West Orange PAL: Cheerleading

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 1st 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.

Get ready to cheer on the sidelines and take center stage with the West Orange PAL Competition Cheer Team! As the fall football season kicks off, so does the exhilarating journey of our Comp Team. This dynamic squad dives into local competitions—think UCA, NCA, and NJCDCA Certified events—running from November through early March. Once the football season wraps up, our dedicated cheerleaders jump into action with rigorous evening practices at Redwood Elementary, gathering 3 times a week. It's not just about the routines; it’s a commitment that fosters teamwork, skill, and unforgettable memories. 90% of our former PAL Comp Cheerleaders were part of the WOHS Comp team at Nationals in 2025! Our goal is to continue to foster an instructional environment under the guidance of WOHS Coach Taylor Tellawy to ensure our Mustangs are prepared for the next level at WOHS. Join us for an exciting season filled with spirit, camaraderie, and the thrill of competition! Are you ready to cheer?

Registration for the 2025 Season

Online Registration for Cheerleading:

Closed: Please contact Info@wopal.org for additional information about joining the 2025 season.

Registration Costs:

February 1 - April 30th: $325

May 1- July 1st: $350

After August 30th there is a $50 late fee ($400 for the season)

Costs include UCA camp, Choreographer fees, league fees, cheer bows, halftime music and insurance.

NEW CHEERLEADERS (Grades 4-8) - Cheer Uniform Package: $180*

New Cheerleaders (in Grades 4-8) to the program will be fitted for their

uniform which includes vest, skirt, bodyliner, and bloomers. Pom Poms are also provided. This is a one-time purchase to be worn for several seasons.

* Returning Cheerleaders in grades 4-8 do not need to purchase a new uniform unless you would like to do so.

Cheerleaders in Grades 1-3: Will be provided a game uniform by the PAL which will include vest, skirt, body liner, and bloomers.

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.

*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 4th, 2025

UCA CAMP: August 11-13, 6-7:30pm at WOHS Football Field

Halftime Choreography Camp: August 23-24th, 9am-1pm Location TBA

Mandatory Attendance for Grades 4-8

Practices:

All Teams: Mondays-Thursday: August 2025

Grades 1-5: Tuesdays/Thursdays, September - November 2025

Grades 6-8: Wednesdays/Fridays, September - November 2025

Payment Options:

In Person Payment in Full: Check made out to WOPAL, cash, credit card

Venmo (@WOPAL).

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.

At WOPAL, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to participate in sports. We’re committed to working with families to ensure that financial challenges don’t stand in the way. If the cost of registration is a concern, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Info@wopal.org—we’re here to help.

Competition Team

Tryouts for 25/26 Team

Tryouts for the Winter 2025/2026 team have taken place. Reach out to INFO@WOPAL.ORG for information.

Mandatory Choreography Session: Saturday Sept. 6, 9am-1pm, at WOHS

Open to ALL WO Residents in Grades 5-8

*If you are unable to attend tryouts but are interested in joining, please email Info@wopal.org and our coach will reach out to you.

If you have a prior fall commitment but want to participate on the Competition team, please contact Info@wopal.org

https://bit.ly/PALCompCheerTryouts25

There are separate registration fees for the Competition Team: $525 plus any fees should the team decide to enter additional competitions*. Fee includes 6 competitions, buses for 2 ImpACT competitions (Brookdale Community College and American Dream Mall), comp cheer bows, choreography, media day, customized music, and insurance.

*There may be additional costs if the team attends Regionals and qualifies for the Summit at Disney. There may also be additional costs if the team enters a UCA/Varsity Sponsored Competition (this will be decided by team majority). The WO PAL Comp Cheer team will receive specialized training at The LAB in Fairfield.This training is not mandatory but recommended. Registration fee is spread over installments from September 2025 through March 2026. For new team members, a practice package and a Competition team jersey are required (one time purchase).

MANDATORY Choreography Camp Day: September 6, 9am-1pm

Practices:

Mondays: August 2025

Mondays & Thursdays: September - October 2025

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: November 2025- first week of March 2026

October: will be at The LAB in Fairfield, dates TBA

Competitions:

6 Saturdays or Sundays between November 2025 & March 2026; most Recreational-level competition schedules are announced the week before. Competitions do fall of MLK Weekend and President's Weekend.

Fees for the season will be collected through installments and with fundraisers.

Competition Dates (as of 9.1.25)

January 10th: IMPACT Season Opener, Brookdale Community College
January 17th: IMPACT January Jam, Montville HS
*Tentative: January 18th: Maurauder Mayhem, Mt Olive HS
January 24th: Roxy Rumble, Roxbury HS
February 8th: In the Valley Competition, Wayne Valley HS
March 1st: IMPACT March Madness, Brookdale Community College
March 14th: IMPACT Last Team Standing, American Dream Mall

Kick Off Clinic for the 2025 Season

To kick off the season we will host a clinic with Comp Team Coach Taylor Calixto!

July 30: 6-7:30pm; WOHS Wresting Room

Open to ALL WO Residents in Grades 1-8

Free for Registered WOPAL Cheerleaders, $15 if you are not participating in WOPAL this year.

PreRegister at: https://bit.ly/2025CheerKickOffClinic

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 around 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?

Get Involved – Make a Difference!
West Orange PAL is always looking for passionate volunteers to help create a fun, positive, and memorable experience for the youth in our community. Whether you're interested in coaching*, game day support, field maintenance, public relations, or fundraising, there's a role for everyone.

Join us in making youth sports a meaningful and rewarding experience—your time and energy can have a lasting impact.

*Cheer coaches should be familiar with UCA and NJCDCA regulations and certification. Required to have RU Safety Certification and USA Cheer Certification.

To get involved or for additional information, please e-mail info@wopal.org.

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