CHEER PROGRAM

**REGISTRATION FOR 2020 SEASON IS NOW CLOSED**

 **ALL DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO SURROUNDING CIRCUMSTANCES WITH COVID-19** 

Police Athletic League of Clay County, Inc. ("Clay PAL") programs are open to residents of Clay County, Florida.  Clay PAL is a member of the newest and most exciting league in Northeast Florida, the North Florida Youth Football and Cheer Conference ("NFYFC" and "NFYCC").

Other member associations of NFYFC/NFYCC are local to Clay PAL and include Oakleaf, Middleburg, Orange Park (OPAA), Callahan, Jacksonville PAL, Ponte Vedra, Fernandina Beach, Bartram Trail, Keystone Heights, Hilliard, and St. John's PAL.

The Clay PAL Cheer Program is open to children league age 4-18. Please note that your child's "league age" for purposes of division placement is based on the age they will be on August 31, 2020. Participants will be assigned to teams based on age, skill level, enrollment numbers. The minimum age for cheer participants is 4, however there are a limited number of spots available on the Tiny Cheer squad for 4-year-olds and they must meet certain criteria and assessments. Please contact our Cheer Coordinator, Pam Hamilton (scroll down for contact info), prior to registering a child under the age of 5.

The regular conference season officially begins on July 25th and will run to early November. Competitions will likely be in November and December, so please be prepared for your cheerleader to continue practicing until mid-December.  

Games are held on Saturdays. Our home field for games is Walter Odum Park (445 Woodside Drive, Orange Park) and our away games do involve some travel to the other NFYFC member associations listed above. Parents are responsible for providing all transportation to and from practices and games.  

The practice location for cheer is tentatively scheduled at Walter Odum Park, however we are trying to secure a different location for cheer practice. 

Cheerleading is a team sport that requires FULL participation from everyone. Each squad has a limited time to practice and prepare, and therefore extensive absences are a safety hazard for your child and their teammates, and could result in removal from the routine. If your cheerleader is absent, there is a large number of children who CANNOT practice their stunts or pyramids so your absence effects everyone.

The 2020 cost for Clay PAL Cheer is $260.00. All fees must be paid IN FULL on or before July 1, 2020 or your child will be dropped from the squad and a uniform will not be ordered unless there are special circumstances discussed and approved by Clay PAL Management. Additional siblings from the same household are offered a $25 discount after the first child is registered at full price. If your family is experiencing an economic hardship, please contact Clay PAL Coordinator Trent Dopp to apply for financial assistance.

The registration fee covers the uniform package, which each cheerleader gets to keep at the end of the season. The uniform package includes top, skirt, tumble shorts, game and competition bows, shoes, practice shirt and shorts and a backpack. Other items are available to purchase at an additional cost.

**NOTE:  No refunds will be issued once uniform orders have been placed.  Rest assured, we will not place uniform orders until the local authorities have confirmed and announced that youth sports may safely resume in Clay County.  In the event we are not able to have a 2020 season at all due to circumstances related to COVID-19, registration fees will be refunded.

If you have specific questions regarding our cheer program, please contact Pam Hamilton, Cheer Coordinator, at (740) 412-7920 or by email at pamhamilton1955@gmail.com. If you have questions/issues regarding online registration please contact Renee Richmond at (904) 838-5476. Thank you for your interest and we are so happy to have you be a part of the Clay PAL Family!

You can contact PAL Coordinator Trent Dopp at 904-673-8427 or tdopp@claysheriff.com.