Cheerleading tryouts for the Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School teams are right around the corner. Tryouts will take place on May 27 and May 28, 2026. You can find more information about tryouts, as well as the current cheer team, on the IBW cheerleading Instagram page. You can also fill out the 2026-2027 IBW cheerleading interest form by clicking here. 

Due to the large amount of planning coaches need to do for the next season, cheer tryouts are held very far in advance for the next school year. Lauren Peterson, the head cheerleading coach, said, “We like to give our girls a lot of time to prepare this season.” But there are other factors, and the season technically begins two months into the summer season.

Tryouts are usually three to four days long, with a final placement at the end of this tryout period. Plus, anyone is welcome to try out, no matter their experience, and since cheer is a no-cut sport, everyone who tries out for the team will be placed onto a cheer team. Every year, the exact date for tryouts is randomised, but tryouts are almost always in May. This is because the coaches need to figure out availability for themselves and the gym. Oftentimes, tryouts are held in the IBW wrestling room or the gym. 

On the first day of tryouts, students are expected to get into groups of three to four. Then, each group is given a list of moves to learn including: jumps, tumbling, cheers and finally a dance. The next two or three days of the tryout are based on memorizing and performing their recently learned skills.

On the final day, the coaches judge each group as well as individual performance. This day of tryouts is mostly just for team placement, as students can be placed on either varsity or junior varsity cheer. 

Make sure to keep a lookout for open gyms, since the dates aren’t figured out yet. The overall process of tryouts is very fun and inviting, especially for beginners.