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OKLAHOMAS P I R I T

CHAMPIONS TODAY | LEADERS TOMORROWMASTERFUL • ACCOUNTABLE • GRACIOUS • INCLUSIVE • COMPETITIVE

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The purpose of the OU Pom Squad is to support the athletic teams at the University of Oklahoma

by generating crowd enthusiasm and actively engaging with our fans. Our members believe deeply

in their role as Ambassadors of the University and represent OU at a variety of alumni, civic, and

charitable events and are committed to displaying a positive and collegiate image at all times that

reflects the values and traditions of the University of Oklahoma.

SQUAD DESCRIPTION

The OU Pom Squad has historically consisted of 18-24 members. This number may fluctuate from

year to year given the needs of the team. The OU Pom Squad is a traditional pom squad that may

also perform jazz and hip-hop at certain functions for the University. You can see the OU Pom

Squad at Sooner Football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball games, and wrestling matches.

POM CLINICS

OU Pom will be hosting three clinics this season. The clinics are open to all interested participants

ages 12 and up. As a group we will stretch, warm-up, go across the floor, teach sidline material,

jazz, hip-hop and pom combos. To register please use the link below. Please use tryout attire listed

below as a guide for what to wear to clinics.

2020-2021 POM SQUAD AUDITION INFORMATION

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CLINIC INFORMATION

• CLINICS/FIRST ROUND AUDITIONS

ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED. APRIL

AUDITIONS WILL BE OPEN

REGISTRATION TO ANYONE WISHING

TO ATTEND.

• Clinics are open to athletes ages 12 & up.

• Cost for clinics is $40 per person.

• The McCasland Field House is the

gymnasium located directly across the

street to the north of the Gaylord Family

Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

TRYOUT REQUIREMENTS

• Incoming freshmen ARE eligible to apply

• Current and transfer students with a

minimum 2.0 GPA are eligible.

• Current OU students must be enrolled

full-time (12 hours) to be eligible.

• Current OU Students must be in good

disciplinary and academic standing with

the university.

• Transfer students must be disciplinarily

and academically eligible to return to the

university from which they are

transferring.

• Once you have submitted the below

materials, you will be contacted by email

with additional information

• Cost for tryouts is $50 per person

• All paperwork below must be submitted.

Event Day Date Start End Location

Pom Clinic Sunday 10/27/19 2 PM 5 PM McCasland Field House

Pom Clinic Sunday 2/16/20 2 PM 5 PM McCasland Field House

Pom Clinic Sunday 3/8/20 2 PM 5 PM McCasland Field House

Pom Auditions Friday 4/24/20 12 PM 10 PM McCasland Field House

Pom Auditions Saturday 4/25/20 8 AM 6 PM McCasland Field House

Pom Auditions Sunday 4/26/20 8 AM 6 PM McCasland Field House

Register here: OU Pom Clinic and Tryout Registration

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The following documents must be submitted by email to spirit@ou.edu by Friday April 10, 2020 at 5 pm

Please put “POM TRYOUTS” in the subject line

CLINIC INFORMATION

1. TRYOUT WAIVER

2. MEDICAL INSURANCE CARD

3. ADMISSIONS LETTER TO THE

UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA

4. RESUME

Please list all activities, work experience,

community involvement, leadership and

educational information

5. LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION

The University of Oklahoma Spirit

Program is seeking well-rounded student

athletes who demonstrate the required

skills and who are committed to bringing

Sooner M.A.G.I.C to everything aspect of

our program. We are looking for those

who are dedicated to being:

o Masterful

o Accountable

o Gracious

o Inclusive

o Competitive

Please ask your recommender to demonstrate

your willingness and ability to hold true to these

SOONER M.A.G.I.C. ideals.

Please address letters of recommendation to:

Phil O’Neill

Spirit Coordinator

University of Oklahoma Spirit Program

180 W. Brooks

Norman, OK 73019

6. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The University of Oklahoma Spirit

Program is seeking well-rounded student

athletes who demonstrate the required

skills and who are committed to

bringing Sooner M.A.G.I.C to everything

aspect of our program. We are looking

for those who are dedicated to being:

o Masterful

o Accountable

o Gracious

o Inclusive

o Competitive

In your statement of purpose, please

discuss:

• By using examples, your ability to hold

true to these Sooner M.A.G.I.C. values.

• Your reasoning behind your interest in

becoming a member of the OU Pom

Program

• Please include

o Name

o Email

o Cell phone

o School or All Star Program

o Home address

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AUDITION and CLINIC ATTIRE:

• Black bottoms (in which you are

comfortable) that are form fitting and

allow your “lines” to be seen.

• Bra top or similar top (in which you are

comfortable) that is form fitting and

allows your “lines” to be seen. Approved

colors are crimson, white, and/or black.

• NO embellishments allowed on top and

bottom.

• Please wear the same top for all three

days.

• You may bring sweat pants and/or

joggers for the hip hop portion.

• Jazz shoes and hip-hop shoes

• We continue to promote a collegiate

image. Please wear make-up and that is

game ready.

• No jewelry allowed, except for stud

earrings

AUDITIONS:

1. Individual Interview

2. Skills Across the Floor:

a. Example skills:

i. Quadruple Turn: parallel

passe to the right

ii. Calypso: Right side

iii. Center leap

iv. Double toe touch

v. Leg extension turns

vi. A La Seconde Turns: Must

be able to complete least

two eight counts of turns.

3. Across the floor Solo

a. Please prepare a six eight count

across the floor solo.

b. We will play an up tempo jazz

styled song.

c. Please highlight your best skills

and showcase your performance

quality.

4. Dance Combinations:

a. Dancers will learn at least three

different styled dance routines to

perform for the panel of judges.

b. Pom, jazz, and hip hop styles will

be used.

5. Sideline Material:

a. Dancers will learn a routine to our

fight song, as well as a short

dance sideline.

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VIDEO TRYOUT

Trying out by video is not ideal as it is difficult

for judges to truly assess your abilities and

performance in a non adjudicated atmosphere,

as compared to other candidates. Video tryouts

should only be submitted by those who simply

have no way to attend the actual tryouts and will

be subject to the following:

• Those trying out by video must submit all

video tryout required elements listed

below.

• If video candidates are selected for the

team; they will be placed on the team

on a provisional basis. They will be

further evaluated at the July practices

and if the athlete’s performance does not

match what was demonstrated on the

video, we reserve the right to manage our

roster as we see fit.

VIDEO REQUIRMENTS, COMPLETED IN THIS

ORDER:

A. Introduction

State your first and last name

B. Interview

Answer the following questions:

1. In 1 minute, tell us WHY you want

to attend The University of

Oklahoma.

2. High school and

collegiate pom are very different

due to the increased and

demanding responsibilities that

being in college requires. Explain

in 1 minute 2 necessary habits

needed to ensure that you are able

to fulfill all pom commitments

(20+ hours per week), as well as

maintain the required 2.0 grade

requirement.

3. The University of Oklahoma

Spirit Program is founded in and

guided by Sooner M.A.G.I.C

values established by our

Athletic Department. In 1 minute,

tell us which Sooner M.A.G.I.C

value you identify the most with

and why.

C. GAME DAY

1. 15 second Sideline- this should

be a game day styled sideline,

that showcases pom motions, and

shows your game day

performance. It can be set to band

music or common game day

music selections.

2. Fight Song – Eight 8-counts set to

a fight song

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D. SKILLS

1. Kicks- Alternating kicks right and

left. 10 kicks on each side.

Arms are extended in jazz second,

and your heel should stay on the

ground for each kick.

2. Leg Turn- Please showcase an

outside or inside leg turn on either

side.

3. Right and Left Leaps- Complete at

least 3 right leaps and 3 left leaps.

4. Center Leap and Turning Center

Leap- Complete at least 3 center

leaps, and 3 turning center leaps.

5. Calypso Leap- Complete at least

3 calypso leaps, with one chaine

into the leap.

6. Switch Leap- any style of switch

leap on any side is acceptable.

7. Quadruple Pirouette- Parallel

passe, and must be to the right.

8. A la seconde turns- minimum of 3

eight count turn sequence, of your

choice.

9. Side aerial- you can chaine or step

into the aerial, and it can be on

either side.

10. Double Toe Touch

E. DANCES

1. 60 second solo- any genre, that

displays your strong technical and

performance abilities.

2. 30 second Pom Dance- please

include at least one quadruple

turn, and a double toe touch.

Please, use poms for your

performance.

3. 30 second Hip Hop dance- please

include one of the following skills-

kip up or head spring.

4. 30 second Jazz Dance- please

include a minimum of 3 eight

count turn sequence with

changing spot, and three leaps of

your choice.

F. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Please email the following NO LATER

THAN APRIL 12, 2019 at 5:00 pm- in PDF

format (with signatures) to Spirit@ou.edu

1. Email Spirit@ou.edu by April 12th

(or earlier) with the subject line

POM VIDEO TRYOUT CANDIDATE

and then in the body of the email

type, I AM UNABLE TO ATTEND

TRYOUTS BECAUSE (state the

reason you are not able to

attend...i.e., competing in

competition, practice with studio

team, etc.) AND WILL BE

SUBMITTING A TRYOUT BY

VIDEO and YOUR NAME. Without

this email, you will not be eligible

to tryout by video.

2. Tryout waiver

3. Digital copy of your medical

insurance card

4. Copy of admissions letter

5. Resume or list of activities/work

experience/community

involvement

6. Letter of recommendation –

Please see information above

7. Statement of purpose - Please see

information above

8. $50 fee. Please submit fee here.

https://ouspiritclinics.eventbrite.com

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VIDEO LINKS MUST BE RECEIVED NO

LATER THAN April 12, 2019 at 5:00 pm

central time.

• We will notify you only once if link

does not work.

• Please submit in plenty of time so we

can test the link.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Please know, there is NOT a point system. The

coaching staff determines final invitations and

team selection.

Coaching staff reserves the right to conduct

“walk on” tryouts at any point in time.

This is a group audition including returning

members.

All current members of the squad must tryout

each year.

All members of the 2020/2021 OU Pom

Squads will be required to attend a program

meeting and preliminary practices tentatively

scheduled for May 10, 2020.

All members of the squad will be required to

attend UDA Summer Camp and attend

work week during summer 2020.

TRYOUT CHECKLIST

• Register for clinic (optional) -

https://ouspiritclinics.eventbrite.com

• Register for tryouts -

https://ouspiritclinics.eventbrite.com

• Submit waiver

• Submit copy of insurance card

• Submit copy of admissions letter

• Submit letter of recommendation

• Submit personal statement

• Submit resume

• Reviewed tryout attire expectations

SPIRIT PROGRAM MAILING ADDRESS :

Phil O’NeillSpirit CoordinatorUniversity of Oklahoma Spirit Program180 W. BrooksNorman, OK 73019

SPIRIT PROGRAM EMAIL ADDRESS:

Spirit@ou.edu