Both recreational classes and Novice teams are suitable for new-to-cheer athletes, will introduce the full suite of fundamental cheerleading skills, and do not require athletes to try-out. However, the program structure, commitment, and cost of the two programs differ. Recreational classes focus more on individual skill development, drills, and games, while the goal of Novice teams is to build a choreographed routine to perform at 3 competitions. As such, the commitment and cost of Novice teams is greater. Both programs involve once-a-week training, but recreational classes are offered in half-year sessions, while athletes registered for Novice teams commit to a full season (September - April). As part of our competitive stream, team practices for Novice athletes are mandatory, while attendance expectations for recreational athletes are more lenient. The cost for participation on a Novice team also includes custom music, choreography, and competition fees, and Novice athletes must purchase a competitive uniform and white cheerleading shoes, as well as cover personal costs for travel to competitions.

Alpha-BETS classes are the best way to “level up” your comprehensive cheerleading skillset. Learning new tumbling skills is important for advancing in cheer but it is only one element of the sport. The most important component of leveling for Elite Competitive Teams is stunting because it comprises two-thirds of the scoresheet. As such, training athletes in the full skillset they need to progress is critical to developing well-rounded and versatile athletes to foster long-term retention in sport.

These 2-hr classes are designed to feel like a team practice but unlike team practices that tend to focus on skill mastery for routines, BETS classes are progression-based. They are comprised of a minimum of 45-min of drill-based tumbling progressions and 45-min of stunting and toss progressions with the remaining time allocated to a structured warmup, jump training, and conditioning and flexibility exercises.

You should register for the level that you are currently developing and mastering in BOTH stunting and tumbling. If you have leveled up this season, you should register for your current team level. Otherwise, if you have at least one full competitive season at a given level and are eager to develop skills to help you level up next season, you should register for one level higher than your current team level. Keep in mind that athletes often progress at different rates in stunting and tumbling skills - STUNTING ABILITY is the most important factor for determining the Alpha-BETS level that your athlete will benefit most from to ensure that they are working with similarly-skilled peers to form appropriate stunt groups. If your athlete is working at a different tumbling level (e.g. handsprings in Level 1), coaches will modify drills to accommodate their continued individual development. This most frequently occurs in younger athletes in Level 1 BETS whose tumbling ability outpaces their stunting ability - this discrepancy is precisely why we have opted to include stunting in our class curriculum!

Absolutely! Our classes and private lessons are open to athletes who are members at other clubs. Our goal is to grow the sport of cheerleading and we’re happy to help all athletes develop their skills.

Our recreational and competitive classes are available first for full-session bookings. If openings remain, we will offer drop-in class availability.

Registration is available for full sessions or as drop-ins. If you miss the first few classes, it may still be more cost-effective to register for the full session, which offers a discounted per-class rate. Alternatively, you are welcome to book drop-in sessions for the remaining classes that you wish to attend.

Open Gyms are scheduled periodically through the year during special occasions, or lulls in the busy competition season - Open gyms will be announced as 'pop-up' opportunities on Social Media. You can check for upcoming opportunities or register HERE. Please ensure you complete an online participation waiver before arriving if this is your first time at ACT.

Novice teams are evaluated on a non-ranked adjudication system, meaning that they are not ranked against competitors (e.g 1st, 2nd, 3rd) but instead teams receive an overall rating of “Outstanding”, “Excellent” or “Superior”. Judges also provide comprehensive feedback and constructive comments across 28 different categories without assigning numeric scores. Novice athletes often receive collectable “pins” or ribbons as individual awards at competitions.

Please refer to page 14 in our Info Package for a list of gym closure dates. There may be additional skipped occurrences for classes or private lessons on dates when our athletes are at competitions. These will be listed on your booking confirmation email when you register for a session. These closures are accounted for in the calculation of session fees with pro-rating for classes. If we need to cancel classes due to unforeseen circumstances, participants will be notified via email and/or BAND.

If you or your athlete wishes to withdraw from any program at Alpha Cheer, please provide written notice to Meg via email (meg@alphacheer.ca). Our refund policy is outlined here.

Athletes should wear appropriate athletic gear with clean, indoor, soft-soled shoes (cheer-specific shoes preferred) with long hair tied up. Please ensure all jewellery is removed and long fingernails are trimmed. Physical preparedness for practice is important for safety and adherence to our training gear policy is necessary for participation.

Our coaches dedicate a substantial amount of time preparing lesson plans for each practice to ensure they are effective. If your athlete is unable to attend a group class or team practice, please notify their coach directly using the contact information provided. If your athlete is part of our competitive stream, please understand that attendance at all team practices and competitions is mandatory except when an athlete has a contagious illness. Cheerleading is a sport like no other in that the productivity of practices and the success of the team is highly dependent on the participation of all athletes. If your athlete is injured, they are still expected to attend practice to learn choreography and do modified training - our coaches can provide safe options for conditioning and flexibility exercises. Poor attendance may result in your athlete’s role or position on the team being modified or substituted.