What Do I Need to Be Able to Do for Cheerleading Tryouts? Barbie Carpenter worked as a technical writer and editor in the defense industry for six years. She also served as a newspaper feature page editor for the Hearst Corp. Now a freelance editor, Carpenter holds a Bachelor of Science in journalism from the University of Florida and a graduate certificate in professional writing from the University of Central Florida. Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images Before you backflip your way down the football field before the big game, you have to land that coveted spot on your high school's cheerleading team. Although every school's tryout expectations vary, there are some cheer and tumbling staples you can expect at any tryout. Understanding the tryout requirements can help you prepare for your best performance. Jumps You should be able to perform a range of classic cheerleading jumps during your tryouts. Practicing these jumps weeks or even months ahead of time can perfect your moves for the tryout and help to earn you a spot on the squad. The jumps that most schools expect potential cheerleaders to perform include the toe touch, herkie, side hurdler and front hurdler. Tumbling A foundation in gymnastics can boost your tryout score and land you on the cheerleading squad. Your school will likely expect you to perform a cartwheel and roundoff during the tryouts. More advanced gymnastics moves can boost your score. Work on a back handspring, roundoff followed by a back handspring or back tuck to