AES Cougar Cheerleading
Sample Practice Plan
Coaching Dance Exercises Jumps Motions Stunting Tryouts Tumbling
Here's what we do at most practices, though not always
in this order and not always everything on the list. It depends on the
length of the practice and how attentive the kids are that day.
Normally, to help keep me organized, I use an outline format for my
plans and color code each heading so that I can tell at a glance where I
am at. I can also jot down notes of things I notice that need further
work or sudden flashes of inspiration as we go along.
(For a list of games and ice breakers, see below.
For tips on coaching youth teams, go
here.)
Upon arrival
Attendance
Dues
Snacks
Bathroom
Change
Hand out papers
Group meeting (Discuss any issues that have come up such as behavior
problems, or pass on information such as competition dates or plans for
the mid-season pizza party.)
Explain what we will be doing that day & post the schedule on the wall
to help keep us on time.
Warm up
Team relay races: Running, skipping, leaping (grand jetes), side and front chasses. Sometimes we add crabs, wheelbarrows, and log rolls for fun.
Jumping jacks, air jacks, rapid tuck jumps, high jumps, bunny hops, and candlestick jumps if we didn't warm up enough with the races.
Stretching and conditioning
(Below is only a short list of possible stretches and exercises. See the exercises page if you don't know
what some of these stretches are or if you would like to try something
different.)
Neck rolls and nods
Shoulder rolls front and back
Triceps pulls across chest and over head
Interweave fingers and turn hands palm out to stretch wrists
Interweave fingers behind the back, bend over and pull
Swing arms and twist waist
Spider and runner's stretches
Sitting straddles (including twists) or lie on back and pull straddles to floor
Pike stretches
Butterflies
Splits
Bridge rocks
Bridge leg and arm lifts
Push ups
Partner push ups (wheelbarrow style)
Crunches
V-Ups and Pike-ups
Sitting toe touches
Bicycles
Hip rolls
Stunt top positions
Bathroom & water break
Tumbling
Forward and backward rolls
Handstand kicks
Handstand roll downs and back extensions
Handstand/front limber/stand up/back limber/kick over
Cartwheels (standing/running)
Round-offs (standing/running)
If there is time and the kids are ready, we review the basics of front and back handsprings and do jump backs onto a mat, handsprings over a rolled mat, and/or spotted handsprings.
Bathroom & water break
Jumps
Pencil jumps with different arm positions
10 jumps with preps on each (usually toe touches and pikes at the beginning of
the year, add other jumps later)
10 jumps, one prep to start and then just pop back to next jump after that (stamina jumps)
Bathroom & water break
Motion drills
Review hand and arm placement, work on
timing and cleanness
Bathroom & water break
Choreography
Review cheers and dance choreography
Bathroom & water break
Stunts
Review safety and proper mount and dismount of thigh stands, assisted toe touches, straddle lifts, preps, show and gos,
cradles etc.
Bathroom & water break
Final meeting before leaving where I ask them what they think they did well with and what needs more work.
Always talk to every child and always leave them feeling good about
something they did that day. Any reminders I need to give are done at this time, when the parents are there to pick them up.
Occasional reminders of our goals are given if it seems like we are
losing our direction: 1) Have fun, 2) Boost school spirit, 3) Reach out
to the community, & 4) Prepare for High school cheering.
More practice plans and tips
Squad Practice Worksheet from AACCA
Advice from Varsity
How to run an effective practice by Pam
Headridge
Seven practice principles
Organizational Chart
Games
1) Simon Says or Mother May I with cheer motions
2) Switch: Split the kids into 2 groups and put them at
opposite sides of the gym or field, but still close enough that they can
hear you. Make a list ahead of time with questions like: Do you have a
dog? Do you have a cat? Do you have a computer? Do you have a sister? Is
your favorite color red? etc etc. Every time the kids would answer yes
to the question, they need to run across the gym or field to the other
group.
To make this an Ice Breaker instead of a warm-up have the people who
answer yes to the questions raise their hands. They need to find at
least one other person who has their hand raised and get together with
them. People who don't have their hands raised need to get together in
twos or threes as well. Try to encourage them to group together with
people they don't know instead of old friends. Quickly, each person in
the small groups must explain why they answered the way they did and
give a short detail like "I have 3 dogs and they are all English
setters. I love them because they are so sweet and funny." or "I don't
have dogs because I'm allergic."
The point of all this is it's a pretty fast way for people to discover
who they have things in common with, which makes them feel more
comfortable about talking with each other in the future. :^)
3) Little Sally Walker
4) Show me the mummy! Without telling them why, break the
kids up into small groups and have them pick a captain. Then give them
the toilet paper and tell them they need to make a mummy out of their
captain faster than the other teams.
5) Emotions: Have small groups of kids turn back to each
other. When you call out and emotion, they have to turn and face each
other, making the expression of the feeling you just called out. The
deal is, they have to try not to laugh when they see each other. It's
harder than it sounds.
There are tons more ice breakers
here, but you have to sign up at the forum and then
request access to the coaches' area here in order to see the thread.