Cheerleading
The West Orange PAL offers anyone ages 5-14 (1st to 8th grade) the opportunity be a part of the West Orange Mustangs. The PAL Cheerleaders have supported the Mustang Football players to many championships.
Our goal is to provide our youth a sense of teamwork, team spirit, pride, sportsmanship, and discipline. Our season begins August 4th with practices weekday evenings. During this time the teams will learn their Spirit cheers, Half-time Dances, and Sideline Cheers. UCA Cheer Camp with UCA trainers will take place in August at WOHS! After the first game in September, practices will be 2-3 evenings a week.
The West Orange PAL also has a Competition Cheer Team. The Comp Team season begins during the fall football season. The team enters local competitions - UCA, NCA, and NJCDCA Certified taking place from November through early March. Once the football season ends, the team practices 3-4 days a week in the evening at WOHS. There is a time commitment expected for this team.
Registration for the 2025 Season
Online Registration for Cheerleading: Coming Jan. 2025
Registration Costs:
January 1 - February 28: $300
March 1 - April 30: $325
May 1 - July 15: $350
After July 15th there is a $50 late fee ($400 for the season)
NEW CHEERLEADERS - Cheer Uniform Package: $160** (Grades 4-8)
*Returning Cheerleaders do not need to purchase the warm up package
**Must be registered by July 1st to be guaranteed to have practice gear for Practice and to receive Uniform mid August
Practices will begin August 2025
UCA CAMP: August 2025 - dates TBA
Halftime Choreography Camp: August 2025 - dates TBA
Mandatory Attendance for Grades 4-8
Payment Options:
In Person Payment in Full: Check made out to WOPAL, cash, credit card
Venmo (@WOPAL) must email the registration form to Info@wopal.org
Installment Payments must be done through Online Registration
Refunds will be honored through July 15th. Partial Refunds after July 15th-July 31st. There are no refunds as of August 1st.
NEW: PRACTICE PACKAGE! Ordered through Thompson's Sporting Goods, Mandatory for all new cheerleaders
Cheer practice package includes: Practice tank top, practice t-shirt, and practice shorts
Competition Team
Tryouts - COMING Soon for 25/26 Team
Tryouts for the Winter 2025/2026 team will be held in September 2025.
Day 1 & 2 Cheerleaders will learn the material, Day 3 is Evaluations by UCA Judge
Open to ALL WO Residents in Grades 5-8
You must participate in the Fall Cheer Season to be eligible for the Competition Team. If you have a prior fall commitment but want to participate on the Competition team, please contact Info@wopal.org
REGISTER For TRYOUTS HERE:
There are separate registration fees for the Competition Team: approximately $500 plus any additional fees should the team decide to enter additional competitions*. Fee includes 7-8 competitions**, buses for IMPACT competitions, and insurance.
*If the team attends Regionals and qualifies for Nationals at Disney, there may be additional costs. If the team enters a UCA/Varsity Sponsored Competition, there may be an additional cost. The WO PAL Comp Cheer team will receive specialized training at The LAB in Fairfield, with an additional cost.
**States will be determined based on NJCADA.
MANDATORY Choreography Camp Day: TBD
Practices:
Mondays & Thursdays*: September - October 2025
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: November 2025- end of February 2025, first week of March 2025
*Thursdays will be at The LAB in Fairfield
Competitions:
7-8 Saturdays or Sundays between November 2025 & March 2026; most Recreational level competitions are announced the week before.
Fees for the season will be done over installments and with fundraiser.
Kick Off Clinic for the 2025 Season
To kick off the season we will host a clinic with Comp Team Coach Taylor Calixto!
Date TBD: Location TBD
Open to ALL WO Residents in Grades 1-8
Session is $10 - in person at the door or Venmo @WOPAL
PreRegister at: https://bit.ly/CheerPreSeasonClinic
Common Questions:
When does practice start?
The season begins July 29th at the West Orange High School track.
Practices are held Monday through Thursday until our first game in mid September. Then we scale back to 2-3 nights a week.
Do I need my own equipment?
PAL provides cheerleaders with cheer bows and pom poms. Cheerleaders in grades 1-3 will receive a game uniform (long sleeves, vest, and skirt) returned at the end of the season. You will need to provide socks, sneakers/cheer shoes, bloomers (returning cheerleaders). Cheerleaders in Grades 4-8 purchase their own uniform which is kept. These uniforms are also used for the Competition Cheer team.
What events do you cheer for?
Our teams cheer at each PAL football game, which take place on Sundays and a few Saturday nights. Cheerleaders are expected to attend both home & away games. We also participate in clinics and charity events throughout the fall and winter.
What events does the Competition team attend?
Our Competition team will begin practices in September with competitions beginning as early as November. Practices will continue throughout the competition season ending March 8th with the IMPACT Last Team Standing Competition. Cheerleaders are expected to attend practices and competitions. Competitions are UCA and/or NJCDCA certified.
How do I contact the coach?
Each team will have a TeamSnap account which will allow you to reach out to the coaches.
How do I get involved in the PAL Cheerleading Program?
PAL is always looking for volunteers to help promote and create a positive experience for the youth of West Orange. Volunteer options include but are not limited to coaching, game day support, field maintenance, public relations and fundraising. Cheer coaches should be familiar with UCA and NJCDCA regulations and certification.
To get involved or for additional information, please e-mail info@wopal.org.
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