SpiritFest is the spirit portion of the
2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Your squad along with other spirit squads will unite to create the
2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl Spirit Squad.
The squad will consist of 400 varsity cheer and dance teams members
from
multiple high schools across San Antonio and Texas.
No competitions! Just 100% awesome fun!
And best of all, it's FREE!
Cheerleaders will learn multiple chants and mini pom routines
Dance Teams will learn four 1-minute dance routines
Instructors include former Spurs Silver Dancers and Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Perform along side fellow cheer/dance members from other high schools
Discount game ticket vouchers for your family
Have a chance to be on national television, win the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Spirit Stick, or win best cheerleader or dance team member
Receive free U.S. Army All-American Bowl SpiritFest T-shirt, patch, and poms
The registration process can run through November or when all available spaces are taken, which ever comes first. However please consider the following:
1. If you register after September 30, 2008 we will not guarantee that you will receive the correct t-shirt size because we need to submit the t-shirt order the first week of October.
2. Once complete, the DVD's will only be sent to the squads which have completed their entire registration. If you wait until the end of November to register your squad will potentially only have a month to practice the material.
Our squad is larger that the remaining available spaces. What do we do?
The remaining spaces shown on our Current Registrations page is based on the number of names submitted by the squad's Coach/Director. This is not the actual remaining spaces because spaces are filled only after the student registers and submits their waiver.
If your squad is larger than the remaining available space, submit your registration and your squad will be put on a waiting list. We have given the currently submitted participants until July 18, 2008 to register. After July 18, 2008 we will open registration to all squads on the waiting list.
The first 400 students to register and submit their waiver will lock-in their space at SpiritFest.
When is SpiritFest? (Updated October 8, 2008)
SpiritFest consists of three (3) days.
Thursday, January 1, 2009 - 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM (Practice in the Alamodome)
Friday, January 2, 2009 - 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM (Practice at Blossom Athletic Center)
Saturday, January 3, 2009 - 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM (Game in the Alamodome - Ending time may vary)
However your squad will need to learn all required material before the first practice day on Thursday, January 1, 2009. Anyone arriving on Thursday, January 1, 2009 without knowledge of all required material will not be allowed to participate on the sidelines.
Who can participate in SpiritFest?
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is essentially a high school pro bowl where the top high school football players from across the country are invited to play in a classic East vs. West match-up.
2009 will be the second year that the U.S. Army All-American Bowl incorporates an All-American Band made up of high school band members from across the country.
2009 will also be the second year that the the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Spirit Squad will consist of high school cheer and dance squads from Texas (primarily the San Antonio and surrounding areas) along with members of the San Antonio Roses.
At this time we are only accepting registrations from high school cheer and dance squads.
What will we be performing?
CHEERLEADERS
Cheerleaders will learn multiple chants and pom routines to perform to pre-recorded music. Stunting is optional but will be incorporated into the performances if available.
DANCE TEAM
Dance Teams will learn four 1-minutes routines to perform to pre-recorded music.
Will my squad perform together?
Your entire squad will not perform together. The 2009 U.S. All-American Bowl SpiritFest is setup similar to an NBA All-Star game or an NFL Pro-Bowl game where cheerleaders and dancers from multiple organizations unite to form a new squad. Even though your squad will register as one group, all will not be performing together. We will create performance groups of 25 to 30 members comprised of a few members from your squad and members from other squads. This will allow the members to learn from each other and learn how to work as a group. The group selection process will be random but there will be at least two members from your squad performing together.
Because stunt groups have practice together for some time, we will focus on keeping stunt groups together. Directors/Sponsors will have the option to submit the names of the participants in their stunt groups.
Cheerleaders and Dance Team members will remain as unique classifications and will not be performing together.
How long will participants perform?
CHEERLEADERS
Cheerleaders will be divided into four performance times (one for each quarter of football). They will perform on one corner on the sidelines for one (1) entire quarter. The performance time can range from 15 minutes to 30 minutes depending on the pace of the game.
DANCE TEAM
Dance Teams will perform a 1-minute dance routine at the end of every quarter and will rotate to each corner of the sidelines at every quarter.
ALL
All participants will perform a condensed version of all chants and pom routines while they are in their seats.
My parents want seats where I'm performing. Where am I performing?
We have color coded each performance area on the sidelines. Performance areas are RED, BLUE, YELLOW, and GREEN as shown below.
Cheerleaders will be performing for one quarter (15 to 30 minutes) in one performance area. You will be assigned a performance area when registration is closed. Example: Your performance area is "2 GREEN". This means you are performing in the 2nd quarter in the GREEN area.
Dance Teams will be performing for 1 minute in each performance area. You will start the 1st quarter at one performance area and move counter-clockwise to the next performance area for each remaining quarter. You will receive your 1st quarter performance area when registration closes. Example: Your performance area is "RED". This means you will perform in the RED area for the 1st quarter, move to the GREEN area for the 2nd quarter, move to the YELLOW area for the 3rd quarter and so on.
SpiritFest participants will be sitting in section 103 when they are not performing on the sidelines.
Use the plan below to find the Alamodome seating locations close to each performance area.
How will we learn the material?
A free DVD of all material will be available to "fully registered" squads to use at their location. Only one (1) free DVD per squad is allowed. Cheerleading and Dance Teams from a single school are considered two separate squads and both will receive a free DVD. All participating members will need to register before the squad is eligible for a free DVD.
Additional DVD's are available for purchase by registered individuals for $10.
One (1) free optional class per squad is available at the San Antonio Roses Studio. Since there is only one (1) class per squad it is suggested that as many as possible attend. Cheerleading and Dance Team squads will need to schedule a class on separate days because material taught differs between squad types. Contact the San Antonio Roses at 210-843-8585 to setup a class.
Note that chants, pom routines, and dance routines are still being created for the DVD and class. We will inform instructors when classes and the DVD are available. Tentative DVD completion date is mid October.
Who will be our instructors?
Those attending the free optional class in the San Antonio Roses Studio will be instructed by the San Antonio Roses, local cheer/dance instructors, or former professional cheerleaders from squads like the San Antonio Spurs Silver Dancers and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
These instructors will also be instructing during the Thursday and Friday practice at SpiritFest but it should be noted that these days will primarily be cleanup and organizational practices. All participants should know the material before attending these last two practice days.
Participants who cannot attend the optional class are responsible for learning the material using the DVD.
What do we wear?
Participants can wear any comfortable, weather appropriate practice wear for both practices on Thursday, January 1, 2009 and Friday, January 2, 2009.
Jewelry, body piercing jewelry, or visible tattoos are not allowed at anytime during SpiritFest including the two practice days and the game.
The following are the requirements for the game on Saturday, January 3, 2009.
ALL
No jewelry or body piercing jewelry including but not limited to tongue, belly button, nose, etc.
No visible tattoos
All-American Bowl T-Shirt (distributed on Thursday's practice - January 1, 2009)
CHEERLEADERS (FEMALES)
All-American Bowl T-shirt (tucked into skort or tied in back with no midriff visible)
Solid Black Skorts (Soffe 23V) or similar over briefs (Avoid old gray-black skorts - No double rolling skorts)
No-show socks
Clean, white cheer shoes
Hair in pony tail if long enough (no bun)- 1 1/2" bright gold grosgrain ribbon (Not Metallic Gold)
No hair accessories or hair pieces
Clean, manicured nails (clear, french or american)
Performance make-up (No Glitter, Logos, or Graphics)
CHEERLEADERS (MALES)
All-American Bowl T-shirt (tucked into shorts)
Solid Black Shorts (Soffe M035) with appropriate undergarments
No-show socks
Clean, white cheer shoes
Groomed hair, clean nails
DANCE TEAMS
All-American Bowl T-shirt (tied in back with no midriff visible)
Black, lycra jazz pants
Clean, black dance shoes
Hair in pony tail if long enough (no bun)- 1 1/2" bright gold grosgrain ribbon (Not Metallic Gold)
No hair accessories or hair pieces
Clean, manicured nails (clear, french or american)
Performance make-up (No Glitter, Logos, or Graphics)
How many t-shirts, patches, and poms can I have?
Each participant will receive one free T-shirt on Thursday, Jan 1. Each participant is responsible for wearing their T-shirt during the game on Saturday, Jan 3. Each participant can keep the T-shirt.
Each participant will receive
receive one pair of poms on Thursday, Jan 1 for practice and will return them at the end of practice. Poms will be distributed again before the game on Saturday, Jan 3 for use during the game. Each participant can keep the poms after the game.
Each participant will receive one free U.S. Army All-American Bowl patch at the end of the game on Saturday, January 3, 2009. Patches will not be distributed at any other time.
One free director T-shirt will be provided per squad.
Additional T-shirts will be available for purchase on Thursday, January 1, 2009. Pricing will be posted soon.
No additional poms or patches are available for purchase.
Can our mascot participate in SpiritFest?
No. Due to lack of space on the sidelines we will not be able to accommodate mascots this year. However, if your mascot individual is interested, he/she can participate as a cheerleader with your squad in the same required outfit.
Are we being fed?
SpiritFest participants will be provided a meal/snack on all three SpiritFest days including practices on Thursday, January 1 and Friday, January 2 as well as the game on Saturday, January 3.
Do we need tickets to attend?
Anyone attending or participating in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl will require a ticket to enter. All participants will receive one (1) free ticket for their entry. The squad director/sponsor will also receive one (1) free ticket for their entry.
Director/sponsor tickets will be distributed at check-in on Thursday, Jan 1. Participant tickets will be distributed at the end of practice on Friday, Jan 2.
Discount vouchers will be available to all family and friends. Discount vouchers are only redeemable at the Alamodome box office. They cannot be used to purchase tickets on the internet or phone. More information on the vouchers will be posted when it comes available.
How do we register?
The registration is a two-step process.
1. The squad director/sponsor needs to register the squad and submit the names of each member wanting to participate. This is done by clicking School Registration above.
2. Once the squad is registered, the school name will be included as an option when the student registers and submits their waiver. This is done by clicking Student Registration above.
Students cannot register until their director/sponsor has registered the squad and submitted their names.
Director's registration does not hold spaces for students. Spaces are filled when the student registers.
Spaces are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Students registering after all spaces are fill will not be allowed to participate.
