Had another tryout last night. This is how it went:
Jumps....check
dance...check
cheer...check
standing tumbling...check
running tumbling...check
stunting...check
DONE!!
After 18 years of doing tryouts, I can get them in and out in no time! I've decided the single most annoying thing regarding tryouts is girls stating they can do skills they have, when clearly, they do not have them. Especially tumbling. I mean, if you write that you have a ROBHS Back Tuck, then you should be able to throw it at a tryout - kapeech? There are girls who just STAND there, when it comes to tumbling time. UGH!!! Please be honest on your tryout application. Either you have it or you don't. Either you can or you can't. Not "with a spot," or "I had it 3 years ago."
Tryouts...gotta love it!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Team Building Ideas
Team Building Ideas
With tryouts over it is a great time for coaches to inform their team about what is expected of them during the upcoming season. Realistically, you can’t expect that the team will all be best friends; however, you can work towards the goals that they will enjoy each other and be able to work together as a team.
Now and throughout the summer season you’ll want to develop camaraderie within your team. And the following activities will help you do just that. From their sidelines to their performance floor at Nationals, these games will help you make a stronger, united team.
Big Sis/Little Sis
• Before the team heads off to camp, create a big sister/little sister program. A returning cheerleader is paired with a new one. Big sisters help the little sisters with everything from learning new cheers to homework. This is a great way for new cheerleaders to feel as if they are part of the squad.
“Yes” Book
• Write in “YES” books at the end of each practice (or every night after camp). Each cheerleader decorates a small notebook with the letters “YES” which stands for “You’re Extra Special.” Have the cheerleaders write positive notes to each other throughout the week, and at the end of the week or camp have them read what positive things their teammates wrote about them.
Hula Hoop
• Have team members stand in a circle, then place a hula hoop on the arm of one member, then have members grasp hands to form a closed circle, get the hula hoop all the way around the circle as quickly as possible without talking. This will take the teamwork you hope they will show all season long!
Time Capsule
• This is a good exercise for practicing reaching agreement and for team members to understand each other’s values. Have each member of the team list five items that they feel should be included in a time capsule that will be opened by another civilization in five thousand years. Each member of the team should then explain the reasons for their choicea. The team then reaches consensus on which five objects should be included in the time capsule.
Human Knot
• This one is a classic, but always a great activity. The group starts out in one or two tight circles. Everyone in the group reaches across the circle with their right hand to grab another group member’s right hand. The group then reaches in with their left hand to grab a different group member’s left hand. The object is to untangle the group without letting go of hands until a circle is formed. If the group is having extreme difficulty, you can administer “knot first-aid” and break one set of tangled hands (with group consensus), otherwise group members may not let go at any time. You may have to decide as a group that the knot is not solvable, after prolonged attempt.
Community Service
• Community service projects allow team members to connect in a positive manner. Whether it is putting together a food drive for the local food drive, organizing a team for Relay for Life or organizing an event as simple as a neighborhood cleanup, service projects are effective ways for new and current members to bond while supporting worthy causes.
These activities will not require a lot of money to be taken out of the budget, just a little bit of time and organization. But they can really help your team come together. Organize a team sleepover or “fun day” and have then bond during this time. Or, maybe try one activity a day at the beginning of practice. Do whatever works best for your team. by Maggie Matheney
With tryouts over it is a great time for coaches to inform their team about what is expected of them during the upcoming season. Realistically, you can’t expect that the team will all be best friends; however, you can work towards the goals that they will enjoy each other and be able to work together as a team.
Now and throughout the summer season you’ll want to develop camaraderie within your team. And the following activities will help you do just that. From their sidelines to their performance floor at Nationals, these games will help you make a stronger, united team.
Big Sis/Little Sis
• Before the team heads off to camp, create a big sister/little sister program. A returning cheerleader is paired with a new one. Big sisters help the little sisters with everything from learning new cheers to homework. This is a great way for new cheerleaders to feel as if they are part of the squad.
“Yes” Book
• Write in “YES” books at the end of each practice (or every night after camp). Each cheerleader decorates a small notebook with the letters “YES” which stands for “You’re Extra Special.” Have the cheerleaders write positive notes to each other throughout the week, and at the end of the week or camp have them read what positive things their teammates wrote about them.
Hula Hoop
• Have team members stand in a circle, then place a hula hoop on the arm of one member, then have members grasp hands to form a closed circle, get the hula hoop all the way around the circle as quickly as possible without talking. This will take the teamwork you hope they will show all season long!
Time Capsule
• This is a good exercise for practicing reaching agreement and for team members to understand each other’s values. Have each member of the team list five items that they feel should be included in a time capsule that will be opened by another civilization in five thousand years. Each member of the team should then explain the reasons for their choicea. The team then reaches consensus on which five objects should be included in the time capsule.
Human Knot
• This one is a classic, but always a great activity. The group starts out in one or two tight circles. Everyone in the group reaches across the circle with their right hand to grab another group member’s right hand. The group then reaches in with their left hand to grab a different group member’s left hand. The object is to untangle the group without letting go of hands until a circle is formed. If the group is having extreme difficulty, you can administer “knot first-aid” and break one set of tangled hands (with group consensus), otherwise group members may not let go at any time. You may have to decide as a group that the knot is not solvable, after prolonged attempt.
Community Service
• Community service projects allow team members to connect in a positive manner. Whether it is putting together a food drive for the local food drive, organizing a team for Relay for Life or organizing an event as simple as a neighborhood cleanup, service projects are effective ways for new and current members to bond while supporting worthy causes.
These activities will not require a lot of money to be taken out of the budget, just a little bit of time and organization. But they can really help your team come together. Organize a team sleepover or “fun day” and have then bond during this time. Or, maybe try one activity a day at the beginning of practice. Do whatever works best for your team. by Maggie Matheney
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Coaches use Twitter to Recruit
College cheerleading coaches are currently “tweeting” about their programs to showcase both their personality and their recruiting message. My advice for recruits who are currently using or are thinking about using Twitter is to make sure they keep their updates very professional, and be willing to share their updates with any college coach who is on Twitter.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
What to include on your recruiting video
Skills Tape
A critical part of recruiting for college coaches is the evaluation process. Simply put, if college coaches do not believe a student athlete possesses the ability to play for their school, they are not going to spend their recruiting resources pursuing that student athlete. In most cases, college coaches have two choices when attempting to evaluate a student athlete. They can either watch a student athlete compete in person or they can accomplish a similar evaluation by watching a highlight or skills tape. It is critical to send college coaches a tape of your skills, or you can upload them to a website, such as Youtube. I ask for the following to be included on a video tape from interested cheerleaders:
Tumbling Skills: Standing Backhandspring, Standing back tuck, standing backhandspring back tuck and a tumbling pass
Stunting Skills: Please include extended stunts, transitions and dismounts (preferably twist dismounts)
Cheer: include a cheer demonstrating sharp motions and voice inflections, and preferably with a jump.
Dance/Fight Song: Dance and/or fight song should demonstrate coordination, rhythm, voice inflection and spirited attitude.
A critical part of recruiting for college coaches is the evaluation process. Simply put, if college coaches do not believe a student athlete possesses the ability to play for their school, they are not going to spend their recruiting resources pursuing that student athlete. In most cases, college coaches have two choices when attempting to evaluate a student athlete. They can either watch a student athlete compete in person or they can accomplish a similar evaluation by watching a highlight or skills tape. It is critical to send college coaches a tape of your skills, or you can upload them to a website, such as Youtube. I ask for the following to be included on a video tape from interested cheerleaders:
Tumbling Skills: Standing Backhandspring, Standing back tuck, standing backhandspring back tuck and a tumbling pass
Stunting Skills: Please include extended stunts, transitions and dismounts (preferably twist dismounts)
Cheer: include a cheer demonstrating sharp motions and voice inflections, and preferably with a jump.
Dance/Fight Song: Dance and/or fight song should demonstrate coordination, rhythm, voice inflection and spirited attitude.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
What defines success?
What defines success?
Is it the 2 min 30 sec routine at Nationals? Is it having the highest team GPA? Is it not having any members leave during the season and forming a tight team bond?
On my college team, I define a successful season as one where my girls grew as a team – in the areas of responsibility, leadership, communication, academics, self-discovery and self-confidence.
Success in the classroom is crucial. I remind my team that they are students before athletes. How did they compare to the other athletic teams at the university?
Success on the competition floor brings recognition to the university and a feeling of team accomplishment. As long as the team improved over the previous year's placement, they should feel successful as a competitor.
Success in the community can be measured not by the quantity of community service events in which the team participated, but what was taken away by the team. At the Boys & Girls Club, did a little boy's face light up after a squad member read his favorite book for the 4th time in a row? At the women's shelter, did the homeless woman's barely audible "thank you" hit the heart of a team member? Community service events expose your team members to situations and experiences they may never have seen otherwise – they are a win-win situation for both the team and the organization for which your team is volunteering.
Personal success can be measured by the amount of individual growth experienced by each team member. Did they make better decisions, take charge of a situation, improve athletically, and tolerate team members' differences?
Success within the team can be measured by the amount of fun they had. At the end of the year, I put together a video of still photos from the beginning of the year to the end, including all events, games, projects, team bonding socials, etc… Were the team members smiling and laughing and having a good time in the photos? If so, you can believe their overall season was enjoyable.
This past year, we overcame a team member who failed a random drug test (she took a friend's ADHD medicine to help her "focus" on studying for midterms) 2 unplanned pregnancies, a questionably faked injury one day before Nationals (was she embarrassed that this team wasn't as good as her previous school's team?), a death of a parent, and several other obstacles. But the key word here is overcame. The team grew as a team and as individuals. They worked hard on and off the mat, and were proud of their performances on the court and at competition. New friendships were made and lifetime bods were formed. Yes – I'd say the season was a success.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Cheering in college
Cheering in college
Pretty much all colleges and universities have cheerleaders, whether or not the school competes. First and foremost, you have to decide why you want to cheer in college. Do you want to cheer, just to compete? If that is the case, cheering in college might not be the right choice for you. Being a cheerleader on a college team is completely different than cheering on a high school or all star team. In addition to regular practices, you most likely have team conditioning and training practices, as well as appearances and events. The commitment is much higher once you get to cheering at the college level. You have to commit to supporting intercollegiate athletics – that means cheering on your team at all games. College athletes are much more focused on their sport at the college level, and as a cheerleader, you need to make the same commitment as these other student-athletes.
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