Cheerleading camp is meant to be fun but it’s also, of course, about learning new skills and refining and strengthening old skills. 

You will have the opportunity to watch other cheerleaders as they learn to perfect new skills. A big mistake you could make is to compare yourself to someone else – especially if you do it like this: “She’s so good.  I’ll never be able to do that!” 

Does that sound like you?  If it does, you will not only end up feeling bad about yourself but you will be training your brain to “never be able to do that!”  

Remember what I’ve said repeatedly – the body does what the brain thinks! 

I recommend that you observe the progress of others but with an open and curious mind.  This kind of mind is the mind of a champion athlete.  A champion athlete is always curious about how he or she can improve and one way to accomplish this is to observe how others perform. 

So when you observe another cheerleader perform, do so with the objective of figuring out why and how that person does it!  Study the performance of others in a curious and objective fashion.  Notice the details and consider how you can incorporate what you have observed into your own performance.

Who doesn’t love the sun?  Summer is all about spending time in the sun – especially for those of you who live in northern climates.  For cheerleaders lucky enough to attend camp this summer, you will be outside a good bit.  Do I need to remind you to wear sun screen?

Skin cancer is on the rise especially in young people. You may think it’s somethng that only happens to older folks but that is increasingly not true. Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer and is the second most common cancer in women aged 20 to 29! If not caught in its earliest stage, melanoma can easily spread to other parts of the body.

Tanning and use of tanning beds are thought to be responsible for the rise in skin cancer in young people. There is a misconception that tanning beds are safe. You need to be aware of the dangers of UV radiation and understand that just because you don’t see the damage right away, doesn’t mean it’s not there. In fact, recent studies show there is a 75% higher risk of melanoma in individuals who started using tanning beds before the age of 35. In addition, tanning beds accelerate aging of the skin. (So if you think you look nicer with a tan, consider how you’ll look at age 40 with all those wrinkles and sagging skin!)

Here is some scary news – one American dies of melanoma almost every hour.

What to do?  If you’re going to go out in the sun, you should take precautions to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful ultra violet rays.

• Use sunscreen daily no matter what your skin type or how your body reacts to the sun.
• Choose a proper sunscreen that blocks ultraviolet (UV) A and B rays and has a SPF of at least 30.
• Don’t be fooled by a cloudy day because 80 percent of the sun’s UV rays are still penetrating the skin.
• Avoid sun exposure during peak hours of intensity from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Please – have fun but take care of yourself!

Many lucky cheerleaders are getting ready to go to cheer camp.  It is a wonderful opportunity to learn new skills and strengthen old ones. Plus – it’s fun! 

Like anything else, the time will fly by and before you know it, you’ll be back home. To facilitate your learning, here’s a tip for you. 

Focus is essential when learning a new skill.  Sometimes it’s tempting to rush into something and just do it.  What I recommend is to slow things down a bit to allow your brain and body to develop a memory of what you re learning. 

It may be helpful to think of how a camera works.  If you just point and click you may get a picture but it won’t be half as good as it would be if you had taken a moment to compose your shot, check the focus, hold the camera still, and then shoot.  

To help engrave your new learning in your brain, think of your brain as being like a camera – “see” it with your mind’s eye, “feel” it in your body, then do it.  Similarly, when you observe your instructors do a stunt or a jump, imagine your eyes are a camera so, be still, focus, and take it in.