Are you preparing for college cheerleading or helping an athlete with that goal? Then this is for you! I had the opportunity to interview the head coach of a top college cheerleading program, the University of Cincinnati, and I get to share this helpful insight with you! Coach Tabby Fagan has over 20 years of experience coaching.  She was a member of the Cincinnati varsity team for 5 years, and was part of the 1991 team who took 3rd place at Nationals.  The Cincinnati cheerleaders have consistently proven to be one of the elite squads in the nation.   

5th Place – University of Cincinnati – UCA Nationals 2017

Dive in to the details of our conversation regarding college cheerleading below! We talked about UCA Nationals routine planning, college cheerleading tryouts, scholarships, time management, and more! BONUS:  I opened this up for coaches of High School athletes to ask some specific questions for their athletes! So let’s get to it!

An interview with college cheerleading coach, Tabby Fagan, of University of Cincinnati:

1.  Cincinnati has proven to be one of the elite squads in the nation.  Congratulations on your 5th place finish at UCA Nationals and the 2017 season. When creating the nationals routine, what does this process look like for you and the team?

Answer:  The process is a complete team effort.  We find that when the team has input into the routine they will be performing, they really sell it!  The coaches collaborate with the team to put the most elite skills in the routine ensuring that each individual will be pushed to their limits.  

2.  What was the single biggest obstacle the team overcame this past season and how did you handle it? 

Answer:  The biggest obstacle is always class schedules and this year was no different.  This year we had two graduate students along with those who were co-oping.  Sometimes we had to practice late hours in order to have the entire national’s team at together at practice.  

3.  Cincinnati continues to recruit top talent in the cheerleading program. How does the tryout process work? 

Answer:  Our tryout process consists of 2 clinic days and 1 tryout day.  On the fourth day we hold our first practice as a team as well as discuss the expectations for the season.

4.  What are the basic skills athletes are expected to be able to complete at tryouts?

Answer: To be a part of our varsity team (Black Squad) athletes must have a full-up stretch to double down cradle.  Program wide, back tucks are required.

5. What type of leadership role do the team captains play in the success of your entire team?  

Answer: Our captains serve as liaisons between the team and the coaches.  The most important piece to a captain’s success is to lead by example.  We have been very fortunate to have had great leaders whose work ethic is outstanding.  We can directly relate this to our past success and this year will be no different.

6. College cheerleading tryouts are taking place this Spring!  When does Cincinnati’s take place?

Answer: May 4-7, 2017 

College cheerleading questions from coaches of high school athletes

The cheer.fm coaches community have some great questions to ask you as well! We asked coaches what they would like to know from a top collegiate coach in order to help their high school athletes prepare for college tryouts and find a team that is a good fit for them.   

Coaches questions: 

1.  What type of scholarships are offered in the Cincinnati cheerleading program? 

Answer: We do offer scholarship money but it is typically distributed by seniority.  What potential athletes find most appealing about cheering at the University of Cincinnati is the fact that uniforms, Under Armour apparel, Under Armour shoes, and travel are all funded so you will never be asked to pay for anything out of your pocket.  

2. What type of academic support does your program offer to ensure that athletes will graduate on time?

Answer: We offer priority scheduling which begins after the first semester as a cheerleader.  Study tables are mandatory for freshman.  Tutors are also an option when needed.

3.  How will you hold athletes accountable for their actions? (Random drug testing? Curfews at out of town events? Required study hours?)

Answer: Our cheerleaders have a great deal of pride for our program here at UC.  The cheerleaders, themselves, do a great job of holding each other accountable and making sure their teammates are abiding by team policies.   

4. Cheerleaders tend to be disciplined and great at time management.  How do the demands differ at the collegiate level? 

Answer: We have cheerleaders majoring in fashion design, engineering, business, education, physics, mathematics, sports marketing, athletic training, architecture, nursing, and pharmacy.  I am sure I have missed a few, but my point is that if you want to do it, we can typically work together to figure it out.  Sometimes working with someone from our Student Athlete Support Services can help.  

5.  Cheerleading injuries occur… What type of support are Cincinnati cheerleaders provided with for their injured athletes  (athletic trainers, physical therapy, etc)?

Answer:  We require that our cheerleaders lift with a weight coach 2-3 times per week.  We use this as preventative maintenance for our cheerleaders.  We have access to the training room for tape and pre-event treatment.

6.  How important is previous experience with sport cheerleading rather than competitive cheer?  

Answer: As long as an athlete has body awareness and has gymnastics/tumbling background, we can teach them to stunt.  Sometimes we prefer an athlete to come in raw when it comes to stunting.  Then we can teach them the “Cincinnati Way” instead of spending time breaking bad habits that they have picked up along the way.

7.  What’s the single biggest piece of advice you would give your own son or daughter if they were preparing for college cheerleading tryouts?

Answer: As far as partner stunting, stunt with as many guys/girls as possible.  Too many times, we get girls who come to tryouts able to perform elite skills.  Unfortunately, they can only perform those skills with the big guy from their gym that throws them around, but never teaches the basics. Stunt with them all – short, tall, fast, and slow.  This will make you a better stunter.  When our coaches evaluate at our tryouts, we look for those cheerleaders who are able to stunt successfully with many different people.

Is there anything else you’d like to add? 

Answer:  Jessie was awesome with our nationals music and I highly recommend her for your music needs!

*Where can interested athletes find additional information regarding tryouts, clinics, or connecting with the coaching staff? 

Answer: GoBEARCATS.COM – University Of Cincinnati Official Athletic Site

Thank you Tabby for sharing information about college cheerleading and details for University of Cincinnati’s Program. Cheer.fm is honored to work with you to create unique music that aids in showcasing your athletes and their skills!

Did you learn something new about college cheerleading?

Whether you’re an athlete prepping for college cheerleading or a coach who’s helping a cheerleader reach for the collegiate level, I hope you’ve gained some insight from this fun and informative interview with Tabby Fagan who continues to develop a strong cheerleading program at the University of Cincinnati.  Did your specific questions get answered?

Have another question to ask about college cheerleading?  Leave a comment and I’ll help you find the answer!