Help! Cheer Sponsor Drama

[deb campbell]

So I'm a first year sponsor of JV team. The varsity sponsor is also first year, however she has a dance background. She came in this summer and took over the entire squad and has spent the summer getting them ready for different routines and dances - not much cheering. So my JV girls are not up to speed on cheers and then yesterday she blew her stack at me about pep rally and acted like I'm not doing my part because she spent the week getting them ready for their routine - a routine she wrote, taught, and did not share with me. I've asked several times for her to tell me what she's doing so I can track my girls and she's like "oh i like the choreography part I don't like the grading, money, etc. part"... so I thought I was doing well keeping all of that off her. She is also the teacher of record for the cheer class. So how do I fix this??? I need to be able to do my job and yet she has more experience than me but apparently she's feeling overwhelmed... I'm so upset and lost I just want to quit.

 

[cheerforeverever]

You guys are both in the same boat as far as being newly responsible for these girls, so there will be a lot of difficult times in a transition period until you guys get more settled. It is a lot to take on for both of you. Sit down and ask her, what do you need from me to make this work? We need to communicate better to be on the same page. I don't mind read, and can only prepare the girls as well as what you say you need from me.

There needs to be an understanding of who is responsible for what roles on paper. Write it out. Let her know that you understand she likes dance choreography. That is great. There are many other aspects to coaching that both of you need to work together to handle however.
Who is going to handle tasks such as:
Uniform handling/ distribution/ ordering/ fee collection
Camp selection, fee collection & summer practice schedule
Pep rally scheduling/organizing
Pep rally routine choreo & practice drilling these routines
Game Day - Cheer preparation
etc. etc. etc.
If needed get the AD to view the task distribution in writing, so there are minimal grey areas of who is supposed to do what. Cheer coach does not equal choreographer only. Cheer coach also does not equal dance coach only. Cheer coaches must be versatile & able to manage many things at once.

Make the best of what you can with this sponsor & hopefully you guys can work together not against each other. Remember that you as a sponsor influence MANY young lives. Quitting may get you out of the situation in the short term, but it will not help the girls or program at all. It is still early in the year. Don't make any drastic decisions.

 

[deb campbell]

Thanks so much!!! Your words have encouraged me a lot. I will sit down and type something up and plan on meeting with her on Monday. I just can't handle people who talk down to me... especially when I am old enough to be her mom!!! I love the girls and have enjoyed the year so far just not the constant drama with the other sponsor. I want us on the same page and working together instead of against each other.

Thanks so much!