All-Star Counting Music And Performance Help!

[thatgymowner]

Ok, so were finding that our main issues with placement are:

a. The kids can't function without us coaches counting for them (yes I know this is our fault) I'd like to know if anyone has any tricks they use to get their kids to be able to count their own music better, especially the littler ones. Counting music seems to be so easy to someone's who's done it a million yeRs, but I guess to a layman or a lil nugget, it's not. I want to help them succeed this season, but this is one of their weakest elements. Any help?

b. PERFORMANCE: in the gym the routine is flawless, they hit almost everything. It's sharp and looks so good. (This is for all my teams) but then they get on that blue mat and life is like sucked out their eyes and they miss stuff they never miss. Stunts fall that never fall. They just don't PERFORM well. What can I do to help them with this? Other than experience of doing it over and over at comp (this is only our third season open) idk what else I can do.

C. And lastly, FACES! We've been making them run it at practice with faves and it looks pretty decent. Again tho, they hit that mat and poof, different teams. Look scared or unhappy or blank. Any suggestions?

Thanks again ahead of time!!!


Ashley

 

[SarahNVC]

I don't know if it would help, as I'm on an open team so we are older, but coaches on both of my squads try to find opportunities for us to perform in front of an audience before we go to comp. then it's the whole experience without the consequences if anything goes wrong!

It's really helpful for newbies that haven't competed before so have never properly performed

Hope that little nugget helps


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[retiredl5cheer]

It sounds like they're going out and losing their minds and place on stage. Try to have your athletes focus in on something. Could be your face, could be cue words that you shout or cue motions. Your facial expressions or cues can help to keep their mind focused on the task at hand instead of freaking out and going into performance mode.

 

[notyourcheermom]

My CP main bases, her fourth season. I said I like how you and the side base are communicating there. She said, We are not talking, I am screaming the counts! Oh, okay. Well, great job, CP.


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[DaniV]

Send the music to the parents and tell them to place it on repeat for their CP's. If they can sing the music, it might be easier for them to place certain skills with certain lyrics. Also, maybe try chosing a couple of the more mature/older ones on the team who can count the music and have them be in charge of keeping the group on count when they get lost. We tell our backspots they are in charge of counting during the stunt sequences so the bases and flyer don't have the excuse of loosing count.

 

[notyourcheermom]

Send the music to the parents and tell them to place it on repeat for their CP's. If they can sing the music, it might be easier for them to place certain skills with certain lyrics. Also, maybe try chosing a couple of the more mature/older ones on the team who can count the music and have them be in charge of keeping the group on count when they get lost. We tell our backspots they are in charge of counting during the stunt sequences so the bases and flyer don't have the excuse of loosing count.

I do think CP's second year of all star when they let us download the music and told the kids to practice at home to the music helped them quite a bit that year, too.

 

[JMW]

I have the kids count out loud themselves, instead of the coaches. Also for the little ones, I try to find cues in the music, e. G. The "1" is when Miley says "WRECKing ball"... (that's a hypothetical example) That's when you clap before your stunt. If you give them a few of those, they'll be able to keep track of the counts and get back on track if they got lost.

One year I taught them the entire dance by saying the words to the song (I don't sing ;-)) instead of counting. It really helps the little ones.

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[cheerforeverever]

Have them sit down in their stunt groups and then have them as a team listen to the music several times while the whole team counts out loud (3 or so times, on the last time have them mark their skills with arm motions while they sit). After that, tell them this time to close their eyes & count in their head while marking their skills with arm motions. You will be able to see who is on count with their skills and who is having difficulty staying on count.....that way you know who may need extra help with the music and who you can trust to keep everyone on track.

As for performing:
-start having practices where they feel like they are at competition: ____minutes to stretch, _____ minutes to warm up tumbling on 2 mats, _____ minutes to warm up stunts on 2 mats, ______ minutes on full mat, then dim the lights, have them line up & pretend it is a real competition. One shot to hit. If they miss a skill, they have 5-10 of that skill to do as soon as the routine ends (depending on the age/ability levels and how hard you want to push).
-have show off practices: 2 teams alternate doing their full outs. While one goes, the other cheers them on (if older, you can give the option for the teams to positively critique each other), then the teams switch. They keep on doing this until _____ many full outs are done. It's especially great if you can get teams that don't always see each other to show off for each other, because the younger ones want to impress the older/higher level teams usually, and the older/higher level teams don't want to get shown up by the younger/lower level teams, so they try and put on a show.
You can even extend this to competitions, saying that whichever team from the gym at this week's competition performs the best ______(facials, technique, overall performance) whatever, will get a prize (yes, sometimes bribery works with the little bits.....it can be as simple as getting to wear fun things to practice or getting candy or ribbons or stickers, etc.)

-have more times where they show off their routines to an audience. A local high school game, a community event, even just for friends & family, have a practice where they have to perform in front of others in an unfamiliar environment (sounds like your kids are comfortable in the gym but get freaked out outside it). You need to build up their confidence when performing outside of practice.

 

[thatgymowner]

Well it sounds like were on the right track. I burn them CDs. I have counters during routine. I make them sit and mark without me counting. Sounds like they just need more experience which is a good and bad thing! Thanks so much guys!


Ashley

 

[alexamarysouza]

Randy Dickey, the owner of a ACX, has a link to an 8 count track on the ACX website. I don't know if this will help very much, but it definitely is worth a shot. Also I would invite the parents in to watch a full out or two to cheer them on and make it like they're actually competing. We always do that before a competition and it definitely gets everyone excited to compete as well as sets the mood for competition. Good luck! I know little ones are harder to work with, but not impossible!!

 

[thatgymowner]

So we did the close your eyes one and I could instantly see who could and could not do it! That was a huge help!!! Huge!! So we spent the whole day running with eyes closed then marking with faces only. Then in place eyes closed. Repeat. It seemed to help!


Ashley

 

[Itsmydaughterssport]

Do a dress rehearsal at the gym for other teams or parents. I also remember when my daughter was little they had the team stand facing away from the mirror they usually use. It was pretty amazing how confused they were but very similar to the real experience on stage - no mirror!

 

[BCAKT]

Our girls struggled with this the beginning of the year because it was the first time counting music for a lot of them. We had them practice the routine (marking everything) and counting out loud. We also told them to listen for cues in the music (which actually seemed to help them more).