Organization

Getting organized as a coach can make the difference between the year from hell and your best season ever.  All it takes is a little start up time and the discipline to stick with it.  Here are a few of my tricks to make getting and staying organized easier.

Supply List

·        3-Ring Binder

·        Clear Page Protectors

·        Tab Dividers

·        Heavy-duty plastic folders with clasps to hold in hole-punched paper

·        Composition Book

·        Heavy Duty Bag.  Either a Duffle or Curriers bag

BINDER

The front of the binder should have a master calendar.  I use Microsoft Word to create a calendar on my computer.  Print the whole year. Use this to add all events and record any absences that your cheerleaders tell you of in advance.  Make sure that you add all events that you have scheduled and dates for.  Update weekly with new events or changes.  Put your calendar in a page protector.

Next, have a Contact list for your team or teams.  Include the full name, cell phone and email for each student.  You can also add the name, phone and email address of a parent.  Put your contact list in a page protector.

Also, keep any forms or documents that your school uses.  I keep a list of all administrators and contact info.  There is a gym schedule of what teams schedule the gym and when.  Include a contact list for other coaches.  In addition, the game schedules for the other sports teams on campus.

You should have a tab section will blank copies of all of the paperwork that the students get.  Keep it in order and as you hand out papers, add one to this section.  You can write the date that you handed it out on the bottom.

Have a tab for each team.  In my case, I have a tab for the JV and one for Varsity.  Include copies of all the paperwork that was signed.  It is organizd by student and in alphabetical order. My binder includes, permission slips, fees list, cheerleader information sheet, team rules, spirit pack order form, any doctor’s notes and parent communications.

Make sure that you have a tab for individual accounting.  Depending on your records this should include a ledger of any fees paid, the dues required by each student and any money raised from fundraising.

At the back of your binder keep any discipline forms and injury report forms so they are ready when needed.

PLASTIC FOLDERS
Most schools require you to carry an emergency form or clearance form for each child in case of emergency’s.  I keep copies of these for each cheerleader in the plastic folders.  I keep it in my coach’s bag with my team binder.  It is seperate for access.  If an emergency occurs I don't want to dig through the team binder to find the one form.

COMPOSITION BOOK

Purchase a simple composition book use it to keep a daily journal.  Record any absences, tardies, discipline, and parent contact.  Jot down what you did that day at practice or the game and the overall feeling of the event.  I also write down what we did for team bonding that day.  If we had a discussion, I record the topic and notes on what was said.  This becomes a great tool if you ever have to go back and remember and absences, conversations with students, what day you taught a dance, etc. 

COACHES BAG

In my coach’s bag, which is my life for the duration of cheer season, I keep my team binders, the emergency forms, my NFHS rulebook, coach’s journal, pens, pencils, hair ties, timer, calculator, and scratch paper.  Depending on your team you can adjust what you carry.  My bag has LOTS of pockets and a heavy duty strap since I drag it everywhere!

This all may seem like a lot, but if you set it up in the beginning and once a week update your binder, journal and clean out your bag you will stay on top of your cheer life.  Use it as a learning tool and set an example for your teams to stay on track!

Cheers

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CW3

Newsletters and Communication

Many well-run organizations will tell you the key to their success is communication.  Keeping your cheerleaders, parents and administration informed is very important.  You can’t always rely on your cheerleaders to go home and tell their parents what was discussed at practice.  They get sidetracked and tend to forget.  Parents always appreciate knowing in advance where they need to get their child.  Many of the parents have multiple kids and need to know what taxi stops to make.  Your administration likes to know in advance what to expect in regards to where you will, be or have been.  They also would like to hear about your accomplishments before they read about them in the paper.

There is a multitude of ways to communicate with your cheerleaders.  I use three.  Our school requires our students to carry a planner (school provided).  It has a calendar for the month and a daily organizer.  Each Monday we sit down as a group and update our planner.  I try to make sure that all events are current up to two weeks out. 

The second form of communication with my cheerleaders and parents is a monthly calendar.  I send it home with the team and email it to all parents.  It includes practice dates and times, games, fundraisers, and community service.  I also include which clothes and uniforms I want them to wear.  Being the hyper-organized person that I am, each type of event is color coded.  I include all Varsity and JV events on it to encourage both teams to support each other as well as their required events.

Lastly, I use text messages.  At least 24 hours before a major event I send out a team reminder with any details I don’t want them to forget; especially if the event falls on a Monday!  Many times the kids forget their planner at school over the weekend.  Yes, you could argue that the kids need to be responsible, but depending on the importance of the event, I can’t take chances.

Another great form of communication is a monthly or bi-monthly newsletter.  It can include upcoming events that you want to make sure that parents and administration take note of.  You can add pictures and a quick write up of any recent events that you want to make sure are acknowledged.  If you recognize a cheerleader of the week or any outstanding moments, you can add them as well.  Print any notes or comments from the community that place your team in a positive light.   The newsletter is sent to all cheerleaders, parents and administration. 

I try to make contact with my cheer parents at least once a month to let them know how their child is doing.  I call, email or talk to them in person if I see them at a game or event.  Parents love to hear about their kids.  I try to email any pictures I have of individual team members so that the parents can see their child in action. 

In the case of your program, more information is better.  Don’t leave them hanging and wondering what is going on with the team or their child.  The more informed a parent is the more opportunity they have to get involved with events.  Cheerleaders spend so much time supporting others; it is nice for them to get support in return!

If you would like to see examples of newsletters, I can forward you some or you can check out the Oak Harbor Cheer site for amazing samples. 

Cheers!

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CW3

Pre-Season & Summer Workout

Pre-Season & Summer Workout

Work Out 5 Days A Week. 

Monday/Wednesday/Friday 
Do The Circuit Workout with the UCA or Dynamic Warm-Up. 

Tuesday/Thursday Do The Boot Camp Crunch Workout That I Have Posted On Youtube. 

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Monday/Wednesday/Friday Workout

Either The Uca Conditioning Workout Or The Dynamic Warm-Up

UCA Conditioning Workout

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9HCNSr_mu4&feature=youtu.be

Dynamic Warm-Up

(60 Yards Each)

High Knees

Butt Kickers

Grapevine/Karaoke

Froggies

Lunges

Hitler’s

Inch Worms

Mario’s/Bounds

Spiderman Crawl

Leg Swings

Circuit Training

(Do The Circuit Two Times)

Straddle Ups (15)

Right Kicks (20 Kicks)

Left Kicks (20 Kicks)

Crunches – Straight Legs (30 Crunches)

Jumping Jacks – High V Low V (20 Times)

Push-Ups – From The Ground (15 Push-Ups)

Lunges (15 On Each Leg)

Squats (20 With A 3 Second Hold)

Continuous Whip Jumps (20 Times)

Planks (20 Seconds At A Time, Bent Arms)

Hip Flexors (20 Seconds On Each Leg And Middle)

Wall Sits (30 Seconds, Arms Over Head)

Cool-Down Stretch

Stretch From Head To Toe

Roll Head To From And Back

Roll Shoulders Front And Back

Right & Left Arm Across Your Chest

Right & Left Arm Behind Your Head

Hands Clasped Behind Your Back And Straighten Arms

Standing Pike Stretch

Left & Right Quad Stretch

Standing Straddle Left, Right & Middle

Squat Stretch

Left And Right Batgirl Stretch

Sitting Straddle Left, Right & Middle

Sitting Left & Right Hurdler Stretch

Sitting Pike, Flex Feet & Lift Heels Off Ground

Sitting Pike, Pointed Toes

Butterfly, Legs In Tight

Butterfly, Legs Out

Cover Girl Left & Right

Pigeon Pose, Left & Right

Splits, Left, Right & Middle

Roll Ankles & Wrists

Bridge Stretch

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Tuesday & Thursday

The Crunch Boot Camp Workout.  Please Use Dumbbells If You Have Them.  If You Don’t Have Dumbbells You Can Use Soup Cans Or Water Bottles.

http://youtu.be/5iacDmTllPw

Making the Team

Being a cheerleader is a privilege.  Not everyone gets to do it.  If you think you are up to the challenge and have what it takes here are a few tips that will help you make the team.

Know The Details

Talk to the coach and read the paperwork and know where and when to be at practices and tryouts.  If there are clothing requirements, follow them.  Make sure that your hair is up and out of your face.  Bring water and a snack.  Sometimes practices can last 3-4 hours.  If you have a hard time remembering things, bring a notepad to write down notes.

Talk to some of the cheerleaders that have already been on the team.  Ask them what practices are like and what to expect from the coach and at games.  See if they will practice with you and help you in any areas that they see you need to work on.  They will know what the coach is looking for and how hard you need to work to make it.

Get In Shape

I cannot stress this enough.  Coaches want athletes not couch potatoes.  Weight doesn’t matter as much as being able to do the material, however, if you cant see your toes, you probably wont be able to touch them.  Start working out now.  Work out at least 30 minutes per day 5-6 days per week.  Alternate between aerobic exercises and strength training.

I will also post a workout so that you can have a road map of what to do.

Stretching

Cheerleaders are flexible. Period.  You need to be able to do the splits, or come close.  Everyday after your workout stretch out every muscle.  In just a few weeks you will be well on your way to gumpy!

Know The Basics

You can go online and find all of the cheerleading motions and jumps that you will need for tryouts.  It will really impress the coaches if you take the initiative and know these before they have to teach them to you.  How great will you look when the coach calls out a High V and you already know what it is and how to do it!  Brownie points!  I have posted a blog already about Jumps and here is a link to some cheerleading motions. 

http://nca.varsity.com/pdfs/Motions.pdf

Gymnastics

If you have time enroll in some tumbling classes at a local gym.  Let them know you are working on cheer tumbling.  Some schools require tumbling at tryouts, some do not.  For the teams that don’t, it certainly wont hurt you to have a back handspring!

Ask Questions

Don’t be afraid to say I don’t know, I don’t understand, or can you show me.  This shows the coaches that you are willing to learn and make an effort to give your best.  Make good use of the Internet and Youtube.  There are tons of great ideas to be found.  Just don’t walk into tryouts acting like a know-it-all.  Each school may be different in how they teach material.

The Big Day

Here are a few things to remember the day of your tryout.

·         Get plenty of sleep the night before.

·         Be confident. If you've practiced and worked hard up to this point, then you should be ready. Believe in yourself.

·         Keep your hair away from your face.

·         Don't wear jewelry. Don't chew gum.

·         Don't wear a lot of makeup.

·         Wear your school colors or follow the clothing requirements.

·         Take slow, deep breaths to calm and relax yourself.

·         Drink plenty of water.

·         Have a good attitude. Help others. Don't play around with your friends or talk too much.

·         Smile. Smile. Smile.

·         Be peppy and energetic. Show your enthusiasm.

·         Use facial expressions.

·         Look up. Never look down or at the floor. Make eye contact with the judges.

·         Make your motions sharp and snappy.

·         Don't sing your cheers. Use a loud, clear voice. Be careful not to rush them. Take your time.

·         Point your toes.

·         Land with your feet together.

·         If you make a mistake, go on. Don't stop and stress over it. Use the opportunity to show you can recover from a mistake.

·         Have fun and let it show.

GOOD LUCK!

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CW3

Leadership

LEAD*ER*SHIP

NOUN

1. the position or function of a leader, a person who guides or directs a group
2. ability to lead
3. an act or instance of leading; guidance; direction

In the words of Dr. Jamie Williams, former San Francisco 49er tight end, “Leadership is like gravity - you know it’s there, you know it exists, but how do you define it?” And how you define yourself, especially in the role as a leader, is not something to take lightly.
Some stereotypes don’t change much.  Cheerleaders have always been expected to lead the crowd and keep them screaming and yelling for their team.  As time evolves the expectations of cheerleaders have also evolved.   Now cheerleaders are expected to be the ambassadors for their school.  They set the example for the student body in athleticism, academics, service and support.  They must uphold themselves in a manner that most members of the student body do not. 

Why?

Why are the cheerleaders held to this higher standard?  Why do we hear headlines about cheer moms injuring each other and students?  Why do we hear about the cheerleaders going to a party and being cited for alcohol?  Why do we not hear about Joe Anybody that was caught drinking or in a fight? 

Fair? 

Maybe, or maybe not.  If you take on the title of leader in any form, the expectations are that you will lead.  Take the title of Student Body President for example.  This position lends that the president will lead the students and be an advocate for their best interests.  Or the Leadership class; being in the class means that you are one of the many students who are leading the masses during an assembly.  As the expectations of cheerleaders have evolved, so should the students that fill the position. 

Choosing your cheerleaders no longer means picking the girl that can do the best splits or jump the highest.  When I am choosing my team, they are judged on their skills on and off the field.  Teacher recommendations are sent out to for all candidates requesting teachers state whether or not they would be a good representative of the school.  I check grades and any candidate that does not carry a “C” or better is not allowed to tryout out.   The attendance to the pre-tryout practices is kept and their ability to follow directions in a timely manner is followed.  Requests are sent to the Discipline office regarding problems outside of the classroom.  During the practices the assistant coaches wander through and make notes on attitude and appearance.  These things are all taken into consideration.  Sloppy, unmotivated students that cannot follow directions are probably not going to be chosen.  Do we always get it right? No.  There are always going to be those kids that slip through the cracks.  But over the years you learn how to deal with the issues as them come up.

Cheerleaders are an icon.  They are looked at by the students, administration, parents, younger children, and the community.  They are the first ones seen at sporting events and usually involved in many of the projects and events around the school.  When the crowd doesn’t know what is happening in the game, they look to the cheerleaders.  

If you want to take on the title of cheerleader, be prepared to wear the hats that go along with it.  Know how to budget your time, be well groomed and in good athletic condition.  It should be a privilege to represent your school and who has all the pieces should get the opportunity to lead.

CHEERS!

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CW3

Inspiring Athletes

Dealing with the youth of today can be challenging.  We are in the midst of the NOW generation.  They want instant gratification and if there is nothing in it for them, they wont do it.  Finding a way to keep them motivated is tough.  You have to get into their mindset and think about how they see it.  We can no longer coach them to simply love the sport.  First you must hook them in.

I coach at a school that is dominated by what was once the minority.  These kids are family oriented and many of them are going to be the first ones in their family to graduate high school, let alone go to college.  Putting in 10-15 hours a week for sports is hard because that is time that they could be working to help their families or helping to watch the siblings.  Some of the parents understand the value of school and extra curricular activities, but many do not.  Unfortunately, this dynamic also means that we get very little parent involvement.  At any given basketball game, of the 30 cheerleaders I may have 5 parents in the stands.  Sad for the students they don’t seem to get the support from home that they may need.

When I am recruiting for my program I push the value of hard work, family, friends, travel and the opportunity to help out their fellow students.  Each student is treated the same, but coached differently.  The expectations are always the same and the discipline is the same, but the motivation for each student is VERY different.

Some kids thrive on positive reinforcement.  They need to know that what they are doing is right.  Even the smallest accomplishments must be praised.   So students need tough love.  Yes, tell them when they are doing something right, but make sure you push them each day to get better and work on their skills.  Then there are the students that are fine with being mediocre.  They are happy with simply making the team.  These are the hardest.  They require the most effort to find what makes them work hard and want to improve.  Sometimes it is bribery, sometimes it doesn’t come out until they are in front of a crowd and either look good or bad and get the feedback from their peers.

I use many avenues to inspire.  Bringing in trophies from years past and showing videos push some.  Showing videos of teams that are competiting at the national level and comparing what we do to the national teams can help too.  Some teams need to play games to motivate them to work hard.  Bonding games that allow them to get to know each other help because it shows them how to motivate each other. 

The best thing you can do when trying to inspire your athletes is share your love and enthusiasm for the sport.  Listen to them and find out why they tried out in the first place.  Make them feel at home and accomplished and soon they will learn to love it and keep working hard.

Cheers!

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CW3

Hey, Hey Here we GO!

Here is a chant list to get you started. 

Changing the names, mascot and colors can make it your own!

CHEERS!

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CW3

DEFENSE

1. Break Through Fight Back Defense Attack
2. Defense X Defense X D D Defense
3. Defense, Defense, Lets Go Defense, Hold (P) (P) That Line
4. Hey * Hey Defense * Hold That Line
5. Hey! Turn Up The Heat, Push ‘Em Back Big D
6. Hit High, Hit Low Tigers, Lets Go!
7. H-O XX L-D, Xx Hold ‘Em Hold ‘Em Big D
8. Hold The Line, Hold The Line, Defense Hold That Line
9. K-I-C-K * Block That Kick
10. Push ‘em back, Push ‘em back, Push ‘em back big D
11. Put That Pressure On Go Get ‘Em * Big D
12. Tigers, Hey X X Take It Away
13. T To The A To The K To The E, Take That Ball Away
14. T-A  K-E Take That Ball Away
15. Take it away, Make that Play, Take that ball away
16. Take That Ball Away, defense take that ball away
17. They Got * We Want It * Get That Ball
18. Tighten Up The Defense I Said Hold (*X) That (*X) Line (*XX)
19. You got the ball we want the ball Hey, defense defense

GENERIC

1. (Stomp Clap Stomp Stomp Clap) Red and Blue
2. 7-3-1 SHS
3. ATT-ACK Tigers Attack
4. Be Aggressive, B-E Aggressive, B-E-A-GG-R-E-SS-I-V-E, Aggressive, B-E Aggressive
5. F-I-G-H-T Fight Tigers Fight
6. G-O G-O Lets Go Lets Go, Lets Go Tigers
7. G-O Go Tigers High Go
8. Go G-O, Go Tigers Go
9. G-O Lets Go Tigers, G-O Lets Go.
10. Go With A G And O, Go Tigers Go
11. Hey All You Tiger Fans Stand Up And Clap Your Hands X X XXX X X XXX Now That You’ve Got The Beat, This Time Lets Stomp Our Feet SX SXX SX SX SXX
12. Hey Crowd - Yell SHS, SHS.  Hey Crowd - Yell We’re The Best, We’re The Best.  All Together Now SHS Yell It We’re The Best, SHS Yell It We’re The Best
13. Hey You out in the Crowd, If You’ve Got Spirit Let’s Clap Out Loud (Slap, Clap Clap Out In Slap Clap Clap Out In Out In Slap Clap Clap Out In) S-H-S!
14. It’s A Time Out So Shout It Out, Lets Go Tigers
15. It’s Time To Begin, The Kick Off To Win
16. Lets * Go * S H S Lets Go
17. Red * Blue, Go Tigers, Go Tigers Go
18. Red Blue and White (Slap Clap) Come On Tigers Lets Fight (Slap Clap)
19. Red, Blue Let’s Hear It. Catch the Spirit
20. Move from side to side show that Tiger pride
21. Tigers, In The House, Yell Go, Fight, Win
22. The Beat
23. Turning Up The Heat * Tigers * Cant Be Beat
24. Victory XX To-Night, V-I-C-T-O-R-Y, Victory XX To-Night
25. We Are, Together We Are, Together We Are the Tigers
26. Were Out! Were Out To Get A V-Vi-Vic-Tory
27. W-I-N  Fight To Win
28. You Know It, You Know The Story, So Tell The Whole Wide World This Is Tiger Territory

OFFENSE

1. 1^st And 10, We Want To Win, Offense Run Through
2. Down the field, down the field, score score
3. First * And Ten * Go Fight Win
4. Move Fast * Block Hard * Push That Ball * 10 More Yards
5. Move it x down the field, lets score 6 more
6. Move It, Get To It, Touch Down, Touch Down
7. Move The Ball Down The Field, Move That Ball Lets Score
8. Now’s The Time Offense  X X X Move That Ball
9. Offense Jump To It, We’ve Got The Ball Lets Move It
10. Onward To The Goal Post, Tigers Strive To Win, With A T-O-U-CH-D-O-W-N
11. Railroaders x x Railroaders x Score 6 more
12. Run it, now catch it, Tigers score 6
13. S-C x x O-R-E x x  Score Score Score
14. SCO X* RE Score Railroaders
15. Six More * Six More X Come on Tigers lets Up That Score
16. Tigers* Score 6 Lets Go, Move That Ball.
17. Take It All The Way (P) First Down
18. Touchdown, Touchdown, Lets Score 6
19. Come On * Tigers * Lets Go X X X
20. Here We Go Tigers Here We Go X X
21. Hey Hey Here We Go S-H-S
22. Railroaders x x Railroaders x Lets GO Tigers
23. Tigers are The Mightiest
24. Yell It Louder Now, Let’s Go Tigers!