"A" Are we there yet? Getting organized for the upcoming season.

If you are a new coach or a veteran coach the task of planning the upcoming season can be overwhelming.  It can be simple if you break it down month by month.  Here is 15 years of coaching experience and how I organized my year.

When I plan a new season, I print out a fresh calendar with nothing on it.   The first items that are added are the mandatory no-contact times mandated by my district and any requirements that we must fulfill.   Then we plan tryouts and summer activities such as fundraisers, camp, practice, etc.  Then you move into the fall, sporting events, assemblies, charity work, etc.  Then you can plan your transition into the winter season.  For us that means a second tryout, fundraisers and winter practices.  Then we plan winter sporting events, competitions, fundraisers, youth work, etc.  Finally we plan the end of season awards dinner and season review. 

Here is a list of what we do each month broken down.  You can adjust this to when you do your tryouts, and what your districts requirements are.

MARCH

1. Evaluate previous season/budget/fundraisers
2. Review Cheers & Chants, remove outdated
3. Start looking at Spirit Pack items and prices
4. Review constitution and team rules, update as needed
5. Determine Tryout format
6. Incoming Freshman Information Letter

 APRIL

1. Get Tryout material to Seniors or begin learning
2. Assemble Tryout Packets
1. Cover Page
2. Cost Breakdown
3. Team Rules
4. Application
5. Teacher Evaluations
3. Facility Requests
1. Tryouts
2. Camp (if hosting)
3. Practice
4. Put together Summer Calendar
1. Practices
2. Camps
3. Fundraisers
5. Put together Summer Material DVD
1. Cheers
2. Chants
3. Fightsong
4. Motions
5. Jumps
6. Conditioning
7. Band Dances

MAY

1. Tryout/Parent Meeting
1. Tryout format
2. Costs
3. What to expect
4. Size for uniforms and spirit packs
2. Tryouts
1. Cheer/Chant
2. Dance
3. Jumps
4. Motions
5. Stunts

JUNE

1. Parent Meeting
1. Team Rules
2. First Payment
3. Fundraiser
4. Summer Calendar
2. Order Spirit Packs
1. Purchase orders

JULY

1. 2^nd Team Meeting
1. Collect Payment
2. 2^nd Fundraiser
3. Calendar Updates
2. 4^th of July Festivities
3. Charity/ Community Service Work
4. Start Practices
1. Conditioning
2. Cheers/Chants
3. Fightsong
4. Stunt Progressions
5. Prepare for Camp 

AUGUST

1. Attend Cheer Camp
2. Host Junior Cheerleader Camp
1. Dance
2. Cheers/Chants
3. Stunts
4. Games
3. Leadership Training
1. School Traditions
4. Football Clinic – Know the game
5. Pep Rally Planner
6. Hand Out Uniforms
7. Prepare for Season
1. 1^st Game
2. Season Signs
3. Welcome Back Assembly
4. Begin Homecoming
8. Register for Fall Competition

SEPTEMBER

1. Help with Parent Night (Garbage Detail)
2. Teacher Appreciation
1. Notes & Goodies
3. Sell Sno-Cones at Youth Football Games
4. Attend Soccer & Volleyball Games
5. Goodie Bags for Tennis, Golf and Cross Country
6. Send Good Luck notes to local squads
7. Plan Breast Cancer awareness
1. Order Pink Items
2. What to do to promote awareness
8. Start Thinking about Winter Tryouts

OCTOBER

1. Homecoming Festivities
1. Assembly
2. Game
3. Spirit Week
2. Attend Competition
3. Senior Night
1. Order Flowers One Week Out
2. Parent Chaperones (list to announcer the night of)
4. Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign
5. Winter Tryout Meeting
1. Spirit Pack Items
2. Facility Requests
3. Paperwork
4. Winter Schedule
6. Nevada Day
1. Parade
2. Festivities

NOVEMBER

1. Send Congratulations Notes to all Sports
2. End of Season/Playoffs
3. Collect Uniforms
4. Veterans Parade
1. March/Support
5. Winter Tryouts
6. Winter Team Meeting
1. Team Rules
2. Payment
3. Fundraiser
4. Winter Calendar
5. Spirit Pack Sizes
7. Order Banquet Awards
1. Senior Necklaces
2. Thank You Awards
3. Certificates & Letters
4. 4 Year Senior Videos (for those not doing winter)
5. Start to collect pictures for Season Videos 

DECEMBER

1. Winter Practice & Team Bonding
2. Winter Sports Signs and Goodies
1. Wrestling, Basketball, Ski Team
3. 1^st Games
4. Christmas Pep Rally/Parade
5. In Home Party Mall
1. Collect Quarter Auction Items
2. Fundraiser for Charity
6. Register for Winter Competition
7. Holiday Party
1. Food
2. Gifts
3. Games

JANUARY

1. Basketball Games
2. Competition
3. Order Middle School Exhibition Game Items
1. Shirts
2. Poms

FEBRUARY

1. End Season/Playoffs
2. Senior Night
3. Collect Uniforms
1. After JV last game
2. After Var last performance
4. State Cheer Competition (if offered)
5. Middle School Exhibition Game
6. Order Banquet Awards
1. Senior Necklaces
2. Thank You Awards
3. Certificates & Letters
4. 4 Year Senior Videos
5. Start to collect pictures for Season Videos

 MARCH

1. End OF Season Banquet

>>>START OVER

I hope this helps in the daunting task of organizing your season.  It has helped me for years when I get complacent and lazy… Even as I write this, I am feeling guilty that it is April 1^st and I haven’t checked off all the items for March…

CHEERS!!

*\o/*

CW3