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Enter to Win a Cruise for 2!

Tue, Jun 22, 2010


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Spirit Cheer wants your help to boost our fans on Facebook!  We’re going to be drawing 1 winner on September 1st, 2010 to for the grand prize of 2 complimentary cruise tickets on Carnival cruise lines!

Here’s how to enter:

1.  Go to Facebook and type “Spirit Cheer” in the search bar.

2.  Click the “Like” button to become a fan.

3.  Upload a picture on our wall of your cheer team with each member tagged!

It’s that easy – Once you complete the steps above, you’ll automatically be entered to win!  Good luck!

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Cheerleading Tryout Tips

Mon, Jun 7, 2010

There is one thing that stands between wanting to be a cheerleader and actually becoming one.  One word that every cheerleader experiences anxiety over, veteran and rookie alike.  Tryouts.

Although this can be a rather nerve wracking time for most, it doesn’t always have to be.  Often times the best girls can get overlooked in a crowd of many.  The name of the game is to get noticed and stand out.

Ever wonder what the coaches are looking for?  Well there’s no one word answer to that since they look for a combination of things, but here are a few things to focus on:

  • Coaches are going to want the most committed and dedicated girls for their squads.
  • A combination of appearance, voice, enthusiasm, leadership, team work, attitude and personality.
  • Versatility and coach-ability are two of the most valuable assets a cheerleader can have.

Being “tryout ready” includes knowing specific requirements like proper dress attire and hair, along with having all the paperwork ready prior to your tryout date.  It might also be beneficial to ask cheer veterans on a team for any advice they have to offer.  They will probably tell you that on the day of tryouts, it’s ideal to be in the best possible physical condition as an individual.  This can mean eating right, exercising more to build stamina and strength, and stretching to increase flexibility.  Being in peak physical condition is as important for a cheerleader as it is for any other athlete.

One thing to keep in mind before making the decision to become a cheerleader is that they are going to require a specific skill set.  Those skills might include basic tumbling and dance moves, or they might be more advanced.  It might be a good idea to attend cheer performances the squad competes in prior to trying out, to make sure your goals as an upcoming cheerleader are in tune with the rest of the team.  Remember you can always work to improve as a cheerleader once you are on the squad, but basic tumbling skills are going to be expected.  You might need to take a few gymnastics classes before tryouts to better prepare yourself and make sure your skills are up to par with the rest of the team.

The day of tryouts it’s important to be rested, stay confident, relax, and smile.  Be sure to stay hydrated throughout the day to avoid fatigue.  Make eye contact with coaches and if mistakes are made, keep going.  Coaches will look to see if you know how to recover from a mistake rather than let it ruin the rest of your performance.  Have fun and remember every situation is a learning opportunity.  If for some reason you don’t make the squad this year, don’t let it get you discouraged, just keep working towards next year!

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Coach’s Tips to an Effective Practice

Mon, Jun 7, 2010

Coaches say that it takes 10 years or 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert at any sport, and cheerleading is no exception.  Cheerleaders put in hours of practice every week, seeking to improve their athleticism, strength, endurance, timing, and coordination.  As a cheer coach, effectively utilizing the precious hours of practice that you get with your squad can mean the difference in first place and last place at your next competition.  Here’s a few tips to ensuring your squad gets the most out of its practices:

  • Organization is imperative to running a successful practice.  Practices need to be regularly scheduled, follow a routine, and of course mandatory for any cheerleader on the squad.  Even injured athletes should be expected to attend practice with the exception of a doctor’s appointment or physical therapy (which should still try to be scheduled at the end of practice).
  • Every practice should have a goal for that day. Practices are primarily where development and strength occur, both of which should show measurable results from week to week.  This will encourage coaches and athletes showing incremental goals and progress.
  • Tardiness should not be tolerated.  The entire squad should be doing the same thing at the same time which is only possible when everyone shows up on time.  Before any practicing of jumps, stunts, cheering, and tumbling occurs, cheerleaders should be advised to stretch and do a mini warm-up on their own, prior to the scheduled practice.  This will increase performance and reduce injuries.  Encourage your squad to do this before practice, meaning they will have to show up early.  If practice is at 5, tell them to show up at 4:45 to get their own stretch in first.
  • Have a schedule and follow it.  When the actual practice begins, a general warm-up of 10 minutes should be conducted including aerobic conditioning and additional stretching.  After warm-up, it is recommended to set aside 10-15 minutes each for jumps and tumbling.  Approximately 30 minutes of cheering should be sufficient to go over routines, but every squad is different.  A new routine may require more time dedicated to it – in any event, decide this well before arriving at practice.  It’s probably wise to fit in a mini 5 minute break so cheerleaders can re-hydrate with water.  Practices should wrap-up with a 5-10 minute cool down along with any additional reminders for the upcoming weeks.

Effective practices combined with constant supervision are essential for developing strong squad members. As important as it is to be organized and productive, the practice should be an overall fun and enjoyable experience for the athletes.

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Flexibility

Wed, Mar 24, 2010

stretch

While some individuals are naturally born flexible, the majority of us are not.  Flexibility is something that takes time, patience, and dedication, and although flexibility is a key component in cheerleading, everyone, cheerleader or not, can benefit from working to increase their own personal flexibility level.  Keep in mind that a cheerleader, gymnast, or dancer is probably going to be held to a much higher flexibility standard than the average person.

Stretching consistently on a daily basis is the first step to increasing flexibility, which will in turn reduce joint stiffness, improve posture and improve balance.  Stretching can be broken into two categories, static and dynamic.  Static is the more traditional “stretch and hold” technique, while dynamic stretches involve movement and use your body’s leverage and gravity to stretch muscles.  Since every individual’s body is unique, different stretches might be geared towards different people depending on their current flexibility and where they would like to be.

Static stretches like head tilts, shoulder rolls, and calf and quadriceps stretches are simple enough that almost anyone is capable of performing them.  More intense stretches like splits, toe touches, backbends, and heel stretches are more likely beneficial for advanced individuals, particularly cheerleaders.  Pilates and yoga are also great ways to workout and increase flexibility at the same time.

While static stretching, it’s important to keep a few things in mind.  To achieve full effect of a stretch, holding a position for around 30 seconds is recommended.  More importantly, breathing is crucial while stretching.  Often times taking deep breaths can ease discomfort or tightness throughout the body.  A fine line can be drawn between a painful stretch and a normal discomfort you might feel in certain positions.  It is important to know the difference and stop if you are in pain to prevent injury.

Dynamic stretching, on the other hand, involves body movement, and can also be a great warmup prior to exercising.  It’s important to be very careful when ballistic stretching, not to over extend a muscle beyond it’s stretched position.  It’s recommended when dynamic stretching to use slow, controlled movements like arm circles, leg extensions, or toe touches.

It’s important to stay motivated and keep in mind small improvements usually occur over time.  If you don’t notice a drastic change in your flexibility over night, do not become discouraged, improvements are slowly happening.  Grabbing a partner and stretching together usually makes doing less than comfortable exercises more fun.  Although working to increase your flexibility might not come easy, you’ll certainly reap the benefits later whether it be in practice or your next performance.

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A Cheer Coach’s Recipe to Success

Mon, Feb 1, 2010

large_011209cheer2HBEvery coach is looking for the “recipe for success” to build an elite cheer squad and gym.  Depending on what your coaching styles are, the recipe might require some slight tweaking, but the same general principles can apply to every coach.  When coaching cheerleading, one must implement the right combination of organization, communication, accountability, motivation, and most importantly fun.

A coach should have a clearly defined, organized program and philosophy at the beginning of every season.  Frequently asked questions dealing with practice times, performance opportunities, community service, and competing are topics that should be thought out prior to the start of the season.  Coaches are encouraged to make monthly activity and task lists with practices, games, and any other events for the season.  Anything in writing is always a plus and will decrease the amount of confusion from week to week.  In particular, parents will need to know these details to ensure cheerleading is really what they want their child to par-take in.

As important as the organization is, without the proper communication to the team and parents, it can lose its effectiveness.  Things simply won’t run smoothly unless everyone is constantly reminded and updated with timelines and expectations.  It’s a coach’s responsibility to make sure they are effectively communicating with the cheerleaders, parents, teachers, administrators, school board, and community.  Parent meetings before try-outs are strongly recommended to inform everyone of present and future requirements for the program.  A coach should also maintain open communication with the cheerleaders.  Most effective coaches choose to have an “open door” policy, creating a comfortable environment for the cheerleaders to approach them with any problems or questions they may have.  Remember, a coach will have a major and lasting impact on a cheerleader, from both a team and an individual’s perspective.

In order to create a positive experience for the individual, motivation and fun play critical roles.  It’s important to reward efforts and  hard work and to commend everyone for their dedication.  Cheerleaders are expected to give a huge time commitment, and should be recognized for their follow-thru.  An effective coach should strive for a balance between positive reinforcement of abilities and strengths and construction criticism of weakness.  It is important to showcase the uniqueness and individuality of each teammate, while preaching that it’s the combination and unity of a team that builds success.

Finally, don’t forget to keep it fun!  If cheerleaders aren’t having fun, chances are they will not reach their potential, giving minimal effort.  Many coaches lie on either end of the spectrum, too harsh or too lax.  It’s the proper balance of pushing cheerleaders to do their best, while keeping the sport in perspective that will produce the results of a strong team bond.

Coaches touch the lives of many everyday, and it isn’t easy, but keeping these tips in mind will ensure a team has a memorable experience and reaches their potential!

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Tips from the Judges

Tue, Jan 19, 2010

It’s competition season, and all the cheerleading squads are looking to win!  So what’s going to distinguish your squad from the rest?  We’ve asked a few judges for their input on the matter.  In our research, it seems there were a few consistent factors that just may the judges over in your favor.

First, judges recommend looking at the scoresheet prior to the competition, so you know exactly what they expect of you. Categories include how well your squad’s overall presence, enthusiasm, eye contact, facial expressions, voice projection and pronunciation are delivered. Other categories include floor mobility, dance orientation, overall impression, and gymnastics.  It’s important to see what areas are most important to each individual competition, and even more importantly, reasons you may be disqualified.

After the technical aspects are taken into consideration, it’s important to create a memorable performance.  How exactly is this accomplished?  The audience (and your judges) typically will mostly remember the beginning and end of your performance.  With that said, it is probably a good idea to make them something both the judges and audience will remember after having watched dozens of squads.  Some squads choose to open with tumbling while cheering but creativity is endless – pick something that stands out and compliments your squad’s best qualities.

Throughout your performance, it’s important to showcase your squad’s strengths while hiding potential flaws and weaknesses.  As cliche as it is, you’re only as strong as your weakest link.  Be sure your team works together to showcase individual strengths.  Stunts are important, but keep in mind that fluid transition steps and dance moves make for a smooth routine.  Judges also recommend using motions or signs in your stunts to enhance the crowd’s response.  Level changes in stunts can also be used as an attention grabber.

The name of the game is to execute a clean routine.  Synchronized dancing and flawless stunts that appear effortless are proof to judges that the routine was practiced to a tee.  When all else fails – remember to smile!

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Competition Ready

Tue, Dec 8, 2009

cheercompetitionIs your squad competition ready? It takes a lot more than just matching uniforms, makeup, and some poms the day of the competition to have the best experience possible. While you do need those things, going that extra mile when preparing will help tremendously and guarantee your squad showcases their best performance possible.  Winning is great, but not the only way to gauge a squad’s performance.  At the end of the day, having no regrets and knowing you did the best you could will leave you feeling satisfied.

We hear it all the time, but in this case, practice really does make perfect. Judges can see all, so well-rehearsed squads clearly stand out from those who are not. It’s important, however, not to over-rehearse, as this could result in injuries like stress fractures.  For most, 3 to 4 rehearsals a week ranging from 2 to 4 hours is necessary, but every squad is different. Watching past competition performance videos is another great way to learn.  You can see what you did well (and repeat it), and the areas that you can improve on.

In addition to adequate practicing time, you want your body in the best possible shape. Developing healthier eating habits is a key component to staying healthy and injury-free; cutting out junk food will help ensure your body is in peak condition for competition day.  Instead, your diet should consist of complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, proteins, and lots of water. These recommendations will help you sustain natural energy and not tire as quickly.  Extra body strengthening activities like yoga and pilates can and should be done to increase flexibility. Stretching and strengthening are also important factors in improving performance.

Having your body physically ready to compete is only half the battle. Being prepared to compete also takes mental preparation.  Going into a competition with a positive attitude and hopes of improving your skills as a cheerleader are healthy goals to strive for. Competing is an exciting yet sometimes stressful learning experience that tends to get easier over time. It isn’t uncommon that  we let our nerves get the best of us, preventing us from performing to our full potential, so it’s important to breathe, relax, and stay confident.  And remember, every competition presents unique circumstances, so take it in strides and remain confident, and you will most certainly do well!

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Cheerleading in the Olympics

Thu, Nov 19, 2009

rio_olympicsMany people are now beginning to see what cheerleaders have known all along – cheerleading is a sport in every sense of the word!  The past several years have seen cheerleading gain real recognition within the world of sports and beyond.  In addition to being officially labeled a contact sport by the Supreme Court (a judgement that was the first of its kind), cheerleading was recently recognized by ESPN as one of the toughest sports, behind only football.  The days of thinking a sport was only those games that included a ball are long gone.  So with all of this advancement, what’s the next logical step for cheerleading?

There has been speculation for some time now that Cheerleading may be included in the 2012 or 2016 Olympics.  Although it is clear now that it will not be a part of the 2012 games, there’s plenty of hope for the future.  Cheerleading has become respected as a competitive and entertaining sport across the globe, with worldwide demographics of over 4 million participants and growing.

Some argue that cheerleading is similar to gymnastics and is not needed in the Olympics.  Although the sports require similar skill sets like strength and balance, they are quite unique in their own respects.  Along with tumbling, cheerleading includes dance and stunting.  In many ways the argument can be made that cheerleading is more unique than most other sports already in the Olympics.  Some misinformed spectators also assume that cheerleading requires less athletic talent than some sports – this couldn’t be farther from the truth!  Requiring a combination of strength, balance, and agility, the sport has become very difficult at elite levels.

We hope that with all of the recognition cheerleading has been receiving, people will take notice, and it will one day be added to the Olympics.  Although it will not be in 2012, we must continue to press the issue and encourage the great participants and fans of our sport to speak their voice!

Shout this into the nearest megaphone – 2016, here we come!

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New Scoring System

Mon, Oct 26, 2009

Prior to kicking off the competition season this year, Varsity announced a new method of scoring for the 2009-2010 cheerleading competition season.  The goal of the new scoring system is to make it easier for coaches and their teams, and to help cheerleaders by improving safety.  Some of the benefits of this new scoring system include:

  1. Universal scoring: This will eliminate confusion among cheerleaders and their parents.  No longer will a team receive a 9.3 in one competition, and a 256 in the next.
  2. Same routine for all events: In the past, since each competition had a set of rules all their own, teams would have to alter their routine for each performance.  With the standardized rules, cheerleaders can focus on one routine that can be used at all events.  This means, no more last minute changes, and more confident cheerleaders because with the consistent routines, the cheerleaders can improve and perfect with each performance.
  3. Less stress for coaches: With the universal rubric, coaches do not have to worry about staying within the limitations of each competition and altering the routine.
  4. The ultimate score sheet: With more than 300 years of combined experience, more than 13 event producers collaborated on the new scoresheet.  Scoring will be more accurate and less objective, which will minimize judging errors.

This new system, the Varsity Standard of Scoring, will pertain to every all-star division.  This includes Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA), American Cheerleaders Association (ACA), National Cheerleaders Association (NCA), World Spirit Federation (WSF), Spirit Sports, Spirit Cheer, and portions of American Cheer Power and the American Championships.

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Spirt Cheer Wins 2 Spirit Industry Awards

Fri, Oct 9, 2009

Spirit_Industry_Awards_Logo

Spirit Cheer is the proud recipient of two Spirit Industry Awards in 2009!

2009 Best New Product/Service (Competition/Camp Company)

To recognize innovation and creativity in a new product or service that has changed or enhanced the industry or represents a fresh approach to old ideas.

2009 Spirit Industry Collaboration Award

To recognize excellence, innovation, creativity and/or accomplishment by a group of two or more spirit industry companies that worked jointly on a common goal or project.

Spirit Cheer would like to congratulate all recipients of the 2009 Spirit Industry Awards!

Click on the link below to view all 2009 Spirit Industry Winners!

Spirit Industry Awards

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