All-Star Mini 1

[Angelica]

I help out with coaching at a Small gym & this is our first year to have a Mini team. We have 15 little ones...and it may be the hardest thing ever, but also the cutest thing ever. So coaches what are ways to keep practice fun for kids at that age? & also keep them LISTENING. Our kids have got to where they talk talk talk -_- One cheer mom on facebook said you have to be a Saint to coach mini's & i couldnt agree more.

 

[retiredl5cheer]

Our minis have a skills board at the gym. They get to put their name on the board when they get a new skill. I've also seen little ones get rewards at the end of every practice if they behave. If they behaved during practice and didn't talk when the coach was talking and they all got a Sillyband or candy.

 

[CatFan22]

I don't coach anymore, but I did coach Minis for about 5 years. The little treat rewards work great with that age group. Also, try little contests during practice (i.e. who can be the tightest, who can be the quietest, etc etc). They LOVE games, so make the games be about their cheer skills and behaving in practice.

 

[kaylalalaxo]

I coach a mini team (at united elite!:)) and it is THE hardest thing to keep their attention and keep them focused, so me and my other coach decided to play a 'game' where when they are waiting to get on the tumble track to tumble and jump, we would make it a contest to have them stay on the white velcro strip and see whoever can keep their feet on the strip would win a 'surprise' (sucker) at the end of class! And usually we tell them at the beginning of class that if they were really good and listening to us then we would play a game or stunt at the end of class! Its only an hour long, but when all 12 of the little girls are hyper, it drags on!

 

[cheerheart4life]

Our minis have a skills board at the gym. They get to put their name on the board when they get a new skill. I've also seen little ones get rewards at the end of every practice if they behave. If they behaved during practice and didn't talk when the coach was talking and they all got a Sillyband or candy.

Yes our mini teams has their adorable little sticker chart of skills. And if they get all of the skills on the chart, and all the stickers, then they get a special prize that we make (a little goodie bag). Its all about keeping them focused and helping them pay attention. Make if fun for them! Its not all rewards, they should love doing it!

 

[CoachRN]

Lots of contests! Best _____ (insert tumbling skill, body positions, jumps, motions, etc.), gets them to work harder and receive a reward (we have a treasure box that has lots of random things for the little ones such as candy, pencils, little toys, etc.). Also breaking things up by playing games or doing relay races and things like that help with our minis!

 

[Cheer_Explosion_Coach]

There should be a support group for mini 1 coaches. Special group of people!

 

[Angelica]

We made a "mini board" & were introducing it to the girls tomorrow. So so excited (: Thanks everyone for the ideas!

 

[hopskipandjump]

We made a "mini board" & were introducing it to the girls tomorrow. So so excited :) Thanks everyone for the ideas!

Good luck to you! I coach minis and wouldn't coach any other team... I love it, them, and so will you.

 

[cupieqt]

I treat my minis like the big girls. We don't do rewards very often but the little contests and stuff like that does help break up the monotony of "one more time". Pep talks before we move on from one thing to the next helps tremendously. When they know the goal of working on jumps is to get them all together they'll focus on that pretty good. Same goes for timing on tumbling and hitting 100% of the stunt section. Small goals that they can reach and praise for when they do keeps em happy!

Good luck and God bless us all!

 

[fullinitup]

how many 8 counts do you use for your minis routine??

 

[cupieqt]

how many 8 counts do you use for your minis routine??

we use all 46 (with a 140 bpm mix). I want my mini's prepared for youth 1 or 2 so we teach them to do everything the same as much as possible.

 

[Deleted member 8658]

other than tiny teams MINI 1 is prolly the hardest to coach reason being: usually more skill means more attention span

 

[MiniReeRah]

Just the thread I needed! thanks @lovescheer. I'm going to use some of these ideas at my practice on Sunday, I help coach the tiny/mini/youth team (we dont have enough to form 1 team so they are all taught together), and I must say that the tiny/mini's are the hardest :P I'll deffinately be having 'competition's next week, I like the 'who can be the quietest' best lol

 

[cheer25mom]

My CP just started allstars on a half season mini 1, and I have been seeing exactly what you are talking about from some of the girls at practice. CP is almost 8 has danced sinc she was 3. She is used to being asked to focus through multiple hours of rehersal so it is really fustrating to her that some of the girls can't pay attention through a 2 hour practice. Thier coach had a good handle on it though. She uses rotating stations to cut down on the waiting in line. For example, Wed. at practice while she was spotting walkovers, there was a station going working roundoffs over a barrier, one for handstand holds agianst the wall, ect so that no more that 3 girls were at a station. She also spends no more that 30 min at a time on a particular skill, jumps, stunts, tumble, and dance all get a half hour per practice. We have coreography the weekend before haloween, and I am interested to see how they do for 2 eight our days.