It seems that the University of Connecticut has changed its mind about cheerleading.

As reported in the Hartford Courant, U Conn has decided to replace its traditional cheerleaders with a “spirit squad”  whose job will be to  be “ambassadors”  for the school.  Of course any school-based cheerleader is an ambassador but at U Conn, they will no longer be skilled athletes.  As a matter of fact, no cheerleading or gymnastics experience is required.  At all.

University officials claim this change is a positive one that will allow the spirit team to iengage fans in a more interactive way.

“We wanted to take the program in a slightly different direction,” said John R. Saddlemire, vice president for Student Affairs. “In particular, our desire is to have the cheerleaders place more of their focus on promoting Husky spirit and that the long hours of practicing and performing stunting took away from that focus. By changing the style, and no longer requiring gymnastics experience of those trying out, the university is able to offer the opportunity to participate in UConn cheerleading to a much broader pool of interested students.”

 Some wonder if U Conn’s decision is based on concerns over the liabilities associated with cheerleading however the school has yet to revamp its football team (a sport that is certainly more dangerous).

In my last posting, I developed a list of potential problems that might occur in a cheerleading squad.  Well, it’s easy to come up with a list of problems but what do you do about them? 

Here is the six-step communications model for Constructive Confrontation as presented by Greg Hicks of GDH & Partners.  I think that this approach is easy to follow and implement. 

1. Be prepared.  Rather than rush in when you are upset, take some time to consider what you want to say and how you want to say it.  Of course there may be times when an immediate response is required but for chronic problems, preparation is a key to success.

2. Be brief.  It may be tempting to dump but not wise!  Get to the point quickly and stay on topic.  This is where preparation can be helpful.

3. Be specific.  Speak only about specific behaviors you have observed and not your interpretations of those behaviors. Someone can argue with your interpretations but it’s harder to do so with observable behaviors. 

What’s the difference? Well, if you tell someone she has been rude or inconsiderate, or arrogant, that is an interpretation.  However, telling someone that you observed her interrupting, rolling her eyes, looking away, or walking away are specific behaviors.  

4. Explain the impact.  Tell the person how others (or you) perceive their behavior and how it affects team performance.  It’s the negative impact that is the problem.

5. State the desired alternative. Here is where you go beyond a description of the negative behavior to describe what you expect in the future. Ideally, you will engage the person in identifying possible solutions.

6. Stay calm.  Yes, you are frustrated and annoyed but venting will not help!  You want the other person to focus on your message and his/her behavior, not your feelings.

Take a group of 10 to 20 cheerleaders plus their parents and add a coach or two and what do you have?  The potential for great joy, yes, but also significant strife! 

What could possibly go wrong?  Well, here’s my list and I invite you to add to it! 

1. Cheerleaders who come late for practice – all the time.
2. Cheerleaders who whine and complain about the hard work.
3. Cheerleaders who goof off during practice.
4. Cheerleaders with a negative attitude.
5. Cheerleaders who talk trash about others.
6. Cheerleaders who do not want to try something new.
7. Parents who insist that their child should be the star.
8. Parents who interfere with the coaches’ decisions.
9. Parents who interfere with practice (loud talking, etc.)
10. Parents who think they know better than the coach.
11. Coaches who yell at team members.
12. Coaches who have obvious favorites.
13. Coaches who ignore phone calls from parents.
14. Coaches who are late for practice.
15. Coaches who treat their assistants poorly. 

Now let me be clear.  I recognize that most coaches, cheerleaders, and parents do not belong on this list but – it only takes one of these situations to cause problems and that is what we’re looking at now – problems and how to manage them. 

Feel free to comment and add to the list. 

In my next posting, I will present Greg Hicks’s six-step communications model for Constructive Confrontation.

Conflicts are bound to arise in any kind of group and cheerleading teams are no exception.  The way conflict is addressed can make the difference between a healthy environment and a toxic one. 

I had the pleasure of hearing Greg Hicks of GDH & Partners talk about this topic at the Organization of Spirit Providers (OSIP) conference last week.  He graciously allowed me to summarize his talk for you. 

The first point Mr. Hicks made was that when you fail to confront negative behaviors, you essentially are signaling acceptance of them.  So, you are, in effect, encouraging them to continue! 

There are many reasons why this might happen including the fact that confronting someone is uncomfortable for most people. Sometimes you might hope it (the problem) will just go away and so, if you ignore it, perhaps harmony will magically return. 

Another reason is fear that addressing a problem will affect a relationship in a negative way.  And still another reason is not wanting to be seen as “the bad guy.” Of course you may simply not know what to do and so – you do nothing! 

Can you think of what holds you back from confronting someone? 

Stay tuned for my next posting when I will present a list of some behaviors and difficult situations that are typical of cheerleading.

To be a good cheerleader, you have to be physically strong.  To be a great cheerleader, you also have to be mentally strong.  I’ve written about  mental toughness before and I’ve identified 8 qualities connected to mental toughness; I call them the “8 C’s” and here they are: 1) Championship mindset; 2) Concentration; 3) Composure; 4) Come-back from mistakes: 5) Clarity about motivation; 6) Commitment: 7) Confidence; and  Courage. 

A good example of a mentally tough athlete is 17 year old tennis star Melanie Oudin who won her first match at the US Open on Monday (she lost on Wednesday but not before winning the hearts of an international audience). 

From all accounts, Melanie Oudin demonstrated mental toughness from the beginning of her tennis career. 

One of Melanie’s coaches, Noel Wadawu said that everyone saw that mental toughness in Melanie from the day she first walked onto the courts (in Sandy Spring, Ga.).  “She was nine year old…not too many kids come out her and, when you say, okay, let’s try to hit 200 balls in a row, and you’ve got ot do it until you get it-she did it every single time.” 

Wadawu went onto to say, “It’s always been a mental game (for Melanie); she is simple focused entirely on her game. Mental toughness.  You just don’t see too many kids that focused.”

By the way, Melanie wears custom designed yellow and pink shoes with the word “BELIEVE” inscribed on the heel.  What do you think this says about her?  Belief in your ability to perform well contributes to mental toughness.

In my many conversations with cheerleaders, cheer coaches, and parents, I have discovered that not all cheer coaches are created equal! 

To be fair, sometimes a person with no cheerleading background or no training is asked by a school authority to lead a cheer team.  (Actually, they are usually “told” to do so, not asked!)  In this situation,  we can easily understand if the “coach” is less than proficient in managing his or her team.

 There are so many facets to being a good cheerleading coach and this short posting does not assume to discuss them all but I came across some interesting research that I thought you might find useful. 

It seems that sport psychology researchers looked at 2 different kinds of approaches to coaching (and you should know that the research was not on cheerleading per se but athletic teams in general) to see which one created a more optimal environment for the athletes. 

One approach is called a Performance Climate and the other approach is called a Mastery Motivational Climate. 

A Performance Climate encourages intra-team competition and a punitive approach to mistakes (yelling, shaming, etc.). Now you may think that a punitive approach would be rare in cheerleading but if a coach is lacking in training and experience, the frustration level would be higher and so would the possibility of expressing that frustration in potentially punitive ways. 

The Mastery Motivational Climate, on the other hand, us is one where the coach supports effort and cooperation (instead of who’s the best) and where there is an emphasis on learning and task mastery. 

Not surprisingly, the Mastery Motivational Climate is a happier one for the athletes.  It promotes well-being, persistence and task perseverance.  It also attenuates negative responses and optimizes positive ones. 

Let’s hear it for the Mastery Motivational Climate!  Give me an M…!

 If you have ever felt discouraged when attempting to accomplish something, (and who hasn’t?) I encourage you to watch this video of Ted Kennedy, Jr. at his father’s funeral.  (Ted Kennedy, long-time U.S. Senator of Massachusetts, died last week.) 

When Teddy Jr. was a boy, he had a rare form of bone cancer which necessitated the amputation of his leg.  In this eulogy, he recalls his father’s words of love and encouragement to him at a moment when young Teddy was feeling disconsolate. 

The lesson for all of us is not only – “don’t give up” – but also, to recognize that others are often willing and eager to help you climb that hill. 

For cheerleaders this means, talk to your coaches and your team-mates if you’re feeling discouraged; they will want to help you!  And don’t forget how valuable your words of encouragement can be for others.