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cheercoachmagazine.com COMPETITION ISSUE 2010
• See Page 50 •
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____ aching:_ ____________ _ Number of Years Co ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ _________ ________________ _____________________ _____________________ ___ ___ ___ ___ _ y:_ Cit Nominee’s Name:_ ___ _ ______________ _____________________ _____________________ __________ Phone:_____ ___ ___ _ :_ Zip Address:______________ _ ___ __ ___ ___ ______ _________ _____________________ _____________________ me of Program:______ Na State:_______________ _ ___ ___ ___ ___ _____________________ h. Email:_________________ Ultimate Primus Coac ____________ why this person is the us l tel e as ple , _____________________ es ___ nc ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ In a few short sente ___ _______________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ ___ ___ ___ _____________________ ___ ___ ___ ___ ______ _________ ___ _____________________ _____________________ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ _____________________ ___ _______________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ ___ ___ ___ _____________________ ___ ___ ___ ______ IMUS COACH. _____________________ al for the ULTIMATE PR du _____________________ ivi ind d ne tio en ng for the above-m I am nominating/voti correct and accurate. By filling out this form, , all the information is ge led ow kn my of st to the be ____________________ I am also stating that, _____ Email:_________ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Cell Phone:_ _____________________ .com, Your Name:___________ cheercoachmagazine emailed to heather@ e, zin ga ma ch oa erc de online at www.che Nominations can be ma is 5/31/2010. line for nominations ad De 6. 15 3-1 75 1) or faxed to (56
TableofContents
features 16
cover story
EVERY CHEER COACH Endless Hours, Extreme Dedication and Little Recognition The Life of a Cheer Coach by Valerie Ninemire
36
SPECIAL FEATURE
by Pam Headridge
Negative Press for Cheerleading Unfair
43
NETWORKING FOR COACHES
Cheer Forum of America
by Margie Willis
48
choreography central
Hire a Choreographer or Do It Yourself?
by Patrick and Katy Fogarty
50
BUSINESS BUILDERS
by Sheila Noone
Varsity Brand Competition Companies
COMPETITION ISSUE 2010 Volume 7, Number 1
departments 6
letter
10
in the know School, Rec and All-Star Happenings
12
stunting sequence Cartwheel Dismount by Pam Headridge
22
coaching fundamentals The Mental Game of Competitions by Pamela Enders, Ph.D.
25
competition calendar Pull-Out Section—NEW! Sponsored by Traveling Teams
34
coaches corner Breaking Free of Mental Blocks by Debbie Love
38
Coaches sound off—Q & A How Do You Select a Competition? Sponsored by Spring Tumbling
42
cheer boutique—NEW!
52
classified ads
48
CHEER COACH & ADVISOR is published by Van Publishing Co., 2319 FM 1794 W, Beckville, TX 75631. Unsolicited material should be accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Views expressed herein by authors of articles contributed to CHEER COACH & ADVISOR magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher accepts no responsibility for their accuracy or completeness. Reproduction of materials in whole or part is prohibited without express permission. Copyright 2010, CHEER COACH & ADVISOR magazine. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CHEER COACH & ADVISOR, 2319 FM 1794 W, Beckville, TX 75631. Subscription rates: $29.00 per year; $4.95 single copy.
4
Ch eer Coach & Advi sor H COMPETIT ION is s u e 2010
Experience the Cheer Ltd Spirit
* OCTOBER 3 - Newport News, VA 10 - Hampton, VA 17 - Fayetteville, NC 31 - Spring Lake, NC
JANUARY (cont’d) 23 - Fredericksburg, VA 23 - Columbia, KY 30 - Knoxville, TN * 31 - Ft Wayne, IN
NOVEMBER 14 - Louisville, KY 21 - Shreveport, LA *
FEBRUARY 7 - Richmond, VA * 13 - Rocky Mount, NC
DECEMBER 5 - Fayetteville, NC * 6 - Berea, KY 6 - Pittsburgh, PA
Dates still to be determined in...
JANUARY 9 - Wake Forest, NC 10 - Elmwood Park, IL 16 - East Stroudsburg, PA 16 - Skiatook, OK 16 - Asheville, NC
Augusta, GA Greensboro, NC St. Louis, MO * Hartford, CT Toms River, NJ Atlanta, GA Madison, WI Indianapolis, IN Trenton, NJ * Des Moines, IA Nashville, TN * Morganfield, KY Norfolk, VA Rochester, NY Atlanta, GA Campbellsville, KY Cookeville, TN Upper Marlboro, MD * Akron/Youngstown, OH Philadelphia, PA
SLetter Is No News Really Good News?
W
Web site
www.cheercoachmagazine.com Editorial
e know you have heard the saying, “no news is good news” but is that really true? It does appear to be true in our industry, because when there is news about cheerleading it is always derogatory or negative and when there is good news in cheerleading, there is no coverage. But, we ask you, is that the way it should be? We don’t think so, do you? If all we get is bad press, then what are we doing wrong? Where are we lacking as far as getting the word out about all the positive things in cheerleading? We wanted to open this discussion because Pam Headridge wrote an article in this issue named, “Negative Press Unfair” (see page 36) and it got us thinking how right she is about the situation. “No news is good news” doesn’t work for us. We need positive news to be good news in cheerleading. Keep in mind that by identifying a problem you are only half way to solving it. And so, we’d like to open a forum/discussion on the other half—how do we change it? Who has the most invested in our industry? Isn’t it you, the coaches and company owners? It’s great that we all say we have a passion for the sport and how it influences young people in positive ways, but what good are the words without the actions? We need to start standing up for cheerleading. If we see a negative article or telecast, we need to rebut it with all the positive things that cheerleading offers and more importantly, the real facts. Of course, that is only being reactive and we think we should start being proactive. To that goal, we believe we need to start sending the good news into all media outlets and not just the cheerleading media. We need an onslaught of positive press releases sent to every publication, all the time. These are just our thoughts and we’d love it if you’d share yours by sending them to Valerie@cheercoachmagazine.com. From there, perhaps we can get this discussion started and find a viable solution. The athletes we represent deserve this and so do you, the coaches, athletic directors, advisors and gym owners.
editor Valerie Ninemire 2319 FM 1794 W, Beckville, TX 75631 (903) 678-1113 Fax: (903) 678-1126 valerie@cheercoachmagazine.com ART DIRECTOR Nancy Kumpulainen nancy@cheercoachmagazine.com
national sales publisher Heather Portnoy (317) 679-4499 heather@cheercoachmagazine.com Account ExecutiveS Megan Ninemire (903) 452-2942 megan@cheercoachmagazine.com Tracey Seberg (561) 723-2877 tracey@cheercoachmagazine.com
administration 2319 FM 1794 W Beckville, TX 75631 (903) 678-1113 Fax: (903) 678-1126 CFO W. Zachary Ninemire
Cheers, The staff at Cheer Coach & Advisor magazine
INTERNET DIRECTOR Richard M. Haynie production nancy@cheercoachmagazine.com
For subscription information
Valerie Ninemire
Heather Portnoy
Megan Ninemire
Tracey Seberg
Editor
PUBLISHER
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
editorial advisory board Debbie Bracewell: Executive Director, NCSSE – AL Cindy Clough: Co-Owner and Director, Just for Kix – MN Coach Wayne Evans: Coach, Author and Publisher – GA Pam Headridge: Head Coach, Oak Harbor H.S. – WA Gwen Holtsclaw: Founder and President, Cheer LTD – NC Susan Loomis: Spirit Liaison, National Federation of State High School Associations – IN
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Jim Lord: Executive Director, AACCA Lisa Moroski: National Cheer & Dance Commissioner, Pop Warner – PA Elaine Pascale: CEO, World Cup All Stars, NACCC – NJ Tammy VanVleet: Golden State Spirit Assoc. (GSSA) – CA Lance Wagers: Founder, ACA – TX Jeff Webb: Founder and CEO of Varsity Brands – TN
call (903) 678-1113 fax (903) 678-1126 e-mail info@cheercoachmagazine.com or mail inquiries to: Cheer Coach & Advisor Subscriber Services 2319 FM 1794 W • Beckville, TX 75631 Change of address For uninterrupted delivery of your magazine, please notify us four weeks prior to your move. missing/damaged issues We will gladly replace these issues, inventory permitting. Please notify us of missing or damaged issues within 60 days.
Ch eer Coach & Advi sor H COMPETIT ION ISS U E 2010
AMERICHEER & AMERIDANCE
iCHEER. iDANCE. iCELEBRATE WITH AMERICHEER.
NOVEMBER 14�15, 2009
Greater Columbus Convention Center Columbus, OH Qualifying events for: Winter Open National Championship February 13-14, 2010 Greater Columbus Convention Center Columbus, OH
Ohio Championship December 13, 2009 Otterbein College Westerville, OH
Pacific Coast Open National Championship February 14, 2010 Knott’s Berry Farm Buena Park, CA
New Year Championship January 3, 2010 Twin River Casino Lincoln, RI
Great Lakes Open National Championship April 11, 2010 Navy Pier Chicago, IL Pittsburgh Pirates Championship September 26, 2009 PNC Park Pittsburgh, PA Niagara Falls Championship November 21, 2009 Buffalo Niagara Convention Center Buffalo, NY Holiday Lights Championship December 5 or 6, 2009 St. Peter’s College Jersey City, NJ Southern Heritage Championship December 5, 2009 Charleston Convention Center Charleston, SC
Music City Championship January 16, 2010 Gentry Center – Tennessee State Univ. Nashville, TN Sundance Championship January 16, 2010 Layton High School Layton, UT Winter Wonderland Championship January 16 & 17, 2010 Kalahari Resort Sandusky, OH Spirit Wave Championship February 6, 2010 Kalahari Resort Wisconsin Dells, WI March Madness Championship March 6, 2010 Pickerington North High School Pickerington, OH Three Rivers Championship March 13, 2010 Hampton High School Allison Park, PA
MARCH 19�21, 2010
VISIT WWW.AMERICHEER.COM OR CALL 800-966-JUMP FOR MORE INFORMATION
Media Partnership Cheer Channel Inc., Cheer Coach & Advisor and Cheer Leader Magazine Partner Cheer Channel Inc. (CCI), Cheer Coach and Advisor (CCA), and The Cheer Leader Magazine (CLM) have announced a joint partnership and strategic alliance that will serve to reach all markets within the cheerleading and dance communities. Under the structured deal, the three media companies will cross-promote platforms, content and media as well as expand its reach to serve all markets around the world. You can learn more at their Web sites: www.cheerchannel.com www.cheercoachmagazine.com www.thecheerleadermagazine.com
UPA—You’re Invited 02/19/2010 Purple Party Invitation UPA announces it’s holding an exclusive Purple Party this year at the AmeriCup Cheer & Dance Championship in Minneapolis on February 19, 2010. UPA encourages all attendees to come decked out in purple from head to toe. The Purple Party will have plenty of Contests and Prizes throughout the evening. So, pull out all the stops and bring all your purple wear with you to the AmeriCup. Contact info@upainc.net to be included on the exclusive guest list.
PInTheKnow
School, Recreational & All-Star Happenings
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New Cheerleading Web Site America’s Leaders Launches CheerleadingInfoCenter.com
Well-Prepared Coach Launches New Products
CheerleadingInfoCenter.com provides a complete library of cheerleading skills but also wants to inspire you and help you become your BEST with daily updates and a vast library of current topics. For more info visit www.cheerleadinginfocenter.com or email Valerie Stutt at: Valerie@AmericasLeaders.net
The Well-Prepared Coach announces the launch of its new product: Cheerleading Certificates and Coaching Forms. The product enables cheerleader coaches to recognize cheerleaders, coaches, and parents with designer certificates and communicate to cheerleaders and others with coach’s handouts. Cheerleading Certificates and Coaching Forms includes 25 certificates and coaching forms printable with various designs in a downloadable PDF file that works on PCs or Macs. Coaches may customize these forms by adding cheerleaders’ names and words of praise to the certificates, or, incorporate their team name and specific details on the coaching forms. Priced at $14.99, the product can be purchased at www.thewellpreparedcoach.com.
Ch eer Coach & Advi sor H competi tion ISS U E 2010
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ADCH1909
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Cartwheel Dismount ..
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By Pam Headridge
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etting in and out of a stunt is as important as the building of it. This cartwheel dismount is a visual way to descend out of a pyramid. This dismount includes two stunt groups: a shoulder sit and a heel stretch. The stunt can be performed from a fully extended stretch or hitch, but for teaching purposes, it is photographed from a shoulder-level pyramid. This series needs six people: two flyers, one back spotter, and three bases. Demonstrating the stunt is Courtney Tuttle, Beckie White, Julian White, Meghan Rikard, Willysha Shaw and Jessie Gulizia. In order to master this dismount, the cheerleaders must have a good understanding of building a shoulder sit and a one-leg stunt. Your flyer must also have the ability to execute a cartwheel.
Step 1 Starting position: • Flyer #1 has her right foot in the two bases’ hands. Her left leg is extended straight with her left foot in the second Flyer’s left hand. Her arms are in a “high V” position. • Primary and Secondary Bases hold the flyer at shoulder level. Notice that the Primary Base positions her hands around the heel and toe of the Flyer’s foot. The Secondary Base sandwiches her hands around the center of the foot. • Back Spotter supports the flyer by lifting up her ankle and calf. • Flyer #2, in the shoulder sit, faces to the front as she supports the other Flyer’s left calf and ankle.
Step 2 • Flyer #1 maintains a tight, squared body throughout the descend to the ground. • Primary and Secondary Bases slowly lower Flyer #1 to the floor. Timing is key to the success of this dismount. Both Bases need to bend together. Remember to al12
1 Ch eer Coach & Advi sor H COMPETIT ION ISS U E 2010
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ways perform stunts to counts so that the movements are synchronized. • Back Spotter maintains contact with the Flyer’s ankle while her left hand slide up her thigh during the lowering process. She must kneel to the floor with the same timing as the Bases. • Flyer #2 keeps the leg of Flyer #1 extended outward. She releases her own legs from under the Shoulder Sit Base’s arms in order to be able to stand on the floor. • Shoulder Sit Base kneels to the ground and leans forward in order for her Flyer to place her feet on the floor. (Figure 2a)
3 Step 3 • Flyer #1 steps to the floor with her left foot as the Shoulder Sit Flyer releases her leg. • Primary and Secondary Bases maintain contact with the Flyer’s right foot. Secondary Base must step slightly backward in order for the Flyer to step down on her left foot. • Back Spotter continues to support the Flyer’s right leg. • Flyer #2, as she stands on the ground, lowers the other Flyer’s left leg to the ground. • Shoulder Sit Base steps back from under the Flyer #2.
Step 4 • Flyer #1 cartwheels to her left. • Primary and Secondary Bases assist 14
2
2a
4 with the cartwheel by pushing the Flyer’s right leg upward. The Flyer needs to be inverted as they release her foot. • Back Spotter assists with the movement by following through on the release. • Flyer #2 steps backward out of the way of Flyer # 1. • Shoulder Sit Base moves backward out of the way of Flyer #2. Walk through the stunt without the Flyers to perfect the timing. As always, practice on a matted surface with extra spotters for safety. Key points to remember are the Flyer must maintain a straight, locked body position through the descend; all the Bases must kneel together at the same time; and the Secondary Base, the Shoulder Sit Base and Flyer # 2 must step backward in order for Flyer #1 to execute her cartwheel.
Happy and safe stunting! H Pam Headridge is currently in her 15th year as the head coach of the nationally ranked Oak Harbor High School Wildcat cheerleaders. She has been honored as National Cheerleading Coach of the Year, National Federation Interscholastic Spirit Association Section 8 Coach of the Year and Washington State Cheerleading Coach of the Year. Pam is a widely respected presenter who travels the country speaking on numerous topics concerning cheerleading and coaching. She has eight cheerleading training videos on the market and is co-author of a recently published cheerleading book, “Develop a Successful Cheerleading Program.”
Ch eer Coach & Advi sor H COMPETIT ION ISS U E 2010
SCoverStory
By Valerie Ninemire
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Ch eer Coach & Advi sor H COMPETITION is s u e 2010
CoverStory
F
or going on six years now, we’ve featured specific coaches on our cover and then it finally dawned on us that we’ll never be able to recognize everyone that deserves to be highlighted. And no, it’s not that we don’t think we’ll be around that long. It’s just that when you factor in all the new coaches coming into the industry and then subtract out those retiring and those few bad seeds, there is still a high number of coaches that are worthy of a cover story each year and we will never have enough issues to give everyone the acknowledgement they warrant. So, this is our unique way of telling all of you that we realize what you do, we admire you, we commend you for your efforts and we think you’re the best. Sure, we imagine that some of you are saying “not everyone is good enough to be a cover”, but then we ask “what exactly is the criteria to be an outstanding coach?” Do you have to have tons of titles, trophies and publicity to be an exceptional coach? Or can that little program in the backwoods of wherever, with a coach that has dedicated his or her whole adult life to young people qualify? - We think he or she can. Our requirements for an outstanding coach include honor, integrity, dedication, perseverance, and a love of cheerleading. An outstanding coach in our eyes is one that is a role model and that not only teaches life’s lessons, but lives by them. Granted of the over 20,000 coaches that may be reading this, we feel sure there may be one or two of you that don’t deserve this article. But, you know what? We are also pretty sure there are thousands of you that do. And it is for you that we are writing this article. Regardless of whether you are a volunteer coach or gym owner, an advisor or a choreographer, if you work with young people, you are special to us. We realize that it’s not uncommon for you, the cheer coach, to wear many hats. You’re a mentor, a teacher, a friend, a confident, a business person, a nurse and sometimes even a babysitter. You dedicate endless hours to your program and team for very little thanks. You deal with parents, you settle disputes, and you try to encourage your students while also constructively critiquing them. Most of you balance a whole other life while doing all this. The majority of you are young to middle age women (sorry men), with families and “real” jobs to help 17
CoverStory pay your bills. You struggle with the same problems we all have, yet you take your time to work with the future of our country and to help form their lives in a positive fashion. You try to instill self confidence and self worth. You teach them to be leaders and to follow rules. You educate them about body imaging and the importance of staying fit. You train with them, you practice with them and you cheer them on from the sidelines while they perform. Your heart breaks when they are defeated and it warms when they succeed. You feel their failures as your own and take pride in all their accomplishments though you probably rarely take credit for them. Amazingly, most of you go into this profession with your eyes wide open; you’ve been a cheerleader, you know what to expect and still you do it anyway. We’re certain it’s not the money that draws you in either. It’s like an unexplainable phenomenon. You think you chose cheerleading, but at times it feels like it chose you. It consumes you, it’s not just a part of your life; it is your life.
“You feel their failures as your own and take pride in all their accomplishments though you probably rarely take credit for them.” So, who are you and exactly what kind of person would willingly decide to be a cheer coach? Well, in our experience, it’s very likely you’re friendly, outgoing and a very positive person. Your glass is always half full and never half empty. If given lemons, there is no doubt you’d make lemonade and sell it for your squad’s fundraising efforts. You don’t require that the spotlight to be on you, but you won’t shy away from it either. You’re a loyal friend and the kind of person anyone would want on their side. You’re enthusiastic and people can see it in your actions and on your face. You might be a tad dramatic but in a very good sense. You’re
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hardworking, devoted and you know that there are consequences for your actions. When you falter, you won’t just lie down, rollover or give up. Instead, you get up, brush yourself off and go again. You look at a failure or a mistake as a learning lesson and once the lesson is over, you move on. You don’t dwell on the past either. It’s not that you possess any special powers, although people might think you do. It’s more of an attitude kind of thing. You’re confident. You know yourself and you know that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. If you believe in it, then you know you can achieve it. You are special, you are worthy, you are our cover, and you deserve it! H
Ch eer Coach & Advi sor H COMPETITION is s u e 2010
T H E S I Z E O F T H E M AT I S N OT W H AT M A K E S I T T H E B I G G E S T S T A G E I N C H E E R. In fact, the stage at an NCA Championship isn’t any bigger than the gym floor your squads practice on everyday. But with an opportunity to compete against the most elite squads from all across the country, in a professionally run, exciting, and unforgettable event, the experience doesn’t get any greater. Bring out the very best in your team. Bring them to the next NCA Championship. Register today at nca.varsity.com or call 1-800.NCA.2WIN.
Simply the Best
K&K Insurance Group Launches www.gymnasticsinsurance-kk.com K&K Insurance Group, Inc. announces the launch of a new web site to provide on-line quoting and binding capabilities for gymnastics schools and cheer gyms. The new web site is simple to use and provides an option to purchase coverage immediately using a credit card. K&K, a leading provider of sports, leisure and entertainment insurance programs, is a key supplier of coverage to the sports and recreation industry and is pleased to offer this innovative design for our clients’ convenience. The website can be found at www.gymnasticsinsurance-kk.com. For more information, call K&K Insurance toll-free at 800-648-6406.
USASF Chairman’s Cup 2010 The Search has begun to Recognize Giving Back The U. S. All-Star Federation will award the second annual Chairman’s Cup in 2010. The Chairman’s Cup; Community Service Award was designed to highlight the good and faithful efforts of cheerleaders and dancers who lead by volunteer work and philanthropy. AllStar Gyms will submit pictures, press release and a news article or broadcast. A selected committee will review submissions to acknowledge 5 nominees and award the gyms whose community service project made the largest impact. For more information, please visit ww.usasf.net.
PInTheKnow
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School, Recreational & All-Star Happenings
Ch eer Coach & Advi sor H competi tion ISS U E 2010
9-27-09
Six Flags Scrimmage Atlanta, GA • Six Flags Over Georgia
12-13-09
Pittsburgh Grand Championship Pittsburgh, PA • David L. Lawrence Conv. Center
2-28-10
Lexington Grand Championship Lexington, KY • Lexington Convention Center
10-24-09
Nashville Grand Championship Nashville, TN • Nashville Municipal Auditorium
12-13-09
Oklahoma Grand Championship Norman, OK • Lloyd Noble Center
2-28-10
Northern California Grand Championship Stockton, CA • University of the Pacific
11-1-09
Columbus Grand Championship Columbus, OH • Greater Columbus Conv. Center
12-13-09
Orlando Grand Championship Kissimmee, FL • Osceola Heritage Park
3-6/7-10
Kansas City Grand Championship Kansas City, MO • Independence Events Center
11-1-09
Atlanta Grand Championship Atlanta, GA • Gwinnett Arena
12-12/13-09 Philadelphia Grand Championship Philadelphia, PA • Temple University
3-7-10
Denver Grand Championship Denver, CO • Denver Convention Center
11-8-09
Indianapolis Grand Championship Indianapolis, IN • Indianapolis Conv. Center
1-16-10
Little Rock Grand Championship Little Rock, AR • University of Arkansas LR
3-14-10
Dallas Grand Championship Garland, TX • Garland Special Events Center
11-8-09
Raleigh Grand Championship Raleigh, NC • Raleigh Convention Center
1-17-10
Mobile Grand Championship Mobile, AL • Mobile Convention Center
3-28-10
Birmingham Grand Championship Birmingham, AL • Birmingham Jefferson Conv. Center
11-15-09
Richmond Grand Championship Richmond, VA • Richmond Coliseum
1-24-10
OWN THE DOME Atlanta, GA • Georgia Dome
4-11-10
Jacksonville Grand Championship Jacksonville, FL • Prime Osborne Conv. Center
11-22-09
Charlotte Grand Championship Charlotte, NC • Cabarrus Arena
2-20-10
Phoenix Grand Championship Phoenix, AZ • Phoenix Convention Center
4-16-10
Individual and Stunt Group National Championship Ft Lauderdale, FL • Broward County Conv. Center
12-6-09
Houston Grand Championship Houston, TX • George R Brown Conv. Center
2-21-10
Springfield Grand Championship Springfield, MA • MassMutual Center
4-17-18-10 Florida Finale * (2-day championship) Ft Lauderdale, FL • Broward County Conv. Center
12-6-09
Columbia Grand Championship Columbia, SC • Columbia Convention Center
2-21-10
Southern California Grand Championship Irvine, CA • UC-Irvine
12-6-09
Birmingham Grand Championship Birmingham, AL • Birmingham Jefferson Conv. Center
2-28-10
Chicago Grand Championship Chicago, IL • UIC Pavilion
SCoachingFundamentals The Mental Game of Competitions By Pamela Enders, Ph.D.
I
t’s no secret that many pro athletes and virtually all Olympic athletes use strategies developed by sport psychologists to enhance their performances. As a matter of fact, sport psychologists say that anywhere from 50 – 90% of success in high level sports is attributed to mental factors. Cheerleaders can also benefit from the mental game techniques used by the pros —especially in preparing for competitions. In addition to the technical or physical preparation, it is recommended that cheer coaches add mental preparation which entails training the mind and body to do what the athlete wants at the time of performance. There are many mental game strategies available including techniques designed to change maladaptive thinking patterns, control excessive physiological activation, sharpen focus and minimize distractibility, reduce anxiety, and many more. Perhaps one of the best known techniques is visualization. This process has been subjected to extensive research which happily supports the belief that it works! Visualization or imagery literally alters the physical state of the brain at a microscopic level. When you visualize something, the brain doesn’t distinguish between something real versus something imaginary. The brain experiences them as one and the same; not only that, the brain isn’t just passively observing, it’s creating new neural connections each time you visualize something. In other words you are changing your brain. Why is this helpful? Because you’re in the driver’s seat. You’re in charge. You are creating the brain you want—a brain that will respond the way you want it to. But—to be effective, it’s important to do it right. And here’s how: • Sit in a quiet place, eyes closed, and notice your breath. • Exhale slowly several times. 22
• Use your out-breath to relax, to let go. • Scan your body with your mind’s eye, noticing any tension and releasing it with your out-breath. • Resume focus on your out-breath, letting go, relaxing. • With your mind’s eye, see yourself in your performance situation, performing exactly as you want to perform (ideal performance state). • See and feel yourself with as much detail as possible. • Include details of the competition environment including the lights, noise, crowds, in your visualization. • When your ideal state is reached, say your cue word/phrase to yourself. • Repeat over and over to strengthen the connection.
This should be practiced at least 20 – 30 times prior to a competition. It can be included with any practice session and need not take longer than 10 – 15 minutes. The cue word is essential because at the time of the competition, the cheerleader uses that power word to reconnect with his or her ideal performance state. It is a message to the brain and body to perform in the way the cheerleader wants. Visualization boosts a cheerleader’s confidence and ensur es that the competition performance matches the best practice performance! H Pamela Enders, known as Doctor Pam, is a psychologist and mental game coach and is a faculty member of Harvard Medical School. She is the author of The Mental Game of Cheerleading: Training for Competitions and The Mental Game of Cheerleading: Tryouts! Her Web site is www. confidentcheerleadingblog.com.
Ch eer Coach & Advi sor H COMPETITION is s u e 2010
Dayton, OH Nov. 7, 2009 Baton Rouge, LA Nov. 14, 2009 N New Orleans, LA D ec 5, 2009 Dec. C ha h Charlotte, NC Dec Dec. 12, 2009 Mob M o Mobile, AL JJan 9, 2010 N ew w Or New Orleans, LA Ja a 17, 2010 Jan. Lov L Lo e Loveland, CO Jan Jan. 23, 2010 Tu Tulsa, OK Ja Jan. 30, 200 S Spr Springfield, MA Fe e 7, 2010 Feb. S an n Marcos, TX San FFeb Feb. 14, 2010 S an Jose, CA a San Feb Feb. 21, 2010 H Her Hershey, PA Marc Mar March 6, 2010 N Nas sh Nashville, TN Mar March 20, 2010 St St. L Louis, MO April 11, 2010
This was the first time competing with this company. It was a stress-free and on time competition, it was fair and honest, and my team had a complete BALL! We will be attending this one again! Southern Elite AllStar Cheerleaders
It was one of the most fun competitions we have attended in the past 9 years! It felt like one big cheer party! I’ve already recommended this competition to two other programs. We’ll be back!
22 %
INCR in AttenEASE dance!
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We love the organization of your company as well as the fun atmosphere. Our athletes and families really enjoy how the competition & award ceremony involves everyone present. No matter what the outcome of how a team places, the day finishes with everybody smiling & happy! Tumble Cheer All-Stars
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24
Ch eer Coach & Advi sor H COMPETIT ION ISS U E 2010
JAN - mar 2010
Calendar Photo courtesy of Pac West Spirit Group
>>> Competition
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January 16
January 16
Oklahoma Regional Championships
Pride and Spirit Championships
Skiatook High School Skiatook, OK www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868
Monsignor Donovan High School, Toms River, NJ, USA 732-779-4566
January 16
West Milford HS Winter Invitational
January 16
Soffe NY Open Championships The Dome Arena at Fair & Expo www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868
West Milford High School West Milford, NJ 973-722-1780 January 16
January 16
Spirit Roundup Cheer and Dance Dayton Convention Center Dayton, OH www.ccecheer.com 877-85-CHEER
Queen of Peace High School Invitational Queen of Peace High School Gym North Arlington, NJ www.qphs.org 201-658-1869 January 16-17
January 16
Kansas City Nationals
Badger State Spirit Series
Kemper Arena Kansas City, MO 866-397-3034 www.championspiritgroup.com
Grafton HS, Grafton, WI www.americheer.com 800-966-JUMP
JANuary 2010 January 9
Mardi Gras Nationals Mobile Civic Center Mobile, AL http://mardigrasspiritevents.com/ 800-408-4858
January 16 January 10
Chicago Regional Championships Elmwood Park HS, Elmwood Park, IL www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868
Bay Area Unlimited Championship Tampa Convention Center Tampa, FL www.spiritunlimited.com 888-737-2221
Kalahari Resort Sandusky, OH www.americheer.com 800-966-JUMP January 17
January 16 January 10
January 16-17
Winter Wonderland Cheerleading and Dance Championship
Hackensack Cheer Challenge
January 9
Midwest Championship
New Year’s Classic Garland, TX www.unitedcheer.com 281-302-5321
Saint Xavier University Chicago, IL 866-397-3034 www.championspiritgroup.com
Hackensack High School Hackensack, NJ 201-674-0558
January 9
January 16
Triangle Regional Championships
Tri-State Regional Championships
Heavy Hitters Open Championship
Heritage HS Wake Forest, NC www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868
East Stroudsburg North HS Bushkill, PA www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868
Wisconsin Regional Championships University of WI - La Crosse La Crosse, WI www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868
Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, NJ www.thecoastalcorporation.com Ph: 866-946-2232
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“P Ca ul le l O nd ut ar ”
January 16
Pull pages 25 – 32 to keep Calendar 25
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January 17
January 17
January 17
Wilmington Regional Championships
The Exit 82 Cheer Championship
Wilmington College Wilmington, OH www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868
The Ritacco Center Toms River, NJ www.JerseyShoreCC.com
Delmarva Winter Splash Open Championship
January 17
New Year’s Cheer Challenge
January 17
New Year Open Championship San Marcos, TX www.unitedcheer.com 281-302-5321
Wicomico Civic Center Salisbury, MD www.cheeranddanceextreme.com 888-482-4337 January 17
Monroe Township High School Cheer Classic
Highland High School Blackwood, NJ GTGAA/Highland 856-227-3083
Monroe Township High School Monroe Township, NJ http://leaguelineup.com/ monroefalconscheer 732-251-4329
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Roxbury High School Succasunna, NJ www.freewebs.com/roxburycheer 973-584-1200 January 17
PLRYO First Annual Cheerleading Competition Pompton Lakes High School Pompton Lakes, NJ PLRYO Recreation 973-296-6451 January 17
Bergen Cheer Fest 2010 Bergen County Academies Hackensack, NJ Bergen Tech Boosters 201-264-6611 January 23 Photo courtesy of ChampionImagesPhotography.com
Protecting your organization from liability claims is important–and K&K Insurance can help. You can count on K&K for great service and coverage developed specifically for cheer gyms, coaches, and events.
Competition Calendar
January 17
Roxy Rumble 2010
Land of the Sky Regional Championships Spring Floor for All Stars Erwin HS Asheville, NC www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868
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Competition Calendar
Contact Bret 866-468-3628 ext.814
January 23
January 23
January 23
January 24
Virginia Regional Championships Spring Floor for All Stars
Salt Water Championship
8th Annual Bears Invitational Competition
Memorial Spirit Series
Riverbend HS Fredericksburg, VA www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868 January 23
Southern Kentucky Regional Championships Adair County HS Columbia, KY www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868 January 23
WSA’s Dixieland Classic BJCC Arena, Birmingham, AL www.wsacheer.com 800-532-4337
28
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Pensacola Civic Center Pensacola, FL, www.greatlakesspirit.com 866-FIRE-U-UP
David Brearley HS Kenilworth, NJ http://bearscheerleading.org 908-499-2245
January 23
Mile High Challenge
January 23
Columbine HS Littleton, CO www.americheer.com 800-966-JUMP
11th Annual Park Ridge Cheerleading Championships
January 23
Park Ridge HS Park Ridge, NJ 201-523-1581
Steel City Challenge Montour HS McKees Rock, PA www.americheer.com 800-966-JUMP
Dublin Jerome HS Dublin, OH www.americheer.com 800-966-JUMP January 24
Xpress Brands/ All Star Challenge Sweetheart Classic Greensboro Coliseum Greensboro, NC http://spiritxpress.varsity.com 877-997-9599 January 24
January 23
Extreme Winter Open Championship Toyota Arena York Fairgrounds York, PA www.cheeranddanceextreme.com 888-482-4337
Louisiana Open Championship Bossier City, LA www.unitedcheer.com 281-302-5321
Ch eer Coach & Advi sor H COMPETITION ISS U E 2010
Our team takes care of hotel reservations
so your team can take care of the game.
January 24
January 31
February 7
Garden State Classic
Indiana Regional Championships Spring Floor for All Stars
Soffe Missouri Open Championships
Raritab High School Hazlet, NJ www.ecaeda.com 434-447-4398 January 24
Winter Championship Brookdale Community College Lincroft, NJ www.cheertech.net 866-52-CHEER
Bishop Dwenger HS Ft Wayne, IN www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868
FEBRuary 2010 February 6
January 30
Texas Open Championship Pasadena, TX www.unitedcheer.com 281-302-5321
Spirit Wave Cheerleading and Dance Championship Kalahari Resort Wisconsin Dells, WI www.americheer.com 800-966-JUMP
Chaifetz Arena St. Louis, MO www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868
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Soffe Virginia Open Championships Siegel Center-VCU Richmond, VA www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868
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January 30
Soffe Tennessee Open Championships The Knoxville Coliseum Knoxville, TN www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868 January 30
Connecticut Regional Championships Brien McMahon HS Norwalk, CT www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868
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January 30
Xpress Brands/ All Star Challenge
Photo courtesy of AmeriCheer and Universal Event Photo
NCCCA States Winston Salem, NC http://spiritxpress.varsity.com 877-997-9599 January 31
The First State Open Championship Bob Carpenter Center at UD Newark, DE www.cheeranddanceextreme.com 888-482-4337
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29
Competition Calendar
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February 13
February 20
February 20-21
February 27
Maryland Madness Open Championship
Orange Beach National
All Star Challenge’s King of the Jungle
Soffe Northern Open Championships
The Show Place Arena Upper Marlboro, Maryland www.cheeranddanceextreme.com 888-482-4337
The Wharf, Orange Beach, AL http://cheertech.net/ 866-52-CHEER
Greensboro Convention Center Greensboro, NC 877-997-9599 http://allstarchallenge.varsity.com
The Show Place Arena Upper Marlboro, MD www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868
February 13
National Championship
February 20
NC Wesleyan Regional Championships NC Wesleyan College Rocky Mount, NC www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868 February 13-14
Super Nationals McCormick Place Chicago, IL 866-397-3034 www.championspiritgroup.com
Huntsville Area, AL www.xtremespirit.com 888-762-3296 February 20
Cookeville Regional Championships Cookeville HS Cookeville, TN www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868 February 20
February 13-14
Beast of the East Winter Nationals Connecticut Convention Center Hartford, CT www.spiritcheer.com 888-716-2287 February 13-14
Winter Open National Championship
Coastal Regional Championships Norfolk, VA www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868
February 20-21
February 27
Wisconsin Dells National & College Championship
Soffe Mid-Atlantic Championships
Kalahari® Resorts Wisconsin Dells, WI 866-397-3034 www.championspiritgroup.com
Sovereign Bank Arena Trenton, NJ www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868 February 27
February 21
Mid Atlantic Open Championship Stuart C. Siegel Center at VCU Richmond, VA www.cheeranddanceextreme.com 888-482-4337
Xpress Brands/All Star Challenge Regional Ledford High School Thomasville, NC http://spiritxpress.varsity.com 877-997-9599 February 28
February 21
Steel City Regional Championships Spring Floor for All Stars Robert Morris University Moon Township, PA www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868
Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL 866-397-3034 www.championspiritgroup.com
Photo courtesy of CHEERSPORT Nationals 2009 / Photo by Universal Event Photography
Greater Columbus Convention Center Columbus, OH www.americheer.com 800-966-JUMP
Prairie State Championship
February 14
Pacific Coast Open National Championship Knott’s Berry Farm Buena Park, CA www.americheer.com 800-966-JUMP
Event holders book your event hotels through us and receive: $ Sponsorship $ Free Night $ Real Time Tracking $
Contact Bret 866-468-3628 ext.814
!
Competition Calendar March 2010 March 6
Xpress Brands/All Star Challenge Regional
Contact Bret 866-468-3628 ext.814
March 6-7
March 19-20
Indianapolis Nationals
Nationals at CANAM
Indiana Convention Center Indianapolis, IN 866-397-3034 www.championspiritgroup.com
Broughton HS Raleigh, NC http://spiritxpress.varsity.com 877-997-9599
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Myrtle Beach Convention Center Myrtle Beach, SC www.cheerltd.com 800-477-8868 March 20-21
March Madness Cheerleading and Dance Championship
Clash of the Titans
Three Rivers Cheerleading and Dance Championship
Prime Osborn Convention Center Jacksonville, FL 877-997-9599 http://allstarchallenge.varsity.com
Hampton HS, Allison Park, PA www.americheer.com 800-966-JUMP
Centerburg HS, Centerburg, OH www.americheer.com 800-966-JUMP
March 14
Windy City Challenge Mundelein HS Mundelein, IL 866-397-3034 www.championspiritgroup.com
March 21
Gateway Challenge University of Missouri St. Louis, MO 866-397-3034 www.championspiritgroup.com
Photo courtesy of ChampionImagesPhotography.com
March 6
March 13
2009 – 2010 Competition Schedule November 21, 2009 - Classic Competition
Corsicana, Texas
December 5, 2009 - Open Championship
Nacogdoches, Texas
December 13, 2009 - Open Championship
Katy, Texas
January 9, 2010 - Classic Competition
Garland, Texas
January 17, 2010 - Open Championship
San Marcos, Texas
January 24, 2010 - Open Championship
Bossier City, LA
January 30, 2010 - Open Championship (TEAMS ONLY)
Pasadena, Texas
INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP February 13, 2010 Moody Gardens Galveston, TX
CHEER & DANCE TEAM NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP February 13-14, 2010 Moody Gardens Galveston, TX
"Cheer All Day... Celebrate Mardi Gras at Night"
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PO Box 1770 � Sugar Land, Texas 77487 281-302-5321 � Fax 281-302-5324
32
Ch eer Coach & Advi sor H COMPETITION ISS U E 2010
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FoUndInG MeMBeRS
WeAre i ep.com QUeStIonS & InFoRMAtIon Colleen Little CheerAmerica WeAre i ep.com
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COACHES’
CORNER
T
he mental block is one of the most frustrating situations for both the athlete and the coach. Blocks are created by many factors. Sometimes a child who is young and has learned very quickly with no fear will realize, “Hey, I can get hurt.” When this happens, they will block. My youngest child learned up to a double full by the time she was six. When she was nine, she hurt her knee and it made her fearful until she realized that by conditioning specific areas, she was building up her body. Once she realized this, the fear of injury became less. Sometimes fear is caused by lack of progression. In cheerleading it is imperative that we master every step of every skill before moving on to the next skill. Doing so will create consistency in our performance. If the skill is inconsistent, the athlete does not feel the skill the same each time, allowing fear to set in. At other times, the athlete will fall, become nervous, and block. Other causes of blocks include being forced to do one more repetition when fatigued and just being a very easily distracted athlete who needs to learn focusing techniques. Many times there is simply too much outside stress in the athlete’s life. This can include school stress, such as too much pressure to perform well academically. It can include stress from a family conflict, such as a divorce, illness, or from the death
“Breaking Free” by Debbie Love
Usually tears result, which helps no one. An athlete with a true mental block cannot force his/her body to perform the skill, so negative comments or humiliations are not effective. The key to unlocking this mental imprisonment is positive repetition with good technique, mind focus training, and positive reinforcement. One way of handling the mental block in a group setting such as a cheerleading squad is to allow the athlete to do his/her tumbling separate from the group. This prevents intimidation by peers. If you have the luxury of having a person spot the athlete through the practice without the athlete feeling humiliated then the group may work well. It depends both on the team’s approach to its peers struggles and on the coach’s ability to maintain a positive attitude with that athlete. I have seen squads who were so positive with their teammate that group tumbling was a positive experience, but I have also seen it devastate an athlete. I believe one on one is much better with a younger child especially 6-8 years old. Mental blocks seem to become contagious with this age, whether driven by sympathy, empathy or just new awareness of fear. An important aspect of coaching that will prevent some mental blocks and aid in their recovery is the ability of the coach to find and respect the learning style of each of his/her athletes. This means as coaches we need to be able to teach our skills in at least 7 different ways: linguistic, math-
“Motivating athletes is an awesome responsibility and we must take it seriously.” of a family member. It can include stress as simple as coming back from a vacation, or a parent or coach pushing a skill too hard. Sometimes it is as simple as this is the only area over which the athlete retains any control in life and they exercise that control whether consciously or unconsciously. The worst approach to the mental block is, “There’s nothing wrong with you, you’re just stubborn” attitude. The coach says just do it and threatens the athlete with whatever can be held over his/her head. This in itself creates more stress and less production from the athlete’s body. 34
ematical, spatial, kinesthetic, rhythmic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. The following is a short explanation of each learning style: linguistic (one who learns through saying, hearing, and seeing words); mathematical (one who learns through categorizing, classifying and working with patterns, one who is analytical); spatial (one who learns by seeing the whole picture, loves visual pictures); kinesthetic (one who learns by feel or touch, these are always on the move); rhythmic (one who learns by use of music, counting or clapping); interpersonal (one who learns by working with
others, loves group learning, social butterflies); and intrapersonal (one who enjoys learning alone - one on one). Our goal as coaches should be to teach each athlete the way they can develop best and reach their maximum potential as athletes and as people. We are creating masterpieces one piece at a time, and we must make sure we are careful in our production not to create a flaw in the equipment. It takes ten positive comments to undo the effect of one negative comment. If athletes feel good about their abilities, they will exude confidence but if we tear down their self esteem with negative, inappropriate comments, then we have athletes who feel they are unable to succeed. This opens them to the formation and/or continuation of a mind block. Using the following steps to release the athlete from their block also gives them some very important tools to deal with any distraction or obstacle they will face as an adult; therefore, we are helping to develop life skills and good character traits for our athletes which should be our primary focus in sports. We all have vulnerable areas in our life that could benefit from this system of training. When we can look at ourselves and say it is OK to be less than perfect or to have a flaw we will be a lot farther in our maturation process as a person, coach or athlete. Motivating athletes is an awesome responsibility and we must take it seriously. We must have a plan in our teaching and realize that the child is like a lump of clay. We create an athlete and a person from that lump and in many cases you as a coach are the only positive influence in that athlete’s life. Remember every obstacle can be overcome by proper training. Learning to increase the efficiency of our minds to see and think about the skill we are performing allows our muscles to yield to the requests we ask of them. When we have a written and visual picture of what our body needs to do, talk positively and breed confidence in ourselves, this will strengthen our nervous system’s connection with the muscles in our body. The truth of the matter is if our body is strong and flexible in every area we have built a body that can always spring back. This leaves the mind
Ch eer Coach & Advi sor H COMPETITION ISS U E 2010
steps IN “Breaking Free” SYSTEM 1) Admit that it is acceptable to have a mental block and commit yourself to system for unlocking this imprisonment of your mind. 2) Remove all negative input and learn to understand the difference between tense and relaxed tone in your body. You may need to develop a ritual to do before your skills. Practice a relaxation technique by tightening and releasing each body part. 3) Commit to a conditioning program at least three times a week. It must be a complete fitness program for all areas of the body: Cardio/Plyometric, Balance/Stability, Upper Body, Lower Body, and Core. 4) Script each skill or series of skills using short action verbs to tell your body what to do. This trains your mind to focus on the skills, not on your fears. 5) You need to do 10-20 repetitions of every skill you are blocking on three times a week. Stopping is not allowed. Complete each series whether connected or not. Otherwise, you will train yourself to stop. Make sure technique is good on each skill. You may spot, or if the athlete will do the skill somewhere by herself with good technique, that is fine also. 6) Visualize 10-20 times a night the skills you are blocking on before falling asleep using the words from your scripting. Do this each night. 7) Journaling—You should get a notebook and record your goals (1 or 2 weeks at a time) and a plan on how to reach these goals. In addition to your goals, you should keep a record of your conditioning and daily thoughts. Depending on how severe the block is you could even set a daily goal. Make all goals reasonable, such as: Perform a skill 3 times without stopping. 8) Put a box somewhere that you pass frequently. Put paper and pen beside the box. Every time you pass the box you should write something positive about your tumbling and about yourself. This has even improved school work in several cases. 9) The coach, parent and athlete need to agree on a focus word like “stop” so that when the athlete hears the word he/she knows to bring his/her mind back into focus. This can be used at school, home, practice, or competition. You can also have some focal thoughts to pull your mind back into focus like “Relax,” “I am able to do this,” “No big deal, let’s go.” When you are able to control your emotions, your mind is able to direct.
to do what it does best—move the body in a more powerful way. So conditioning the body from the inside out and training the mind to relax and focus are the most important prerequisites for unlocking this imprisonment we call a “block.” These are examples of application of this system I have experienced: I have worked with many athletes the last 39 years. In every case where I used this system and the athlete committed to it, it has worked. There are many quitters out there who won’t commit to anything, but those that do will find success. I coached one girl who used this system. She would do nothing but a round off for 3 years. We worked for approximately 8 months almost daily. She now deals with her fears on a daily basis, but tumbles extremely well, including double full, Arabians, etc. I coached one girl who wanted to make high school cheerleader. She had to perform a back handspring and a round off back handspring in order to make the team. It took her approximately 6 weeks to make complete recovery from her block. Her mother said her school work even improved. w w w. c h e e r c oa c h magazi ne. c o m
I have used this system with my own children when we get back from vacations by bringing them into the gym before practice resumes and allowing them to work through their anxiety over tumbling skills. This system can be a valuable tool in dealing with anxieties an athlete feels in many areas of his/her life. I encourage you to use it freely and consistently in every area of cheerleading. In conclusion good luck, have fun and break free. H Debbie has coached, competed or judged both gymnastics and cheer for 40 years. She was a level 10 gymnastics judge for 10 years and a safety certifier for USAG for 8 years. Currently, she is the director of tumbling, flexibility and conditioning at Pep Club in Lexington. She also serves on the National Advisory Board for the USASF and has a conditioning manual and DVD called Beyond the Body. They are sold together for $30 and they can be bought through email. Debbie’s contact information is: E-mail marcandluv@aol.com or debbie@showtimespirit.com. Phone 859361-1125. 35
SSpecialFeature
Negative Press
Unfair
By Pam Headridge
T
Photo courtesy of UPA Cheer & Dance
he news media across the country tends to focus on the negative side. Cheerleading news is no exception. Recent cheer news stories range from hazing to lack of safety standards. Yes, these stories do happen but many of the stories are one-sided and do not portray the overall cheerleading picture. The media over dramatizes these stories and edits the interviews and material to try and prove their point. I am frustrated by this negative portrayal of cheerleading and take issue with these slanted views. For every negative piece that the newspapers print, there are many more positive headlines that could be told about cheerleading. Because of the negative press, all the good that cheerleading provides is overlooked and hurts these young athletes. Having been part of the cheerleading world here in Washington State for almost 20 years, I have seen the benefits cheerleading provides to young people and the community especially in the high school arena. I want to address and give move details on two of these slanted views: lack of safety and negative behavior. Safety is a prime concern. With the increase of athleticism in cheerleaders, coaches’ training is required in most states. In scholastic cheerleading, many states require Association of Cheer Coaches and Administrators (AACCA) certification. Most states necessitate school coaches to follow the National Federation of High Schools Spirit Rules Book that is updated on yearly bases. Spirit teams have had the NFHS rules book since the 1988-89 school years. Every year at the beginning of school in the state of Washington, cheer coaches are given a copy of this rules book from their athletic director. Rules clinics are taught across the nation. Also Washington requires hands-on stunt certi36
fication for cheer coaches who intend to have their cheer squad(s) perform stunts. Coaches must be recertified every three (3) years. Plus all cheer coaches must meet the same Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Coaches Standards as any other sport’s program in the state. Many state cheer coaches association offer courses in stunt safety, progression, cheer fundamentals and tumbling. The National Council of Spirit Safety and Education provides comprehensive safety training and certification programs for the educational development of spirit coaches and advisors through a national council of unified industry leaders. Many national companies also provide coaches education at their summer cheer camps, too. Safety has been on the forefront not only in scholastic programs but also in the club/all star organizations. U.S. All Star Federation offers coaches credentialing in three core subjects: tumbling, stunts and tosses. In their words, “These efforts are to create a safer environment, by developing standards through proper skill progressions... Through credentialing, coaches are made aware of expectations as teachers and role models. It is the goal of the USASF to infuse good decisions into each and every credentialed coach so that they may expand the positive life experience of all star cheerleading and dance into the lives of the youth they encourage. USASF is recognized as the baseline of education for each individual coach and also expect these standards to be met.” The second topic of cheerleaders’ negative behavior is overblown. Yes, young people make poor choices and need to be held accountable for these choices. But where are the bravos for doing the right thing? Here in the Washington, high school cheerleaders give back willingly to their community. Ballard, Oak Harbor, Sammamish and Bellarmine Prep, donated their weekend to cheer at the National Wheelchair Basketball Varsity Championships.
Ch eer Coach & Advi sor H competi tion is s u e 2010
SpecialFeature
“Yes, young people make poor choices and need to be held accountable for these choices. But where are the bravos for doing the right thing?”
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Heritage, Bellevue and Peninsula participated in the Cancer Relay for Life in their communities, while Tahoma, Oak Harbor, Ballard, Burlington, and Bellarmine Prep participated in the Seattle’s Susan G. Kormen Race for the Cure every year. Glacier Peak High School cheerleaders donned pink shirts and set up a cheer station at the Susan G. Kormen 3 day Walk Against Cancer in Snohomish. Hanford High School hosted a “Pink Game Friday” and raised over a $1000 in shirt sales and donations. Cheerleaders from Skyline and Oak Harbor participated in the Soapbox Derby Challenge for Kids with Special Needs in their local communities. Juanita High School cheer is currently doing a “Passionately Pink for the Cure” fundraiser in support of the fight against breast cancer. Oak Harbor High School hosted food drives at all home football games in October. On a larger scale, the National Cheerleaders Association has partnered up with Make-
A-Wish Foundation to offer NCA cheer teams an opportunity to share the power of a wish® with wish kids through local volunteer and fundraising efforts! This is just a short list of positive impact that cheerleaders have on their community but you do not see the national news media publishing these facts? I know other cheerleaders across the country perform these kind of good deeds too. It is time to show both sides, yet all I see in the national media is the unfavorable press. Cheerleaders train and work hard. Their coaches put in many hours on education and safety. They understand the values of safety, strong leadership and giving to their school and community. It is time to show both sides of cheerleading and give these young athletes their due recognition. H Pam Headridge President, WA State Cheer Coaches Association
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Questions: “How do you select a competition? What factors matter most to you? For example: price, location, competition company, divisions, judging?” Heather Mitchell, Head Coach, Enterprise High School, AL: “I select the competitions that we attend because I like the overall experience. I look at location, price and reputation of the company. Competition dates are important also. We must get all of our competitions in before the beginning of January due to our show choir competition season which involves over half of my cheerleaders. Overall I am looking for a positive experience where my cheerleaders can walk away with great feedback, so that we can improve.”
Amy Grey, Director and Co-Owner of Desert Valley All Stars, Palm Desert, CA: “When it came to creating our competition schedule for the upcoming season, it came down to a few key factors: cost, location, and rebates. With the status of the economy we want to make sure that we were getting the most for our money so we rely a lot on parental feedback regarding the past year’s schedule. Our parents let us know which venues, areas, competition set-up and production, etc. that they liked the most and the least. Since it’s about not only getting fair and consistent judging or frequenting a particular brand, their input really helps to finalize our decisions. Where a competition is located can make a huge difference in hotel and restaurant choices and their costs, as well as parking fees (all factors that parents appreciate). As coaches, we always have our “favorite” competitions that we enjoy and appreciate, but we’re always willing to add new events to our calendar to try them out. With so many choices out there it’s become quite competitive and you really have to consider not only cost and location, but also how many teams have normally attended and what sets that event apart from the others (give-aways, contests, format, and extra activities). Finally, no one can dispute that the rebate offered through Varsity Family Plan isn’t a nice bonus to receive at the end of the season as a reward for attending their events!”
Rosemary Sims-James, Program Director—Australian All Star Cheerleading Federation & Cheerleading Victoria, Australia: “In order of priority— 1. Size of competition because we want to have teams to compete against (nothing worse than only one or two teams in your section). 2. How organised and friendly the competition company is, I want my parents and
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athletes to rave about their experience. 3. Independent unbiased judges not associated with any of the squads competing—this causes unnecessary negative opinion of why a team did or did not win. 4. Cost of competition—in Australia we always have to travel to find competitors so we can’t get away from big expense when we compete. If a competition company has lower entry fees it is very appealing, particularly as we are trying to build the sport of cheer over here. 5. Location of competition—once again in Australia we always have to travel to find competitors so it is such a bonus when you get an opportunity to compete near to home. 6. Awards—these are last on the priority list, nevertheless I like it to know each athlete comes home with something representing the championship regardless of where they position.”
Sebrina Phillips, Owner/Director of Classic All-star Cheerleading, NC: “Do your homework and research on competition companies. You can get a list of competition companies in all kinds of cheer magazines and websites such as Cheer Coach Advisor Magazine. You can also “Google” cheer competitions in your particular state or neighboring states. Evaluate what fits your team’s needs best at the time. Try to attend sanctioned events in an effort to ensure fairness, safety and typically a well organized, on-time event for the team. Sanctioned competitions have to follow certain rules and regulations in regards to judging and divisions. Review past results/outcomes to see how other teams at similar levels faired at the competition. Try to be considerate when it comes to athletes and parents’ school and work schedules. I attempt to avoid Sunday competitions that are more than 5 hours away from home. Review cost very carefully. The competition companies are fully aware of economic times. It is okay to ask for a team discount. Try to jump on the early bird specials offered. Look at the overall picture; entry fees, travel time and expenses, coaches and crossover fees. Consider what the athletes will gain from the competition it may be worth paying a little more or less. I always try to make our end of the season final competition an outof-state fun-filled mini-vacation for the team and parents. This gives the parents and families time to save up for the competition. I believe in attending competitions were every athlete is awarded for their efforts. It is not all about winning. It is about putting your best foot forward and feeling accomplished when you leave a competition.” continued >>
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Erin Johnson, Gym Director—Spring Creek Athletics, TX: “We select our com-
Tanya Roesel, Owner of Midwest Cheer Elite, OH: “With the economic
petition schedule by: 1. Competition Company’s reputation and our history with the company (ie: were they organized, on time, knowledgeable judges etc…). 2. Dates—we prefer Saturdays over Sundays, since we are a Christian gym. 3. Location—We limit our traveling to nationals and one or two other drivable regional competitions. 4. Price—This is our last consideration, as generally you get what you pay for.”
situation right now, location is the top factor. Owners, as well as parents, are trying to eliminate the extra expense of hotels and gas money to keep families in the gym. In doing local competitions, not only can families avoid the extra expense, but they can also invite family and friends who may not want to travel to a competition located further away. After location, the next factor is cost and the number of competitors. If we are going to pay a high fee to compete, I have to make sure that our teams have someone to compete against. No one wants to pay $100 a person for an exhibition.”
Janet and Mack Hirshberg, Owners, Mac’s Cheer, UT: “When we select a competition the first thing we look at is the way they judge and the score sheet. With all the varying ways to judge it is very complicated to design a routine for all companies. So, we always base local competitions off of our National competitions we will be attending. For instance, we love the simple and easy grid that UCA has for difficulty points. You can make sure you include all the elements to get your maximum points at each level. That way you know you will at least get those points because they are a given if you meet the criteria. Then of course, you have to earn your execution and choreography points. But, the difficulty never varies and is a constant. So, we also like to go to companies in our local market with a similar judging system. Second issue for us is whether or not the event is presented well. Good seating, proper warm-ups area, good communication of where to go and how the warmup works, and the floor presentation. We also like to receive trophies at local competitions. We feel like ribbons or plaques are cheap and would rather pay more and have a better event. However, when I say this I think $65 per participant is overpriced and we will not attend. I know they say the parents get in for free, but our parents see it as us overcharging for competition fees and we get a lot of backlash. Where if the competition fee is lower and they have to pay an entrance fee they perceive the venue as being the bad guys sticking it to them financially not us. Price is the last thing we consider. We feel that we run a business that is worth what we charge and we also want all of the events we attend to be as professional as we are. Most of the time the low budget competitions are poorly ran and have tacky awards presentations and our parents complain that they do not feel they got their money’s worth out of the event.”
Carol Brown, USA Star, PA: “We select competitions based on several items but first and foremost is price and location. Since we only do one or two overnight events a year, location is usually first and then, with the limited budget of a non-profit corporation, price is the next concern. We are always willing to try new events and then will return if they seemed a good value for the fee. We find that in order to keep up with the industry it is a good idea to broaden our horizons and try as many new and/or different events as we can. One of the primary reasons we don’t return is judging issues… Many events claim to follow USASF rules but it soon becomes apparent that they don’t or—even worse—they simply do not know the USASF rules. A second concern is combining levels—any one who truly knows allstars knows that combining levels doesn’t work and is not fair to the “lower” level that is in the combination… we have been in both positions several times and don’t like either one! Over the six years that the USA Stars has been in operation we have found that patterns (“specific” winners, scheduling mix-ups, poor warm-up area, impolite and/or uniformed staff) among some production/cheer organizations have emerged… especially at local events. Some of those “patterns” have resulted in our teams no longer participating at those events. Having said all that, due to the drop in the economy the Stars are going to try one of the “$199-per-athlete” companies this season. We were able to budget a little more per participant so we will still be able to attend two or three additional local/repeat events that we really enjoy.”H
We’re looking for you If you’d like to be a part of coaches helping other coaches, then take a minute and join our Coaches Sound Off. All you have to do is send an email with your request to valerie@cheercoachmagazine.com for our consideration. Be sure to include a short bio and a headshot.
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Take a look at this month’s products!
Cheer Pride: Say it with a Jostens Photo Memory Book at OurHubbub.com
Fun Cheer PO Box 3999 Cedar Park, TX 78630 (512) 388-3470 www.funcheer.com
POWERBows™designs custom hair accessories from basic hair bows, ribbons, pig tails, to Competition Bows. All hair accessories are guaranteed not to fall apart under normal wear. We offer the largest variety in hair bows, ribbons, and competition bows. All of our designs will match your uniforms for a great finishing touch. There are no guessing games here. We design great looks for Pop Warner, youth associations, all stars, schools, and competition squads. Our hair bows are hand made with the best quality in ribbon and materials that can be found. We do not believe you will find better quality hair accessory anywhere. Mention this ad for 20% off your order. www.powerbows.com 1-866-412-2697
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You’ve brought them all together—to believe in their own power and athleticism, to believe in themselves. It’s a serious sport that deserves serious recognition. At Jostens, we believe in the power of celebration and in recognizing achievement. And we believe in the power of tradition. Start your own tradition of celebration and recognition with Jostens Photo Memory Books at OurHubbub.com. Capture the story of your cheer season, from the countless hours spent building skills—and lifelong friendships—to the thrilling moments of competition. It’s a keepsake they’ll always treasure. Create one for your squad today at OurHubbub.com.
Read America/Achieve America, Inc. (RAAA) is one of the fastest growing fundraising/ service programs available today for Cheer, Pep, Dance and all team sports. When you work with Read America/Achieve America as your fund raising resource you not only earn the most money possible in the shortest period of time, you also will help them provide FREE books and learning materials to Childcare Centers, Preschools and After School programs nationwide. In many cases they provide the first NEW book that a child can claim as their own. For more information visit the website: www.Read-America.org. You will sleep well at night knowing that you not only reached your profit goals, you also helped them provide more books to more children. If you can READ, you can ACHIEVE! In many case the public relations staff at RAAA can arrange for local coverage of these book donations being made in the name of your organization. This extra press coverage is a valuable resource in building your program within your community. It will be a plus for your organization to work with this awardwinning nonprofit organization whose mission is to help provide FREE BOOKS to children at earliest possible level. Ch eer Coach & Advi sor H COMPETITION ISS U E 2010
NetworkingForCoaches
Cheer Forum of America By Margie Willis
Who Are They? Established in 1989, the Cheerleading Forum of America (CFA) is an annual meeting of exceptionally dedicated state associations and educational companies from across the United States who assembles once a year to exchange ideas and share new trends in cheerleading. This national organization meets once a year in a different host state.
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W Goals & Philosophy “Over the past 10 years, They establish an annual forum we’ve created most of the programs for State School Cheerleading Coaches Association delwe currently have in place through ideas egates, Charter Members, generated at the Cheerleading Forum of and Advisory Members to meet with representatives America–– thanks to all of the state from Educational Cheerassociations who so generously share their leading Organizations and ideas and programs with us.” the National Federation of State High School AssociaTami Jo Cook tions to address concerns Past President, Minnesota Cheer and share information comCoaches Association and mon to cheerleading nationwide. This forum shall not sancCheer Forum Advisory tion or conduct cheerleading camps, clinics, seminars, or other educational services, or recommend cheerleadingrelated products. It shall actively promote • Promote school spirit among the student the free exchange of ideas and information body and community. • Promote physical fitness. between the above mentions groups. • Develop skills in group dynamics and leadership. • Promote good sportsmanship. • Make a positive contribution to “Although our association school sports programs. has been in existence for over 20 years, • Promote good relationships between coaches and school every year we return from the Cheerleading administrators.
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n the spring of 1989 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, a group of cheerleading leaders met informally to discuss whether the need existed for a unified body to present a voice on relevant cheerleading issues. It was decided that this group would meet the following fall, in a non-aligned atmosphere for further discussion on the idea of this structured assembly. In the fall of 1989 at the National Federation of State High School Associations headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri, the Cheerleading Forum of America was born. The primary goal of the CFA was, and remains today, to promote the free exchange of ideas and information between state cheerleading organizations and cheerleading educational organizations. Since 1989, the CFA has met and they continue to define and redefine their purpose, they continue to promote good will and cooperation between state associations and cheerleading educational organizations, and they strive to increase their attendance each year. Each site is hosted by a state cheerleading coaches association or charter member, who has the difficult task of providing an agenda and program that meets the needs and addresses the main concerns of their delegates. They have enjoyed informational and motivational speakers, participated in round table discussions, and benefited from the free exchange of ideas.
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Forum of America renewed with great ideas from other states that help us strengthen our existing programs.” Illinois Cheerleading Coaches Association
Their Purpose and Goals • Help educate cheerleading coaches • Make cheerleading as safe as possible • Study safety guidelines and make recommendations when necessary • Make cheerleading a positive activity that will:
Why Attend? Participating in the Cheerleading Forum of America 2010 offers you the opportunity to: • Meet other cheerleading coaches from around the country to share ideas regarding programs and services, conferences and competitions • Work with others to promote cheerleading safety and skills • Use new ideas to empower your own state association and enhance your state programs. For example: simple ways to earn money for your association/program. H
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Spring Tumbling for Cheerleaders is an instructional company based in Canada and the United States. We offer tumbling clinics, skills camps, routine choreography, championship events (Canada only) and coaches training. Our talented and energetic staff among the most decorated instructors and athletes in cheerleading today! We travel all across North America, working with over 7000 cheerleaders at various gyms, schools and collegiate programs. We work with all ages and ability levels, and are confident in our ability to enhance your squads skill level.
Take a look at this month’s products!
Are you hosting, or is your gym traveling to a cheer competition? Put our FREE full service travel coordinators to work for you! Traveling Teams was created in response to hearing about the many challenges and negative experiences organizations and teams were having in finding and booking hotel rooms. Our exclusive relationships with national hotel brands allows us to contract and offer discounted room rates in the best locations to our clients. Secure online reservation system; Dedicated 800# reservation phone line. We negotiate and sign all hotel contracts, eliminating the teams liability for hotel room blocks. Please contact Bret at 1-866-4683268 x814 www.travelingteams.com
Email: springtumbling@yahoo.com Website: www.springtumbling.com 613.668.7531
Open Shoulder Trainer: The Open Shoulder Trainer is a light, padded device that fits around an athlete’s shoulder and neck in order to maintain the open shoulders that are so often needed for skills that move through a handstand. How often do you repeat “KEEP YOUR SHOULDERS OPEN,” every day in your gym? The Open Shoulder Trainer is easy to use and doesn’t allow athletes to drop their shoulders on handstands, cartwheels, round offs, limber walkovers and other skills that require an open shoulder technique. You will want at least 5-10 Open Shoulder Trainers in your gym. 1-800-331-4362 www.tumbltrak.com
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Prices: Open Shoulder Trainer.... $ 25.95 ($19.95 introductory price) Package of 10................... $175.00
Ch eer Coach & Advi sor H COMPETITION ISS U E 2010
Are you looking for a new way to raise funds? Here’s something to cheer about
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Run this program solo, or combine it with home-delivered cookie dough! Our new fundraising program is so easy, it’ll make doing an Arabesque Twist seem like child’s play. Our unique program is specifically designed to raise a lot of money without a lot of hassles.
Two New Ways to Raise Funds • Each card sells for just $20. • Get $50 value from Restaurant.com® —valid at 10,000+ restaurants. • Or get $30 in value from Omaha Steaks® —redeem online, in-store or via 800 number. • Group gets $7+ in profit on each one sold.
Best Of All – We donate a portion of our profits to Read America / Achieve America who is helping to STAMP OUT ILLITERACY! Visit them at www.read-america.org ©RAAA2009
They’re easy to deliver to your community. And they practically sell themselves. Better still, your group will earn a minimum of $7 per gift card sold. That’s a lot better than the 1% to 10% an old-fashioned scrip gift card program generates. So what are you waiting for? Give us a call, and we’ll get you started today. © 2009 Ideaology Partners
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Introducing new Touch-n-Go press on eye shadows from YOFI Cosmetics. Touch-n-Go is a revolutionary new press on eye shadow. Touch-n-Go makes it easy for cheerleaders and dancers to apply eye shadow in seconds. Touch-n-Go designs are unique, bright, creative, reusable and most of all, quick to apply. It’s eye shadow in an instant. Custom designs are available—minimums apply. www.yoficosmetics.com 1.800.634.YOFI(9634)
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Take a look at this month’s products!
Would you like your company listed here? If so, please contact: Heather Portnoy: 561-309-0889 Megan Ninemire: 903-452-2942 Tracey Seberg: 561-723-2877 or e-mail: sales@cheercoachmagazine.com
Ch eer Coach & Advi sor H COMPETITION ISS U E 2010
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Ch re graphy Photography by Victor Gozion
Hire a Choreographer or Do It Yourself: What to Consider By Patrick & Katy Fogarty
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n this economic climate, everyone is feeling the pinch, including cheer coaches and advisors. With this in mind, making the decision to hire a choreographer can be one of the biggest of the season. In the competition side of cheerleading, strong choreography is one of the most important aspects of a routine. It is the only characteristic of a routine that stretches across all categories on a score sheet, as well as having its own category. Great jumps will not help your pyramid, but a well choreographed routine can certainly help your squad’s weak spots. When making the decision to hire a choreographer, here are some important things to consider: 1) Are you or someone on your staff, capable of doing the choreography in house? This is one of the first things to consider. If you or someone on staff is not capable of giving your competitive team what they need, then deciding to do the choreography yourself is not money well saved. Judges on all levels are looking for a routine that will catch their attention and stand out. This is especially true in the All Star side of competitive cheerleading. Tyler Houchin, coach of Step 1 All Stars in Columbus, Ohio and acclaimed choreographer, states that “teams are expected to max out each score sheet in every level… which has set the bar for choreographers to push the limits of the rules and become more intricate in the transitions and visual flow of a good routine.” If you are not able to give your team a routine that will catch the judges eyes, the decision should be to budget for a choreographer. 2) What if I am capable, should I still hire a choreographer? Many sought after choreographers coach their own squads and still hire other choreographers. Tyler Houchin, from Step 1 All Stars, says “it gives the ath48
letes a chance to work with some of the industries other leading choreographers and coaches.” It can be fun for the kids, makes them feel special, and provides a great atmosphere for team building. Hiring a choreographer can also bring a fresh set of eyes or a new and different style to your program and routines. As a coach or advisor of a large program with multiple teams, it can be more time effective by taking the workload off your plate. It can also take you out of the hot seat with parents and athletes if your teams do not do as well as you would hope. Lastly, if you’re trying to take your team to the next level and become more competitive, hiring the right choreographer can help. 3) What do you do if you decide to hire a choreographer?
Simply spending the money isn’t always money well spent. The important thing here is to do your HOMEWORK! A great place to start is on the USASF website, classified section or in cheer publications like Cheer Coach and Advisor Magazine. Cheer Coach and Advisor Magazine also publishes a Buyer’s Guide packed with useful information, including choreographers. Asking around is always a great way to find local choreographers or calling gyms and college cheerleading teams in your area. It’s a good idea to narrow your search down to two or three prospects and ask for references or videos of previous work. AJ Ganim, Cheer Director of Cheer World All Stars in Broadview Heights, Ohio, says to “be sure to ask the references about punctuality, professionalism, and reliabil-
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Central Cheer World All Stars in Broadview Heights, Ohio. The team Director is A.J. Ganim.
ity. The choreographers are representing your product and these things are crucial”. Watch the videos to look for creativity and style. Not all choreographers have the same style and you want the choreographer to fit your team’s needs. Contact your top two or three and see who seems available and gets back to you faster. Once you contact your top few prospects ask about pricing, if not already available through a website. Choreography is a creative approach to cheerleading routines and it’s always tough to put a price on what good choreography is worth to your team. Simply spending top dollar doesn’t guarantee a routine to fit your team’s needs and hiring the most affordable choreographer can have its risks too, but if you follow the recommendations above you certainly increase your chances of getting the most out of your investment. 4) What if you decide to do it yourself? Not all programs have the same needs or the same budget. At times, coaches and advisors may find themselves without the option of hiring a choreographer. Here it is recommended to research, research, and research! In this day, and technological age, hundreds of cheerleading routines are at the tip of your fingers through websites like Youtube, Varsity.com, and usasf.net. This is a great way to inspire yourself and get ideas for current trends. You may want to seek out a coaches’ conference and ask if they have a workshop or speaker covering choreography. If you find yourself doing your own choreography, it is recommended you seek out score sheets for the competitions you plan on attending to be sure your w w w. c h e e r c oa c h magazi ne. c o m
setting your team up for success. If your budget doesn’t include a choreographer, you may still be able to budget professional music or a consultant. Music can make or break even the most well choreographed routine and is often much less expensive than full routine choreography. Another, more affordable approach, is hiring a professional consultant once the routine is finished. Many consulting companies or choreographers will charge much less to review and make innovative adjustments to an already existing routine than they would to create the entire thing. Whether you do it yourself or hire a choreographer, there are a lot of things to consider when it comes to choreographing of a routine. Hopefully the information above will give you some good ideas and a starting place on your decision. Good luck! H Patrick Fogarty has been involved in the Spirit Industry since 1997. He cheered, and competed, with Lakewood High School (Greater Cleveland area), Step 1 Allstars and The Ohio State University. Patrick has worked with many of the leading companies in the Spirit Industry, including UCA, COA and Cheer Ohio. He has coached at the High School, College and All Star level and currently is a USASF certified head coach/ choreographer for the acclaimed Cheer World All Stars. Patrick has choreographed nationwide since 1999 and co-founded one of the fastest growing cheerleading choreography companies, CHEERography, LLC – www.mycheerography.com
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SBusinessBuilders Varsity Brand Competition Companies Focus on Varsity Event Producers
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arsity offers the widest selection of all competition companies. Between them, the companies under the Varsity umbrella share a collective 325 years of cheerleading experience. That’s three centuries’ worth of knowledge, networking and cheerleading know-how. What makes Varsity so special is that each of the different companies has retained its own personality, providing coaches with an opportunity to choose the organization that best suits the needs of their team. In case you’ve never actually sat down and considered the story of each of the different cheerleading companies, here is a quick 411 on each. Varsity Cheerleading Competition Companies
National Cheerleaders Association (NCA)—Founded by Lawrence “Herkie” Herkimer in 1948, NCA was first with so many of the elements that are crucial to cheerleading today: first camps, first regional competitions, first poms and first apparel company. To this day, Herkie is a visible member of the NCA family and beloved by cheer fans nationwide. Even in the relatively new world of all-star cheerleading, NCA was first with a dedicated competition in 1987. Today, the NCA All Star Championship is the most prestigious with more than 450 teams competing. NCA also runs the NCA Senior and Junior High School National Championship in Dallas, Texas and the NCA/NDA Collegiate Cheer and Dance National Championship in Daytona, Florida. NCA Championships are broadcast nationwide on the Fox Sports Network (FSN). http://nca.varsity.com/
Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA)—When UCA was founded in 50
1974 by Jeff Webb; he had the goal of adding a new level of athleticism to cheerleading. In 1980, UCA created the first actual national championship for cheerleaders, the National High School Cheerleading Championship (NHSCC), the only true “nationals” for high school, with more than 50 regional qualifiers nationwide. The 2009 NHSCC welcomed a record 400 teams. All of the UCA’s National Championships are broadcast on the ESPN networks. UCA’s other Nationals include the National College Cheerleading Championship and the National All Star Cheerleading Championship held at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. All UCA Nationals are aired nationwide on ESPN. http://uca.varsity.com/
United Spirit Association (USA) USA was founded in 1950 by Robert Olmstead, who brought West Coast flair to cheerleading. Today, USA holds five different competition events catering to all age groups, experience and ability levels. These events include USA Junior Nation-
als, USA All Star Cheer and Dance Nationals, USA Dance/Drill Nationals, USA High School Spirit Nationals, and USA Collegiate Nationals. All USA Nationals are held in Anaheim and Los Angeles, California. http://usacamps.com/competitions.html
National Dance Alliance (NDA) NDA was founded in 1976 by NCA’s Lawrence Herkimer, and the first NDA National Championship was held in 1985 as the NCA Superstar Pom Pon/Songleaders National Championship. Today the NDA National Championship is held in Orlando, Florida at the Hard Rock Live at Universal Citywalk. http://nda.varsity.com/
Universal Dance Association Founded in 1980 by Jeff Webb and Kris Shepherd, UDA offers the widest variety of dance competition dates and locations throughout the U.S. Dance teams can compete in up to two categories at these dance championships including Jazz, Hip Hop, Pom, and High Kick. UDA created
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American Cheerleaders Association (ACA), founded in 1997, holds
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their two-day ACA Cheer Nationals in Fort Worth, Texas where the experience is positive and upbeat and the staff is friendly. ACA cheerleading competitions are known for their fair scoring and great customer service. http://aca.varsity.com/nationals.aspx
lenge was founded in 2000 by Don Collins and is an all-star favorite. Featuring uniquely themed professional sets at each location, these competitions are upbeat and showy. The judging system features an instant system that replays each routine after its competition. Over 50 “Outstanding Achievement Awards” are given at these cheerleading competitions. http://allstarchallenge.varsity.com/
American Cheer Power—American Cheer Power was founded by Regina Symons in 1985 and now offers over 30 championships nationwide for teams and individuals with $60,000 in Cash Awards and Scholarships given away. There are w w w. c h e e r c oa c h magazi ne. c o m
Xpress Cheerleading was founded in 1992 by Don Collins. This cheerleading organization provides one day regional competitions primarily in North Carolina. Competitions are economically priced and offer one performance only. http://spiritxpress.varsity.com/
Spirit Cheer—Spirit Cheer was founded in 1998 by Mike Pare. It began by creating “NBA Fun Days” for cheerleaders awarding the top team at the day’s competition the honor of performing as the half time entertainment for an NBA game. Today’s Spirit Cheer is known for producing cost effective and fun cheerleading events for all ages and abilities around the country. http://spiritcheer.varsity.com/
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ed by well-known cheerleading coaches James Speed and Shannon Smith to provide a high-quality national championship at a reasonable price. Spirit Sports now runs two-day cheerleading national championships across the country. http://spiritsports.varsity.com/home.html
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The American Championships were founded by Jim Thorp in 1991, and offer three different types of competitions: Regional events, State events, and National competitions. Events feature high-energy production, a first-class warm up area, a state-of-the-art judging system featuring video replay, jackets for all champions, and gifts for all competitors and coaches. http://ac.varsity.com/NationalEvents.aspx
$2.95 $6.95
Spirit Sports—Spirit Sports was found-
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The American Championships
All POWERbows™ BOWS START AT BASIC
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Athletic Championships —Mike Martinez started the Athletic Championships in 2002, and it became the largest provider of two day cheer and dance national competitions. There is a no risk registration process with no late registration fees, no division change fees, and no cancellation fees. At these cheerleading competitions, cheerleaders get a choice of gifts and coaches receive a retro track jacket and attend free. http://athleticchampionships.varsity.com/
Spirit Federation—World Spirit Federation (WSF) was founded by Scott Foster with the goal of providing national competitions around the country. WSF prides itself on their digital scoring system which continues to set the standard for judging in the cheerleading industry. http://wsf.varsity.com/
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three national championships in the south, northeast, and west through Cheer Power, along with an event that goes a step beyond nationals: The Tournament of Champions in the southeast. http://www.cheerpower.com/index.html
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the National Dance Team Championship (NDTC) in 1985, and it’s now the largest dance team event of its kind. It’s held in Orlando, Florida and aired nationally on ESPN and ESPN2. http://uda.varsity.com/
TOTALLY
NEW
LOOK
FOR THE BO TTOM OF
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THE TAILS I UA N G P O N Y TA I L RA NEW PONY TAIL NTE K! E D N O T T O B R E A ON ALL POWERbows™
Style #9579
Style #9554
International All-Levels Championship— The latest addition to the Varsity family, the International All-Levels was founded by a group of 31 All Star industry leaders, including Varsity Brands. This championship is the first cheerleading championship to let teams of all levels and sizes compete internationally. Over 160 Qualifying Events determine the teams competing at the All-Levels Championships where ultimately, one Grand Champion in each division is determined in a final, virtual round of competition on Varsity.com. http://www.all-levels.com/Home.mvc/Index
Style #9529
Toll Free: 866.412.2697 Fax: 972.635.6454
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SClassifiedAds Associations
Competition / Event Companies
Fundraising
The NCSSE is looking for energetic and knowledgeable cheer coaches to work as instructors. Great earning opportunity on a part-time level. Several northeastern states need instructors as well as the mid-west. To apply, contact Debbie Bracewell at dbracewell@spiritsafety.com or call 866.456.273.
Attention All-Star Cheer Coaches & School Cheer Coaches Compete at Walt Disney World Feb 27, 2010. For complete information click www.ContestofChampions.com or call 800-421-4159.
FREE FUNDRAISING IDEAS CATALOG. Contains dozens of ideas perfect for Cheerleaders & Sports! Hershey’s, M&M’s, Cookie Dough, Gift Catalogs, Jewelry, Candles, Lollipops, Scratch Cards, Safety Products, Flower Bulbs, Wreaths & more. Easy step-by-step instructions included. Order a FREE catalog by calling (800) 352-2643 or on-line at www.FundraisingSolutions.US.
Establish a cheer business which has the potential to thrive in this economy. Our successful California-based company will share business concepts that have enabled us to have over 10,000 students in our programs weekly! www.ycusa.org Cathy Bruns 714-259-1400 x112
Competitions are open to all-star, school and recreational cheer teams offering both spring and foam floors at every event. We are committed to fair, affordable events that run on time in a family-friendly environment. Now serving NC, SC, GA, VA, TN and surrounding areas. Check out our 2009-10 event dates and locations at: www.spiritsolutions.com
Coaching Resources
JackrabbitCheer.com Web-based cheer gym software featuring: online registration, parent portal, auto-billing, mass emails and much more. Request a Free Trial at JackrabbitCheer.com.
Check out the hottest new cheer site on the web designed just for you! Join us on Cheer leadingInfoCenter.com for all of your cheerleading needs and more! Check out our FREE CLASSIFIEDS and how you can be a part of CIC! Contact: Valerie Stuut 954-748-5977
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Bring Exciting, Fun and Rewarding to your competition schedule! Cash Prizes! Early Bird Registration Discounts! Low registration fees! Unforgettable and Unique Atmosphere! Family owned and operated! Be True to Yourself! Be True to your Team! Be True to your Family! Be True to your Heart! Second Annual Palm Beach Bash, December 5, 2009, John I. Leonard High School, Greenacres, FL. First Annual Queen of Hearts, February 13, 2010 Village of Wellington Rec Gym, Wellington, FL. True Spirit Cheer & Dance Competitions, Inc., www.truecheer.net, info@truecheer.net, Fax: 954-492-4013, Phone: 877-8CHEER8 (824-3378)
Little Caesars® Pizza Kit Fundraising Program can boost your team’s fundraising spirit to a whole new level. Earn $5.00 PROFIT for every kit sold! Register your fundraiser with a delivery before December 31, 2009 and receive a FREE Drawstring Sports Bag for every 25 kits sold! We’d love to help your team today! Little Caesars® Pizza Kit Fundraising Program 2211 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48201, 1-888-4-LC-KITS (1-888-452-5487) service @pizzakit.com, PizzaKit.com
At last, a Fundraiser designed to meet the needs of the Spirit Industry! The only wickless candle fundraiser that earns you up to 55% profit and creates you cash all year. So what are you waiting for? Find out more online at www.mycashcreations.com or by calling (866) 947-5541.
UPA is searching the country far and wide for clients who are star quality. Are you VIP material? Then you should be getting the UPA Star Treatment! Contact UPA today so you can start getting all the attention you deserve. 800.800.6UPA • info@upainc.net www.upainc.net
2002 Eastwood Rd., Wilmington, NC 28403 Toll Free: 866-371-8301 Phone: 727-490-2010 Fax: 727-490-2016 E-mail: vip@spiritcups.com Web Site: www.vipspirit cups.com Contact: Jillian Burns
Ch eer Coach & Advi sor H COMPETITION ISS U E 2010
ClassifiedAds Fundraising continued...
 
Music & Sound Equipment  
The Puzzle Castle has  puzzles for all ages and abilities. We can make a custom puzzle out of any picture. Our fundraising program will net you 20% of every sale all year long. For more information and product availability please check out our website: www.thepuzzlecastle.com
Cheer1FM—All Cheer Radio. All Day, Every Day! Cheer1FM.com—the Mix! The world’s FIRST Cheer Radio Station! Cheer1FM is an entity of the Cheer1.com Cheer Sports Network. Cheer Mixes 24 hours a day, Competition Results, News & More! Also Check out Cheer1. com, Cheer1TV.com & Cheer1TALK.com! Phone: 614-656-1555 Email: Cheer1FM@gmail.com www.Cheer1FM.com Contact: Beth Graves
If you would like to post a classified ad, please contact Heather Portnoy 561-309-0889 heather@cheercoachmagazine.com
Megan Ninemire 903-452-2942 megan@cheercoachmagazine.com
Tracey Seberg 561-723-2877 tracey@cheercoachmagazine.com
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