Tomorrow morning I will be flying out west to be part of Pac West Spirit Group’s Annual Champagne Brunch and Coaches Conference. This event will be held at the beautiful Hilton hotel in historic downtown Vancouver, Washington on Friday April 30th 6-9pm, and Saturday May 1st 10am-5pm. 

This event was nominated Best Coaches Conference for SITA and Inside Cheerleading Magazine Reader’s Choice Awards!

I am pleased to be this year’s keynote presenter for this award nominated conference.  Of course I won’t be alone!  The other esteemed presenters and the schedule are listed below. (more…)

Cheerleaders from all over the globe competed at last weekend’s Cheerleading Worlds competition.  What an exciting event! 

What impressed me, as a sport psychology coach, was the mental toughness I witnessed. Imagine what it is like to perform in front of thousands of people (plus a huge television audience).  Then imagine what it is like to be in a collapsed pyramid in the first moments of a routine or to fall or to land on your face when you are throwing a full.  What would you do?  (more…)

Although recognized as a decidedly American sport, cheerleading is now embraced by many countries across the world – from the Philippines to China, from Ireland to Germany, you can find cheerleaders.  Actually this weekend you can find cheerleaders from all over the world at Orlando Florida, the home of The Cheerleading Worlds. 

The International All Star Federation (IASF) and the United States All Star Federation (USASF) only host two competitions a year – The Cheerleading Worlds and The Dance Worlds. The event producers of premier national championships sponsor their best teams to compete at these competitions. In addition, International cheer and dance teams from all over the world may qualify to compete in the applicable Senior or International divisions/categories. 

As you can imagine, this will be quite an event!  I couldn’t resist so I decided to go.  If you are going, please stop by and say hello! I will be at the Inside Cheerleading Magazine booth in the Milk House.  I will also be at the VIP Party on Friday night and the special fashion party on Sunday night sponsored by GK Elite, Twisted Choreography and Cheer Coach and Advisor Magazine!  

But it’s not all about the partying!  Worlds is important because it recognizes cheerleading as a serious world-wide athletic endeavor. 

Of course I will be posting photos!

Occasionally I get emails from disgruntled cheerleaders who are unhappy that they did not get chosen for a particular role on a squad. A typical message states that someone else was picked for a position (often it’s the flyer) and that the person who was selected is not really that good so “why was she selected and not me!!” 

The complaint is usually about fairness or the seeming lack of it.  The cheerleader wants to know what to do about the situation. This is how I reply:  (more…)

Cheerleaders are known for their smiles. At tryouts, the judges will notice if you are connecting to the audience (the judges) and if you are smiling.  This may seem like a no-brainer but when you are nervous or when you are deeply concentrating on something, your smile can disappear.

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Some cheerleaders wait until the last minute to get help preparing for tryouts. While this certainly is not recommended, there are a few things you can do to help you get ready. One girl wrote to me the day before her audition!  Even so, she was able to implement my suggestion and she made the team! 

Again – I do NOT advise that you wait till the last minute but if you do, consider these tips:  (more…)

Many schools are in the process of holding tryouts for their cheerleading squads.  This can be an anxiety-filled time for those of you who hope to make the team.  (more…)

Cheerleading mental blocks come in all shapes and sizes. There are many reasons why a block develops and many ways to resolve it.  Here is a story about one way to fix a block.  (more…)

Cheerleading can be expensive and for some squads the costs are truly burdensome.  The Spirit Industry Trade Association (SITA) has a special program called Helping Hand which is designed to assist outstanding squads and coaches who have limited resources or are in immediate crisis.

Each year, teams submit essays describing their situation and current needs. The Helping Hand committee reviews the essays and selects a team to receive a full year of assistance from SITA member companies. Teams are given uniforms, shoes, bags, camp clothes, summer camp, registration for two regional championships, registration to a national championship, and registration for a coach and captain to a coaches’ conference and subscriptions to industry magazines.

This year, as a new SITA member, I am donating my 2-CD package and training program – The Mental Game of Cheerleading: Training for Competitions plus 6 months of Mental Game coaching and consultation.

Do you know a team in need?  Or are you a team in need?  If so, SITA is currently accepting applications for 2010 SITA’s Helping Hand Recipients!   Visit the SITA website for more information.

Applications are due no later than May 15th!

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