I would like you all to meet a cheerleader who really defines what mental toughness is all about. Her name is Lexus Kline and she cheers for the Wheeling All Stars in Follansbee, West Virginia. Her birthday is coming up soon; she will turn 11 on July 7th.
If you read my blog you know that I write a lot about persistence, courage, commitment, and dedication. Well, Lexus has it all! Here is her story: (more…)
Feeling hungry? Got a craving? Cheerleaders who work hard need to eat to keep up their strength but we all know that sometimes you might indulge in junk food. Of course all that junk food adds up and soon you realize that your cheerleading uniform is – well, a little tight!
Well, there’s good news! A recent study has shown that if you use your imagination, you may lose weight! Or at least reduce your cravings… (more…)
A cheerleader recently asked me to answer a series of questions about mental blocks for a school project and I decided to record my responses. You can hear my answers to her questions by clicking on the link below. You can also download the mp3 version if you wish.
Soon, thousands of cheerleaders, coaches, cheer parents and fans from all over the world will be pouring into Orlando Florida for the annual Worlds Cheerleading and Dance Competition. This weekend marks the end or near end of the cheerleading competition season.
In reflecting on this past competition season, I recall someone asking me what words of wisdom or what inspirational talk could a cheerleading coach offer to his or her team right before they go on stage. (more…)
It’s a long flight from Boston to Seattle but it will be worth it! This Friday I leave bright and early for my trek to Everett, Washington (north of Seattle) for the annual conference for cheerleading coaches.
It will be a jam-packed weekend with lots of class options for the coaches. I will be teaching 3 different classes: How to Bring out the Leader in your Cheerleader; How to Enhance Motivation and Improve Performance; and How to Identify and Change Negative Thinking.
All of these classes are based on best practices from sport psychology and all are evidence-based. This means that there is scientific proof that these techniques really work – if – if they are actually put into practice! (more…)
When I attended a recent cheerleading competition I noticed a large crowd around one of the vendor booths. Being curious, I investigated and discovered that the attraction was a product that made grand claims to improve balance and infuse energy not to mention cure almost any ailment known to man!
I walked away, knowing it was a bunch of hooey but I was concerned that so many people were paying $30 for a worthless piece of plastic. The manufacturers of these wristbands rely on the placebo effect which is based on a person’s belief or expectation that something (a pill, a technique or a device) will be effective.
Power Balance is currently being sued for making false claims. At this time 15 lawsuits have been filed against Power Balance in California, Florida, Alabama, and New Jersey. (more…)
What are you doing to observe National Cheerleading Safety Month? For some of the best ideas, visit the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA) website – http://aacca.org/safetymonth .
No one wants to see a cheerleader get hurt and yet in the busyness of the season it can be easy to forget some simple guidelines. Of course all coaches should be trained in risk management and basic first aid. Additionally, all gyms should have an emergency response plan. Again, the AACCA website offers a wealth of valuable information. (more…)
If you are a cheerleading coach and one of your cheerleaders develops a mental block, it is your job to try to figure out what happened. Sometimes it’s clear and the solution is easy. This is especially true when it is a technical issue and the fix is a matter of tweaking something the athlete is doing.
Of course there are the other times when the cause and the fix are not clear. As I mentioned yesterday, high stress families, especially families where feelings are not expressed or allowed or where conflict is not addressed in a healthy way, can be breeding grounds for all sorts of medical and psychological symptoms including mental blocks. (And by the way – high stress is a significant factor associated with sport injuries.)
You will have your own way of working with blocks and it’s good to follow through with what you usually do – especially if you have had success with other cheerleaders. But if you find the problem is not resolving or if the athlete is especially emotional, then you might want to consider assessing for family stress. So how do you do this? (more…)
As I have said before, there are many possible reasons why a cheerleader develops a tumbling mental block. Good cheerleading coaches recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all mental block nor is there a one-size-fits-all remedy.
It can be helpful to appreciate the psychological complexity of a block and so this article is devoted to exploring the impact of family stress on a cheerleader and how this might result in a block. (more…)