Mid-season Reality Check for Cheerleaders and Cheer Coaches
For some cheerleading squads, January means it’s time for the mid-season blahs. Perhaps some of the excitement of the cheer season has waned and fatigue and complacency have set in.
A good coach will be tuned in to his or her squad’s mental and physical states. Along with complacency comes increased distractibility and with that come falls and injuries. It’s always critical to keep the team focused on the task at hand – especially during the mid-season blahs.
Cheer coaches might want to be on the look-out for their athletes’ motivation and enthusiasm levels decreasing. Typical signs are: cheerleaders finding it harder to get to practice on time; chatting more and focusing less on practice; and there may be a lethargy that seeps in to the practice sessions; finally, there may be increased irritability and more complaining and whining.
What to do? Get them involved. You can start off the year with a chart that keeps track of things like motivation, energy level, enthusiasm, focus, etc. So on a scale of 1 – 10 (with 1 = very low and 10 being wow! Super high) ask each cheerleader to rate herself on these dimensions. Plot it out on a simple graph so they can see when they are slumping.
If they are involved with monitoring their mood and energy, etc. from the beginning, they will be more attuned to these dimensions and be more likely to be open to discussing what to do about it. Even very young children can learn how to assess their energy and spirit. Coaches can engage the team in a frank discussion about what to do about slumping energy. The team involvement is a key to success.
What do you do to keep your squad motivated? Please share your secrets!
Tags: cheer coach, cheerleader, cheerleaders, Cheerleading, motivation