7 Things That Make A Good Captain

Are you your squad's cheer captain? Do you want to become one? Here's a few characteristics that make a good cheer captain for any squad!

#1 Respectful
Whether or not you're a captain this is a big one. You should always show respect for your coach and of course all of your teammates. Treat them all the way you want to be treated.

#2 Organized
All paper work, instructions from coach(es), music, etc. should be kept in a safe place that's always on hand at practice.

#3 Caring
As captain you should always care about your teammates and make sure they're comfortable with any dances, cheers, and stunts. You should also care for them outside of cheer because overall you're a family.

#4 Good Communication
You're the line between your teammates and your coach. You want to make sure that you have good communitcation skills when it comes to how the team is feeling. Also make sure you're good at talking to your teammates. Make them feel like they can come to you with any problems without you judging, gossiping or taking sides.

#5 Skilled
You should lead by example and know all of the needed material for every game and assembly, because you want to be able to help your teammates practice.

#6 Energetic
No one wants a boring captain who doesn't want to call cheers and get everyone motivated. You should be happy and smiling and outgoing when it comes to performances and even if you can at regular practices. If you have a positive attitude it'd reflect on your squad.

#7 Good Leadership/Role Model
Most importantly you should have good leadership and overall be a role model for your squad. Having good leadership skills means knowing how to guide your team toward any situation, and helping then learn along the way. A role model is when you do the right things and practice what you're told in order to have your work impact the squad and hopefully the younger girls. Every squad needs a role model and a captain should be it.

There's a lot more qualities that make a captain but here's 7, and I hope you got to enjoy reading them and hopefully you'll be a good captain yourself!

Love,
A Cheerleader

Diary Of A Cheerleader: Buttons

Dear Diary

I just got back from cheer camp today and I feel exhausted. Maybe it was the fact that we worked practically nonstop through the course of 3 and a half days! I have to say the experience was a lot better than last years train wreck that was filled with drama, tension, and actually fights. :( This year I really enjoyed myself! I got to bond with new people who I didn't expect to become close with. I tried new things which included basing and even working on our lib (which we still haven't quite gotten, but we're still learning). One thing that I will say is at cheer camp no matter who you are, or where you got your buttons will be pushed. There's always gonna be that one girl who has to hit your limit but remember that it's your teammate and you have to learn to get along. That's what I did! It was super hard and frustrating at times but in the end I really grew to love her as a teammate!

Another thing is the material! It was all super great and well put together. We learned three dances and six cheers in all. We even performed at the end for parents and friends to have it scored by judges. Our awards were great but I was super excited to win 10th grade All Stars with ten or so other girls at the camp! It's my second year with the all stars program which is basically when you tryout with a dance, cheer, and jump and you're judged on it to see if you're an "all star."

Leaving cheer camp was bitter sweet. I was sad that I wouldn't get to experience this for another 365 days. I wouldn't be able to bond with my teammates on a level like this again, especially my senior cheer friends who I love so much. Then again, I was pretty happy to be going home because after all when you spend so much time with someone you tend to grow annoyed with them and that's usually when the claws come out, so I'm glad I got out of there alive! :)

Overall I really enjoyed cheer camp this year and all of the things that it through at me. No matter how many buttons were pushed I always ended up on the right floor.

Love,
A Cheerleader

Off to Cheer Camp: Back July 29th

Hey Cheer Bloggers!

I'm off to Cheer Camp and I'm so excited! Since I'm going away for the next 3 days there won't be any posts! But don't worry I'll make up for lost time when I get back with four new posts!

 

Picture from Google Image Search

 

After cheer camp I will have gained tons of new advice to give! I can't wait to share what I learned with all of you. Any of you guys going or have gone to cheer camp? Leave a comment about your experience! I'd love to hear about it.

 

Love,

A Cheerleader

What to Wear?: Game Day Makeup Edition

Ready to get ready with all your teammates before a game? You get to do each other's makeup and talk and gossip, sounds fun right? Just know you should always know what you want your game day look to be before you start getting ready because what if the materials you need aren't safely packed in your makeup bag! Here's a few tips about game day makeup and a awesome video from: RoseBeauty21 so make sure to subscribe and check her out for more beauty tips!

#1 Shimmery Eye Shadow

 

 

 

You can never go wrong with shimmer! Whether it's gold, silver, rose, or any other color! The way the shimmery look hits the stadium lights always look pretty, just make sure to apply it not just on the eyelid but also close to the brow so that it's a more dramatic look.

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Good products?

• Shimmer Brick-Bronze from Sephora
• Cover Girl Eye Enhancer 3-Kit from Target
• Physicians Formula Bright Collection Shimmery Quad Eye Shadow from Walgreens

#2 Colored Lips

 

 

It's always nice to add a little color on your lips especially if it makes them look soft and smooth. You can go natural with a peach lip gloss or va va voom with a bright red lipstick.

 

Good Products?

• Maybelline Baby Lips from Target
• Cream Lip Stain from Sephora
• Tinted Lip Gloss from Mac
• Neutrogena Moisture Smooth Color Stick from CVS

 

#3 Long Lashes

 

Long Eyelashes are so great. They make your eyes look more dramatic and really compliments your eye makeup. Long eyelashes can be accomplished with mascara and a eyelash curler! It's really that simple!

 

Good Products?

• Cover Girl Natureluxe Water Resistant Black 525 Mascara from Target
• Cobra Mascara from Sephora
• Maybelline Great Lash Mascara Washable Lash Building Brush-Brownish Black from CVS
• L'Oreal Telescopic Shocking Mascara from Target

 

These are just the three key components that I try to use every game to get that wow look! If you need more beauty tips be sure to see the video below and subscribe to RoseBeauty21 for more!

 

 

 

 

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Diary Of A Cheerleader: Pilot

Here's a plot of a possible new article series: Diary of A Cheerleader where I'll discuss my week every Tuesday! Let me know what you think in the comments to see if the series should continue.

Dear Diary,

I recently have been training to be a base. Myself being 5'7'' and a bit on the thinner side is usually called a twig. Aside from being a twig my height was also a problem so even though I was light enough and had enough body control I couldn't be a flyer and I was too tall to be a base that year. Last year was my first season of cheer so of course it was my first year stunting. I was assigned a back spot which I was for a full year. Back spotting was never my favorite position but I had to deal for the sake of the team. So this year I took it upon myself to try something new and break away from my expected back spot duties. It also helped that all the back spot positions were filled on Varsity! I told my coach I didn't care what my position was so our first day of stunting she put us in ideal stunt groups and just guided us through. Since there was a flyer already and a back spot I got to base for the first time. At first people made a few jokes and I laugh along with it because they said I was a stick and couldn't lift a finger if I had to. Not exactly those words but things like that. Overall, me being a base was sort of out of the question for them. But beside a few raised questions about me basing, myself and the other base really clicked and our stunt group was going pretty smooth for a stunt group made up of beginners. So it really goes to show that if you want to try something then you just have to try. You'll never know if you never try. It may be a stupid saying but hey, it's true. Well diary, I better go I'm about to go make some bows and I better get my hot glue gun ready for battle. :)

-A Cheerleader

Make sure to let me know what you think! If you enjoyed this pilot of a possible new series: Diary of A Cheerleader leave a comment and maybe you'll catch another one next Tuesday!

 

Love,

A Cheerleader

Bow Storage 101

Every cheerleader probably has 1OOs of the.....b word, you know what I mean! BOWS! What cheerleader could live without them? If you're like me and you have tons and tons of bows and no where to put them here's a few different ways.
Pictures from PINTEREST

 #1 Bow Ribbons Hangers

Materials:

• Four different colored ribbons (1 yard each)
• Four foam or wooden letters (B, O, W, S)
• Nails & Hammer
• Hot Glue Gun
• Staple Gun or Thumb Tacks

How to Make:

1. If letters aren't painted then paint them to coordinate with the different colored ribbons
2. Hot glue ribbons to the back of each letter make sure it's secure so the added weight of the bows won't rip the ribbon
3. Nail letters to wall
4. Press ribbon down along the wall (it doesn't have to be stick straight so you can still clip the bows on the ribbon) then staple or thumb tack the bottom
5. Decorate the ribbon strips with your beautiful bows!

 

 

#2 Cork Board Bow Hanger

 

Materials:

• Cork board
• Thumb tacks

How to Make:

1. If the bow has a hair tie then you take the bow's tie and thumb tack it to the board
2. Put all bows in an even line or any other pattern you desire
3. See? It's simple!

 

#3 Frame Bow Hanger

 

Materials:

• Picture Frame
• 1/2 a yard of ribbon
• Buttons
• Paint
• Staple Gun

How to Make:

1. Start by using the staple gun to staple the ribbons along the top and bottom of the frame
2. Hot glue the first layer of the buttons and then let it dry, next scatter the rest of the buttons on top of the other buttons for a pattern
3. You can then paint your name, your team's name, the word 'bows', etc on the top of your frame

 

Now all of your bows have a safe home! Each of these storage options will look great with any room and won't add clatter! Hope this helps!

 

Love,

A Cheerleader

Best Friends on Cheer: All the Pros & Cons

Trying out for cheerleading with your best friend is usually the way girls go. No one wants to show up to a new environment alone with no one they know-unless you're outgoing and pretty gutsy. Odds are when you try out with your best friend you'll both make the same squad considering you're training together and practicing and critiquing each other so your performance level will pretty much be the same. Here's a few pros and cons to having your best friend on cheer with you in an given situation! 

Picture from pheed.com

First Days (Practice, Cheer Camp, School, etc.)

 

Pros:

Having your best friend by your side on any first day can be super calming and make you feel secure because you'll always have someone to talk to or you'll know the same game plan like if you have to show up early on the first day of school for last minute practice.

 

Cons:

If you're willing to meet new people (or vice versa) then one of the two of you could be holding the other back.

 

Sporting Events (Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Baseball, etc.)

 

Pros:

Aside from all the cute "instagram" pictures you can take having your best friend with you at a game can be really fun. You two could carpool, or get ready together, do each others make up, etc!

 

Cons:

If you and your best friend are chatter boxes then being next to each other during a game can be distracting and cause you to get in trouble by your coach.

 

Practices

 

Pros:

If one of you picks up on something the other doesn't then you can teach your best friend after practice. Another pro is that the two of you could be like a little team and go around helping some of the new girls-if you're a returner.

 

Cons:

Having so much time with your best friend can be pretty tempting to start to goof off and joke around which can be distracting for other girls.

 

Stunting

 

Pros:

Maybe you and your best friend have already tried a little backyard stunting with a few other girls and already have a feel for each position before your own team even gets started.

 

Cons:

If the two of you are put in the same stunt group it could cause competition and/or tension

 

Drama (Of any kind, ugh!)

 

There really is no pro to having drama with your best friend on your cheer squad but it usually happens at least once like if your best friend is making a bunch of new friends and doesn't seem to have much time to hang out with you anymore or maybe you're jealous because your best friend is learning quicker and faster then you are or maybe she got a better spot in the formation then you (or all of these can be vice versa).

 

---------------------------------------

 

The best thing to remember is that you two are best friends for a reason and if the friendship is gonna last you'll need to communicate and this goes for all of the possible situations in this article. Having your best friend on your cheer squad is really great because it means the two of you share the same interest and can make your cheerleading experience great and memorable with each other!

 

Love,

A Cheerleader

 



No Cheerleader Left Behind

Summer Practice can be super rough especially for first time cheerleaders having to master all of the football season's cheers and dances. Every cheer team has a straggler, whether she/he is some what of a weak link or she/he just doesn't learn as fast as others. Just know that this fellow cheerleader is just that your teammate, your friend, and your new family and you can't just leave them behind.

No matter what their situation is they need help. They may not ask for it because they're embarassed or shy about it but just know that it's needed and they're just waiting for the right person to help them out and lend a hand. You should take it upon yourself to be that person.

Start by asking if they need help at practice, it's a simple gesture that may just make their whole day. Don't embarass them just pull them to the side and ask if they fully understand the cheers. A lot can be forced on a person during practice considering there's so many cheers to learn. If you ask and they say "sure" then just ask them what's confusing and go over the basics of the cheers slowly. If they say "no" then maybe it's because they're embarrass you can try asking again later over text or Facebook or even just offer to make a video of yourself doing the cheers for them.
---------------------------------

If you're this cheerleader that is "getting left behind" don't speed up and try to jump back in the group confused, be sure to ask for a little bit of help from the captains, coach(es) or just another teammate!

Love,
A Cheerleader 

How to Afford Cheerleading

Cheerleading is a very, very consuming sport. It takes a lot of time and money to commit to being on a cheer team. But money shouldn't stop you from trying your dream and doing what you love. Here's a few tips on how to afford cheerleading!



Picture from Google Image Search

Getting a Job
The most common way to make money is having a job. There's many places out there that are willing to hire students who are 14+ years old. Assuming that you can't drive you should try to get a job within walking distance or around your house so that you can ride your bike or walk to and from work because having a job means committing and never being late.

Youthful Jobs


You can always baby sit kids in your neighborhood, or do chores around your community for a little extra cash!

 

Fundraise/Sponsored

You can always try getting sponsored by family members, friends, or your cheer gym. You can also ask local businesses or put cans at grocery stores asking for loose change.

 

If you set your mind to it you can always accomplish your dreams. If money is an issue just meet your parents half way with the cost, and make the best of your season!

 

Love,

A Cheerleader

What to Wear?: Practice Clothes Edition

So it's the first day of practice and you're stressing about what to wear. You're running a bit late and you know you should've planned ahead! Here's how to avoid that situation!

It really depends on what your squad is like. You can always ask an older teammate who you know or who you're familiar with. It never hurts to ask.

Here's a few things the usually cheerleader wear!

Remember to just wear clothing that's comfortable and affordable. You don't have to get all dressed up to go to practice every day. *Extra tip, wear athletic shoes for stunting, tumbling, and dancing.

 

Love,

A Cheerleader

How to Tell When to Call Cheers

You're sitting on your box and the crowd is chanting and yelling at the players. They may be good things. They could be bad things. Either way it's your job to start up the spirit and get the crowd roaring. But when do you call it? What do you call? How can you tell?

You always want to call a cheer within the first ten minutes of being set up and on your boxes. Most squads do the same cheer each game as a bit of a warm up or intro. After that whenever you get the chance you should call a cheer. General/basic cheers are always the safe way to go especially if the team is switching back and forth from offense to defense and you can't keep up. You can call general or basic cheers during time outs, gaps between changes, good and bad calls, and touch downs of course!

Make sure that when you call the cheer you're loud and everyone can hear you. Most squad's captains yell "SET" and everyone gets ready. Make sure to yell it loud so no one is left confused on their box. When you call the cheer or yell last time make sure that's loud also so that the cheer doesn't drag on longer than it should.

What cheers do you call when?

Opening-Cheer with school name/getting fired up

Good Call- victory cheer

Bad Call- a it's okay, or pump it up cheer

Touch Down- touch down or victory cheer

Remember to always rally after every cheer then set back on your box.

Hope all of these tips helped, have fun learning and calling all the cheers!

Love,
A Cheerleader

The Cold Shoulder

Captains are gonna be chosen soon and that means a bunch of girls are gonna be going out for the spot. That also means a bunch of girls are gonna be disappointed when only one of them gets the position. Being captain is a huge honor. You are the air wave between the coach and your teammates. You get to make up dances, call cheers, and make important decisions but being captain can also have it's down side like losing your friends.

Scenario 1: When people don't get the position and you do you might be turned against. That's usually normal because the people are full of envy towards you and wonder what you have that they don't. Just keep your head up and remember to be yourself and remember you got the job because of who you are don't change yourself to try to alter their negative attitudes.

Scenario 2: You don't get the position and you were really hoping for it. Another one of your teammates got it and you feel a bit jealous. DON'T. It might be a easy reaction to just start picking at them to your friends but at the end of the day they're still your teammate and now captain and word usually gets around. You never wanna gossip about your teammates and definitely not your captain.  If it bothers you that much ask the coach the reasons for the other person being chosen and maybe the next season is a better shot for you.

Remember if you're captain make sure to be positive and send good vibes to people. You can also let down the hammer and make sure to solve team issues.

And if you didn't get the captain spot, remember that just because you're not captain doesn't mean you can't share ideas or be a good example. At the end of the day being captain is mostly a title. It's the team that really gets everything going on the sidelines.

Love,

A Cheerleader

How to Be the Best Roomate at Cheer Camp

Cheerleading Camp is coming up and that means you have to get ready to have a roommate. If you lucked out it means you got in a room with a close friend but if you're in a room with a newbie or a stranger than here's how to survive and be the best roommate you can be! (This pretty much goes to unfamiliar and close friends)

Picture from Google

1. Sleeping Arrangements

Most of the time cheer camps are at hotels with two beds and four roommates that means there's gonna be two to a bed. You can choose bed mates a variety of differents way but most people go by who's the most familiar with who. You can also do it by who snores, restless sleepers, size, etc. If you're a restless sleeper and tend to talk or kick it'd be polite to let your bed mate know or take it to the couch.

2. What's Yours is Mine...NOT

It's always nice to borrow your roomies hair ties, straightener, shampoo you know whatever but always make sure to ask. You don't want to use up all of her body wash in one shower. You don't want to eat her favorite fruit snacks. Also make sure that the same goes for you. Asking is always the best because you never know how the person will react.

3. Space

Each person should have their own space. If there's a closet you can set space between clothes with little spaces between the hangers. Make sure everyone has a space for their bags.

4. Keep It Clean

You'll be staying in that one room for the next 3-4 days so you want to make sure it's clean. What my roomies and I do is check for bed bugs before anything, then after that we put our snacks in one bedside drawer for all of us to share or for whoever is willing to share. Make sure each roomie keeps their stuff together and their "space" clean. Clean up crumbs and make your beds.

5. Shhh

Just because you're a morning bird doesn't mean your roomies are. You may want to get up and start curling your hair but your roommates still want a few more minutes of sleep. Always make sure to stay quiet and respectful of your roommates. If it comes down to it and your roommates need to wake up then of course be their alarm clock but you don't want to be noisy in the night.

Make sure to pass these tips over to your squad and your new roommates! If it all works out you'll all leave super close and great friends ready for an awesome cheer season. Good luck and have fun!

Love,
A Cheerleader

Cheerleading Stereotypes: Cheerleading is a Popularity Contest

I'm starting off a new series on here where every Saturday I'll give a new wrong cheerleading stereotype and reflect on it.

Cheerleading is a popularity contests

 

 

A lot of people confuse school involvement with popularity. They just assume that since a cheerleader is friendly or gets to know staff, students, and teams she is popular and in high school that's what a lot of people think is important. (IT IS NOT IMPORTANT AT ALL!) This is a truly wrong stereotype. Cheerleaders come in all personalities not just outgoing. There's in fact a lot of cheerleaders who are reserved and shy. Being popular and cheerleader don't always go together but of course cheerleaders are well known because they're the face of the school and the campus role model. They just have to make sure they're well known for good reasons.

 

Love,

A Cheerleader

Is Cheerleading A Sport?

Sport

noun [spawrt]

an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature

Picture from Google

There's a rumor that's always around 24/7 about how cheerleading isn't a sport. Well, let's face it that rumor is a rumor and completely wrong. The definition above states that a sport involves: athletic skills, physical power, and a competitive nature. Let's break it down and see why cheerleading is most definitely a sport!

 

1. Athletic Skills

 

Cheerleading is a skill because it doesn't just come naturally. It involves lots of hard work and practice to get the perfect pass, stunt, dance, or cheer. Practice makes perfect!

 

2. Physical Power

 

When you're tumbling and stunting you most definitely need strength, and power.  When you're fighting to keep that stunt up it's the physical power and the togetherness of all four/five teammates.

 

3. Competitive Nature

 

NCA? The Summit? Worlds? Any of these ring a bell! Cheerleading is extremely competitive, and every year there are tons of major competitions held and are even broadcasted on ESPN (the sports network). Worlds is a huge deal in the cheer world and consists of the best teams in the "world" coming together in Florida to compete for titles. So yes I think there is some competitive nature there.

 

Sure cheerleading doesn't involve a ball or a finish line but it doesn't mean that cheerleading isn't important and it isn't a sport. Cheerleading is a sport, a love, a passion, and a way of life.

 

Love,

A Cheerleader



Cheerleading Captains: Being Overruled?





There's two types of cheerleaders. Number one: The cheer-follower. Number two: The cheer-leader. I'm not implying that you have to be cheer captain in order to a good cheerleader but the cheer captain is the face of being a role model and a cheerleader. But what happens when the cheer captain is being overruled by another teammate on the squad.

 

Advice to the Overruled Captain:

 

I'm sure you're feeling stressed and as if you're not important. This usually happens a lot to a ton of different squads. Just sit down and talk to the person and try to reason with them. Explain that you were chosen as captain for a reason and you want their full support on being captain. Let them know that you're not a tyrant and you want what's best for the squad. Also let them know that you'll be having the squad chose all major decisions and that you're just the voice between the squad and the coach. You should be able to problem solve and handle all that comes at you but never be float to ask your coach for help when a conflict like this is going on.

Picture from Google Image Search

Advice to the Overruling Teammate:

Tone it down and allow your captain to do their job. If there's a serious problem between your squad and your captain sit down with your captain and coach and talk. If you're not comfortable doing this ask the coach to have all team members write on a piece of paper about how they feel about the squad. Not about the captain, and not reasons why the captain is good or bad because this can cause bigger conflict! Try being more respectful of your captain because your coach or squad chose them for a reason. If there's ongoing issues take it up with your coach but overall you are probably the source of all major issues. Just trust your captain and attempt to get along.

 

 

I hope both of these tips help your squad! Having a conflict like this can be stressful but dealing with it in a reasonable way is the best way to go!

 

Also fellow cheerleaders I recently joined twitter so make sure to tweet and follow me!

Twitter: @Cheerblogger

 

Love,

A Cheerleader





Happy Fourth of July

Hey Fellow Cheerleaders!

 

I'm here to wish you a Happy 4th of July

Picture from GrandChampBows.etsy

Stay tuned for more cheer advice. For now check out this super cute cheer bow from GrandChampsBows!

Love,
A Cheerleader

Cheer Experiences: Having Fun On and Off the Mat

Cheerleading is super fun and is always full of new experiences no matter how many years you've been a part of it. Every year there's no girls, new grades, new friends, and new experiences.

Practice is the best place to get to know each other. Making friends after all is a new experience itself! You're basically forced to show up at the same place at the same time by your coach so you might as well make the best of it and make some friend along the way. During practice you can chat, teach each other new technics, and go over moves while getting to know each other. After you can even have sleepovers, get lunch, or swim.

Stepping foot on the mat for the first time is pretty cool. Even if it's just during practice in your school's gym. The rush really hits you when you are ready for those 2:30 with all of your teammates.

Picture from theIcn.com

Fitness is a big part of the sport because you need to stay fit and healthy especially for stunting and tumbling. During practice and conditioning you'll learn new technics on how to get your muscles working and the blood flowing through your body.

 

As a cheerleader you're involved in school and pep rallies a lot more. You're the role model and a new experience you'll have is involvement all the way from making posters to hosting a pep rally during lunch.

 

So those are a few little experiences you'll probably come across in your new season! Hope you make the best of all of them!!! <3



 

Love,

A Cheerleader

LADY BULLETS OR DIE

I myself am a big Lady Bullets fan and their performance at Worlds 2013 completely blew me away. Let's just take a moment to realize what perfection really is!

 

 

Hope you enjoyed. I'll be back on the mat with more cheer advice entries tomorrow!

 

Love,

A Cheerleader

I'm Bacccckkkkk

Sorry the tardiness of the last few posts. I tried to set all of my pre-made entries on auto post schedule but the setting didn't work and obviously I didn't realize it until I got back to my lap top a week later. I will continue posting daily like usually. Also sometimes the dates get mixed up so even if it's the 29h it posts as if I posted on the 28th so it can be a bit confusing but it's fine! Make sure to check out all of the newest posts. I'll be posting a few today to make up for the lost time in entries! Enjoy!

Love,
A CHEERLEADER