Any Tips For A New Base?

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1. Pay close attention to what your coaches tell you. They will be able to give you constructive advice.
2. Pay close attention to what your entire body is doing at various points in the stunt. You need to know exactly where your feet should be; what should your hands be doing; how is your back and shoulders aligned with your legs, etc.
3. Once you know exactly what you are doing, then learn exactly what the flyers and other bases are supposed to be doing. You need to learn all the parts.
4. If you have any questions or confusion, ask right away, don't wait. Be calm and respectful and you'll get the information you need.

Success doesn't just come to you by accident; you have to work very hard to earn it.

Good luck!!
 
Dont be afraid. when i first started basing and cradling my flyer, i would step back because i was scared of getting hit.
It happens. All the time. Dont be afraid of it, because your flyer is depending on you.

My coach has always said itll hurt a heck of a lot more if your flyer hits the ground.
 
1. always catch your flyer
2. don't be afraid (you will do great!)
3. listen to your coaches!
good luck:)
 
- don't step out of the stunt or let yourself get pushed out by the rest of your group
- the flyer never hits the ground
- DON'T arch your back it can lead to serious injury (the foot shouldn't be directly over you it should be angled so that you can see it & are standing up straight rather than having to arch to see)
- when catching have your arms up high rather than waiting lower to catch the flyer
- USE YOUR LEGS! they're the most helpful thing rather than trying to muscle the stunt up with your back/arms (ex. when putting the stunt up use your legs for power, when cradling pop with your legs not your arms with the exception of like preps..)
- make sure you & the other are base as close to the same height as possible (adjust if not) & have your timing together
- please learn the counts of the stunts & not just go along with it & try to guess when you do what.. (listen when your coaches tell you them) it avoids injury/ugly stunting
- & like everyone else said listen to your coaches/ask questions:)
 
Take it slow and don't hesitate to ask questions if you don't understand. If you don't understand how your coaches are explaining the stunt, ask and ask again. It's their job to explain it 17 different ways until it makes sense to you. Ask for spotters for new stunts, it'll make you and the flyer feel more confident that no one can get hurt if it doesn't hit.

And don't forget to enjoy yourself! Seriously, a good attitude makes a huge difference :D Welcome to the sport!
 
If you have ANY questions, ask your coaches. It's better to ask and learn the right way right off the bat, than to develop bad habits.
 
Like everyone else has said, the number one thing that you cannot do it be afraid. Being a cheerleader comes with alot of risks but to be a great cheerleader, you have overcome them. Now, im not saying that great cheerleaders don't have fears, but they push them aside for the better of them team and never let those fears hold them back from accomplishing a new skill. I came from high school competition cheer straight to an all star squad and since i was a little taller then the girls on my high school squad i was automatically made a back spot. When i came to all stars, i wasn't the tallest one in the group anymore so they wanted me to try basing( i ended up backing the stunt sequence and basing baskets and pyramid). When it was time for baskets my coach was like okay i want you to base a kick double. :eek: <---- my face exactly when she said that. I had NEVER based a basket before or even backed anything more then a toe touch basket. I was terrified. At first i was just basing straight rides but then when we started kick fulling and stuff i got really scared and started to back out and my flyer almost dropped. One of my teammates pulled me aside and said you have to stop doing that, this skill is bigger then your fears and its needs to get done. I realized then and there that i had to stop thinking about myself and my well being and think about my flyer. What if i backed out again and she hit the ground and broke her arm or twisted her ankle? If i got hit in the process of catching her, i'll learn from it and catch her differently next time but at least she was caught. So i sucked it up and she kick doubled and it was beautiful :) And i was so proud of myself for conquering my fears and getting the job done:) and now i LOVE basing<33
 
The flier NEVER touches the ground, even if you're underneath her to break her fall.
Make sure you lift with your legs and arms, not your back (ouch later on)
Always keep your eyes on the flier
Start strength training now, its easier to lift people if you're strong
If at first you don't succeed, try try again. A new stunt rarely goes right the first time. Don't play the blame game. Figure out what went wrong and try to fix it. It might be the flier or the bases, or usually a combo of both. Ask a coach to watch you do it. Have spotters stand around. It takes a lot of practice to get a stunt sequence to hit.
 
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