, in order to prepare player contracts, parents must provide us with their daughter’s original birth certificate. We understand the importance of this document and will be kept with the application at all times. We will also need two original proofs of residence (utility bills). The parent whose name is on the utility bills must be the one who signs the contract. The utility bills and birth certificate will be returned to you once your cheerleader has been certified by OCJAAF. ?Certification day is on August 25th.
VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers Are Critical!!
Our program would not exist without volunteers. We do not compensate any of our volunteers, including coaches, board members and team moms, yet they and many others devote a substantial amount of their time and energy to support our youth sports program.
Volunteering is a lot of fun. You get the chance to interact with other Irvine Charger family members and to contribute to the program. Without volunteers, we do not have a program and no football players or cheerleaders. Please do your part!
For a copy of the Cheer Rules, click here.
