Results Statement: By systemizing the cheer session, we will create a consistent service that allows less seasoned coaches to dip their foot into coaching all star cheerleading while developing a love for the sport within our athletes.

 

Week 1:

  • Before Practice:
  • Have QR Codes made for a BAND group to hand out to parents, with an explanation of what will be posted on here
    • Assess your roster. How many do you have? How many stunt groups? 
    • Make a couple of formations for your routine
    • If you know some returning athletes, put them in the front to be an example
    • What kind of stunts do you want to try to accomplish?
    • Find music that runs 1-1:30 minutes. Music should be reused from previous novice routines, solos, etc.
  • Make name tags for athletes if there are more than 10 in the class.
  • During Practice:
    • Take attendance
    • Put athletes into a formation with returning athletes in the front to help lead the group.
    • Warm up as usual: 
      • Jumping jacks, wrists, ankles, shoulders, hip flexors & bridges (for those who can)
      • During warm ups, learn names and get to know the athletes:
        • What grade are you in? What school do you go to?
        • What’s your favorite color?
        • Have you taken other classes here before?
    • Formation Game
      • “Everyone run to the back wall”
      • “Now everyone run back to your spots” (countdown from 5)
      • “Everyone run to the front of the floor”
      • “Now everyone run back to your spots (countdown from 5)
      • “Everyone run around and touch all four corners!”
      • “Now everyone run back to your spots (countdown from 5)
    • Explain the following terminology:
      • Windows
      • Line v. Panel
    • Start with the basics
      • Motions
        • Clean
        • Low V
        • Hi V
        • T
        • Touchdown
        • Low Touchdown
        • Clasp and Clap
      • Jumps
        • Approach
        • Toe Touch
        • Pike
      • Stunting
        • Explain the following positions:
          • Backspot – Important to help lead the stunt, lift the flyer and protect the head and neck. Always listen to the guidance of the backspot.
          • Bases – Team players! They are the ones who are doing the fancy hand motions to make the flyer go up, down, twist, etc. They have to work as a team to ensure the flyer is safe and goes the direction we need him/her to go.
          • Front spot – Stabilizer. This person learns our weaknesses and corrects them. He/She communicates with the backspot and is always watching the whole stunt group to assess safety. They always have to be one step ahead with anticipating what is happening with the stunt so they can fix it.
          • Flyer – This person is responsible for taking direction from the coach and the backspot, being tight in the air and smiling!
        • Place athletes in a position
        • Teach a smoosh/sponge (basing positions and flyer positions)
        • Do 2 hang drills
    • End with a games:
      • Color Tag
      • Red Light Green Light
      • Coach Says

Week 2:

  • Warm up like in Week 1
  • Play a name game to help them remember everyone’s names.
  • Reveal the music to your team.
    • Put them in a circle and play the music.
  • Help them find the formation they were in last week (This can be your opening formation for your routine.)
  • Review the following things:
    • High v
    • Clap/Clasp
    • Touchdown
    • Clean
    • Jumps approach
    • Toe Touch
    • Pike
  • Begin teaching the routine
    • Tips:
      • Repeat, repeat, repeat
      • Tonight you’ll only teach 4-5 eight counts
      • Mark your stunt sections. You don’t know what they can do just yet.
    • Routine should consist of all elements:
      • Formation changes
      • Jumps
      • Stunts
      • Tumbling
      • Dance
  • Review the names of the stunt positions
    • Work on knee stunts/thigh stands
  • End with a game

Week 3: 

  • Warm up like in Week 1 (Play the routine music during warm ups)
  • Sit in a circle.
    • Play the music and help them learn how to 8-count to the music.
  • Jumps
    • Alternate toe touches and pikes to your routine music leaving an 8-count between.
    • This is helping them learn how to count to the music while also doing jumps.
  • Review last week’s sections of the routine
    • Tips:
      • Watch your time on this. You’ll have a few who won’t remember much at all. Try to help them, but stay on time. If it’s taking too long, talk to the parents about setting up a quick 30-minute private lesson or bringing the child 10 minutes early to the next class to review the routine.
  • Teach the new portions of the routine
    • Mark stunts this week
  • Review knee/thigh stands
  • Teach preps
    • Tips:
      • Talk to the athletes about safety and why it’s important to stay focused during stunting
      • Teach them they shouldn’t be talking or having side conversations during stunting. We can talk about how to fix a stunt once the flyer is safely on the ground. The backspot is the only one who should be talking during the stunt.
      • Teach the athletes what it means to be a spotter during a safety circle and why it’s important that we never let the flyer hit the ground.
      • Create a safety circle around each group to ensure no one hits the ground
      • Have each group do 2 preps. Assist if necessary.
  • End with a game

Week 4:

  • Warm up like in Week 1
  • Review formations thus far
  • Mark through the routine to music
  • Do jumps in the routine to music (if already choreographed by this point)
    • Note: When doing choreography for a rec team, it is very helpful to have jumps early in the routine and stunting/pyramid toward the end of the routine so you can go beginning to end and review safely as you go.
  • Teach new 8-counts of the routine
  • Review knee stands/thigh stands
  • Do 3 preps per group with safety circle (if necessary)
  • End with a game and remind everyone about Week 5 bonding activity

Week 5: Team Bonding Week

  • Practice for 30 minutes
    • This is the big week for routine review.
      • Mark the routine to music
      • Add as many elements as you can safely add to counts only
  • Popsicles and bonding games the remainder of practice
    • Note: It’s helpful to explain to parents via email or Band that we do team bonding to ensure everyone can make friends on this team while also getting to know one another for safe stunting.
    • Put some thought into this activity. This is the first experience most athletes will have with “all star” and will be the most likely to sell them on the sport moving forward.

Week 6:

  • Warm up like in Week 1
  • Review formations thus far
  • Mark through the routine to music
  • Do jumps and tumbling in the routine to counts (do it to music if possible)
  • Teach new 8-counts of the routine
  • 3 Preps per group
  • Introduce single-leg skills at belly-level
  • End with a game

Week 7:

  • Warm up like in Week 1
  • Review formations thus far
  • Mark through the routine to music
  • Do jumps, tumbling and any stunts that can be safely done to counts
  • Run stunts with each new element starting on the 1
    • If the skill is a 1/4 up to teddy bear, dip to prep and cradle, your counts would be
      • Dip for 1/4 up on 1
      • Dip for prep on the next 1
      • Dip for cradle on the next 1
  • Teach new 8-counts of the routine
  • End with a game

Week 8: 

  • Warm up like in Week 1
  • Teach the final 8-counts of the routine
  • Mark the routine to music
  • Do the routine to 8-counts (mark stunts if necessary)
  • Work stunts again
    • Run stunts with each new element starting on the 1
    • If the skill is a 1/4 up to teddy bear, dip to prep and cradle, your counts would be
      • Dip for 1/4 up on 1
      • Dip for prep on the next 1
      • Dip for cradle on the next 1
  • Work on synchronized tumbling
  • End with a game

Week 9:

  • Warm up like in Week 1
  • Mark through the routine to music
    • Clean up any formations and transitions
  • Clean jumps section
  • Clean standing tumbling section
  • Work on stunts that are still proving to be difficult
  • Do routine to counts (slow them down for stunts or mark stunts/pyramid if necessary)
  • End with a game

Week 10: 

  • Warm up like in Week 1
  • Mark through the routine to music
    • Gather afterwards to review clean-up comments from prior week
  • Clean running tumbling section
  • Clean dance section
  • Work on stunts that are still proving to be difficult
  • Do routine to music (slow to 85-90%)
  • End with a game

Week 11: 

  • Warm up like in Week 1
  • Mark routine to music
  • Work trouble spots
  • Complete 2 full-out routines
  • Remind athletes of the next week’s performance and what they should wear/hair, etc.
  • Post reminder of performance and attire to Band for the parents
  • Post a reminder on Band of upcoming session and registration deadline as well.

Week 12 – Performance Day: 

  • Gather all kids and bring them to warm up 
    • Warm up like in Week 1
    • Warm up tumbling
    • Warm up stunts
    • Run full-out one time
    • Talk about performing, get their nerves down
    • Let them know exactly how the performance will go
      • When they perform (first, second)
      • Sit nicely, voices off while others are performing
      • After, either sit back down or get ready for a picture

After the session:

  • Post a “Great job” on band with a video of the performance.
  • Remind parents when the next session begins and when the registration deadline is.