Competition Season in Full Bloom - Beyond the Poms Issue #2

NOV 2023

ISSUE #2

D N O BEY S M O P E TH

image courtesy of Varsity

COMPETITION SEASON IN FULL BLOOM linktr.ee/beyondthepoms | beyondthepoms@gmail.com | @beyondthepoms

Staff Profiles

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Letter From The Editor

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A Survival Guide to Cheer Competitions

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Fostering a Positive Mindset

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Natalie Ho on Competition Stress

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Balancing School and Cheer

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Cheer Mom 101

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Giveaway Winner!

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Featured Athlete

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What’s in My Cheer Bag? Top 5 Essentials

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

BEYOND THE POMS

STAFF PROFILES

Editor-in-Chief

Maria Peng

Social Media Manager

Kaitlin Keel

Contributing Writers

Sophia Emily Alaina Walker

Special Guests

Natalie Ho KayFit

linktr.ee/beyondthepoms | beyondthepoms@gmail.com | @beyondthepoms

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LETTER FROM Cheerleading is a highly competitive sport that requires dedication, skill, and meticulous preparation. Recognizing the need for a comprehensive resource tailored to assist our athletes in their journeys, we have created a magazine that will serve as a go-to guide for all cheerleaders.

This issue is jam-packed with expert advice, insider tips, and training techniques from mastering the perfect routine to managing nerves on the big day, this magazine covers it all.

We believe that every cheer athlete, regardless of their level and experience, deserves access to the best resources and guidance available. Our mission is to empower and inspire athletes to achieve their personal best in the world of competitive cheerleading and foster a sense of community among cheerleaders.

THE EDITOR

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the creation of this magazine and has been a part of our community. We are so grateful for your support and we cannot wait for you to see the final result!

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A E D I U G L A V I V SUR CHEER TO S N O I T I T E P COM

By Alaina Walker image courtesy of Top Gun Large Coed

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HAVE YOU EVER GONE TO A BIG COMPETITION OR ARE YOU GOING TO GO TO ONE THIS CHEER SEASON AND NOT SURE HOW TO PREPARE? Hopefully, this will help! This page will cover how to manage stress, sleep, hydration, food, and balancing school.

Everyone gets stressed out. Sometimes it can lead to more severe things than just stress because the individual is not informed on how to handle stress.

Some key signs of stress among cheerleaders are: Not finishing schoolwork Being more nervous than usual backstage before a cheer competition (psyching themselves out) Constantly overthinking a stunt/tumble pass

THE FOUR MAIN TYPES OF STRESS Physical Stress: Often the most noticeable form of stress as it manifests through injuries, headaches, pains, etc.

Mental Stress: This type of stress can be pretty common, and pretty easy to recognize. Everyone experiences mental stress to some degree however there is often a spike during big competitions or when athletes feel that lots of pressure is put on them to perform at a certain level.

Behavioural Stress: Often indicated by a change in habits relating to food, sleep and socialization.

This can especially affect athletes’ physical and mental health because they need proper nutrition and overall good health to be able to perform their sport.

Emotional Stress: This usually manifests in agitation and moodiness which can affect the team dynamic and environment.

There are multiple ways you can manage these types of stress such as taking a day to catch up or finish school work ahead of big competitions, and making sure to pay attention in class (trust me it really helps ). Talking about your stress to someone you really trust is also great if you need to get anything off your chest.

Personally, I like talking to my out-of-school friends like my cheer friends or people I have met at camps. It really helps because no drama will be spread! Also, ensure that you are eating healthy nutritious meals and getting at least 8 hours of sleep every night! Most importantly, don’t overthink. Not only can it cause you stress but it will perpetuate destructive thought patterns that will lower your self-esteem.

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3 Steps to Staying Healthy Sleep Getting sleep is very helpful in day-to-day life. If you don’t get enough sleep that your body needs you will not be able to function very well. Children 6-12 should get an average of at least 9-12 hours. Teenagers 13-18 years old should get about 810 hours of sleep. On competition nights it is recommended that you go to sleep early, getting as many hours of sleep as your age group requires is very important so that you can wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day and take the floor! When you get enough sleep your body will be happy and ready to go.

Hydration Hydration is a key component in cheerleading and any other sort as well. If you are not hydrated you may start to feel dizzy, lightheaded, nauseous, etc. Personally, when I do not drink enough water my hips will start to hurt and I am not able to function to my full ability. This is because water is responsible for transporting nutrients throughout your body and giving your body the energy that it needs to be the best cheerleader it can be.

Food Food and hydration really just go hand and hand. Food is a very hard component to achieve for some individuals (especially on competition mornings)! Personally prefer not to eat on competition mornings because I will feel nauseous but it is important to fuel up, even with something small. Usually, I will end up eating some mini muffins because they are filling and they are not going to tear up my nerves during warm ups. If you have an early meet time I recommend at least drinking a few ounces of water and maybe having something high in protein and carbs, such as a banana. If you do have a later meet time at a competition, definitely fuel up for your routine with carbohydrate and protein rich foods so that you can perform to the best of your ability! Make sure to stick with healthier options though, I don’t recommend eating anything that will mess with your stomach. Just think after you compete you can always go get the BEST competition nachos!

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FOSTERING A

BY SOPHIA

HERE WE WILL DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A POSITIVE MINDSET AS A CHEERLEADER AND HOW ATHLETES CAN PROPERLY DEAL WITH MENTAL AND PHYSICAL STRESS.

POSITIVE MINDSET 10

“WHEN CHEERLEADERS EMBRACE A GROWTH-ORIENTED PERSPECTIVE THEIR ENTHUSIASM SURGES AND THEIR COMMITMENT INTENSIFIES.” A positive mindset serves as encouragement and helps boost a cheerleader's motivation to excel during the season. When cheerleaders embrace a growth-oriented perspective their enthusiasm surges and their commitment intensifies. On the other hand, a negative mindset can trigger a lack of effort and reduced involvement.

THE POWER OF A POSITIVE MINDSET A positive mindset helps cheerleaders to persevere through stressful conditions. They understand that challenges and setbacks are inherent to their journey. Rather than viewing these obstacles as insurmountable, they regard them as grounds for personal growth and learning. Maintaining a positive mindset means that they learn to not allow failures to undermine their resolve, but rather to leverage them as stepping stones toward selfimprovement.

HOW DOES A NEGATIVE MINDSET AFFECT CHEERLEADERS? For cheerleaders, a negative mindset can cast a negative emotion over their performance at competitions. Negative thoughts have the power to erode self-confidence, leaving cheerleaders with self-doubt and lacking the confidence required to captivate both the audience and the judges. Also, negative mindsets often usher in anxiety and nervousness, accompanied by physical symptoms such as trembling, a racing heart, and inner tension.

HOW TO SHIFT TO A POSITIVE MINDSET In order to alleviate this performance anxiety, athletes should learn techniques such as deepbreathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness techniques, which are adept at soothing nerves and alleviating tension. Likewise, cheerleaders can recalibrate their focus by emphasizing effort rather than becoming fixated solely on the outcomes, thereby restoring their sense of fulfillment and undue pressure.

In conclusion, the mindset of cheerleaders exerts influence over their performance and their journey towards winning to gain fulfillment within the sport. Growing a constructive and growth-oriented mindset empowers them to reach their greatest potential and embrace each practice and competition with determination.

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NATALIE HO

UCLA CHEERLEADER + CALI SMOED ALUM

ON COMPETITION STRESS 12

“Be there with your team. Be there and present in the moment. Don't worry about stuff coming after when you haven't even gotten to it. Just focus on what you're doing now.”

What is your favorite competition?

Do you get nervous before competitions?

How do you deal with that?

I think my favourite competition is Worlds. It's a classic; the big finale at the end. Especially my first Worlds with I definitely get nervous before competitions. I know a lot of SMOED. That was huge for me because I had just come off people that have superstitions and mine was drinking a of an injury, so we were all anxious to see how the season Starbucks Acai refresher before going on. I liked it because would end. It was always like an uphill battle. it got a little bit of caffeine in my system, especially for those early mornings. But handling stress, I would just say I There's nothing like competing with SMOED, in my stuck to what I did at practice. opinion. And I think my second favorite competition would have to be NCA. Specifically, the 2018-19 season as You practice how you perform and I think that definitely well. Even though I didn't get to compete, just seeing my shows on the mat. During practices, we would go through team on the floor was just amazing. The sheer noise of competition warm-up and to me that just made it so much having everyone in the arena looking down and cheering more transferable from practice out onto the mat. you on.

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(cont.) I think a lot of people tend to get in their heads during warm-ups regarding their skills. They know they can do it, but just too much pressure and I remember we would do our little boom, snap, claps/little team bonding games or hype music just to keep us distracted from this. It's important to note though that we were distracted from the pressure, but still focused on our team. In those moments, nothing matters outside of the bubble of the team.

What is your pre-competition routine?

Definitely a good breakfast besides just the Starbucks. Getting a good meal with balanced carbs and protein is super important because it is going to be a long day.

I make sure I pack all my snacks and set everything out the night before (uniform, bow, shoes, socks, etc).

This way, everything is packed so I'm not stressed the morning of.

I know people have different ways of getting ready, but personally, I like getting ready by myself so I can really get in the zone before having to put on a game face for my team. Because, even within the team, if someone's coming in, hair not done, looking like a mess, just overall nervous energy, it ripples throughout the whole team as well. So I'll do my hair and makeup by myself and then eat and listen to music.

What’s your go-to playlist?

When I was little (around middle school) I would be listening to Hamilton specifically. The rap songs would hype me up and Hamilton was my go-to. It's like a nerdy little secret but it's great.

What is your post-competition routine?

For me, after a competition, we're waiting around, we're waiting for awards. Everyone just wants to get out of hair, makeup, and uniform so by the time competition day is done for me, I'm pretty dead. I love hanging around my team and being with them all the time, but at the same time, to get me less amped up, a meal with my family is always nice.

We'll go out to ramen or just a family meal and that kind of helps me destress and calm everything down.

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What are some essentials in your competition bag?

Hairspray, for sure.

My makeup pouch for touchups. I used to be the one who was always unprepared, always asking people for stuff, but recently, I've been the one being called prepared in college because I have all this stuff.

Sunglasses. I put on my sunglasses, and I feel like I have a little alter ego. If I'm not feeling 100% that day, sunglasses are going on and it makes me feel much more prepared and ready. Sunglasses always make me feel cool.

My eyedrops because I wear contacts.

Lipstick or moisturizer for my lips.

Deodorant Setting spray Snacks. Definitely snacks.

Air pods Lash glue And of course, water

What advice would you give to someone who is going to their first competition?

It sounds cliche, but just be there with your team. Be there and present in the moment. Don't worry about stuff coming after when you haven't even gotten to it. Just focus on what you're doing now. Take one skill at a time and rest up for your competitions. You don't need to be going out, like, partying or doing anything crazy the night before when you know you have something the next day.

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BALANCING SCHOOL AND CHEER

DURING THE COMPETITON SEASON

By Alaina Walker

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“BALANCING SCHOOL WITH CHEER CAN BE REALLY DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A BIG COMPETITION COMING UP.” HOW TO MANAGE SCHOOL WITH CHEER 1. Pay attention in class. a. Paying attention in class saves you time later when doing your homework and reviewing because it will not be the first time you have encountered this material.

2. Ask your teachers about doing things EARLY so you are not super stressed out. a. This is extremely important during the lead-up to a big cheer competition because you won’t have to think about homework at all during the competition! b. If your teachers have a syllabus, use it to your advantage and get assignments done AHEAD of time.

3. Ask your teachers about extra credit. Most teachers will give it to you if you ask about it!

4. Communicate with your teachers. a. If you are going to miss class, let them know ahead of time so that they can give you work and work with you to plan accordingly. b. If you cannot hand an assignment in on time, let them know ahead of time (at least 3 days before) and provide them with the specific reason why. i. note that this depends on the teacher/school and may not work all the time which is why it is so important to stay ahead of your work and not behind.

5. Maintain your grades by: a. Asking questions. Asking questions helps you better understand what is going on and get clarity on your work. b. Doing your homework. When doing your homework, don’t look up the answers because you do not want to train your brain to look up answers.

Rather, you should be practicing and maybe even getting things wrong so your brain knows how to do it in the future. c. Studying for a test. When studying for a test I recommend using Quizlet. This app helps you study really well. If you are not able to use this app I also recommend using flash cards. This is great if your classes require a lot of memorization.

Studying also helps you gain confidence with the material!

6. Be the best person you can be!

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CHEER MOM 101 Advice Column “resist the urge to involve yourself in the drama!”

“Label EVERYTHING”

“Prepare a checklist of things you need before a competition”

“Don’t put on lipstick until you reach the competition and are going to warmups” “try and stay on top of all your emails and band messages”

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“get to know the coaches”

“Support your kiddos in whatever way they need!”

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

We partnered with KayFit to present our followers with a longawaited giveaway! We received over 50 entries and presented our winner, Harriet, with a sports bra of her choice! A massive thank you to Kaydence and her mom for supporting our magazine and giving one of our supporters this wonderful gift.

Make sure to tune in on our Instagram (@beyondthepoms) for more giveaways like this!

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Featured

LORELEI

Lorelai is a 12-year-old all-star cheerleader at San Antonio Spirit. She is entering her 7th year of cheer and will be on Team Magenta, a Sr Coed 4 team at San Antonio Spirit. Lorelei spoke to us about her journey with all-star cheer.

“All-Star Cheer has become my home, my passion, and a huge boost to my confidence. Just a week before I was asked to join my first team, I had told my mom that I was good at things but not great at anything. Even though I was GT, between my Sleep Apnea, ADHD, and some fine motor issues my attention was never going to be perfect and sports were going to be challenging.”

“In my mind that meant I wasn't ever going to win anything. All-Star Cheer has been a HUGE turning point for me. It has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to.”

And believing I could never win anything? I've now been on teams that have won NCA, Cheersport, and most recently The League. I've even been recognized by the governing body of All-Star Cheer as "being an outstanding role model on social media and truly amplifying what All-Star cheer is all about!”

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“Remember, never underestimate yourself and anything is possible!”

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WHAT’S IN MY CHEER BAG?

In addition to a water bottle, your cheer shoes, and of course, a healthy snack, here are 5 must-have essentials for your cheer bag

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Extra socks

Tape and braces

Just in case you or your teammate forget to wear white ankle socks, it’s always good to keep them in your bag in case of emergencies. In addition to socks, it’s also good to throw an extra pair of everything in your bag if you have space.

This is important to have on hand whether or not you are injured because you never know what may happen and it is always better to be prepared. Plus, you will always be able to help a teammate out in case they forget theirs!

Deodorant/anti-perspirant Make sure to apply deodorant before you arrive at the competition to ensure that you are smelling fresh all day! It is also good to keep on hand though as you may begin to sweat it off during warmups/competition.

Makeup bag You’ll likely be running around the competition for a few hours before your team competes so make sure you have all your makeup essentials with you! Always arrive at the competition ready and in full glam but this is good for touch-ups (especially lipsticks!).

Hair brush, hair ties, bobby pins, and bows!

This is important to have on hand whether or not you are injured because you never know what may happen and it is always better to be prepared. Plus, you will always be able to help a teammate out in case they forget theirs!

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D N O Y BE THE POMS linktr.ee/beyondthepoms | beyondthepoms@gmail.com | @beyondthepoms