Game Day in the Biggest Little City

One of the best parts of fall is seeing the boys wear their football jerseys to school. Every Friday they can been seen sporting their school colors with pride! Even for the team that is not the state champion this tradition is a favorite.  You must EARN the right to walk into the school wearing that jersey. Not every one has what it takes. Not everyone has the heart to put on the helmet and defend our school. As a coach (and football fan) I look to those boys with pride. They captivate an audience each week by working hard and taking hits. They condition and they train through blood sweat and sometimes tears.  The gridiron gang becomes family. They leave their heart on the field each week. And why? 

The better question is why not. Yes, there are risks involved, but the pride of a win is more enticing. Fame and glory if only for a short while. It's important now. Maybe not in ten years, but right now, this is it. This is our life. These are the boys of fall and tonight we salute you. 

Tonight is your night! 

Friday night lights are upon us...

Let the games begin!

Traditions

Traditions are one thing that will always unify fans or alumni to a team or school.  You will always remember your first game and the traditions that went along with it.  For some schools and teams it’s repeating the same mantra before every game.  At Notre Dame, the players touch a sign on the way out the tunnel onto the football field that says “Play like a champion today.” This small gesture is something that everyone that has played football for the university of Notre Dame has done.  They share in that tradition and know that when they see those kids take the field to this day they have touched the sign before taking the field.

If you are a professional football fan, you know about the Lambeau Leap.  Twenty years ago, Leroy Butler scored a touchdown off Raider Reggie White’s fumble and leapt into the waiting arms of the Packer faithful; and a tradition was born.  Now days, many non Green Bay players are doing the Lambeau Leap after scoring for their team.  It is the reason why end-zone tickets sell out so quickly! Who wouldn’t want a sweaty 250 lb man in pads to leap into your seat?

One of the coach’s least favorite traditions is the Gatorade Bath.  Every coach I know from youth, high school, college and pro (even though I don’t know any Pro Coaches) has experienced a cold shower of water or Gatorade after a significant win.  Even I have received one! It wasn’t after a win, but at the end of an eventful and hot summer camp.  The coach with possibly the most “baths” is probably Giants Coach Bill Parcells.  Coach Parcells was doused 17 times that season including a bath after the Giants defeated the Broncos at Super Bowl XXI. 

Another tradition that is Baseball specific is the Seventh Inning Stretch.  If you have been to a baseball game from the Single-A farm team level to a professional game you have witnessed and possibly participated in a tradition that started in the late 1880s.  The original purpose was to get up off the hard bleachers to stretch your legs.  In modern baseball, we use the time to stretch our legs and sing “Take me out to the ball game.”  It’s a fun tradition that unifies fans and sparks nostalgia in all of us.

One of my favorite traditions that had gone by the wayside and is slowing coming back it the Hockey Playoff Beards.  The beards started in the 80s and involve an entire hockey team not shaving once they make it to playoffs.  They do not shave again until they are eliminated from the playoffs or they win the Stanley Cup.  The beards become huge and bushy and seemingly appropriate for men on skates beating each other up.

For cheerleaders the traditions are a little different, but they still evoke that sense of team, pride and spirit.  Cheerleaders have been a pop culture icon for many decades.  While the games and skills change there are some parts of cheerleading that will always stay with us.

Team Announcement – Whether you are on a team that has tryouts or not, the day that you get to announce to your friends and family that you are a cheerleader is a big day.

Summer Camp – Specifically earning a spirit stick at camp.  In 1954 at a summer camp, there was a team that was not technically skilled and could not keep up with the other teams.  However, they had a wonderful attitude and team spirit.  They were the first ones to arrive each morning and the last to leave.  They cheered on the other teams and really embodied what it meant to be a cheerleader.  Lawrence Herkimer wanted a way to recognize the team for their efforts so he broke a branch off the nearest tree and awarded it to the team, declaring it the Spirit Stick.  To this day earning a spirit stick at camp is an honor that means more than any trophy or ribbon.  It means that above all, you embody the core values of cheerleading.

About a year ago, I polled the Alumni from my teams to see what their favorite traditions were when they were on the team.  One of the most loved traditions is our Spirit Chain. Each December, after we have had tryouts for the winter cheer team, we take a few weeks and participate in team bonding activities and games.  The last one is the forming of the spirit chain.  Each team member is given one of those links that you attach baby toys to strollers with.  We all sit in a circle and one at a time we say one goal for the season and what the team means to each of us.  We pass our link to the next person, who adds their link to the chain and so on.  After it comes full circle back to me, I also state my goal for the season and what the team means to me.  My link completes the circle.  After we finish the circle, we talk about how each link is important and what happens if someone breaks the chain.  It is often emotional.  The kids make sure that the spirit chain is at every game and practice.  At competition, I can be seen wearing the chain around my neck to remind them of the hard work and dedication it took to keep the circle together.  As you look through the trophy cases at school, along with the trophies and spirit sticks you will see chains of baby toys.

Another emotional tradition that we have is our recognition of seniors.  At the end of season banquet, all the seniors are called to the front of the room and a letter is read to them.  The letter talks about being part of our team and that we will miss the seniors when they are gone.  We tell the seniors that we will continue to work hard and make them proud to say they were a member of our team.  After I have read the letter, each senior girl receives a gold megaphone necklace.  The seniors look forward to getting that necklace because it means they have been a major part of something big.  They have left their mark on the program and we have given them something to be proud of.  Years later I still have kids that wear that necklace and talk about the power of that moment at the banquet. 

From athletics to academics, everything has traditions.  Think about the things you do each day.  What traditions do you participate in at school, work, or in your sport?  Traditions make us feel like a part of something and take pride in our efforts.  I’m proud to carry on the traditions at my school and help the athletes and students take part in them and feel like a part of them family.

Cheers!

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CW3

A Story To Tell

As a coach, every time I stop and take the time to listen to others and truly hear their story I learn something. As I get older and questionably wiser, many of the kids don't even have to say a word. I see their story on their faces and I hear it in their voice. 

I have always gravitated toward the high school age, because I relate more to them. However, today as I was working with the four amazing girls from the DSA cheer team, I saw each one of them as individuals and they wore their fears and their story on their face and in every thing they did. I made a huge effort to slow down and encourage them and make each one feel important. Yes, they were frustrating and new, but they did try and they did keep working all day. I was worried at the end of the day they would feel frustrated and a little out numbered with the amount of high school girls at camp. 

Later this evening I received a short email from their coach about how much the girls enjoyed the camp and what an amazing experience this was.  I made me stop and re-think my contact with those girls today. It made me think of the very few teachers that encouraged me at that age and how different I would be if mote teachers would have made the effort.  It's nice to know that even though I get busy and I worry about things that don't ultimately matter, I am still making a difference. That I can still change the course of a day by just stopping to listen and watch. 

It's humbling to know that as we tell our cheerleaders that there are little girls in the stands looking up to them, our cheerleaders are also looking up to us. Years from now when they are coaching their own teams the examples and expectations we set help define who they are as people and coaches. I hope that over the years I have made a difference to them all. 

I am afraid I missed a few. I hope that those who have looked up to me haven't been let down. Thank you for allowing me to grow as a person and a coach be being in your lives. 

CW3

Tryout Meetings

I just recently held my tryout meeting for the upcoming school year, and it occurred to me the day of that I should probably write out an agenda so that I stay on track while delivering information.  I do tend to spiral out of control when I get on a tangent!

As I sat at my computer my mind went blank.  I have been coaching Cheerleading for 18 years and I don't think my mind has ever gone blank when preparing for a meeting!  If one of my coaching friends were to call me and say that they had a meeting that night and wanted to know what to include I would have been able to spew out an agenda right quick!  But here I was sitting in front of a blank screen. 

I finally decided to look at it from a parents point of view.  When I remarried a few years ago, I became step mom to two teens. One of which is a three sport athlete. I put myself at one of the football, wrestling or track meetings and thought about what I needed to know for my own student. 

I started with introductions. Not just a " hi, my name is..." But I made sure to tell a little bit about myself and my coaching style.  I also made sure to introduce my assistants and talk about their coaching experience. 

Next, I spoke to the parents about the cheer program. What it's goals were and how we accomplish them. I spoke a out the responsibility and expectations from the school and community and the time commitment. 

This lead well into the calendar and how much time this program takes. I also went over costs and fundraisers and any other expectations. 

I then went in to the actual tryout process. What we taught, what we were looking for and what to expect. I explained what to wear, times, locations, material,the importance of attitude and when they would find out if they made the team. 

I did a quick review of the team rules and the required forms for tryouts and then was available for questions. 

I was happy with the meeting and that the parents seemed to walk away with the information they needed. I made it clear that i have an open door policy and that communication is KEY to a successful season! 

I hope that you were successful with your meeting!  If you have already had it, maybe send out an email or discuss things with them at the next meeting. Too much communication is better than none!!

Cheers!

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CW3

I Survived!

The A to Z Challenge is over!  
It was a super fun month of writing and learning and getting to know some wonderful people.  The challenge for me is making sure that I set aside time to write.  The topics are not usually hard and often I have to edit out the content so that the posts are not too long.  For those that know me, know I can be a smidge-bit long winded [insert eye rolling here].

For me, the hardest part is writing for the rest of the year.  I would LOVE to be able to write every day or at the very least every week, but for some reason I struggle with content and topics. 

So, here I am putting my goal in writing!  

My goal is to submit at least one post per week.  

That breaks down to 45 posts from now until the next blogging challenge!

Ready? Set?... YOU BET!

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CW3

Countdown to Zero

The end of the beginning.

As the 2013 A to Z challenge reaches the end, we find ourselves at the beginning of the cheer season.  Most coaches are busy preparing and hosting tryouts, figuring out budgets, deciding on spirit packs, and planning the summer season.  As usual, during the blogging process I have discovered new things about my surroundings and myself.  I have made new friends, connected with new coaches and new people and still have lots to work on.  I want to take a little time and share with you some of the things that I need to work and what I have learned in the last thirty days.

Learned.

I have learned that as I get older and gain more experience, I learn to see past the BS excuses my students give me.  I know when their heart is not in it and when they are just going through the motions.  I need to not take it personally when a student leave the program, not every one is a cheerleader and not everyone works well in my style.

Work to do.

I really want to focus on hitting all those individual and team goals that we set at the beginning of the season.  I want them to feel like they are working hard and accomplishing things every day.  I want our program to continue to be a role model for other schools.

Learned.

This season is going to be an emotional one.  As the blog challenge progressed, I learned that 90% of the coaching knowledge I have, was learned at my current school.  Each year I come closer and closer to retiring as a coach and the thought of not being with my current school, students and staff saddens me.  I will be forever grateful for the lessons learned and memories made here.

Work to do. 

Focus on the individuals to make the team better.  I need to make sure that I connect with each team member each day.  They need to know that I care about them and the work they do.  Motivation to carry on the traditions set before them and leave their mark on the program.

Learned. 

I have learned that I need to spend some time on my coaching knowledge.  As we head into the new season with the new rules, I need to be better about asking for help and letting some of the control go.  (Eeeekkk!)  I need to stay on top of the trends and techniques that will make us better. 

Work to do.

Stick to the practice plan.  I usually have the entire season planned out by the first practice.  I need to stay focused on that plan so that we get everything done that needs done.  I need to help them do the best job they can do.

Learned.

I have learned that you cannot rebuild a burned bridge in a year.  Some things are beyond repair and sometimes you just have to let those people go.  I have done my part and built my bridge back up, but if they don’t want to cross it, at some point we have to realize it is their loss.

Work to do.

I need to prepare my assistant coaches and staff to lead and the team.  I will never be able to retire if I don’t train my replacement.  Let go.  Let them lead.  Let them have control.

Learned. 

I have learned that no matter the circumstances, life goes on.  We can think, plan and prepare all we want but at the end of the day, things are going to happen and we need to be able to roll with it and move on.  My program is successful because I have made it successful.  The kids come and go.  Some work hard and some don’t, but all of them have made this program successful.  As a coach, I learned from every single one of my cheerleaders and I hope they have learned from me.

Thank you for following along the past 30 days.  I hope that you too have learned something or have something that has inspired you.  I know that the comments of the readers opened my eyes many times.

Cheers!

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CW3

Your piece of the puzzle

Last year I had my team participate in a team bonding project. When I first started I though it was going to be just fun and it turned out being one of the most powerful projects of the season.

As a team we were a little disjointed, we were senior heavy and many of them had caught the senioritis bug and were not working to their potential.  The underclassmen were struggling to carry the team and motivate the senior girls that should have been motivating them.  It resulted in weak practices, some very poor performances and the team missing opportunities that could have been amazing.  I had seen the project on Pinterest and figured that it wouldn’t hurt to try.

Find a jigsaw puzzle that has at least as many pieces as you do team members.  Each teammate gets a puzzle piece.  If you have extra, you can take one or give the extras to the captains and managers.

The directions are to decorate the blank side any way they want.  They can color, paint, glitter, add stickers, feathers, etc.  The only rule is that they have to leave the puzzle piece in tact so that we can assemble the puzzle.  Make sure that all decorations are firmly attached.

I handed out the pieces to the puzzle, gave them the directions, and two days to decorate the puzzle.  At practice, I had them get their puzzle pieces and assemble the puzzle with the original image facing up on a board.  Once they had all the pieces collected and assembled, they flipped the puzzle over to reveal the team puzzle.  There were a few girls that did not bring their puzzle piece, so the puzzle was not complete. 

It was interesting that the girls that were the least invested in the team were the ones that did not participate.  The message sent to the team was that you have to do the work to be part of the puzzle and no team is complete without all of its team members.  The team members that did participate were able to see themselves as a part of the bigger picture and it actually motivated them to work harder at the remaining practices that season.  They even started pushing the girls that were slacking off more.  They saw the potential they had and knew that in order to complete the puzzle every piece was important.

Cheers!!

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CW3