How to build confidence for cheerleading tryouts – fast!
What happens when a cheerleader needs to build up her confidence fast? In this case, the cheerleader is someone who successfully made a varsity team last year as a freshman and hopes to be accepted again this year. But this year, the competition is tougher. How can she boost her confidence in 4 days? (Tryouts are this weekend.)
Well, this is how I responded to this athlete’s question:
First I encouraged her to create a list of things you CAN control and things you CANNOT control and focus your attention on things you CAN control.
For example, some things you CAN control:
Your attitude (friendly, open, enthusiastic, engaged, etc.); your focus; the way you interact with others (judges want good team-mates); execution of your skills; the way you manage possible mistakes (no pouting or sulking!).
Things you CANNOT control:
Who else is trying out; what their skill levels are; what positions need to be filled, etc.
It really is important to not waste your time fretting about what you cannot control, ok?
Since time is short, I would encourage you to try 2 different visualizations that are designed to help you feel more confident. The first one helps you to reconnect to the self confidence you experienced when you were cheering last season. The second one is for you to connect with someone you respect and admire as a cheerleader.
For both of these visualizations, it’s important to come up with a power word or phrase that helps you to feel the way you WANT to feel during tryouts. Maybe it’s the word “confident” or “right on” or whatever you choose. Once you have your power word chosen, here is what to do:
Visualization # 1
Find a quiet place and close your eyes
Exhale slowly, as slowly as you can at least 5 times
With each out-breath, tell yourself that you are relaxing more and more
Now, with your mind’s eye, see yourself in a cheer situation
See yourself performing with enthusiasm and confidence
See yourself executing skills with precision and focus
See yourself having fun
Really see yourself with all the details you can
When the scene is clear to you, assign a “power word” or “power phrase” to it
Now say the power word to yourself as you “watch” yourself performing
Repeat the power word over and over to strengthen the connection
At the time of the audition, while you are waiting, exhale slowly a few times to calm down (if you are exceptionally nervous) and say your power word to yourself. When you are called to perform, use your power word to connect to your confident self!
Visualization #2
Find a quiet place and close your eyes
Exhale slowly, as slowly as you can at least 5 times
With each out-breath, tell yourself that you are relaxing more and more
Now, with your mind’s eye, see someone you respect and admire in a cheer situation
Notice every detail of this athlete such as
How she or he looks, moves, behaves, etc.
Now imagine how that cheerleader “feels” as he or she performs well
Now imagine how you might feel if you were that person
Now imagine that you are becoming like that person
Now imagine that you have become that person, with all of his or her confident attributes.
Assign a power word to this experience and repeat several times.
At the time of the audition, while you are waiting, exhale slowly a few times to calm down (if you are exceptionally nervous) and say your power word to yourself. When you are called to perform, use your power word to connect to your confident self!
Are you getting ready to tryout? You might want to check out my special training program called The Mental Game of Cheerleading: Tryouts! which is a 2-CD audio program with a 54 page workbook. There is a digital (downloadable) version as well. See “Cheer Tools” at the top of this blog.
Tags: cheerleader, cheerleaders, confidence, Tryouts, Visualization