Whether you are working with a very small and young team or a very large group of adults, one thing remains the same: the coach sets the tone for the squad. The management techniques vary depending upon age level, but the team always looks to the coach for confident leadership.
Safety Coaching Resources Coaching Youth Teams Books and Magazines Message Boards
Safety | Coaching Resources |
In-depth look at safety stats. (Do not miss!) |
Sample practice plan and games to play
|
Books (reviews below) | Magazines |
"Coaching Youth
Cheerleading" |
"Cheer Coach and Advisor Magazine"
|
Book Reviews | |
"The All New Official Cheerleader's Handbook" This one was written before most current cheerleaders were born, and the pyramid section is woefully out of date with its 3 &1/2 highs, but the key ingredients on cheering how-to are all still relevant, both physically and spirit-wise. It is still, in my estimation, the best book for a beginning cheerleader to have because it has: Stretches which are still helpful. A tremendous variety of jump examples, more-so than any other book I have seen, including the C/window, & stag. Also starts with the tuck as the most basic jump rather than the toe touch. Unfortunately, it doesn't really show you the approach and landing techinques. More variations of arm and hand positions than any other book I've seen. Great pictures of what not to do when hitting motions. (Broken wrists, fly-away arms, uneven shoulders) Simple, basic partner stunts best suited for beginner cheerleaders who need to learn the step-lock method (at a supervised practice, of course.) Pony mount, Knee/Standing tabletop, Side sit, 'Bama sit, single based thigh stand variations, victory mount, star, flying angel, and stag catch. Their tallest stunt is a shoulder stand. No prep level or higher stunts are taught in this book, but there are pictures of some taller pyramids, a few of which are still legal. Good sample dance 8 counts, though a bit out of date for the Hip-hop age. But perfect if you have a marching band. Small section on basic tumbling, but smartly suggests that cheerleaders seek out qualified instructors to learn from. Several pages of cheers and chants: basic spirit, football, basketball, and wrestling "The Ultimate Guide to Cheerleading" Excellent for people who want to do a more athletic form of cheerleading. However it moves quickly past a lot of the basics that the older but still relevant "The Official Cheerleaders Handbook" covers in depth in terms of jump variety, basic stunts, and correct motion technique. Good section on how to approach and land a jump complete with pictures. This is the book to have for learning intermediate and advanced stunts, both all-girl and co-ed. Covers thigh stands, various load-ins for preps and extensions, moves to hit at the top of the stunt, transitions, and dismounts. I might have liked a few more pictures of the process of building each stunt rather than just a few of them, but the key ones are all there and the explanations are very concise. Good section of sample cheers and chants, though fewer than the "Handbook" Good notes to coaches to help them guide their team, from formation of a new squad to raising spirit level through the school year to the competition mat. My advice? Beginning cheerleaders need both of the above books. Intermediate and advanced cheerleaders who really know their stuff only need the second one, unless they want to consider finding ways to update some old school moves and look a little different from everyone else who attended summer camp with them. Also extremely helpful for coaches who are unfamiliar with the more current stunts used in the sport. "Coaching Cheerleading Successfully" A must-have for all coaches. There are a fair variety of motions and jumps depicted, but they are drawings rather than photographs. Also, there is no visual depiction of how to prep for a jump, and this book starts you off with a thigh stand instead of stag stunts but there are stunt variations here not shown in "Handbook" or "Ultimate Guide" and the photographs lead you pretty much through the whole sequence. Also in its favor it does have great tips on: forming a team keeping on top of your legal responsibilities developing a practice plan reaching out to parents and the community building up your members' self-esteem evaluating and tweaking your program |