All-Star Confessions Of A Cheer Coach

[MzLyn23]

As an athlete who actually opened + read my coaches when I received them and then had to tell teammates who didn't read them to do so when they asked questions answered in said email.I sympathize.



My HS coach/team is probably the coach I've been closest to throughout my years and it feels like home whenever I come in to volunteer or supervise an activity for her. A woman with three kids and a full time job actually took the time to care about our personal lives, something that my young 22 year old coach never did.

I had many athletes from not such great homes especially living in an urban area so I opened my doors to my home. Would invite them for dinner knowing that they probably wouldn't have dinner when they got home. I still have one I call my 2nd daughter. (She calls me mom and my dh dad) She comes with us on some away trips, has slept over many times and has become the older sister to my CPs. We've fed her, helped her stay out of trouble and she even introduced her 1st bf to me and dh (for approval). It's bonds like that show me what coaching is. Not just cheer but being a part of ur athletes life.


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[CheerItFullOut]

When an athlete tells you you've had an impact on their life... No feeling in the world like it

 

[cheerisloving]

I had many athletes from not such great homes especially living in an urban area so I opened my doors to my home. Would invite them for dinner knowing that they probably wouldn't have dinner when they got home. I still have one I call my 2nd daughter. (She calls me mom and my dh dad) She comes with us on some away trips, has slept over many times and has become the older sister to my CPs. We've fed her, helped her stay out of trouble and she even introduced her 1st bf to me and dh (for approval). It's bonds like that show me what coaching is. Not just cheer but being a part of ur athletes life.


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THIS. My HS coach was already connected in our community before becoming our coach, and knows the family backgrounds of girls on our team, and she has been super supportive. I'm lucky that I have a really solid home life but my relationship with my coach and her family is super important to me and my other teammates. DH coaches sports so we all know him too, and he knows what's going on with us. We introduce her to new boyfriends even as graduates. Coaches like you build strong programs with true family atmosphere and help kids love the sport.

 

[cupieqt]

That it's still a subjective sport and even when you disagree strongly with results or scores that you just have to accept that the people with the pens get to have their say and you have to be ok with it.



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[omgitssydthekid]

Some days I spend more time putting out fires (for lack of a better term) than actually coaching my team.

And that I will forever count out the eight counts in all music I listen to. Which irritates me and my friends haha.


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[KPep]

Finding that... songs in real life are sooooo slow.... I like them better at cheer speed.

 

[GreenStormLucy]

Finding that... songs in real life are sooooo slow.... I like them better at cheer speed.

That moment when i know a song only from a cheermix (and actually like it) and then hear "the real version" somewhere and it's just....nahh [emoji58]


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[WinstonsGirl]

Cos my kids are so young, I never push winning for them. All they hear from me is to hit clean, have lots of fun and do their best. But secretly, I really want them to win.

 

[omgitssydthekid]

Cos my kids are so young, I never push winning for them. All they hear from me is to hit clean, have lots of fun and do their best. But secretly, I really want them to win.

Haha that's where I'm at too! We push hitting zero (and hitting hard) and having fun, we never stress their placements/bids/whatever. They function really well like this though, it works great for us!


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[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

I can't really attend my nephew's football/basketball games or my goddaughter's rec cheer games because the whole time I'm sitting there I'm watching the cheerleaders and thinking:


"Motions! Hit your motions."

"Who is letting them sit and talk on the sideline?"

"She'd better stand up and lock out at the top of that or she's gonna...and there she goes."

"Who let that kid throw a RO BHS when she can't even BWO without falling. Safety!"

"They should really point their toes."

I'm a really bad spectator and have had to work on controlling my thoughts (especially when my godchild is on the sideline!)

 

[Angelica]

How my teams routines would be part of my dreams while I am sleeping.

 

[Official OWECheer]

I can't really attend my nephew's football/basketball games or my goddaughter's rec cheer games because the whole time I'm sitting there I'm watching the cheerleaders and thinking:

"God. Apparently no one taught these people how to do hair and place bows."

"Motions! Hit your motions."

"Who is letting them sit and talk on the sideline?"

"She'd better stand up and lock out at the top of that or she's gonna...and there she goes."

"Who let that kid throw a RO BHS when she can't even BWO without falling. Safety!"

"They should really point their toes."

I'm a really bad spectator and have had to work on zipping my lip and controlling my thoughts (especially when my godchild is on the sideline!)

This is me watching competition videos. Especially UCA-styled routines. It's astonishing how many coaches allow easy points to slip away in their cheer because of ineffective props (especially signs) or prop usage, letting voices die down during transitions, poor choreography, lack of aggressive sharpness in prop movement and motions, etc. Like, I shouldn't see anyone getting below 90% of the maximum score. It's ridiculous. Drives me crazy.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

^^^^^Yes. The cheer is practically FREE POINTS if you are good at leading the crowd at your home games and replicate that on stage.

Too often, I see folks doing TOO MUCH in the cheer which causes mistakes.

Example: high to high full up just to be like "FANS ON THIS SIDE YELL ORANGE."

If it's not consistent and you drop one, that's it.

Keep it at a hitch. Or a prep. Or a nice regular lib.

 

[Official OWECheer]

^^^^^Yes. The cheer is practically FREE POINTS if you are good at leading the crowd at your home games and replicate that on stage.

Too often, I see folks doing TOO MUCH in the cheer which causes mistakes.

Example: high to high full up just to be like "FANS ON THIS SIDE YELL ORANGE."

If it's not consistent and you drop one, that's it.

Keep it at a hitch. Or a prep. Or a nice regular lib.

I AM LITERALLY JUMPING UP AND DOWN RIGHT NOW. FREAKING THANK YOU. The worst is when the mistakes are out of the kids' control (ineffective props and bad choreo). You don't need 3 levels of signs for a spell out. If two signs are meant to represent different colors, THEN THEY SHOULD LOOK DIFFERENT FOR GOODNESS SAKES. And they should be readable. If I can't watch the cheer on mute without getting confused, you're doing it wrong. The worst thing is when they make all of those mistakes, and then have the nerve to add distracting skills. Seriously?

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

I AM LITERALLY JUMPING UP AND DOWN RIGHT NOW. FREAKING THANK YOU. The worst is when the mistakes are out of the kids' control (ineffective props and bad choreo). You don't need 3 levels of signs for a spell out. If two signs are meant to represent different colors, THEN THEY SHOULD LOOK DIFFERENT FOR GOODNESS SAKES. And they should be readable. If I can't watch the cheer on mute without getting confused, you're doing it wrong. The worst thing is when they make all of those mistakes, and then have the nerve to add distracting skills. Seriously?

Pretty much. I like to use the random teacher test on my kids.

I have random teachers from my building come listen to them and see if they can follow along. If random teacher who never really comes to games cannot cheer along/read the signs/understand what you're saying, something needs to change.