If I Were Cheer Queen For a Day

This chapter grew out of an article I wrote for our C!M newsletter and then presented at a MCCA Coaches Conference.

Its basis is to help coaches understand that things aren’t always what they seem ~ people make assumptions based on what is most convenient for them or what fits best for them, instead of what might actually be the case. We’re going to sort through a bit of that.

I also hope to help coaches meet the challenge of implementing change in their coaching situation and the cheer world. I want coaches to really think about giving just one person or a small group of people all the power to implement changes in their sport.

Lastly, we must put responsibility, blame, liability, anger and frustration where it belongs ~ most likely ~ in the laps of those who are spewing it all over the place at others. There are a lot of people walking around angry at a world that isn’t the least bit angry at them. It’s up to us to be that change we want to see in our world!!

I have listed what I wish for in a perfect ‘Cheer World’, followed by some worksheets to help us all see things more clearly. HERE WE GO!

IF I WERE CHEER QUEEN FOR A DAY,

COACHES WOULD HAVE TO:

«     Use a bench correctly

«     Wait a full 24 hours after a competition before reacting to scores or commenting to parents or other coaches

«     Take a 2-year break from coaching to gain perspective and calm down just a bit

«     Fill out evaluations for every competition, camp, clinic and conference they go to and sign their names to it

«     Refrain from using their athletes as pawns or a means to win a trophy and would understand that they are influencing kids in every single thing they do and say

«     Trust kids to tell us when they CANNOT do something

«     Get a life outside of cheerleading

«     Be kind to the kids we coach and the other people who coach kids, too

IF I WERE CHEER QUEEN FOR A DAY,

EVERYONE WOULD REALIZE:

«     Score sheets should simply be based on the number 10

«     Not standing up for what is right ~ no matter what anyone else thinks, does or says is cowardice

«     All the junk that happens in cheerleading happens in every other sport, activity, state, organization and life

«     It’s easy to slam things that don’t work out for you ~ funny how we don’t put down those with less power or less points

IF I WERE CHEER QUEEN FOR A DAY,

THE PARENTS OF OUR ATHLETES WOULD HAVE TO:

«     Let their kids learn their own lessons, be responsible for themselves and make their own choices

«     Understand that real courage is knowing when to walk away from something

«     Get their own lives (how about an M-Live Mom and Dad Forum?)

«     Remember that their kids are watching them

IF I WERE CHEER QUEEN FOR A DAY, COACHES ASSOCIATIONS, COMPETITION SPONSORS AND STATE ASSOCIATIONS WOULD HAVE TO:

«     Level the playing field by keeping numbers consistent in rounds and divisions

«     Be more concerned with kids than numbers ~ Title Nine, long-term effects of sports and teams

«     Make decisions as if money isn’t the main reason for working with kids and winning isn’t the most important thing

«     Do whatever is necessary to make an event special, not profitable

«     Understand that when you’re negative (or positive) everyone knows it

«     Understand that accolades come when it’s time and when they’re deserved