Cheerleading tryouts can give anyone the jitters and in my last posting about this topic (March 17^th)  I started writing about Doubts (those little negative conversations that you have with yourself).  There are many things that can feed your doubts and there are also steps you can take to minimize the negative impact of doubts. 

Listening to and Reacting to Others. Do you allow yourself to get caught up in the chatter about tryouts from friends and other people who are going to try out? What I’m talking about here is drama and gossip. The talk could be related to who the judges are or who is going to stay on the team or who is getting thrown off the squad or…well; you know what I’m talking about. 

This kind of talk is different from the sharing of accurate information – which is good and may be helpful.  This kind of talk is based on rumor and misinformation and the problem with this kind of talk is that it usually only serves to raise your anxiety.  

The solution, of course, is to beware of such talk and keep your distance.   You don’t have to be rude when people come up to you and have the latest hot tips or information about the tryouts. You can listen politely, nod your head, and just say. “Okay, well thanks for telling me.” 

Don’t yield to the temptation to accept as fact what is actually rumor and gossip. This will only heighten your anxiety. So what I advise is that you be polite and don’t engage and seek accurate information from reliable resources. 

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Cheerleaders write to me about how scared they are about tryouts.  So, what’s so scary about tryouts? 

It seems it comes down to 3 categories: 1) doubts; 2) concerns about outcomes; 3) concerns about failure. 

Today I’ll begin to look at doubts. 

Doubts are those little negative conversations you have with yourself that undermine your confidence.  A typical example is wondering if you’re good enough to get on a squad. 

Lack of accurate information and listening to gossip can feed doubts.  It’s interesting to me how many people want to be cheerleaders but have no idea what the requirements are for the tryout. No wonder they’re anxious! 

The other situation is when people rely on “information” from friends that isn’t information at all but only gossip and hear-say. 

Your best bet is to see if there is an information packet available from the coach.  Often there is.  If not, ask to see the coach or some reliable current member of the squad.  You will want accurate, reliable information. 

With information, you have a road map for preparation.  With good prep, you will perform better. 

Remember – spectacular preparation precedes spectacular performance! 

More on doubts and how to manage them in my next posting. 

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Anyone going to Myrtle Beach this weekend?  I will be there, attending  Cheer Ltd Nationals at Canam.

Part of the anxiety surrounding Cheerleading tryouts is the wish to control things you cannot control! 

Are you caught up in trying to control the uncontrollables? 

What do I mean by this?  Well, are you preoccupied with who else might be trying out?  Or worried about who else might make it? Or concerned about who the judges might be? Or agonizing over whether your tumbling skills will be better than someone else’s? 

If so, you are preoccupied with trying to control the uncontrollables!  You have NO control over any of these things, right?  You cannot control who will be trying out, how good they are, how much the judges will like them, who gets chosen, or who the udges will be.  

If you spend time thinking about any of these things, you are wasting your energy and your valuable time.  So, stop it already! 

Try this instead: consider what IS under your control and focus on those things. 

Control the controllables! 

What are these?  Well, make a list! (You know I’m a big fan of writing things down.) Here’s a start: 

1. What you work on in practice
2. How often you practice
3. Time and dedication you devote to your preparation
4. Training and feedback you seek
5. Books and videos you use to supplement your learning
6. Information you gather about the tryouts
7. Good nutrition
8. Good work-out ethic
9. Mental preparation 

What might you add to this list?  I can guarantee that if you seriously devote your time and energy to controlling what you can, in fact, control, your anxiety will decrease and your performance will improve. 

Good luck! 

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Cheerleaders or those who want to be cheerleaders might overlook one of the most important qualities cheerleading coaches look for during tryouts and that is – are you coachable? 

What does it mean to be coachable?  Well, think about this for a moment.  If you were the coach, what kind of person do you think would be a pleasure to coach?  Here’s my list: 

1. Eager to learn
2. Open to learning
3. Willing to try new things
4. Actively looks for feedback
5. Takes in and uses feedback to improve
6. Accepts critiques graciously
7. Is always on time
8. Rarely complains
9. Never whines
10. Views mistakes as opportunities to learn
11. Pleasant to be with
12. A real team player
13. Supportive of others 

What would you add to this list?  Do you have the qualities on this list?  A coach will likely choose someone with these qualities who also has the potential to learn over someone who is highly skilled but who does not have these qualities. Something to think about! 

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Anxiety can be part of cheerleading tryouts and there are many reasons for that.  But one thing that happens when you’re anxious is that your focus is directed at yourself and you can get too caught up in it.  In other words, a healthy perspective can really help but this means being able to step back and take in the big picture. 

Here’s a tip that might help:  Put yourself in your prospective coach’s shoes. Really, try it!  Imagine you are the coach and you are trying to put together the best squad possible.  What are you looking for?  

Take out a piece of paper and write down all the qualities you would like to see in the cheerleaders you will be bringing onto your team. List as many as you can think of. 

Here’s a list to get you started: 

1. Competence/Skills
2. Attitude
3. Spirit
4. Personality
5. Leadership
6. Team player
7. Helpfulness 

Can you think of more? 

Once you have your list, consider if you have those qualities.  How might you demonstrate those traits during tryouts? 

 Readers – are you on Facebook?  If yes, please be my friend and join my Facebook Group – Confident Cheerleading!

Yes, cheerleading tryouts are happening or are soon to happen for many cheerleaders out there. 

In looking at the forums on some of the other cheerleading sites, it seems that some of you have trouble learning and executing either a tumbling move or a jump.  Without going into some of the underlying reasons for that, here’s a tip that can help you learn a new move. 

One of the best ways to learn how to do anything is to watch another person do it.  From our earliest years, we learn by observing.  But this isn’t a passive process because each time you observe closely, your brain will be etching in new maps of what you are watching.  The key is to observe in a particular way. 

There are loads of videos on YouTube (of course they are of varying quality) but you can find a video of almost any move you want to learn or refine.  Or, buy a video or ask a cheerleader you admire if you can observe and film him or her executing the move you want to learn. 

Once you have your video, get yourself in a nice focused state by exhaling slowly several times.  Do this in a quiet space if possible.  Once you are calmly focused, watch the film and notice everything about it – what the cheerleader does just prior to the move, the expression on his or her face, and how he or she moves into it, and so forth.  Watch this over and over.  

Now, imagine how the cheerleader feels while he or she is doing the move. Imagine how confident or focused the cheerleader is.  Now imagine how you  might feel if you were that person.  Slowly imagine that you are becoming that cheerleader and it is you who is executing the move.  Do this over and over. 

Each time you do this, you will be training your brain.  Now, this doesn’t mean that this is all you have to do!  Of course you have to actually practice the move but this will boost your learning. 

Good luck! 

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Cheerleaders and those who want to be cheerleaders are getting ready for tryouts.  Here are a few more mistakes you should avoid! 

1. You get visibly upset when someone else nails a routine.
2. You act like you know it all (uppity and arrogant).
3. You don’t “hit the crowd” when you enter.
4. You look and act deflated after your routine.
5. You ignore the other people who are trying out.
6.  You cheer in a sing-song voice.
7. You say “whoo-whoo” instead of something like “Go team!”
8. You talk about other people in a nasty way.
9. You wear way too much makeup and glitter.
10. You look at the floor instead of the judges. 

Stay tuned for more about tryouts.  I’m working on a new product called: The Mental Game of Cheerleading: Training for Tryouts!  If you have any questions you’d like me to address please let me know. 

Readers – are you on Facebook?  If so, please become my friend and join my Facebook Group – Confident Cheerleading.

Cheerleaders everywhere are gearing up for cheerleading tryouts.  It’s an exciting and nerve-wracking time and unfortunately, some cheerleaders tend to undermine their chances of getting on a squad by making one or more of the following mistakes:  

• 1. You do not ask any questions of anyone about what is required; you just show up at the appointed time.
• 2. You wait until the last minute to work on your tumbling or jumps.
• 3. You come late to the pre-tryouts meeting or practice – or you don’t bother coming at all.
• 4. You come late to the tryouts.
• 5. You don’t bother practicing in front of a mirror or in front of a friend.
• 6. You are not realistic in terms of what your skills are.
• 7. You have a negative attitude.
• 8. You pout and make faces when you make a mistake.
• 9. You dress sloppily in ill-fitting clothes.
• 10. You maintain a serious expression and do not smile or connect with your audience (the judges). 

These are only some of the mistakes cheerleaders or wannabe cheerleaders make.  Look over the list carefully and see if you can identify with any of the item. 

If you have any mistakes you  would like to add, please write and let me know! 

Readers – are you on Facebook?  If yes, please be my friend and join my Facebook Group – Confident Cheerleading!