Page 1
1
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
Page 2
2
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
Page 3
3
The following documents must be submitted by email to [email protected] 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
Page 4
4
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.
Page 5
5
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
Page 6
6
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 [email protected]
1. Email [email protected] 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
Page 7
7
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:
[email protected]