THE SPARKLES, THE SPARKLES, BOWS, AND BOWS, AND MEDALS MEDALS
BEYOND THE POMS ISSUE #4
ISSUE #4
@BEYONDTHEPOMS
Editor-in-Chief
MARIA PENG
Marketing
KAITLIN KEEL
Contributing
Writers
SOPHIA GUZIK
ALAINA WALKER
All photos are used with explicit permission
Our Features! LILY LOLLAR EMERY HUNT
Team USA Youth All Girl at PanAM and ICU World Championships.
Experiences at Summit!
COACH TRESION NASH MY CHEERLEDING BOX
Coaching advice, athlete insights! The leading cheer subscription box company!
LILY LOLLAR
REPRESENTING THE UNITED STATES IN CHEERLEADING: LILY’S JOURNEY TO PAN-AM AND WHERE SHE IS TODAY
My name is Lily and I am entering my 6th year of competitive cheer as a flyer on a Senior 5 Team (Phoenix) at Ace of Tuscaloosa in Alabama I am also a Jr High Cheerleader on my school’s cheer team
I am beginning my second year representing one of the largest cheer apparel brands in the country - Rebel Athletic as Talent I am honored to participate in modelling shoots in the company’s beautiful athletic wear I have had the privilege of performing stunting routines at Rebel events such as NCA in Dallas. I am a model ambassador with GiantPixel, a premier cheerleading photography company
I was also a member of the 2024 U S National Youth All-Girl Team and enjoyed competing with my team at ICU Worlds in Orlando this spring and at the ICU Pan American Cheerleading Championships in Ottawa this fall!
Why did you start cheerleading?
I have a lot of energy and wanted to be part of a team sport that included stunting and tumbling Cheerleading is the only sport I have ever participated in and I love it so much!
What are your favorite skills?
Tumbling: Running Full
Stunting Coed: Shotgun Fast-Forward Stunting- All Girl: Back handspring double-up
When practicing difficult skills, I video my practices so I can go back and watch my tumbling and stunting progress. This helps me know what I need to change as far as technique
For those starting out in cheer, it is important to have confidence in your strengths and know your weaknesses. Do not compare yourself to anyone else Be the hardest worker in the room and always be kind and encouraging to others
What was your favorite memory from Pan Am?
My favorite memories include; traveling out of the U S for the first time and having the opportunity to spend time with teammates in Canada exploring I love the athletes on my team and my coaches from around the country Also, winning Gold at Pan Am was the best experience of my life!
Do you have something you must do before you compete?
I spend time praying alone I encourage my teammates before we head out on the mat I also walk through the routine in my head and listen to my team’s music repeatedly in the car
What is one takeaway from your experiences?
My experiences have taught me that your teammates and coaches are everything! I have the most incredible teammates that have become like family to me, they push me to be the best I can be I am so thankful for the coaches who take the time to train me and believe in my success as an athlete
Thank you, Lily, for your time and inspiring words!
EMERY HUNT
10-YEAR-OLD JUNIOR LEVEL 5 ATHLETE DOCUMENTING HER EXPERIENCES AT THE SUMMIT CHAMPIONSHIP
For those unfamiliar, The Summit Championship is the largest, most prestigious cheerleading event in the world for those aged junior and below and in levels 5 and below This competition is held in Orlando, Florida every year and is a goal for many young athletes as it is often seen as a stepping stone to the World Cheerleading competition.
My name is Emery Hunt and I cheer for University Cheer Force and we are from Elk Grove, California. Competing on a Junior Level 5 cheerleading team at Summit as a 10-year-old was an experience like no other The adrenaline, the excitement, and the pressure all came together in an unforgettable journey. From day one, I knew this team was something special, and the bond we shared made every moment worthwhile
On the first day of The Summit competition, we were on fire Everything felt perfect the energy was high, our timing was on point, and all of our stunts hit flawlessly I could feel the crowd’s excitement as we executed difficult skills, flipping and flying through the air with precision. I was in my zone, especially when it came to my role as a flyer There’s something magical about being in the air, trusting your bases completely, and knowing that when you hit a difficult skill like a double down or a stretch, it electrifies the whole team
But as we all know, things don’t always go perfectly in cheerleading, and that’s part of the challenge Day two didn’t go as smoothly as we had hoped We started strong, but when it came time for the pyramid, something went wrong We couldn’t get it all the way up To make matters worse, my center needle, which is one of my favorite skills, didn’t go all the way up either. In that moment, I felt crushed. All the work we had put in, all the hours of practice it felt like it had slipped away because of those mistakes I tried to hold back the tears, but after the routine ended, I couldn’t help it I cried I was sad and disappointed in myself
Thankfully, cheerleading is about so much more than just hitting skills It’s about the people around you your teammates and your coaches who support you no matter what. As soon as they saw me upset, my teammates surrounded me with encouragement They reminded me that we are a team, and that every one of us is important whether things go perfectly or not. My coaches were just as supportive. They told me that mistakes happen and that what mattered most was how I bounced back Their words lifted me up, and soon I was feeling a lot better.
By the end of the day, I realized that while cheer is about performance, it’s also about learning resilience You don’t give up just because things go wrong you pick yourself up and keep going I may have been sad in that moment, but looking back, I’m grateful for the support of my teammates and coaches. It reminded me why I love this sport so much. Cheering with my team has been a wild ride, full of highs and lows, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything It’s made me stronger, not just as a cheerleader but as a person too
THEIR LATEST BOX: THE OCTOBER BOX
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Facial Cleansing Wipes
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BY SHAWN GARCIA
COACH TRE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY HELENE PAQUET
ABOUT
My name is Tre! I am from NY. I am the father of two little humans <3. I do photography, play video games with my friends, have been in coaching for over 10 years!
What inspires you? What gets you going?
What inspires me is the goals of these athletes that they set for themselves Watching them put that work in makes it so dang fun to coach them
COACHING
How did you get into coaching?
I got into coaching by watching how my teammates felt & enjoyed coming into the gym.
What is your favorite part about coaching?
The journey Watching athlete slowly grasp the concept of a skill is unrivaled to me
How do you foster a sense of trust between you and your athletes?
I try to just become homies with my athletes Whether it is a secret handshake, roasting them, or even showing off my better dance moves, it is all about them having fun while they are there!
What are some key takeaways you had from watching/coaching routines last season?
The key thing I see is this, STANDARD The teams that I have seen that consistently look good, place well and usually win have a standard that they haven't deviated from and it shows when they hit the stage
What advice would you give teams looking to hit routines this year?
Simple. Technique, technique, technique. You hear it all the time, but it is the truth Take your time and understand the routine Go section by section Coaches- record and see if there is anything you can suggest to help an athlete do their routine better Athletes- ASK QUESTIONS!!! I’d rather you talk my ear off than to see you run around like your head chopped off
Are there any specific conditioning or training programs you recommend for athletes to prepare for the season (ex cardio, strength)?
I try to suggest them go run to build up their cardio, or rep out the skills that they would be doing in a routine I should probably start learning more ways to help strengthen athletes pre, during, and postseason!
How do you approach skill development for an athlete that is on a team where they need to throw a skill that they currently do not have?
I will say this, if they do not have the skill- there is a conversation that needs to be had If you have level 3 tumbling, put on a level 4 team that could put so much stress on an athlete and halt progression Now if they are on the team not doing that skill, i would suggest some extra lessons or a little more attention to get said athlete up to speed or even progress them from where they started.
How do you guide athletes through walking the line between pushing their boundaries and going too far (mental blocks)?
Well it starts by learning the athletes themselves honestly. It is not a one-size-fits-all, some need the “coddling” coaching and others need the “bring the hammer down” As far as getting scared when they tumble, it's usually a sign they don't understand how the skill works, which means they need more drills and reps!
Thank you Tre for your time and wonderful insight!
CHEER BINGO
Attended a choreography camp
Volunteered at an event
Made a new team
Went to a competition
Tried out for a new team
Took a fun team picture
Got a shoutout on social media
Won a Worlds/Summi t bid
Hit your elites
Did a full-out practice Free Space
Performed at a local event Hit Zero
Attended a team bonding event
Watched a cheerleading movie
Fill it out and tag us on instagram @beyondthepoms! TAG YOUR FRIENDS!
Got your team uniform
Had a team dinner
Played your routine music at least 10 times
Cheered on your teammates
Learned a new routine Wore Nike Pros
Got new cheer shoes
Did a stunt at the beach
Learned and stuck a new tumbling skill
Practiced in the rain
IT’S A MENTAL GAME
AN ATHLETE’S PERSONAL EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH MENTAL BLOCKS AND ADVICE TO OTHERS MOVING FORWARD
All cheerleaders (and anyone involved in sports) know how hard mental blocks can be This is a guide to hopefully solving the irritation and emotional breakdowns of your mental block with lots of tips from a teen cheerleader who has struggled with mental blocks her whole life
My Personal Experience:
I have struggled with mental blocks most of my life No, I am not talking about getting a skill and being scared to throw it for the first time I am talking about having all of my skills up to a full and quickly losing each and every one of the skills every day
I was six years old when I got my first ever mental block. After this, I was completely done with cheer I did not want to do it anymore I thought I couldn’t be a cheerleader if I couldn't tumble. There were countless times I would stand there and cry over throwing a back handspring but mentally and physically, I could not go. I never really understood why. I wanted to go for the skill but my body would just not let me After these experiences, I took a break from cheer for a while I was eight when I decided to return to the cheer community, ready to perfect my skills and become really good. Or so I thought The same thing happened again Over and over One day I walked into the gym and told myself “You are going to throw this back handspring you used to do a thousand times when you were five Why can’t you do it now?” Yet, once again, I did not throw it. I became so frustrated with myself I came home and for the next couple of weeks, I got to work on my trampoline. I bet you can imagine how many tears I cried I decided to take a break and maybe try breathing I had never thought of that in the past so maybe I should try it out. So I sat down on my trampoline I took a big deep breath in and a big deep breath out. I stood up and went to throw my back handspring when all of a sudden I went backwards! I was so excited! However, I was very hard on myself and told myself that it wasn’t good enough. So I went to throw it again and guess what I couldn’t throw it
I think of that day all of the time If I had been proud of myself I would have thrown it Always be proud of yourself no matter what! Just know that anything you are doing at that very moment is progress and progress is amazing! Now, I am 13 years old. I finally got over my five-year mental block and started throwing connection passes through to back tucks, layouts, and fulls. Then I started to get angry at myself because my tumbling did not look like the girls I saw on social media My legs looked bent and I didn’t have enough power, etc. I started thinking all of these thoughts in my head and guess what? The mental block came back. I have been in this continuous cycle for eight years now, but I have learned to not give up I feel that this part of my life is where I will grow I will start to appreciate myself This article means a lot to me because I am finally at a point in my life where I know how to handle the stress of my mental block and I would like to help others to get to this point in their life as well This past week I connected a few of my tumbling skills because I tell myself “I can do it, you are great, practice does not equal perfect it equals progression” No one on Earth will ever be perfect. All we can do is keep progressing to strive to be our best Be your own perfect self
Now that you have heard my story, do you relate to it in any way?
Feeling defeated is not fun. When you feel defeated, you feel as though you are not capable of anything which is 100% not true at all.
Below are going to be three major tips to not feeling defeated
Breathing:
Do you breathe when you are stressed out?
Personally, I don’t I hold in a big ball of air to the point my throat hurts (which is not a good idea) Studies show that holding your breath when you are stressed can restrict the diaphragm which can overstimulate the sympathetic nervous system This can lead to longterm signs of stress and anxiety
Anxiety can affect you in lots of ways and can be amplified because of the stressful environment at Cheer The best way to get the little voice of anxiety out of your head is to breathe. This may not work very well initially but when you breathe, just focus on your breath and try to have no thoughts in your head
Some other ways to calm that inner voice down are:
Thoughts:
2
1 Come up with something that distracts you from listening to that voice For me, I create little handshakes with myself When I am stressed, I take my thumb and tap each of my fingers 3 times I have found this helps me a lot.
3
Quietly tell yourself you are good enough or repeat some other mantra that soothes you
When you are feeling anxious about tumbling, jumping or stunting your first thought is probably “I am not good enough” Thoughts play a big role in your mental ability to perform a skill. Have you ever stood there about to throw a skill and tell yourself you will fall? I hope not, but if you did tell yourself this you probably fell However, when you tell yourself positive thoughts, you are most likely going to throw the skill or not throw the skill and go back and feel more confident to do the skill again When you think unhappy thoughts you discourage yourself from doing hard things. When these thoughts get to you you lose concentration and confidence Confidence and concentration are key components to cheer. If you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts, you need to take a step back, take a deep breath and think about why you started cheer. Remember, how happy you were the first time you walked in the cheer gym and how much progress you have made The next time you get frustrated doing a skill try to remember a lower-level skill you have perfected and it is easy now.
Focus on each part of the routine in sections and don’t leave time for yourself to overthink
While we can’t just get rid of anxiety, these are some great ways to calm down so you do not have a breakdown.
Talk about it:
Many coaches know what you are going through but sometimes do not know how to communicate what is happening This can lead both you and your coach to feel frustrated Try to explain to them kindly what is going on If you do not know what’s going on, tell them you need a little break to calm yourself Don’t feel embarrassed to tell them this They will completely understand After each time I tumble and I do not throw the pass my coach asks me how I felt about it There is one rule when I answer. You cannot say “I don’t know”, always give your coach a reason that it felt good or felt bad If your coach does not do this, you can ask yourself these three questions 1) What felt bad about the pass? 2) What did you do well in the pass? 3) What is something you can fix in the pass? If you can answer all of these questions you are known as an aware tumbler If you cannot answer these questions, work on focusing on each part of your tumbling, remembering to be kind to yourself and your growth! From now on when you walk into the cheer gym, be aware, think positively, and just breathe. Tell yourself you can do it!
ADVICE COLUMN
NEW TO CHEER
Don’t take yourself too seriously. Cheerleading is supposed to be fun!
Stay positive, even when things get tough. A good attitude can change the whole vibe of practice
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Everyone was new once, and we’re here to help you!
I always tell my cheerleader to enjoy the journey. Cherish every practice and competition because one day you’ll look back and miss it.
Looking back, I wish I had savored each moment more. Cherish every practice and every competition. These years will fly by, so soak it all in and build lasting friendships along the way.
Don’t forget to celebrate the small wins. Every improvement counts, no matter how minor it may seem
Mistakes happen; it’s part of the process. But what’s important is reflecting and learning from them. Don’t dwell on things you can’t control.
For bases: Communication is key in stunts. Always let your partner know what you need from them! Don’t be afraid of hurting their feelings as long as you are saying things nicely
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