WHAT EVERY COACH SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN DECLARING A CATEGORY FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON:
NOVICE, INTERMEDIATE OR ADVANCED?
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EVALUATING YOUR TEAM:
- Be Realistic and honest.
- Remember T.E.A.M. ~ Together Everyone Achieves More.
- Think about the WHOLE not your 4 or 5 best cheerleaders.
- Perfection before progression, again, is always a good rule to follow.
- Goals ~ Set a goal and refer to it.
- Look at each technical aspect and know the value on the score sheet:
- Motions
- Jumps
- Tumbling
- Partner Stunts
- Pyramids
- At least 50% of the team should be STRONG at the level selected. The other team members should have showed potential to progress and the willingness to learn.
- Refer to the competition score sheet. Where can you get the most points?
- Don’t be afraid to challenge your team but again, be realistic.
- Remember: Perfection before Progression!
- If you don’t know, ask. If the team is older, ask the team for their opinion. Ask someone more knowledgeable then yourself.
- Be Positive.
Kathy Gatzendorfer - Pomperaug Warriors, Western CT, NEPW
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DECLARING A CATEGORY:
When declaring a category there are many things that should be taken into consideration:
- Skills of your squad: How many are new? Cheered before? What tumbling, jumps, and stunts can each child perform?
- Returnees vs. Newbie’s: How many cheerleaders cheered on that squad last year? How many are moving up to a higher level this year? How many have never cheered before?
- Coaching staff: Are they experienced or brand new at coaching?
- Previous experience: Has the majority of this squad competed before? Have they advanced to a qualifier, regional or national competition? Did they place and where?
After reviewing these considerations, the coaches and association coordinator should consider where the squad and coaches are now and where they will be in a month. A squad that advanced to Nationals and placed there should consider moving up one more level. They are ready to build on their skills. A squad that did not do well at the league competition may choose to move down a level (ie. Intermediate to Novice) to perfect their skills.
Cindy Machan - Eastern Region Cheer & Dance Coordinator
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DECLARING A CATEGORY HOW CAN WE HELP THE COACHES?
When coaches think about declaring a category there are several factors they should exam. First, the coaches need to measure the type and amount of experience they have. Teaching things that are comfortable and familiar to you are always helpful. Coaches need to look at the age group and the experience of the participants. Many of our coaches are moms that have stepped up to the plate to assist the associations. They find themselves sometimes in unfamiliar territory or they have not used their skills in years. If we offer minicamps, tutorials, and coaches training it will aid some of our inexperienced coaches. Not only do the inexperienced need to polish their skills but the experienced coaches as well. When coaching youngsters (some of them that have more experience and knowledge R/T the subject than you), we need to also have patience and be tactful. We need to educate our coaches to learn how to utilize the participants experience and creativity to the advantage of the squad.
The key to declaration is being comfortable with the Dance or Cheer categories, know what is expected and how to get your squads to meet the goals. Goal setting is an important measure. Without goals the team has nothing to strive for. By educating the coaches we can teach them to recognize obtainable goals for the age and category they have chosen. I feel the best way to help our coaches is to educate our coaches. When we look at education we need to have long term and short term goals that each individual can choose from. We need to educate coaches to be good teachers. Providing them with the proper tools will help keep them on the same page. It makes the job easier.
Linda Atkins - Southeast Michigan Pop Warner, Mid America Region
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DECLARING OF CHEER CATEGORIES:
- Please do not declare over your team’s capabilities.
- If you are not sure ask your cheer coordinator and/or league coordinator to help you with this decision
- Don't under declare your team to a lower category just so you can advance to the next level. (Keep in mind that the league and region spirit coordinator have the last decision on this.)
- This decision should be made with the team in mind so that the team can walk off the mat proud of what they just did and remember this is to be fun for the team.
Doug Ballingham - Sagebrush Empire Pop Warner, Pacific Northwest Region
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