Frostburg — FROSTBURG — Tiana Young expects to be nervous next weekend when it’s her turn to try out for Frostburg State University’s cheerleading team.

“I was a little nervous coming here, actually,” said Young, a sophomore who practiced back handsprings and basket tosses Thursday night during an open gym for prospective cheerleaders.

“But once I got here I was fine. That’s how I think tryouts will be. Once the adrenaline hits, I’ll be fine.”

For Young and the other women vying for one of 14 open spots on the team, tryouts will be tougher than ever this year.

With a new coach and an expanded mission, FSU is raising the bar on its cheerleading program, which until this year didn’t send its team to regional or national competitions.

“We’ve kind of done a full 360 of how we do the program,” said Becki Carter, who took over as head cheerleading coach two years ago.

“When I came in there was a lack of coaching. There wasn’t real organization. We’re implementing more of a collegiate style cheerleading. We’re trying to take it to the next level and give FSU cheerleading a name for itself.”

Turning the team into a competitive squad is part of the transformation. In January, the team traveled to Orlando, Fla., for the Universal Cheerleading Association’s Cheerleading Nationals.

Though they didn’t make it into the finals, FSU placed 10th in its division.

“I know pretty much every cheerleader has probably watched UCA Nationals, and like, being there is the most amazing thing ever,” said Eugene Younger, a sophomore psychology major and the only male cheerleader on the FSU team.

“You get to see so many teams that you look up to and idolize.”

A graduate of Allegany High School, where he also cheered, Younger said he is excited to be part of the transformation of FSU’s program. Carter was his coach at Allegany, too.

“She’s definitely building the program up,” said Younger, who is the only returning cheerleader who doesn’t have to try out next weekend. Seven other members of this year’s team have to try out again because they’ve only been on the team for one year. Younger has been an FSU cheerleader for two years.

About a dozen women attended Thursday night’s open gym, and Carter expects quite a few more to attend tryouts.

“Every year it’s gotten better and better,” Carter said. “It takes quite a few years to build a program.”

Another change for FSU cheerleaders as the program evolves: Strength and conditioning training is required.

“We work out twice a week for right now, for about an hour,” said freshman team member Amanda Farace. “We do some lifting. We work on our core and abs and upper body strength and lower body strength. Strength is huge at the college level.”

A member of a cheerleading team since she was 7 years old, Farace wasn’t going to try out for FSU’s team last year — until she learned that it would be competing for the first time.

“I love the competing part of it,” Farace said. “Competing gives you an adrenaline rush.”

During tryouts next weekend, prospective team members must show certain tumbling and stunting skills, such as a standing back handspring and a shoulder stand, as well as perform the school fight song routine. Tryouts also include a personal interview.

“I’m looking for the all-around cheerleader,” said Carter, who is the sole judge during auditions. “I’m looking for the cheerleader who has the stunting experience, the tumbling experience, understands what it takes to lead a crowd. Just the overall package.”

Collegiate cheering is much more demanding than high school cheering, Carter and FSU team members said. Cheerleaders commit 15 to 18 hours a week to the team, practicing four days a week during the season, Carter said.

“I tell them it’s like a part-time job,” she said.

Young believes she’s ready to do whatever it takes. A cheerleader in high school, she decided to try out after learning that the team was making a fresh start.

“This is kind of like we’re building together,” Young said. “The team is actually, they’re good people. They’re really nice and really welcoming. It’s not like you feel uncomfortable around them. It’s a genuine group of girls. And guy.”

Contact Kristin Harty Barkley at kbarkley@times-news.com.