University of Tennessee Athletics
Tennessee Spirit Teams to Host Open Recruiting Weekend and Clinic
October 29, 2018 | Cheer, Dance & Mascots
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Monday, Oct. 29, 2018) - The next generation of Big Orange cheerleaders, dance team, and mascots could soon be found.
The University of Tennessee Spirit Program is hosting its annual Fall College Prep Clinic on the UT campus on Sunday, November 11 at 1pm as part of its "Experience Tennessee Spirit" weekend. The clinic is open to all high school students and current college students, and will teach prospective student athletes the expectations of Tennessee's Spirit Program, required skills for the collegiate level, and provide a taste of the tryout procedure used to select the next team.
The clinic is not the only experience participants can have. Those who register for the clinic can also take advantage of attending a basketball and football game at a discounted price to watch the spirit teams in action, can go behind the scenes of game day events with the squads as they perform around campus before the Kentucky football game, and high school seniors can attend a practice on Friday night to see collegiate-level cheer and dance up close and personal.
Kelley Tafazzoli, who is in her 13th year as Tennessee's dance team coach and has claimed five national championships during that time, believes this weekend-long experience will help identify the next wave of talent coming to Rocky Top for all three of the Spirit Program's teams.
"Our staff wanted to find a way to put on display all that the University of Tennessee has to offer if you are part of our cheer, dance, or mascot teams," Tafazzoli said. "The clinic covers the skills and expectations side of things, but we wanted to offer a full experience of what it's like to be part of our program. Having three days of opportunities to be immersed in everything we do will help us attract the best talent possible for future teams."
The University of Tennessee Spirit Program is hosting its annual Fall College Prep Clinic on the UT campus on Sunday, November 11 at 1pm as part of its "Experience Tennessee Spirit" weekend. The clinic is open to all high school students and current college students, and will teach prospective student athletes the expectations of Tennessee's Spirit Program, required skills for the collegiate level, and provide a taste of the tryout procedure used to select the next team.
The clinic is not the only experience participants can have. Those who register for the clinic can also take advantage of attending a basketball and football game at a discounted price to watch the spirit teams in action, can go behind the scenes of game day events with the squads as they perform around campus before the Kentucky football game, and high school seniors can attend a practice on Friday night to see collegiate-level cheer and dance up close and personal.
Kelley Tafazzoli, who is in her 13th year as Tennessee's dance team coach and has claimed five national championships during that time, believes this weekend-long experience will help identify the next wave of talent coming to Rocky Top for all three of the Spirit Program's teams.
"Our staff wanted to find a way to put on display all that the University of Tennessee has to offer if you are part of our cheer, dance, or mascot teams," Tafazzoli said. "The clinic covers the skills and expectations side of things, but we wanted to offer a full experience of what it's like to be part of our program. Having three days of opportunities to be immersed in everything we do will help us attract the best talent possible for future teams."
That approach has already paid off. After just two weeks since registration opened for the clinic, nearly 150 participants from 18 different states have signed up. That leaves less than 100 openings with still two weeks to go.
The 3-hour clinic costs $60 and includes a t-shirt, clinic instruction and interaction with UT coaches and team members, and information on how to be part of the other offerings throughout the Experience Tennessee Spirit weekend. Registrations must be submitted online only by midnight on Friday, November 9.
For more information and to register, visit www.TennesseeSpiritCamps.com.
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