Young Athlete Scholarship Program
The USA Cheerleading Federation, also known as the United States All Star Federation, or USASF, understands the unique costs associated with cheerleading. This is why they offer the Young Athlete Scholarship Program, which is a cheerleading scholarship program designed to help cheerleaders pay the associated costs of their sport.
This is not a college cheerleading scholarship. The USASF has a separate program for that. Instead, this cheerleader scholarship is used to pay all of the costs associated with cheerleading, such as gym fees, competition fees, uniform fees, travel costs, and other associated cheerleading fees. Awards are merit based and need based.
Merit based scholarships offered through the USASF Young Athlete Scholarship Program are given to those cheerleaders who show outstanding talent and academic skills. Winners also are leaders within their community. Winners of this cheerleading scholarship are considered to be well rounded individuals by the selection committee.
Those who are eligible for the merit based Young Athlete Scholarship Program will be between nine and seventeen years old, have at least a 3.5 GPA, and they must have been a member of the USASF for at least one year prior to the award of the cheerleading scholarship. Furthermore, the gym that recommends the cheerleader for the scholarship must also be a USASF member gym.
The application process for the merit based scholarship includes filling out the application, writing a 350 word essay, and including a current and past year report card. Additionally, you must submit a DVD with a performance that is at least 90 seconds long that portrays a full arrangement of skills. You must also include recommendation forms or letters from a gym coach or owner, an organization, and one of your parents.
Need based cheerleader scholarships are awarded to those cheerleaders who have a true financial need. The cheerleader must submit a gym fee request form from the owner of their gym, and financial need must be supported with documentation. The cheerleader must also have a satisfactory academic record as well.
The eligibility requirements for the need based awards are not as stringent. You must be between nine and seventeen years old, have a 2.5 GPA, and be a member of the USASF for at least twelve months at the time the cheer scholarship is awarded. Again, the recommending gym must be a USASF member gym. The application process is the same for the need based awards as it is for the merit based award, except that you must also include a letter from your parent or guardian that gives information regarding your financial need, as well as an additional letter from your gym coach stating your financial need.
The USASF scholarship committee selects winners with a panel of judges after reviewing all of the submitted scholarship applications, and winners are usually chosen and notified early in April of each year. Funds that are awarded through the USA Cheerleading Federation Young Athlete Scholarship Program are sent directly to the winner’s gym, in their name, and the funds awarded must be used within one year of the date the award is given.
Contact
USASF
6745 Lenox Center Court
Suite 300
Memphis, TN 38115
phone – 800-829-6237
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#1 by X'Zeria Beard on November 30, 2010 - 5:30 am
Please email me all information that would be beneficial to me obtaining a cheerleading scholarship. I also dance and compete in cheerleading
#2 by admin on December 1, 2010 - 3:38 pm
X’Zeria,
our website will give you some great information which you can use to acquire a cheerleading scholarship. The main thing about cheerleading scholarships is you must seek out other forms of financial aid as well, and do it very agressively. If you get injured or don’t make the cheer squad then you cheer scholarship may not happen. Other reading to get your scholarship idea juices going: guaranteed scholarships – journalism scholarships – poetry scholarships – easy scholarships – and here’s a whole scholarship list to help you too!
#3 by Miracle Brae Anderson on January 28, 2011 - 12:44 am
my name is Miracle Anderson and I have been cheering for 10 years inside of public schools in Washington, D.C. I was wondering if there were any scholarship available to senior high school cheerleaders.
#4 by admin on February 2, 2011 - 10:07 pm
Miracle Brae Anderson,
reading our website will give you a good understanding on cheer scholarships and other ideas too. Cheer scholarships are given to those who try out for the teams and make them. So looking into other student aid options are a good idea such as grants and other scholarships as well ie…poetry scholarships for instance. If your are an accomplished cheerleader though with many awards and you tryout you may indeed land a cheer scholarship. Your best plan of action is to have a portfolio ready and go set appointments with individual cheer coaches at colleges you may be interested in attending and have a personal tryout. Far fetched – not really – cheer coaches may feel that this is what cheerleaders are really made of!