Transitioning from High School to College #UCAcamp

Posted July 23, 2018 in SchoolYouth/Rec

After watching the College Demo on the first day of camp, you will probably be thinking “What did I get myself into? But I can assure you, everyone else who is at their first collegiate-level camp is thinking the same thing! No matter how many practices you’ve had with your squad or what you have been preparing yourself for, UCA College Spirit Camp is like nothing you’ve ever experienced before!

To start off, when it comes to stunts, baskets, and pyramids, prepare yourself mentally to take everything in. There is going to be a lot of new things thrown at you, and that is OK! New flipping stunts you’ve never tried, higher pyramids than you’ve never seen, and baskets that are unbelievable! The more you can just pay attention and absorb, the easier it will be to comprehend what all is going on! Think of camp as a stair-step to familiarize yourself with college cheerleading skills. Every new skill you learn is one step higher than you were yesterday. By the end of camp, you may not be at the top of the stairs, but you will be higher than you were before you got to camp!

Next, Game Planning Class. This is going to be very similar to what you have experienced at High School camp with Cheer Class, but with a twist! Everything is going to be very personalized to your specific school. You will focus on things such as your school’s game day traditions, your school’s band chats, and your school’s fight song just to name a few. So, when you experience “GPC” for the first time, prepare to adjust to the quick-pace of the class and school personalization’s and you will be more than prepared!

Overall, nothing can prepare you for your first collegiate-level camp until you’ve experienced it! Everything is a lot quicker paced, there are millions of moving parts, and lots of organized chaos. You’re going to look back on Final Day and wonder how time flew by so quick! There may be no bananas, camp rallies, or fun games, but just being there surrounded by other universities and learning from the extremely talented staff will make you feel so humbled and honored to be a part of such a cool, new experience!

-@uca_kelly