All-Star Coaching Babies

[The Sixth]

I have nothing helpful to add, but I think it's the cutest thing when the coaches have to carry around the tiny's and put them in the correct spot in the opening formation.

My CP helped coach a mini team a couple times. Best memory was when they did their pyramid facing AWAY from the crowd!

 

[UEAcheerchick]

I have learned so much from coaching minis.
Fun ways we get them to be "clean" while walking is we say "Peanut Butter" and they automatically put their hands on their sides and squeeze their arms. Or we say "walk like a soldier". For high V's we tell them that their "cinnamon rolls" have to be facing forward. Coaching this age group is tough at times but it will get easier, just try to have as much patience as possible!

Minis want to please you, so its so important that you praise them when they do. Watching a child grow and get better is so rewarding! Best of luck to you :) Love on those kids and cherish every hug they give you!

haha with the minis I'm coaching, if they are standing to close we say "peanut butter jelly!" And they respond with "spread out!" While swinging their arms in front and hitting a T motion to make sure they aren't touching they person next to them :P

 

[eliteathletics]

I truly believe that the word cant is never used in cheer, so if you think these kids cant- they wont. They are capable of learning- it just takes longer. The best way to teach them a skill is to pick one you will use in your routine. If you want knee stand libs- teach them THAT skill- from the very begining. If you want a 3 jump combo- teach that from day 1. this way when you put these skills together - into the routine - the kids are familiar with it. Also start teaching them the correct way to walk(hands at side not swinging around) from day 1. Learned habits start young. Teach everything starting off on right hand right foot- use stickers or bracelets to show the correct side- (plus its a girft for the child to take home) use a sticker chart, reward, reward reward and lastly DONT show favortism, it makes the least favorite child try less and who knows -that child may be the future Maddie.

 

[kickdblcj]

Don't lower your expectations with minis!! They may not be able to do the same stunts as youth but mine get pretty darn close. They can be sharp and they can tumble and they can learn.

I may take a SLIGHTLY softer approach with my mini's but they get treated just like the big girls 99% of the time.

You won't kill anyone, they'll actually surprise you if you know how to help them find their greatness :)
Good luck!

I am a firm believer that stunts should not change just because of the level you are on, the only difference is the height at which you are doing the stunts.

My only concern is my patience, or should I say lack of lol. But Im looking at this as a learning opportunity and as a chance for me to grow as a coach. So lets see how this goes lol.

 

[cupieqt]

I am a firm believer that stunts should not change just because of the level you are on, the only difference is the height at which you are doing the stunts.

My only concern is my patience, or should I say lack of lol. But Im looking at this as a learning opportunity and as a chance for me to grow as a coach. So lets see how this goes lol.

I bet you'll do great. Men can be very good at getting results (IF they're patient). Since you recognize that you'll need patience I think you'll have it when you do need it.

I always thought I was a great coach until I started working with mini's. Then I found that I'm even better than I thought bc I could get those kids to perform. Teaching experienced, higher level kids is a cake walk after working with mini's.

 

[cheeeeer93]

SAME FORMATIONS! Make your opening, jumps, dance ect. all start in the same formation so they have less to remember in terms of going to their spot. You can change the formation once they get there but keep the first thing in the same spot.

 

[Jessicalynn]

I coached a tiny team for a few years along with two other people and we had strips of tape to show them where their spot was and we true to keep each formation the same. Jumps dance cheer so they knew where to go and each time they transitioned to keep them tight we did hands on hips we did simple fun stuff to keep them entertained they also always got a freeze pop at the end of a good practice !

 

[cheercurl]

I actually tell my kids "It is my turn to speak and your turn to listen and that means no sounds are coming out of your mouth". LOL It works... sometimes I tell them to swallow their voices and listen. I work with 3-6 year olds. They are eager to please and I totally agree with who ever said they will live up to your expectations...so make them realistic but don't teach down to them either. Making things fun is the key...

 

[mommadonna]

I never coached before, but I used to teach preschool, so I can give you a couple of "nuggets". One thing I used to do to get them to be quiet and focus is tell them to "catch a magic bubble" with their mouths. They would then puff out their cheeks like they actually caught a bubble! Worked every time. Transition into different activities or ways of teaching things every couple of minutes. These kids have the attention span of a flea on Starbucks. Keep it fun for sure. My Cp took ballet when she was four, and the way her teacher taught their recital piece was cool. She assigned a color to each part of the dance routine, and she had 8 1/2 x 11 pieces of laminated paper in each color. She could then hold up a color and the kids would do the part of the dance assigned to it. After they learned the part for each color, they then put the colors in order and did the whole thing together. All the kids needed to know was which color came next! The teacher sat on the front row during the recital and held up each color in order to remind the kids what to do. That way, they were looking forward and not to each other if they got lost. It made the whole dance look very clean for that age group! Not to mention it was good for the little Kindergarteners to practice learning their colors! Good luck!​

 

[Trolldance]

I was always impressed (and sometimes a little surprised) what the Tinys I coached could accomplish. I coached Tinys for 2 seasons and took them over from a "don't expect much from them" approach. The process takes longer than with an older group, but they are so eager to be like the big kids that they will strive to do more and do better if it is expected of them. I personally loved coaching the little ones and miss them terribly now that I'm not. There is nothing like seeing them on that stage whether they completely hit the routine or not. They're just so excited to be up there!

 

[Angelica]

if anyone has any suggestions of ways to help minis learn to count a routine......pleaseee respond (:

 

[cupieqt]

if anyone has any suggestions of ways to help minis learn to count a routine......pleaseee respond (:

I've never really had a problem with this but I would try making them say the counts out loud with you as they mark through it. Just a thought!

 

[cheeeeer93]

if anyone has any suggestions of ways to help minis learn to count a routine......pleaseee respond :)

Match counts with music. Our music always changes songs on 1 for the most part. So even in my routines if I got off count, I could catch up when the song changed if that makes sense. My tinys especially tend to just go by the music so they just know to move when the song changes or start motions at that count.

 

[munchkinmom]

Match counts with music. Our music always changes songs on 1 for the most part. So even in my routines if I got off count, I could catch up when the song changed if that makes sense. My tinys especially tend to just go by the music so they just know to move when the song changes or start motions at that count.

Or even have them chant/sing/hum with the music as they learn and as they practice. Many people remember things (not just cheer) better when they align it to song. I can still hum you the 2 eight counts before and the 2 eight counts after my entrance to a dance I did 15 years ago. We entered like 20someodd (26 sounds right...) eight counts into the music (Sleeping Beauty, instrumental) and there is no way on recital day that every group was going to get the entrance counted out right, but we knew it by sound.

 

[INeverStopCheering]

if anyone has any suggestions of ways to help minis learn to count a routine......pleaseee respond :)

Last year we had Minis sit down when we got the music and we just practiced counting it a few times. We clap on one so everyone is on rhythm. Also, make sure they know what count the music starts on. Last year we had huge problems with the opener because some of the kids would start counting 1 on the first note of music and the music started on 5