While many activities at Iowa State are on hold for the summer, the ISU cheer squad, mascots and pom pons are busy getting ready for the upcoming seasons.

Chris Stuckie, ISU cheer squad coach, said summer does not mean a break for the 30 cheer squad, 15 pom pon squad and four mascot team members.

“We’re one of the only squads on campus that goes all year,” Stuckie said of the cheer squad.

This summer’s activities will include a cheer squad training camp at Southern Methodist University in Dallas from August 5-8. The camp will teach new material, stunts and tumbling for the coming year. Last year the cheer squad attended a similar camp in Milwaukee, the location of this year’s pom pon camp that will take place the second week of August.

Junior Kari Froehlich said the Dallas camp will be an exciting challenge.

“All the best squads in the Big 12 will be there, [and] the staff will be the best,” Froehlich said. “The skills will be higher, so it’ll push us to a higher level to make a good showing.”

Stuckie said good representation at camp is also important because it provides a chance for the team to qualify for nationals, which are held in Florida. The cheer squad qualified for nationals last year and set a goal to place this year.

The skills learned at camp will also be important to the squad, Stuckie said.

“[We learn] a few new stunts each year, but mostly it’s new techniques of doing the same things,” he said. “Usually [we learn] safer techniques.”

In addition to the Dallas camp, cheer squad members held a team workout one weekend in June and are planning one in July. They will come together for the duration of the season the last weekend in July. In the meantime, Froehlich said squad members are working out on their own.

Mascots, cheer squad and pom pons also do a number of performances for Cyclone Clubs, parades and other events over the summer.

“Cyclone Club outings usually request Cy; sometimes they want the cheersquad or the pom squad as well,” Stuckie said.

Froehlich said at Cyclone Club events “[we] usually do some cheers after dinner, before drinks. We try to get the crowd involved; sometimes they’re receptive, and sometimes they’re not.”

In addition to Cyclone Club events, the cheer squad has performed for Special Olympics and is planning several shows across the state. Members have also been working on a video to qualify them for a trip to nationals, as well as a calendar, the proceeds from which will help fund their trip.

The pom pons perform for football games, as well as men’s and women’s basketball competition. Cheer squad also performs for football and basketball, as well as gymnastics, wrestling and volleyball.

Froehlich, who is in her second year with the cheer squad, is confident about the coming season.

“I’m expecting great things for us,” she said. “We’re all expecting a lot from ourselves [this year].”