Washington State doesn’t hold a one-day cheer tryout. WSU Cheer “operates on a full recruitment model,” so the coaches evaluate athletes over time through clinics, combines, visits, video submissions and direct contact. This guide follows the official WSU Cheer Recruitment page on WSUCougars.com, as checked on September 29, 2026.
The Program
- Part of WSU Spirit. The Spirit Squads include the Cheerleaders, the Crimson Girls dance team and the Butch T. Cougar mascot, under WSU Athletics.
- Conference. Washington State plays in the Pac-12.
- Coach. Ty (Tyler) McBride is Head Cheer Coach and Assistant Spirit Director.
How Recruitment Works
- Introduce yourself. WSU asks prospective athletes to contact the coaching staff, ask questions and send updates as they learn new skills or gain competition experience.
- Attend a clinic, or send a video. Clinics are “strongly encouraged,” and WSU suggests attending more than one if you can. They aren’t required. If you can’t travel to Pullman, you can submit a video of your stunting, tumbling, game day and performance skills.
- Offers. Offers can come at different points in the year. You don’t have to wait for a tryout date. Once you accept an offer, you’re on the team and can start preparing for the season.
WSU hadn’t posted clinic dates on its recruitment page as of September 29, 2026. Ask the coach about upcoming clinics and combines.
Minimum Skills
WSU lists these as minimum expectations. If you have more, show it.
- Stunting: toss extension, hands, liberty and target liberty.
- Tumbling (on a hard surface, no spring floor): standing back tuck, standing two back handsprings to a tuck or higher, and a round-off back handspring tuck or higher.
- Coming change: starting with the 2027-28 season, standing and/or running fulls will be required.
What the Coaches Look For
WSU says it evaluates “the complete athlete.” Recruiting decisions weigh stunting and tumbling, athleticism, versatility, game day and performance skills, coachability, work ethic, leadership, character, academic commitment and fit with the team’s culture. At clinics, the staff also watches for improvement, consistency and how you respond to feedback.
What WSU Doesn’t Publish
The cheer recruitment page doesn’t list a GPA minimum, a fee or a fixed tryout date.
Cheer vs. Crimson Girls
The Crimson Girls dance team recruits separately, with its own recruitment form, a $25 submission fee and dance-specific video requirements. Make sure you apply to the right team.
Contact
For cheer recruiting, email Head Coach Tyler McBride at Tyler.J.McBride@wsu.edu. The Spirit Squads page links to the roster, staff and recruiting pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are WSU cheer tryouts? There’s no single tryout. WSU recruits all year through clinics, combines, visits and videos.
Do I have to go to a clinic in Pullman? No. It’s strongly encouraged, but you can submit a video instead.
What tumbling do I need? At minimum, a standing back tuck, standing two back handsprings to a tuck, and a round-off back handspring tuck, all on a hard surface. Fulls will be required starting in 2027-28.
Related Resources
- University of Washington Cheerleading Tryout Guide
- Oregon State University Cheerleading Tryout Guide
- Boise State University Cheerleading Tryout Guide
- How to Film a Cheer Tryout Video
- College Cheerleading Tryout Guides Directory
Sources: Washington State University Athletics, WSU Cheer Recruitment, Spirit Squads, 2026-27 Spirit Squads Roster and Coaching Staff and Crimson Girls Recruitment. Last checked September 29, 2026.
