The University of Georgia has two cheer teams: a coed team of up to 10 women and 10 men, and an all-girl team of up to 24 women. They’re the official cheerleading team of Georgia Athletics, and tryouts are run by the University of Georgia Spirit Program, the site Georgia Athletics points to for cheer, Dance Dawgs and mascot tryouts. This guide follows that site’s cheer FAQ and tryout pages.
Where the cycle stands (September 30, 2026): the 2027-28 tryout page says “TBA.” UGA’s FAQ says tryouts are usually held in mid to late April, and team selection happens every April, so expect the next tryout in April 2027. Watch the Cheerleading Tryouts page for the date and registration link.
What Georgia Cheer Does
- Game day, not competition. UGA says plainly: “We do not compete. We are strictly a game day team.”
- Games. The teams cheer all home and away football games, home men’s and women’s basketball, home volleyball and home gymnastics, plus postseason football and basketball. The whole team cheers home football; other sports rotate in smaller groups. A typical season is about 6 home football games, 13-15 basketball games, 2-3 volleyball matches and 2-3 gymnastics meets, not counting travel.
- Schedule. Practices are Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings for 2 to 2.5 hours, with workouts Tuesday and Thursday mornings. The season runs July to April. If you make the team, a work weekend in late June or early July and “2-A-Days” camp in early August are mandatory.
- Benefits. UGA lists stipends of $550-$950 per semester, Georgia Nike apparel, priority scheduling, the Rankin Smith Academic Center, the chance to letter, and travel to away football, bowl games and SEC and NCAA basketball tournaments. There’s no cost to be on the team: the program is fully funded by the athletic department.
Tryout Requirements
- Women: a consistent standing tuck is required to be considered.
- Men: a standing tuck isn’t required, but it’s encouraged.
- Running tumbling isn’t required to try out, but it’s scored. You can make the team without a running full.
- Stunting: there are no set stunting requirements to try out.
- Returning members must try out again every season.
- No video tryouts and no early or late tryouts. You must attend the whole tryout in person.
UGA’s published FAQ doesn’t list a GPA minimum or a tryout fee. It does note that the program has averaged a 3.4 GPA or higher over the past decade.
How Tryouts Are Scored
You’re sent material to learn beforehand, then scored by a panel of judges. You try out for one position; the staff may check your versatility in others. The point values below are from the 2023-24 tryouts, and UGA says they may change.
| Category | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Interview | 15 | 15 |
| Sideline cheers | 20 | 20 |
| Fight song | 20 | 20 |
| Band dance | 10 | 10 |
| Stunting | 15 | 25 |
| Spirit | 10 | 10 |
| Running tumbling | 5 | n/a |
| Jumps | 5 | n/a |
| Total | 100 | 100 |
Judges look for motion technique, sharpness, voice projection, tumbling and jump technique, stunting technique, musicality, performance value and genuine spirit. The fight song and sideline cheers together are 40 of the 100 points, so learning the material cold matters as much as your skills.
What to Wear
- Women: a form-fitting full tank top, spandex shorts, hair away from your face, and cheer shoes.
- Men: an athletic T-shirt or polo tucked in, athletic shorts and athletic shoes.
- Interview: typically the same outfit you wear for the final tryout.
College Prep Clinics
UGA hosts two college prep clinics each season, one in the fall and one in the spring, to prepare high school and college students for tryouts and teach the team’s style. It doesn’t run separate recruitment clinics or summer cheer camps. The 2026 Fall College Prep Cheer Clinic (Sunday, October 18, 2026) is at capacity, and UGA says to join the spring clinic instead; its date hasn’t been announced. See the clinics page. UGA also says the coaching staff can’t meet with visitors on campus visits, so the clinics are the best way to meet them.
Staff and Contact
The UGA Spirit Program lists Ben O’Brien as Director of Spirit Programs, Ashley Reynolds as Assistant Cheer Coach for the all-girl team and Matt Trainor as Assistant Cheer Coach for the coed team. Georgia Athletics lists spirit@sports.uga.edu for spirit program questions. UGA Cheerleading is on Instagram at @ugacheerleading.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are Georgia cheer tryouts?
Usually in mid to late April. The 2027-28 date was “TBA” as of September 30, 2026.
Do I need a standing tuck?
Women need a consistent standing tuck to be considered. For men it’s encouraged but not required.
Does UGA cheer compete at nationals?
No. Georgia’s cheer teams are game day teams and don’t compete.
Can I try out by video?
No. UGA doesn’t accept video tryouts or schedule early or late tryouts.
Does it cost money to be a UGA cheerleader?
No. The program is fully funded by the athletic department, and members receive a stipend each semester.
Related Resources
- SEC Cheer Tryout Guides
- Georgia Tech Cheerleading Tryout Guide
- Georgia State University Cheerleading Tryout Guide
- How to Do a Standing Back Tuck
- College Cheerleading Tryout Guides Directory
Sources: University of Georgia Spirit Program, Cheerleading Tryouts FAQ, Cheerleading Program Structure, Cheerleading Miscellaneous, Cheerleading Clinics FAQ, 2027-2028 Cheerleading Tryouts, About and Cheerleading Staff; Georgia Athletics, Spirit Squad Tryout Information. Last checked September 30, 2026.
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