Western Howard County Warhawks

2015 Cheer Season Information

A message from Reneè Crisitello, Cheer Director

1.) Tumbling:

We are so happy to bring on Jeff Pomeroy, owner of Pomoroy Gymnastics as our Warhawks Cheer Tumble Coach! He is bringing his expertise to the Warhawks and rotating through our teams to appropriately teach them tumbling on a weekly basis He has added a Cheer and Tumble Class for the summer and a week-long 1/2 Day Cheer & Tumble Camp at his gym if you are interested in picking up some gymnastics to prep for the cheer season. You can call the gym and leave a message and Jeff will be able to register you. The information and website is below for forms and phone numbers.

Cheer & Tumble Class: Wednesdays 4:30-5:30, 7 Weeks Starting 6/24-8/5, $105

1/2 Day Cheer & Tumble Camp: Week of August 3rd: $210

www.pomeroygym.com

 2.) Spirit Wear/Uniforms:

We have some great news this season. The Warhawks program has agreed to pick up all the costs for spirit wear this season. It is so very generous of them and we are grateful! It is a HUGE cost savings for families. This will include a Cheer Pack consisting of: Hair Bow, Mid-drift, Boy Briefs, Socks, Practice Uniform (Tee & Shorts) and bag. The warm up suit will now be part of the uniform and will be distributed with the uniform and returned with the uniform at the end of the season. The only item parents need to purchase are the cheer sneakers which we will have sizing and ordering at the beginning of the season.

3.) Uniform Sizing:

We will be conducting a uniform sizing day Tuesday, July 7 at GCC from 6-7:30 pm for those who HAVE NOT yet been sized. All uniforms will be distributed at season start.

4.) Start Date and Mini Camp:

All camp costs are included in this year’s registration fee. Our practice location for our first practice and minicamp will be at Glenwood Middle School. Our practice area will be behind the blacktop at the far end of the parking lot at Glenwood Middle. Our season this year will start on Thursday, August 6th from 6-8pm, which ALL teams will report and there will be a brief parent meeting that evening from 7:40-8:00pm. . We have a lot to do that evening! There are a few documents we need to collect at the start of this first day of minicamp. At this time parents will turn in all paperwork, uniform deposit checks (amount TBD) & Maryland ID Cards. All of these documents will be available to download off of our www.gowarhawks.com website under the “handouts” section.  

Please bring the following to the first day of practice, 8/6/15: Player Code of Ethics Form, Player Information Form, Medical Release Form, and the Parent Code of Conduct, Maryland State ID card, Uniform Deposit Check made out to Director of Finance, amount to be determined. The county requires all Warhawks to have a medical form for each player or cheerleader in order to participate in any practices, games, etc. The medical release form will require a signature from your pediatrician. If medical forms are not completed, your child will not be allowed to practice on the field until it is complete. The county also requires every player/cheerleader to have a state issued Maryland ID. They usually have certain times during the summer at the MVA that you can take your child via an appointment so you don’t have to wait. We will communicate the information to you when received or feel free to go at any time. When your child’s paperwork is completed and Maryland ID’s are collected, Cheer Packs & Uniforms will be distributed. We will make adjustments at this time to uniforms if necessary. You will be hearing from your individual Team Administrators with more information.

We also would like to have the girl’s sneaker sizing that evening. We are planning to have our uniform spirit wear vendor at practice on Thursday, August 6th, to size all the girls for their shoes. The vendor will have sample shoes on hand and write your daughter’s sneaker size on her hand, (just easier so nothing gets lost or misplaced). You will then order the sneakers via our www.gowarhawks.com website. If there is inclement weather on the 6th, the shoe fitting will take place inside the "Old" Bushy Park Elementary School.

Our Mini Camp (first week of football cheer camp) is August 10th-August 13th, from 6-8pm, and Friday, August 14th from 6-7:30pm. Please note 5 year old instructional team will have different times of practice which will be posted at a later date.

Practice Attire and Rules:

·       Use bathroom before practice. Restrooms are not readily available or close to our practice area. Coaches will take water breaks during practices, but not restroom breaks. If you think your child will need a bathroom break during practice, you must stay on premises to take her to the restroom. The girls will not be able to go alone or with a friend.

·       Remove all jewelry, don’t forget earrings!

·       Eat before all games/practice, not during due to choking hazard

·       No chewing gum

·       Bring lots of water and clearly label your water bottles

·       Bring a Beach towel for outdoor practice

·       Wear Practice uniforms to all practices-red t-shirt/black shorts (practice uniform is provided, but girls can wear any red T and Black shorts if provided uniform is “unavailable” (I understand the laundry factor;) especially in camp ); flyers in cheer sneakers for stunting

·       Hair in ponytail, we will be stunting and hair in the face will not be permitted while stunting.

·       No cell phone use will be permitted during practices or games. If there is a need to contact you, the coach will use their personal cell phone. Cell phones may only be used at the conclusion of a practice or game.

You may stay and observe our practices, please refrain from communicating with your child or the coach while practice is in session. There will be an opportunity at the end of practice, to ask any questions.

5.) Competition Choreography Camp (second week of camp):

Our choreography camp is MANDATORY for ALL CHEER SQUADS and necessary to compete in our competitions. It will be held at Western Regional Park (WRP) next to the tennis courts. We will be partnering again this year with the GHS Cheerleaders to choreograph our routines. They have delivered multiple 1st place routines for us in the past and we are excited to see what they bring this year! Camp dates will be Monday, August 17-Thursday, August 20th from 6-8pm. Older squad will also practice on Saturday morning August 22nd, time TBD. The best part is that the Warhawks Organization is covering the cost of $55 per child for this mandatory camp and we are all grateful! Again, HUGE cost saving for families. We will participate in 2 competitions this year! Yeah! Also, if any team places 1st at the MMYFC competition, as both teams did last year, they will win a bid and compete in a 3rd competition! Dates and locations have not been released yet and I will communicate it to you as soon as received.

6.) Regular Season Practices:

Beginning the week of August 24^th through September 18^th, we will reduce to two nights a week practices. What two days each squad will be practicing is TBD. During this time all practices will be at WRP on the grass fields next to the tennis courts. Our practice time will still be from 6:00-8:00 PM. Then, the week of September 21st, we will move to our indoor practice spaces. Each squad’s practice days and times will remain the same, but your squad’s practice locations are TBD. These locations will be one of the following: Glenwood Middle School or Glenwood Community Center. For EVERY practice, please wear your practice uniform.

We are always looking for volunteers. If you are looking to get involved or are able to help us out in anyway, please email me.

Throughout the season you will receive email correspondence from your squads’ team administrator (TA) and/or myself. Please be sure to update us both with the best email address(es) for your family.  Hopefully, this information is helpful for your summer planning purposes! If you have any questions or concerns please email me.

Cheers!!!

Renee Crisitello

Director of Cheer

West Howard Warhawks

renee.crisitello@gmail.com

 ***NEW NEW NEW***

HOWARD COUNTY PARKS and RECS UPDATED COACH'S REQUIREMENTS 

In an effort to better serve our volunteer coaches, Howard County Recreation and Parks is using a new volunteer website. All Fall 2017 program volunteers must use the new website.

Benefits of the new system to you as a Coach or Team Administrator:

·         You will fill out your profile one time and then update your information as needed each year;

·         You will control attaching your own course certificates and headshot;

·         You can self-monitor  what requirements are still needed;

·         Your certificates remain on the website for future years as well as, for you to access for other purposes;

·         You can view your  badge expiration date to determine when you will need to renew.

Instructions:

Go to the new Howard County Volunteer website using the URL: www.hocovolunteer.org

As first time users, select the  “Coaches and Administrators Registry”  Hot Opportunity on the front page.  Once selected, the Coaching Registry requirements will be displayed. Click the blue “Sign Up” button.

You will be asked to create an account with a User ID and password.  Note: Email addresses do work as User IDs and may be the easiest for you to remember. Record your password in a safe place as it will be your password each time you enter the system.

Accept the Terms of Agreement which will allow you to complete an application.

Complete your application.  If you need an ASEP code to take the Coaching Essentials Course, you can request one in the system.  Within 48-72 hours of attaching an ASEP certificate in the system, a background review link will be sent to you by Hire Right.  

If you do not have all of your required attachments, you can continue your profile at a later time by logging out and returning in the future to “My Dashboard” and then “Edit My Profile”.

After you have created your profile, the second step is to search for the specific program you are interested in coaching with.  For example, Coaching WHC Warhawks Fall 2017.   You can use key word searches (Warhawks or football) or you can go to Departments/Recreation and Parks/Coaching which will display a list all of the Coaching Opportunities. Once you find your Coaching Opportunity, use the “Sign Up” button which will let the program coordinator know you are interested in being a volunteer coach.  Remember that the placement as a coach in any program will not be approved until such time that you have completed all requirements of the Coaches and Administrators Registry.

Coaches who have a badge issued in 2016:

Please follow the instructions above to create your account and sign up for the Coaches Registry AND your specific Coaching Opportunity (i.e. Warhawks).   Be sure to indicate you are a returning coach on your application and attach a current headshot.  If you have had a Coaching Badge in the past 18 months, we will be able to access many of those certificates and attach them for you.  If you have them in your own hard drive, in the interest of time, please attach the certificates yourself.

All Coaches: 

Becoming a volunteer coach is three-step process:

1.       Sign up for the Coaches and Administrators Registry Opportunity and complete each of the requirements identified. 

2.      Sign up for the specific program you would like to coach this season (i.e. WHC Warhawks).

3.    Coaches must also complete Level I Tackle Course (new coaches) or Tackle Recertification Course (returning coaches) found at www.usafootball.com.  We have a limited number of "promotional codes" that cover the membership cost.  Email whcwarhawks@gmail.com to obtain the code. 

In future years, your Coaches and Administrators Registry Opportunity will only need to be renewed with a new background check and issuance of a new coaching card. All of your information and attachments will carry over to subsequent years.

* NEWS FLASH *

Sign up for the Warhawks Summer Skills Camp 

Each Monday from June 20th - July 25th (except July 4th).  Go to all sessions or some.

Flexibility * Speed * Power * Balance * Agility *

All sports welcome.  Boys and Girls Ages 5 - 14 

Email your registration form now to whcwarhawks@gmail.com

(put "Summer Skills Camp" in subject line)

If you can't find the answer you are looking for here, email us at whcwarhawks@gmail.com.

Who can sign up for cheer?  Your kid can sign up for cheer as long as they are at least 5 and not older than 14 years old on August 1^st.

Who can sign up for Tackle Football? You can sign up for tackle football as long as you are at least 5 years old and not more than 14 years old on August 1^st.  You are not eligible if you play for your high school football team.

Do I have to start playing at 5 years old? No.  We have many new players at each grade level who do great.  Our program is structured to optimize the playing experience through careful evaluation of a player’s experience and abilities.   

What if I have scheduled a vacation during August? If you are new to the program and already scheduled your vacation, go and enjoy yourself.  Football will still be here when you get back.  If you have not already scheduled your vacation, please make every attempt to schedule it before August 8^th.  The first few weeks are crucial in team placement, conditioning, determining positions, developing into a cohesive unit, and implementing game strategy.  If you are not new to the program, you should know better! J Either way, please tell your coach as soon as possible if you will be gone. 

Where do I go to sign up? Visit the homepage and follow the instructions to sign up via phone or online.

Where can I get information about Scholarships? We want everyone who wants to play to play. To that end, there are need based scholarships available through Howard County Parks & Recs or you can talk to any of the members of the Board of Directors.

How late can I sign up? It is best to register early to assist the organization in determining coaching needs.  Make every attempt to register before May 31st to take advantage of our early bird registration fees, but you can register up to evaluations.

What types of facilities do you have?  We are very fortunate to have the best home fields in the Maryland.  We have (2) new turf fields and multiple grass fields with bleachers, press box, and scoreboards.  We also have a fenced playground facility, concession stand, paved running trails, and the best fans in youth football.  We are proud of the family atmosphere our organization maintains.

What type of training do your coaches receive?  We are fortunate to have some of the most experienced coaching staffs in the league.  We require all of our coaches and staff to obtain and maintain coaching credentials above and beyond the requirements placed by the county and the league.  All of our coaches are USAFOOTBALL Heads Up Certified, go through online and in-person training and certifications throughout the year, and are not allowed to coach in our system until our stringent requirements are met.  Many of our coaches have been coaching football and cheer for many years, and we have a mentorship program for new coaches to develop their coaching skills.

My Kid plays multiple sports. Do you recommend this?  We absolutely encourage kids to play multiple sports.  The skills gained from other sports complement the skills used in Football & Cheer, and all play a part in building the character of our kids.

How do I determine which team to sign my kid up for (ie: 9 year old up for 8-10 yrs or 9-11 yrs)?  It is not necessary to choose a squad, just place your child in the appropriate age bracket.  Teams are determined after registration is closed and the cheer coaches will reach out to parents with team divisions prior to the season start.