Most cheerleading coaches know the importance of establishing goals for their cheerleaders as individuals and as a team.  Typically these goals focus on improving cheerleading skills or physical conditioning.  These are certainly important but I encourage you to include mental game goals as well. 

Part of the joy of coaching is seeing your cheerleaders grow as athletes and as individuals.  You can enhance this process by teaching your squad some simple mental game techniques.  These techniques are valuable not only for cheerleading, but for life! 

Here are a few you can easily incorporate: 

• Maintaining a positive attitude
• Focus on present, not past
• Leaving distracting thoughts outside the gym
• Identify and change negative thinking
• Using more positive self-talk
• Be realistic in self expectations
• Change focus when you get frustrated
• Notice when your mind wanders from task at hand
• Think about what you can control
• See yourself performing well
• Think process not results
• Focus on strengths 

This is how it could work. 

1. Cheerleaders select goals from the above list.
2. To keep track of progress, choose a number that reflects current level of competence for each skill with 1 representing the least competence (weak) and 5 being the most competence (strong).
3. Each week or month, cheerleaders rate themselves again
4. The goal is to move that number to a higher level
5. Note where the most work is needed and focus on that!

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It’s not unusual for some cheerleaders to wrestle with negative thoughts that can undermine performance.  This is a topic I’ve written about many times before.  Here is another way to manage and transform negative thinking. 

Tip # 1 - Change a thought into a feeling.  This is the reverse of what is usually suggested.  Like many psychologists, I have told you that the way you feel is dependent on the way you think so if you don’t like what you are feeling change the thought! 

This is still true but here I am suggesting that when you are thinking something negative such as, “I am no good at tumbling,” change it to: “I feel like I am no good at tumbling.” By doing this you can give yourself room to step back and see that this does not necessarily represent the truth…it is a feeling, not a fact. 

So, try to get into the habit of identifying your negative thoughts and changing them from “I think” or “I am” into “I feel that…” 

Tip #2 - Add a “but” to your feeling statement.  When you say the word “but” as in, “I really like cheerleading but it’s a lot of work,” the “but” negates what came before it; it calls into question the truth of the first part of the sentence. 

You can use this to your advantage.  For example, you can say, “I feel like I’m no good at tumbling but I am working hard each day to get better.”  The “but” in this case weakens the first part of the statement. 

These may seem like small things but language can exert a powerful influence on how our brains and bodies work.  Try it and let me know how it works for you! 

By the way - it’s competition season!  Are you interested in gaining a competitive edge?  Check out my training program - The Mental Game of Cheerleading: Training for Competitions.  I will give a free consultation to anyone who purchases a program. Get yours now!

Fear of failure is not uncommon in cheerleaders, as I mentioned in my previous posting.  Excessive concern about making mistakes and perceived pressure to be perfect are associated with fear of failure.  It can be a problem in that it may lead to sub-optimal performance, avoidance behavior and mental blocks. 

What contributes to this dilemma? 

Well first is the cheerleader’s basic temperament and personality style but then we need to consider the coach and the parents. A good coach wants his or her athletes to excel.  A good parent wants his or her child to succeed.  But how this is communicated can make all the difference between a cheerleader who has fun while learning and one who agonizes over every mishap. 

A sport environment is an evaluative environment.   The athlete is a learner who must be open to instruction and coaching.  Ideally a cheerleader has or develops what I call a championship mind-set which means being open to learning, eager for feedback, and maintaining a perspective that every set-back and mistake is a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow and improve. (This is a life skill, too!) 

Coaches and parents can nurture a championship mind-set or they can interfere with it. If the egos of the coach and/or parent are too closely intertwined with the success of the cheerleader, objectivity can suffer and emotions may run high. 

If a coach/parent gets unduly upset when an cheerleader makes a mistake, this communicates to the athlete that mistakes are not ok, that they are a problem and are to be avoided.  Patience and a sense of humor plus a championship mind-set on the part of the parents/coaches go a long way toward creating a healthy learning atmosphere. 

Let’s not forget that this sport of cheerleading is supposed to be fun! 

It is good to set high standards and strive for excellence in sport performance and it is imperative that coaches and parents never put down the cheerleader’s efforts, performance, and self worth when the results are imperfect. 

To an athlete, the reactions and words of a parent and/or coach carry enormous weight.  If coaches/parents pressure athletes (especially young beginners) to perform perfectly, to avoid mistakes, and to meet high (perhaps unrealistic) expectations, and if they criticize the athlete when he or she fails to meet those expectations, all this contributes to the athletes’ fear of failure. 

Fostering a good work ethic with clearly defined and realistically high expectations, encouraging healthy team relationships, nurturing a spirit of curiosity and openness to learning where mistakes are gifts and not demons are all ways to contribute to the development of a happy, healthy cheerleader.

As the author of 2 mental game training programs for cheerleaders, I am always eager to get feedback about the programs.  So, I am thrilled that Valerie Ninemire, one of the cheerleading industry’s most respected experts, wrote a review about my competition program. 

Valerie is well known for her website - About.com. Cheerleading - which is loaded with all sorts of valuable information for cheerleaders, cheer coaches, and everyone in the cheer industry. Also, Valerie is the editor of the highly esteemed Cheer Coach & Advisor Magazine.

Here is some of what Valerie said: 

The Bottom Line 

I believe that the key to using “The Mental Game of Cheerleading: Training for Competitions” is to realize that our mind controls a lot of what happens with our bodies. Whether it’s fear or anxiety; mental blocks or low self confidence; what we think affects how we act and more importantly how we perform. If your goal is to be successful in the sport of cheerleading, you have to understand how much the mental aspect contributes to the outcome. And these are the reasons I highly recommend this program to all cheerleaders and coaches. 

I was totally impressed with this 2-CD program which provides you “with everything you need to break through barriers, immediately improve concentration, eliminate distractions, and transform your performance.” 

Written and presented by Pamela Enders, PhD., a peak performance psychologist on the faculty of Harvard Medical School, these CDs help you learn to make your body do what you want it to do, relieve tension, reach your potential and break through fears and negative thinking. 

Keeping in mind that some say 50-90% of success in high level sports is attributed to mental factors, the importance of winning the mental game in cheerleading can not be stressed enough. Whether you’re a coach or a cheerleader, I strongly believe this program will help you reach your peak performance level. Available either as an instant download (MP3) or as a mailed CD program, “The Mental Game of Cheerleading: Training for Competitions” is an investment in yourself. 

To read the full review, please go to this link: http://cheerleading.about.com/od/cheershopping/gr/Mental_Game_Competitions.htm

Entirely Cheer is the name of the new online cheerleading magazine produced by cheerleading experts Debbie Bracewell and Anne Gorman.  It is free! 

The magazine is produced in a very cool format which appears right on your computer screen and which allows you to flip the pages like a book as you read the articles. Debbie and Anne plan to reach all areas of cheerleading - nationally and internationally! 

Their goal is to bring in-depth training material that will help coaches and cheerleaders. Because it’s online, articles can be lengthier than they would be in a print publication plus it is possible to add hyperlinks, videos and audios for a more interactive experience. 

I am pleased to be part of the inaugural issue.  I wrote two articles for this issue - one is an introduction to sport psychology for cheerleading and the other is about the mid-year slump and how to get refreshed and revitalized for the new year. 

I encourage you to subscribe to the magazine which will come out every two months. Remember - it costs you nothing! 

Go to http://www.entirelycheer.com

Cheerleaders, cheer coaches, and cheer parents - are you looking for a last minute Christmas gift?  This may be just the gift you’re looking for!

To celebrate the holiday season,  I am offering each of my training programs for $20 less than the normal investment of $67. That’s right…instead of $67, you only pay $47! (Please note: when you click on the info about the products, the price will say “$67″ but the price on the order page will reflect the holiday discount.)

And – as an extra special bonus, I will offer a complimentary telephone coaching session to anyone who invests in either of these programs! Simply let me know you have purchased a program and we will arrange a time to talk about anything related to the mental game of cheerleading!

This special offer is good until December 31, 2009!

Here are the 2 programs:

The first program is The Mental Game of Cheerleading: Training for Competitions. This is a comprehensive step-by-step mental skills training program to maximize success in cheerleading competitions.

This 2-CD audio program plus 40-page Action Guide provide you with everything you need to break through barriers, immediately improve concentration, eliminate distractions, and transform your performance.

This program will change forever the way you practice and prepare for competitions. For more information please go to the Products section of this blog or http://www.confidentcheerleading.com/competitions/.

The other program is The Mental Game of Competition: Training for Tryouts! This is a complete mental skills training system that will maximize your success on tryout day. It is a 2-CD audio program plus a 54 page Action Guide loaded with practical information and worksheets - all designed to help you get on the team you want!

Please see the Products page on this blog or go to http://confidentcheerleading.com/competitions/Tryouts-Product.html 

Don”t forget!  My special Thanksgiving sale is on for a short time only - until Monday, November 30th.

I am offering my mental game training programs for $20 less than the normal investment of $67. That’s right…instead of $67, you only pay $47!

In addition to the programs, I am giving an extra special bonus - I will offer a complimentary telephone coaching session to anyone who invests in either of these programs! Simply let me know you have purchased a program and we will arrange a time to talk about anything related to the mental game of cheerleading!

Please go to the Products page on this blog for more information.  (The price will list as $67 until you go to checkout.)

Thank you all for following my blog!

I wish you a most happy Thanksgiving!

In my last post I wrote about the negative impact of multitasking on your brain. Knowing how hard it is to change behavior, I realize that some of you will choose to ignore my suggestion that you focus on only one thing at a time (what a concept!).  

Okay, if that is the case, at least try to take a few minutes out of your day to try to reverse the damage to your brain.  How? Read on… 

If you can spare 5 minutes a day (come on, anyone can do that!), find a quiet place and close your eyes.  Now focus only on your breathing, noting the rhythmic rise and fall of your breath.  As other thoughts arise (and they will!), simply notice them and let them go. Then return to focusing on your breathing. 

The above exercise will help to train your brain to focus and to let go of irrelevant thoughts - essential to good cheerleading!  If you can stretch this out to 10, 15, or even 20 minutes, so much the better. 

Here’s another one… 

Periodically, take a mental break by gazing at the sky or even an expanse of a blank wall.  Don’t try to focus on any one thing, allow your eyes to simply take in the bigness of what you are seeing.  Alternatively, you can close your eyes and imagine you are gazing at the sky or the sea.  

This will give your brain a nice little rest to refresh you.  A refreshed brain is a healthy one!

I’m pleased to announce that my brand new column - called Mind Games - appears in the latest issue of Inside Cheerleading Magazine!   This is the October “back to school” issue and my column addresses how to make the transition from summer fun to school and practice. 

Inside Cheerleading Magazine won the 2009 award for the Best Spirit Industry Periodical Issue from SITA (Spirit Industry Trade Organization).   This award, which Inside Cheerleading has won 3 years in a row, recognizes “comprehensive, balanced, and creative coverage of the spirit industry with sound journalistic principles and emphasis on both editorial excellence and visual appeal.”  

I am proud to contribute to such a fine periodical.  Not a subscriber?  Check it out!

An emotionally resilient cheerleader is a powerful cheerleader.  Yesterday I wrote about the US Army’s emotional resiliency program and I mentioned that much of what the Army will be learning is what I already write about in this blog. 

As I’ve said so many times, the way you think affects the way you feel and the way you perform.   One way to categorize thoughts is in terms of “hot thoughts” and “cool thoughts.” 

Hot thoughts get you into trouble because they are thoughts you have when you are upset and they usually lead you to take action you might later regret. 

Hot thoughts happen quickly; they are knee-jerk reactions to a situation.  For example, let’s say you go cheer practice one day and your best friend doesn’t give you a welcome hug like she usually does.  If you’re a hot thinker, you might think, “She doesn’t like me anymore!  I must have done something wrong!”  

Now this line of thinking might lead you to act in a certain way that you might later regret.  You might retreat from your friend or you might yell at her or you might tell someone else about the situation.  You aren’t taking the time to step back and consider what else might be going on.  

If you are a cool thinker, for the same situation, you might think, “Gee I wonder what’s going on with her?  It’s possible I upset her but maybe it has nothing to do with me.  Maybe she’s preoccupied with something.” 

In this instance, your cool thinking will allow you to respond differently to your friend. You might gently ask her if she’s ok or if she needs to talk. You won’t jump the gun and assume the worst. 

Cool thoughts mean you take a moment to pause and consider all the options before you respond.  Cool thoughts lead to a happier and healthier existence. 

So…stay cool!