The Rambler Cheer and Dance Teams are administered through the Loyola University Chicago Athletics Department. The teams' foremost purpose is to support Loyola Athletics by enhancing game excitement and crowd involvement. Above all, the Loyola Spirit Program offers the opportunity to enjoy a collegiate level athletic activity and make life-lasting friendships with fellow athletes.
The spirit program consists of three teams: Cheerleaders, Dance Team and Mascots. These teams are committed to promoting Rambler Athletics by creating a cooperative spirit between the teams, the student body and the athletics community.
The teams perform at all men's and women's home basketball games, select away games and and postseason basketball play. We also perform at other select athletics events, as well as pep rallies, alumni functions, parades, and philanthropic events.
Tryouts will be held in the spring for the upcoming season. A required clinic will be held prior to the tryout to learn the material. The dates of Selection Weekend and specific deadlines to submit required paperwork are outlined in the tryout packet.
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
1. Full-time undergraduate students attending Loyola University Chicago at the time of the tryouts
2. Undergraduate status both semesters of the actual year of participation
3. A minimum of 12 hours of undergraduate study per semester
4. A minimum 2.5 GPA
5. Complete the required Athletics medical forms.
The Spirit Team administration reserves the right to refuse a tryout or a position to any person for reasons of academic deficiencies or violations against the University's standards of conduct, any past performances which dishonored the Intercollegiate Athletics Program, or physical liability.
The length of service for a Spirit Team member is one year from the time of selection or until the April tryout. For those selected in April, this will include all spring and summer commitments.
Commitments include, but are not limited to, intercollegiate athletics events, Loyola summer orientations, summer pre-camp practices and choreographies, UCA/NDA summer camp and competitions. Team members may also be called upon to participate at alumni functions, public relations events and fundraisers. Every attempt is made to balance time commitments.
Although the teams have been selected to cheer for men's and women's basketball, the ultimate emphasis is on the support of Loyola University Chicago's total intercollegiate athletics program.
The Loyola Cheer Team and Loyola Dance Team practice three times per week. There is also a regular commitment to team workouts for strength building and conditioning both inside and outside of practice.
The Cheer Team will be selected on the basis of athleticism, personality, and enthusiasm, in addition, both cheerleading and gymnastic skill is evaluated. The Cheer Team consists of up to 20 male and female members and incorporates partner and all girl stunting and tumbling skills with traditional yells and chants. The Cheer Team attends UCA Collegiate Spirit Camp and the UCA Collegiate National Championship in Orlando, Florida.
The Dance Team members will be selected on the basis of athleticism, personality, enthusiasm and dance ability. The Dance Team consists of up to 20 members. The performance style of the team includes, but is not limited to, pom, jazz and hip hop. Our Dance Team consists of energetic, highly motivated members who keep Rambler fans engaged in the game. The team also represents Loyola University Chicago at the NDA College Dance Team Championship in Daytona, Florida.
Uniforms, footwear and accessories are provided by the University.
If you have any further questions about our tryouts, please email loyolaspirit@luc.edu (general), jbuhaycastro@luc.edu (cheer), gparenti@luc.edu (dance) or rsullivan2@luc.edu (mascot).
