The latest issue of the snazzy and information-packed on-line cheerleading magazine – Entirely Cheer – is now available for your reading pleasure. I might add that it is free!  That’s right – it won’t cost you a penny to read this cheer magazine.  (To enhance your reading pleasure, be sure to use the “whole screen” feature – it is the third icon from the left at the top of the page.) The current issue contains several “Tip Sheets” such as, How to prepare for the new All-Star season; How to prepare for the new High School Cheer season; and much more.  The articles include topics on communication, hydration, sportsmanship plus a video on how to do a back walkover mount stunt!  (more…)

In my previous posts, I shared the wisdom of legendary basketball coach – John Wooden. Cheerleading coaches (and everyone, really) can learn a lot from this sage fellow.  Coach Wooden had his own ideas about criticism – who should do the criticizing, under what circumstances and how. (more…)

If we are smart, we try to learn from people smarter than us!  Cheerleading coaches have tough (and rewarding) jobs.  One of the best athletic coaches ever – John Wooden – was a master motivator.  Here is some more of his wisdom.  (more…)

Take a group of 10 to 20 cheerleaders plus their parents and add a coach or two and what do you have?  The potential for great joy, yes, but also significant strife! 

What could possibly go wrong?  Well, here’s my list and I invite you to add to it! 

1. Cheerleaders who come late for practice – all the time.
2. Cheerleaders who whine and complain about the hard work.
3. Cheerleaders who goof off during practice.
4. Cheerleaders with a negative attitude.
5. Cheerleaders who talk trash about others.
6. Cheerleaders who do not want to try something new.
7. Parents who insist that their child should be the star.
8. Parents who interfere with the coaches’ decisions.
9. Parents who interfere with practice (loud talking, etc.)
10. Parents who think they know better than the coach.
11. Coaches who yell at team members.
12. Coaches who have obvious favorites.
13. Coaches who ignore phone calls from parents.
14. Coaches who are late for practice.
15. Coaches who treat their assistants poorly. 

Now let me be clear.  I recognize that most coaches, cheerleaders, and parents do not belong on this list but – it only takes one of these situations to cause problems and that is what we’re looking at now – problems and how to manage them. 

Feel free to comment and add to the list. 

In my next posting, I will present Greg Hicks’s six-step communications model for Constructive Confrontation.

I recently came across a book by Bobbi DePorter called: The 7 Biggest Teen Problems and How to Turn Them Into Strengths.  In the handbook that accompanies the book, Ms. DePorter describes a communication system that can easily be adapted by cheerleaders and cheer coaches – it’s called the OTFD or Open the Front Door. 

In this system, O stands for Observe; T = Thought; F = Feelings; and D = Desire.  Here’s how it works:  In any interpersonal communication, especially when there is tension or the potential for conflict, start with sharing what it is you have Observed, then the Thought that accompanies this Observation. Then, state the Feeling you have about this and finally ask what it is you want to happen (Desire). 

As an example, let’s say you’re a cheer coach and a member of your squad (Suzie) is chronically late for practice.  Here’s how you can handle the situation using OTFD: 

            Suzie, you have been late for practice 6 times over the last month. (Observation)

            My thought is that you have lost your commitment to the squad. (Thought)

            This both worries and annoys me. (Feeling)

            I want and expect you to appear on time for all future practices. (Desire) 

Now, there might be more you would say in this instance but the OTFD framework helps you to step back from the emotional heat of the moment to gather your thoughts and feelings and find a way to communicate them.

If you’re a cheer coach, you’ve probably heard a cheerleader say, “I can’t” at least once in your coaching career.  And if you’re a cheerleader, you’ve probably said, “I can’t” at least once or twice in your cheerleading career. 

Too often however, the “I can’t” really means “I won’t” or “I don’t know how.”  This is an important distinction.  When you say “I can’t” you are selling yourself short; you are limiting yourself.  This can happen when you are anxious or afraid or – just plain lazy! 

I invite you to pay attention to what you say and if you catch yourself saying, “I can’t” consider what you might really be feeling.  Are you nervous?  Are you worried you will make a mistake?  It may be more accurate to say, “I don’t know how…” and then work with your coach to find a way to learn what is being asked of you.  

If you really mean “I won’t” when you say “I can’t” it’s time to determine if you have the necessary commitment to the sport of cheerleading. 

So, keep your ears tuned to what you say and think about what it means!

Any cheerleader and cheer coach knows that there are times when you experience too much tension.  It could be right before a big event like tryouts or competitions or just in your everyday life.  

You tense up your body in reaction to a perceived threat.  Performing in a high stakes event is experienced as threatening to you even if you aren’t consciously aware of this.  And a perceived threat leads to muscle tension along with all of the other classic flight-fight reactions.  As I’ve mentioned before, this series of events can undermine your performance so it’s wise to learn how to manage this. 

Here’s one quick technique that was described to me by Denise Maldonado, a wonderful coach with the World Cup All Stars whom I met at Cheer Ltd’s CheerConference 2 weeks ago.  (Denise was also given one of the 30 under 30 coaching awards at CheerCon!) 

This is what Denise taught her cheerleaders to do prior to a big event: 

Take a balloon and blow into it.  While you do so, imagine that you are getting rid of all your tension and anxiety and putting it into the balloon.  Once the balloon is full, tie it up and then pop it!  There goes all your fear and tension! 

I like this because it’s so simple and fun.  Denise said her team likes it, too!

I have heard from many cheerleaders who are worried about tryouts.  This has led me to decide to write a book about this topic.  I am working on the book now but I will include excerpts from it in today’s and upcoming posts. 

Doubts are fueled by several factors including Lack of Accurate Feedback about Skill Level and Ability.   If you are a true beginner, with no previous cheerleading or tumbling experience, you will be trying out for a beginners’ team so this does not apply to you. 

I have seen cheerleaders who think they are not skilled enough pass on trying out for a varsity squad when, in fact they did have the right skills for varsity.  And I have seen the reverse – cheerleaders believing they were highly skilled but were not – trying out for an upper level team that was way out of their range.  

There are also cheerleaders who think they can learn a new skill such as a backward handspring a week before tryouts!  Well, this is obviously not a good idea!  Having an accurate and objective sense of your skill level is important and can save you much heartache. 

The solution?  Ideally your current coach or instructor will already have been giving you consistent feedback about your skill level and ability but if not, ask your coach to assess your skills and ask your coach if you are ready to try out for a particular squad.  If your coach tells you that you are NOT ready, take this information as data, not as a personal attack. Find out what you need to work on so you can prepare for next year. 

Inadequate Training: This problem is related to problem number three. In this instance the cheerleader simply has not had the right kind of training in order to move to the next level. Many cheerleaders know that they have not have the right kind of training or experience because their skill level is not up to par. Not having the right kind of training contributes to doubt. 

Solution? The solution in this instance is pretty straightforward and that is to make sure that you do get adequate training. There are countless cheerleading gyms available to learn the skills. There are also videos and books which may be helpful.  (Of course do NOT try any tumbling moves on your own – be safe!) Before you sign up for a cheer gym, visit several and observe other cheerleaders and talk to them to see what they recommend. You can often get a sense of a place from the “feel” of the mood of the cheerleaders who are there.  If you are a parent looking for a gym for your kids, definitely talk to other parents to get their read on a place.

What do coaches tell their squad before they perform?  Here (above) is Dee Haase giving her girls encouragement and direction.  Dee is coach of the UItimate Athletics of Ohio in North Royalton. And here are her girls (below) stretching before their warm-up.  Oh, to be young and limber! 

Family members and friends of the cheerleaders made up a big portion of the crowd and they certainly were a colorful and fun addition to the festivities as you can see from the photos below. Fans of the Patriots of Tennessee demonstrate that you don’t even need shirts to show your support…just paint it on!

Some heartwarming moments came with the Special Needs Competitions.  Four teams competed including the Ladybugs and Bugs, The Cobras, The Bobcats of Cumberland County, and the Rockingham Lions.  These cheerleaders had trained just as hard as anyone and they demonstrated poise and enthusiasm.  And we all cheered our hearts out for them.  Below is a photo of The Cobras getting into position to begin.

More photos from Cheer Ltd Nationals at CANAM will be posted tomorrow.  And if you have any you’d like to add, please send them to me!

I am honored and excited to be one of the featured presenters at this years CheerCon! This grand event will take place from May 14 – 17 at Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Gwen Holtsclaw, founder and president of Cheer Ltd interviewed me recently about sports psychology and cheerleading and we recorded the interview so you could hear it, too! Please feel free to listen in on our conversation.  We hope it will encourage you to register for CheerCon – the largest and longest running spirit industry conference! 

CheerCon is the largest cheer conference offered to coaches, cheerleaders, vendors, and industry leaders.  Whether you are a new coach or a veteran who just can’t quit, a team captain or a cheer fanatic, a vendor with that latest and greatest…you are invited! CheerCon was awarded the SPIRIT INDUSTRY Best Coaches Conference for a second time at the SITA Awards Gala in Chicago.

You’ll hear more about CheerCon as we get closer to May but for now…here’s the recording for you!