Mandarin Athletic Association Cheerleading

Welcome to MAA POP Warner Cheerleading. MAA is an official POP Warner Cheerleading Association located in Jacksonville's Southside.

MAA Cheer is one of Jacksonville's oldest and most respected youth cheerleading organizations in Jacksonville. Our cheerleading programs, from age 5 to age 15 are organized and operated at Greenland Park in Mandarin.

If you are interested in your child participating in our cheerleading programs, you can register in person at Greenland Park and ask any questions about our program while your there. Check the Registration Section of our site for dates and times for on-site registrations (they change from season to season).

If you live in Jacksonville's Southside (South of Baymeadows Rd, East of Southside Blvd., and South of J. Turner Butler, all the way to the inter-coastal) you are eligible under POP Warner Guidelines to participate in Jacksonville's oldest instructional and competitive cheerleading programs at MAA!

2008 Cheer Registration Information

Registration for this season will begin on online on April 1st. Onsite registration will begin on Saturday, April 19th (Sat.) at Greenland Park. Our staff will be on hand each Saturday from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM and also on each Monday evening from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

Online Registration will remain open until May 31st. Saturday, May 24th will be the last day to register onsite at Greenland Park!

Due to uniform ordering, Cheer Registration will close June 1st.

General Information about the Cheerleading Season

In the weeks of May, towards the end of registrations, we organize our coaching staff for our Tiny Mite, Mity Mite, Jr. Pee Wee, Pee Wee, Jr. Midget & Midget teams. Through June and July each of our teams will are formed based on the results of registration. Exactly what level your child cheer at is based on his or her age.

AT MAA, all of our teams practice at the same time at Greenland Field. Our first practices will take place around the first of August. Teams will generally practice each week on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings from 6:15 to 8:30 pm. Your coaches will contact you before August 1st to introduce themselves and provide you with any necessary information. More information will be provided to you about how the season will proceed in the first few practices.

Labor Day, generally marks the beginning of the season. Practices are adjusted to Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings only. Friday practices will end in light of the games which are scheduled for Saturday's each weekend.

As an official member of the POP Warner League, each of our teams will cheer at other POP Warner association's parks around Jacksonville. Usually 50% of your games will be at another association's fields somewhere in Jacksonville. This schedule is prepared by POP Warner, and is usually delivered to MAA the week before the season's games begin. There are roughly 8 to 10 weeks of games depending on your level and the number of teams in the league each year.

MAA Cheerleading Parents

The following information was prepared to offer our cheer parents an idea of what to expect during the cheer season. A lot happens throughout the season and as a new or returning member of our association, we would like to try and give you a high level overview of the typical season

It's first important to understand that MAA cheerleading is governed and operates under the rules of POP Warner. Everything from the qualifying of coaches, game schedules, practice times, and how the kids are instructed is overseen by POP Warner. POP Warner and MAA are both deeply concern with you child's safety.

Uniforms

New or replacement uniforms will generally arrive within the first two weeks of August. Cheerleaders are required to be in full uniforms for all football games. Practice uniforms are not required for practice, but will be worn at all Pep Rallies and various events.

Dual Participation

Pop Warner does not allow cheerleaders in the Pop Warner program to participate on any other cheer squad. If you child participates in any way with an All-Star squad or a school squad, they are not eligible to cheer in MAA POP Warner programs. If it is discovered that your child is participating on another squad, they will be removed from their squad and no reimbursement for registration or merchandise will be allowed . Just to clarify:

• A child is permitted to be in a gymnastics class.
• A child can participate in a cheer lesson class; such as the Community Education Program at Mandarin Oaks.
• A child cannot PRACTICE with or COMPETE with a cheer/dance team even if their name is not on that teams roster.
• Disregarding Dual Participation rules will result in your child's entire team's disqualification and forfeiture of any POP Warner sanctioned competitions and titles achieved.

Team Placement

Returning cheerleaders are kept together whenever possible. Please do not wait until the last day of registration as you may lose your spot on the squad. We regularly receiving numerous requests and as always, will do our best but simply cannot guarantee team placement.

Playoffs & Championships

After the regular season ends and depending on how well your child's team performs through the regular season, the team may be eligible to go on to playoffs. (Tiny Mite and Mity Mite teams do not participate 'competitively", and do not play past the regular season's games) However, our Jr. Pee Wee, Pee Wee, Jr. Midget, and Midget teams can and usually do go on to city, regional and sometimes National Championships. If your team is eligible because of a winning schedule, your team will most likely participate and travel to other cities and possibly states in doing so. Also worth noting; competitive cheer teams cheer during the season's games and in title games for their fellow football teams. Should your team's fellow football team be eligible to participate in city, regional or national championships, POP Warner requires the cheer team to attend and cheer for their fellow football team. To help cover the cost of such travel and hotel expenses, both the football and cheer teams will conduct fundraisers during and after the regular season.

Cheerleader Expectations

> Have fun and always give your best effort
> Always show respect for coaches, parents and other members of your team.
> Be supportive and positive towards teammates.
> Spend time outside of practice reviewing cheers and routines.

Parent Expectations

It is very important to have your child to practice and games on time. We know this can be difficult at times and impossible at other times, but it’s really hard to conduct practice when teammates continually show up late. If you know your child will be late or won’t be able to make it to a practice or game, please let your sponsor or team mom know in advance, if possible. Help out with team volunteer opportunities. We have a number of items that require parent help. Also, please let your sponsor or team mom know if you have a problem with something that is happening, not your fellow parents, they cannot help solve your problem. The same holds true if your child is not happy about something. We want to know if there is a problem right away. Very small things can sometimes cause a child to be upset and these problems can usually be fixed very easily if we know about them. Overall, safety is a primary concern. If you see something happening that we are unaware of, please let your sponsor know immediately.

Also, each year we must rely on our member parents to help operate our concession stand. The concession operation is essential to the operation of our park and as a member/parent,we need your assistance in operating it through the season. Each parent is asked to help out one or two practice nights or during one game, (not your own games) during the season. Again your Team Mom will organize this.

Weather Conditions

Our first concern is the safety of the children and parents. The Cheer Director will consider the weather conditions and determine if practice is possible. If you do not receive a phone call from your team sponsor, you are to report to the field. When inclement weather conditions prevent your team from practicing at the fields, we sometimes practice off-site at a nearby gym or school.

Preparation for Games

Cheerleaders will need to report to the field in full uniform up to an hour before a game to check in. This time is needed for the coaches and sponsors to prepare the team, get them through book check, etc. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD HAS HAD BREAKFAST OR LUNCH PRIOR TO THIS PRE-GAME PERIOD AS THERE IS NOT TIME FOR YOUR CHILD TO HAVE LUNCH DURING THIS PERIOD. PLEASE ALSO MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD IS IN UNIFORM. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR MANY REASONS THAT HAIR STYLE, BOWS, AND ALL ASPECTS OF THE DAYS UNIFORM ARE CONSISTANT FOR EACH CHEERLEADER. Jewelry, nail polish and make-up are also prohibited when cheering. Please postpone piercing's until after cheerleading season because your child will have to remove earrings during games and practices and this can cause problems with new piercing's.

WE ARE VERY STRICT ABOUT ATTIRE!

All cheerleaders are required to wear comfortable gym shorts (no jean shorts), t-shirts/tops and tennis shoes. Hair should be pulled back away from their face. Barrettes, beads and jewelry are prohibited. If a child requires eyeglasses they will need a sports strap to secure the glasses at all Mandarin/Pop Warner functions.

Cheerleaders work very hard and need to stay hydrated, so please send your child with water or Gatorade. The team receives a break around the middle of practice and will be permitted to go to the concession stand to purchase a snack so you may want to send a few dollars with them if your child does no bring a drink.

Homecoming

MAA Homecoming is an exciting highlight of the season and a very memorable experience for our cheerleaders. Typically, our cheerleaders will all vote for Miss Mandarin and select a member from their team for the Homecoming Court. Miss Mandarin and her court are crowned at the Homecoming Carnival the Friday night before the homecoming game. At half-time the girls are escorted by their fathers (or special person) and presented with flowers.

Big Sister, Little Sister

This is a great way for the younger girls to get to know older cheerleaders. Each cheerleader is assigned a “big sister” and will interact with the older cheerleader and exchange small gifts during the season.

Mandatory Cheerleader ID's:

In an effort to govern each association and cheerleader involved in the POP Warner League. POP Warner requires your team's Mom, and the coaching staff to maintain a Team's Book. Essentially a team roster with each cheerleaders detailed information, birth certificates, etc. This is to make absolutely sure that at every practice, game, and competition, each team is cheering with"Their" roster cheerleaders.

Completing your child's information for this book requires a physical (Click Here to download the official POP Warner Physical forms) and a player ID Card. Your Team Mom will provide further instructions about a weekend when your team will be required to meet for their official weight and their photo will be recorded to create their cheerleader ID Card for the Team's Book.

Other Important Financial Points

As you might imagine, operating an organization the size of MAA's football program requires significant funding. MAA draws the funds required to operate each year from three primary sources; corporate sponsors, fund raisers, and registration fees. We carefully structure our registration fees each year to be affordable for as many children as possible. Corporate sponsorships and fund raisers are then sought and used to meet the balance of our annual budget after registration.

While capping our registration fees allows more kids to be involved, it does not generate the funding needed to operate for a full season. The solution to this challenge is a group effort. Rather than simply charging each parent a higher registration fee, each team is responsible to secure one corporate sponsor, which is easily accomplished through our sponsor recognition and advertising program. As parents you will be asked to assist in achieving this accomplishment.

As the team comes together and the season unfolds, your Team Moms will organize the teams participation in the annual fund raiser, which is needed to meet the seasons funding requirements. Again, this is not for extra money. Our one major fundraiser each year is a very necessary part of how we operate our program and keep it affordable for all. Your participation is very necessary in one of two ways: As a parent you may elect that your child participates in the annual fundraiser by selling at least one box of candy. Or you may elect that your child not participate and simply contribute the normal revenue generated by selling a box of candy; $26.00. This arrangement accommodates the necessary options of all parent and kids and still generates the revenues needed for the season.

Remembering that we are an entirely volunteer organization, these three key components of meeting our budgetary requirements are used solely for the cost associated with operating our Park which we actually lease from the City of Jacksonville. The bulk of the annual maintenance and up keep costs of operating the park are the responsibility of MAA. Some of these costs are:

> POP Warner membership fees (Group insurance)
> Coach and Volunteer POP Warner mandatory mentor classes
> Trophies at the end of the season for every player
> A per player amount to be used for your teams team party
> Coaches and volunteers mandatory background checks
> Referees for every game (every team, every weekend)
> Facility insurance
> Facility maintenance, building and equipment maintenance and costs
> Field and turf maintenance, sod, fertilizer, pest control for 20+ acres
> Equipment such as field markers, down markers, field chalk, seating
> Field lighting and scoreboards
> Concession kitchen equipment, Ice machines, freezers, fryers, etc.

Overall, our program is designed to be affordable for as many children as possible, while providing for a high caliber Cheer program with equally impressive facilities, equipment and coaching. But we need your help as a member of MAA to achieve these goals. Get involved and everyone has a great season.

End of Season

Teams will usually have a banquet at the end of the season. Trophies will be awarded and are included with the registration fee. Through our fundraising and sponsorship monies, we can reduce the banquet expense. A banquet committee can be formed by your team to help organize this event. In the past, we try to coordinate with the football team if possible.

Again, thank you for your interest in one of Jacksonville's most successful and well organized youth athletic programs, we're pleased to welcome you and your child.

Our Cheer Director is Kelly Haberman
cheerdir@comcast.net