This article is written from the perspective of a veteran coach. There are interesting things that take part in having a successful cheer program. One of the most important is a properly conducted practice.
Always begin practice with warm ups consisting of stretching and basic skills: forward rolls, backward rolls, handstands, handstand blocks, cartwheels and roundoff’s. A more advanced team would add advanced warm-up skills. But every team started with the skills listed.
An awesome cheer practice depends on the camaraderie that has built during the classes, continue to nurture the relationships. The warm up should be a time athletes are able to have a little free chat and discussion.. Coaches should allow discussion and chat during the beginning body stretch 10-15 mins before practice actually begins. Giving this time to chat will prepare the athletes to give full attention when class begins. Building camaraderie builds the sense of family and a strong, competing team.
After the warm-up give the athletes a water break. Everyone then returns to the mat and sits down to listen to the plan of action for this practice. The plan of action should always be delivered in a positive tone. Explain the parts of the routinen that need to be worked on, and skills that need to be perfected..
Working on individual sections of the routine will lead to athletic confidence and stronger performances. After working on each section of the routine, conduct three full completions of the routine. During the full routine presentations, the coach can see particular areas that need improvement for the next practice.
The last 15 minutes of practice should be dedicated to conditioning and strengthening. During class, a coach should be able to detect areas of muscle weakness of each athlete. Therefore, conditioning may be different for each person based on individual needs.
The high-powered, energetic, and relatable coaches are often the most successful. As a coach, take time to mentor each individual athlete and encourage greatness and self-confidence.
