As a result of closed building and the extended stay at home order, the Railiners and cheerleaders are holding virtual tryouts for the upcoming school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In order to try out for dance, auditionees have to learn a dance composed of pom, hip-hop and jazz and record themselves performing it. Next, one also has to submit a video of them doing four different combinations that head coach Amy Pollard sent out to them. This differs from years past where dancers would have to perform with others in front of a panel of judges.
“It’s different than last year because they ask for showmanship and you can’t see that from a video,” junior Jordyn Spillane said. “You’d be able to see showmanship if we were in a gym interacting with one another, but with this method, we have to wait until we know we made the team.”
As opposed to the traditional way of trying out, many are adapting to the new way and even overcoming the challenges that come with it.
“I think the new way to tryout is kind of stressful because you can’t get a lot of help with certain dance moves since it’s virtual,” sophomore Kamryn Archibald said. “There is a lot to remember and overall just a different way of learning stuff than we’re used too.”
With cheerleading, those trying out will have to perform many different skills, including kicks and a dance. Next, they will then record a video of themselves performing and submit it to their new head coach Krystyna Botterweck to be judged and scored as they would in a normal tryout.
“I feel like it may take some of the nervousness off the girls because they won’t be standing in front of a panel of judges, which is always intimidating,” Botterweck said. “If they don’t like their video they can always redo it before they send it to me.”
Even though this is not a normal tryout, many students are taking this opportunity to make the best out of it.
“I’m just excited to get back into cheering,” junior Anna Harder said. “I don’t think it should matter if they’re online, it’s just fun to do and to enjoy.”