Frequently Asked Questions

The Howell Area Junior Football League (HAJFL) Cheer and Pom Program is an integral part of the organization, designed to cultivate a passion for cheerleading and dance in young athletes. This program offers participants the opportunity to develop their skills in cheerleading, pom, and team spirit while fostering a sense of camaraderie and sportsmanship.

The Cheer and Pom Program is structured to accommodate various age groups and skill levels, ensuring that all participants can enjoy and benefit from the experience. With a focus on teaching the fundamentals of cheerleading and pom dance routines, the program also emphasizes the importance of teamwork, dedication, and a positive attitude.

Under the guidance of experienced coaches, cheerleaders in the HAJFL Cheer and Pom Program train for performances at HAJFL football games, local events, and competitions. The program encourages personal growth and development by challenging participants to improve their skills while working in harmony with their teammates.

In addition to skill development and athletic achievement, the HAJFL Cheer and Pom Program also emphasizes the importance of community involvement and sportsmanship. Participants are encouraged to contribute to the local community through fundraising efforts, volunteer activities, and fostering a sense of unity and support among fellow cheerleaders.

The HAJFL Cheer and Pom Program continues to nurture the talents and passions of young athletes, providing them with a well-rounded experience that not only develops their cheerleading and pom skills but also instills valuable life lessons and a love for their sport.

The HAJFL Cheer/Pom season begins at the beginning of August and goes through the end of October.

Each level will have different practice times as the routines become more difficult and complex at the higher levels. Prior to Labor Day, the instructional teams practice 3 days/week for 2 hours/day for a total of no more than 6 hours each week. Freshman, JV, and Varsity teams practice 4 days/week with Freshman and JV typically having 2-hour practices and Varsity having 3-hour practices. After Labor Day, practices decrease to 3 days/week and times are adjusted based on how well the athletes have learned their routines and how much work is still needed to get each routine ready for competition. Flexibility is key as practice times and locations can change with short notice. While it is possible in some cases to participate in HAJFL Cheer/Pom concurrently with another sport, the logistics of managing two practice schedules can be difficult.

Games are held on Saturdays beginning either the week before or the week after Labor Day depending on the schedule set forth by the Kensington Valley Youth Football Conference ("KVYFC"). Game times will vary week to week for each team and there will be travel to away games throughout the season. There are typically 8 games in a season with the possibility of additional playoff games if any of the HAJFL football teams qualify. We strive to promote unity throughout the league. If even one team qualifies for playoffs, all cheerleaders are asked to attend the game in order to cheer on the HAJFL football players.

Practices and games are mandatory and a signed Attendance Policy is required to participate in the HAJFL Cheer/Pom program.

Cheer is a team sport, with each participant having a required place in routines. When one member is absent, it can keep a whole squad from achieving their goals for that practice, jeopardize the safety of all those involved in mount/stunt groups, and prevent some participants from practicing portions of a routine. This is fundamentally different from football, volleyball, etc where only a few players are involved at a time and if one athlete misses practice he/she can be "benched" for a game. With cheer it is a requirement that every member of the team be on the floor for each routine that is performed.

Practices and games are mandatory except in the case of an excused absence. Religious classes, school related functions, illness or injury are considered excused absences. While these things are excused, please consider whether your athlete will have to miss multiple practices before committing to attend. Often certain routines are only practiced one day a week and if your athlete misses the same day each week they will have a difficult time learning the routine along with the team. Things such as gymnastics and dance classes, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, soccer, etc. are considered unexcused absences. Once a cheerleader reaches 6 unexcused absences or 12 total absences they will be removed from the team. If a cheerleader is more than 30 minutes late for practice this will be counted as an absence. Absences are counted from the first day of practice until the end of the season.

On game days, cheerleaders are required to report, fully dressed and ready to cheer, 30-60 minutes before the game begins. If an athlete does not arrive on time, without being excused, it will be at the discretion of the coach to have the athlete sit out for the number of minutes they were late. If arrival is after the first quarter, they will not perform for halftime. This practice supports our attendance policy in addition to supporting our cheerleaders.

Please make every effort to be at practices and games on time. When one cheerleader is out, it leaves the team unable to properly practice and perform their routines, formats, and stunts. If you are not able to make it to a game or practice, provide notice to the coaches as soon as possible so arrangements may be made.

Again, we can’t stress enough how important it is to have every team member present in order to be able to practice effectively.

The registration fee is set to cover the costs for each athlete, their equipment, and the costs the league pays for our field rentals, insurance, maintenance, and repairs. Each athlete pays the same registration fee, with a discounted fee for our Instructional level teams. Because the registration fee is based on costs to the league, HAJFL does not have a discount for multiple athletes in a family. 

The registration fee also includes a refundable $200 equipment and DIBs volunteer spot deposit. As long as all HAJFL-issued equipment has been returned in good condition and all required DIBs volunteer spots completed by the end of the season, the HAJFL Treasurer will process your refund of the $200 deposit. This typically takes place prior to the end of the calendar year, once the Equipment Director has been able to tally all equipment returns and the Gameday Director has finalized the tally of the DIBs spots completed.

All cheerleaders will be issued a uniform (shell top and skirt (or shorts for our male athletes), warm-up suit (jacket and pants). These items must be returned to HAJFL at the end of the season.  In addition to the league-issued items, each athlete will receive spirit wear items which may include t-shirts, sweatshirts, shorts, poms, and/or other miscellaneous items that they will get to keep.  

Parents are responsible for providing the following: 

• White cheer shoes.
• White no show anklet socks.
• Dark green boy shorts.
• Long-sleeve gold body-liner. 

Information regarding the recommendation of the brand, style, and vendor will be coordinated and communicated towards the start of the season.

DIBs are gameday roles that are completed on a volunteer basis to make sure each game has coverage for the tasks that need to be completed in order to have a successful gameday. Each family is responsible for completing four DIBs timeslots in order to secure the refund of their $200 equipment deposit. The requirement is set at the family level, so you only need to complete 4 slots even if you have multiple athletes in the league. 

The spots include Time Keeper, Announcer, Spotter, Chain Gang, Concessions, Gatekeeper, Trash, and 50/50. DIBs timeslots are released on a weekly basis, typically on a Monday, prior to that Saturday’s gameday. Watch your social media accounts, HAJFL and your child's Coach will advise once the DIBs are available to sign-up for each week.

To sign up for DIBs, head to the HAJFL website prior to gameday each week. There, you will see the available positions that have not been claimed yet and you’ll be able to claim the roles and timeslots you’re wanting to volunteer for. Fair warning, the DIBs spots are claimed very quickly in the beginning of the season. Any questions related to Dibs can be sent directly to the Board of Directors at howelljrfootball@gmail.com.

The game schedules are put out by KVYFC as scheduled by the Conference President, the HAJFL Board of Directors does not have control over how quickly game schedules are put together. Typically, the first 6 games are released one week prior to the first game. The last 2 games are released during week 6 to give KVYFC time to analyze rankings and create matchups. After the 8th game is completed, HAJFL will learn whether any of the Howell football teams have earned a place in the playoffs. Those schedules are released on a week-by-week basis and are based on final scores from the prior week's games. The Cheer Directors and Coaches will pass along game schedules as soon as they are made available.  

Sideline cheer is a type of cheerleading that is performed on the sidelines of a sports game, such as football or basketball. The purpose of sideline cheer is to encourage and energize the players and the crowd, and to showcase team spirit and pride. Sideline cheerleaders typically perform a variety of chants, cheers, and dances, and may also use props like pom-poms and megaphones to enhance their performance. Athletes may also involve the crowd in their cheers and chants to create a sense of unity and excitement. Sideline cheerleaders often wear uniforms that match the colors and logos of the sports team they are supporting.

HAJFL cheerleaders perform on the track surrounding the football field during game quarters wearing their green and gold uniforms, warmups, or other spirit wear based on the timing of the season and special events or fundraisers being held for that gameday. The athletes also perform on the football field during halftime. These performances typically consist of the pom routine the athletes learn during the season, but the routines will vary from week to week as the cheerleaders learn the material for their rounds.

Competitive cheer is a type of cheerleading that involves teams competing against each other in a series of routines, typically at cheerleading competitions. The routines are highly choreographed and may include stunts, tumbling, jumps, and dance elements. 

Competitive cheer is judged based on various criteria, including technique, difficulty, execution, creativity, and overall performance. Teams may compete in different categories based on factors such as age, skill level, and the type of routine they are performing. 

Competitive cheerleading requires a high degree of skill, teamwork, and athleticism, and can be physically demanding and rigorous. Cheerleaders  spend months preparing for competitions, practicing their routines and perfecting their skills. 

The Livingston County Area Cheer Commission (LCACC) CheerFest is an annual event celebrating the vibrant cheerleading community in Livingston County. Established by the LCACC, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and supporting local cheerleading programs, CheerFest has grown into a popular and exciting showcase of talent and team spirit.

CheerFest brings together cheerleading squads from various schools and organizations across Livingston County for a day of competition and camaraderie. The event features cheerleaders of all age groups and skill levels, providing an opportunity for participants to display their hard work, dedication, and athleticism.

In addition to promoting the sport of cheerleading, CheerFest serves as a platform for teams to connect, share experiences, and build lasting relationships with other squads in the area. The event fosters a sense of unity and sportsmanship within the local cheerleading community, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and mutual support.

Through its commitment to nurturing talent and fostering a love for cheerleading, the LCACC CheerFest continues to be a much-anticipated event on the Livingston County sports calendar, inspiring young athletes and contributing to the growth and development of the cheerleading community.