Friday, October 31, 2014

RLC Cheer Camp

Tomorrow morning is Rend Lake College cheer camp. It starts at 9 but I ask everyone to be there by at least 8:30 to get signed in and make your payments. 

I would like the girls to wear the maroon skirt I handed out this week, and any Benton shirt. Please wear your bloomers with these skirts, and shirt tucked in. White shoes if you have them, with low socks. I will bring your new cheer bows for you to wear and take home to keep.  No jewelry. 

I am so excited to be attending our first event together. If for some reason your daughter cannot attend for emergency purposes, PLEASE let me know.  

Also, I would like to have a parent meeting after practice on Monday. That way we can go over schedule, discuss any questions, and just meet if we haven't had the chance yet :) thank you for being wonderful!

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Important Info

Hi everyone!! Just wanted to keep you updated with some information. 

1. Ordered items:
I have ordered all the shoes and warm ups. You owe $97.85 (this is if you ordered adult or women's sizes in the warm ups) or $93.85 (if you ordered youth sizes in the warm up). We should be recieving our items that were in stock by next week. A couple sizes of the shoes were on back order, I am going to call today and see how much longer it will be, and we may have to end up changing our shoe choice. I will keep you updated. 

2. Schedule:
I have gotten word from Dr. Goble the girls will be cheering at all home games, boys and girls. In addition, we will be traveling with both teams, trading off games. I am still waiting for a final schedule, and when I have one you will too I promise! 
The girls will have practice with me on Friday this week after school from 3-5. 

3. Gymnastics class:
It was my hope to get the girls in a gymnastics class all together this season.   Myself, along with other parents have checked prices at gyms in Benton, as well as Christopher and both seem to be very reasonable when they have a group of 8 or more. My concerns are now that we are going to be traveling and practicing on days we do not have games, I do not want to overwhelm anyone. I will, however, strongly reccommend that the girls are in a gymnastics class. I know they require tumbling for high school cheerleading, and I would like to get to a point where I do in middle school as well. 

4. Camp:
We have been invited to Rend Lake College for a one-day cheer camp on November 1. The camp goes from 9-11:30 am and the cost is $25.00 per girl. All of the girls have shown interest, but I am leaving it up to the parents to decide because it will be you providing transportation to and from the camp, and well as being responsible for the cost. I think it would be a great opportunity for our squad, and I hope we get the chance to do it together :). 

As always if you have any questions just call or text me!

Kashia Dunbar


Friday, October 17, 2014

Warm Ups and Shoes



I need to order these ASAP. 

Shoes are a required purchase for your daughter. I let the girls pick them out and I think they did a great job! Here is a picture of the shoes and their price information. After you take a look at them please send me what size I need to order. If payment is an issue up front, I can pay for the shoes and set up a plan for you to pay throughout the duration of the season. 


Warm-ups

Completely optional, however, I had the girls pick out an option that was very reasonable compared to others. I will not be setting up payment plans for the warm-ups because they are not required for each girl. I will also not be having superior embroider names on the jackets to save time, and I do believe we could get that cheaper around home if that is something your daughter would like to do.  The colors in this picture show green and white, where ours will be maroon and white. 




If you would like a warm up, please let me know at the same time you give me your daughters shoe size. I will be ordering them at the same time to save on shipping cost :)

Thank you!!

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Practice

I am going to let the girls out today, 10/14 and tomorrow, 10/15 at 5:30 instead of 6. Next week, we will start having practice right after school until 4:30.  I am still working on uploading the sideline cheers to the blog, but I will send you a message as soon as they are posted :) 

We had a great practice yesterday. Didn't get as much done as I would have hoped, but everyone got their uniforms, and we cleaned up our hello cheer. As far as extras needed for the uniforms, the girls need a pair of maroon bloomers, and a maroon spandex under shirt (turtleneck) to go under one of the uniforms. I believe you can order these online, or from all stars and stitches for around 12 dollars. I do have some old ones we found from many years ago if you would not like to purchase one. 

We will be looking at tennis shoes and warm ups this week to order in time for games, I promise to watch prices and let you know as soon as the girls decide to what they would like!

Yesterday at practice we had a little time to practice stunts. The girls are all very egar to get started, but I need help reminding them we cannot all be flyers. I realize this is a very exciting time for them, and I want to make it as fun as I can, but I also do not want unnecessary drama for reasons out of my control. We are a team, and we all need to work together to make it enjoyable. 

I am contacting a few gyms in town to get times and prices for a group class. This is absolutely not required, as it may be expensive. I will let you know when I find out more info. 

Have a great week! And as always, contact me with any questions or concerns you may have :)

Kashia Dunbar

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Welcome!

Hello Cheer Parents!!

I am so excited to get started this week.  First, I just want to let you know we WILL have a parent meeting; I am just waiting for schedules to be clear that way everyone can attend. 
          This week, I will be sending home a few papers that deal with the legalities of the school while your daughter is a cheerleader this basketball season.  The first page includes information on concussions, and the following is a parent waiver for emergency contact when we are at away ball games.
          The waiver is VERY important for a couple reasons.  It is required by the state before your daughter can cheer, and gives permission for certain people to take them home after away games.  As of right now, I am not sure if we will be attending all boys’ away games.  I am talking with administration about it, especially because I know how badly the girls want to go.  If we are able to attend all away games, the ONLY people your daughter may leave with besides me on the bus for emergency reasons will be the people listed on this form.  There is only room for one person at the bottom of the waiver, so if you think of anyone else your daughter might need to ride with after a game, please put it on an attached piece of paper.  Under no circumstances will they be allowed to leave with ANYONE unless they are noted on this sheet of paper I will turn in to Mr. Corn.  I suggest you include grandparents, friends of the family, etc. just to be on the safe side, because you cannot add any person later in the season.  Please have the girls bring this to practice on Monday, I need to get them turned into the office ASAP.
          Practice.  I am going to have the first cheerleading practice on Monday, October 13.  We will get started at 10:00 A.M. and end around 2:00 P.M.  Please have them bring money to order lunch or bring a lunch of their own.  Depending on cross country schedules, we will also have practice after school on Tuesday, October 14 & Wednesday October 15 at 4:00 P.M. that will last until 6:00.  I will keep you updated with those times in case they need to be changed.
          Remind 101.  I have started a new group called “BGS Cheer Parent Reminder.”  I have added all of you to my group, however, if you would like me to add another number I can.  I will be sending out reminders like practice and game times, what uniforms they are to wear, and any other event we are participating in.  I will also sometimes be asking you to check the cheer blog for important videos, or messages I need to relay.
          While this information is also on the cheer blog, I would like to share my contact information so that you may get in touch with me with any questions.  I hope everyone is as excited as I am to get started!  This is going to be a new experience for me, as well as most of the girls.  I just want everyone to have a fun time, and grow in relationships they will share for many years.  I promise to always take care of your daughters, and contact you with any concerns I have.  I also promise to set a good example, and watch over them whenever they are my responsibility throughout the season.  Please contact me with any questions or concerns you may have, I will always be here for my girls!

Best,
Kashia Dunbar
Cheerleading Sponsor
(618)751-1770
kdunbar@benton47.org