Preparing for a cheerleading competition can be grueling and it takes a great deal of hard work and dedication. Simply practicing the same moves, cheers, chants, stunts and jumps over and over again can make this preparation process rather stale. Bringing in some games can help you prepare for the competition in an entertaining way that can also encourage teamwork and squad solidarity.
Finish the Cheer
Learning the words to any cheer you plan to showcase at a competition requires a great deal of practice to ensure that each squad member knows the words and they can chant them together at the same pace. A game can help everyone practice the words and anticipate what comes next. Choose a cheer and have one squad member say the first three or four words and the second squad member pick up with the next few words. Play continues until the entire cheer has been chanted three or four times and every squad member knows the cheer from front to back.
Surprise
Gather the squad together and review a few of the moves you plan to include in your championship performance. Line the squad members up with plenty of room to move. Call out a random move, such as a jump or cheer, and the first squad member has to do that move as quickly as possible. Continue calling out moves until each girl has had two or three turns. Do not repeat the same moves for the same girls so everyone has a chance to practice different things.
Obstacle Course
Set up some mats and other cheer equipment around the gym to form an obstacle course that requires each squad member to complete a series of moves that will be included in the competition performance. Have each squad member do certain jumps when they get to the mats, yell through a megaphone, hold up a large cheer sign, do a cartwheel or execute a flip. Time the squad members and repeat the obstacle course two or three times to see if they can improve their score each time.
Tag
Tag is a versatile game that you can modify to meet your needs. Play cartwheel tag so each squad member does five cartwheels each time she is tagged. Jump tag is similar. Each time someone is tagged, she must execute two different jumps to continue playing. Cheer tag requires each squad member to stop and do one of the competition cheers each time she is tagged.
References
- "Coaching Cheerleading Successfully"; Linda Rae Chappell; 2005
- "The Ultimate Guide to Cheerleading: For Cheerleaders and Coaches"; Leslie Wilson; 2003
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