High School I Want To Coach.

[KelsieM]

I just aged out of all star and have done a total of 7 years of cheerleading including high school. I really want to coach(at most assistant whether its high school or all star) but I have no experience at coaching just of course cheer. How would I go about with that?

I'm also moving because of college so my old gym wouldn't be an option.

 

[INeverStopCheering]

See if you can find an Allstar gym close to your college and ask if they are taking applications. Offer to coach Tiny or Mini teams where you're not going to have to be spotting tucks. Or offer to coach a local rec program. A lot of those coaches are volunteers anyways so you can get some experience as a coach that way

 

[cheerjam3]

Try starting your coaching career with a rec cheer program or a high school. I know the high schools in our area are always looking for people that have the knowledge that you have.

 

[KelsieM]

Would you need any type of training or certification to start?

 

[ACEDAD]

Would you need any type of training or certification to start?

Your experience will help, but I would recommend taking the tests for the USASF certifications. You'll only be able to get the first couple of levels until you have additional experience. Your all star coach can probably help recommend a gym near your college. If not, post where your attending college and I'm sure someone on here will have an opinion!

 

[INeverStopCheering]

Because you're so young (I experienced this problem), a high school is likely not going to hire you. I would go with rec, with a high school you're going through school systems, you have to do background checks, and drug tests etc etc, and they'll likely choose someone older.

 

[KelsieM]

Your experience will help, but I would recommend taking the tests for the USASF certifications. You'll only be able to get the first couple of levels until you have additional experience. Your all star coach can probably help recommend a gym near your college. If not, post where your attending college and I'm sure someone on here will have an opinion!

I feel like I'm so lost and asking so many questions but how would I take the tests for the certifications because on usasf it's under construction. I'm also attending Penn State Schuylkill

 

[ACEDAD]

I feel like I'm so lost and asking so many questions but how would I take the tests for the certifications because on usasf it's under construction. I'm also attending Penn State Schuylkill

No worries. You're asking good questions. Contact Robin Coe. She's the Northeast Regional Director and can give you good answers! Her contact information is below.

USASF.NET

 

[TinyBlondie15]

I'm in the same situation as you! I would love to coach! I coached a rec team this past fall and would do it again but I'm moving to Fort Myers for college. I want to work at an All Star gym and the closest is Top Gun Naples. Hey, @ACEDAD do you know who I could contact here in the Southeast for the certifications?

 

[ACEDAD]

I'm in the same situation as you! I would love to coach! I coached a rec team this past fall and would do it again but I'm moving to Fort Myers for college. I want to work at an All Star gym and the closest is Top Gun Naples. Hey, @ACEDAD do you know who I could contact here in the Southeast for the certifications?

Yes, ma'am. Glenda Broderick is the Southeast rep.

Here's her contact info.

USASF.NET

 

[TinyBlondie15]

Yes, ma'am. Glenda Broderick is the Southeast rep.

Here's her contact info.

USASF.NET

Thank you so much! You rock!

 

[KelsieM]

No worries. You're asking good questions. Contact Robin Coe. She's the Northeast Regional Director and can give you good answers! Her contact information is below.

USASF.NET

Thanks so much!

 

[NJ Coach]

All good advice in here. Most rec programs will require you to take a safety certification like an AACCA course. For Allstar, you don't NEED usasf certification unless you are attending worlds, but it couldn't hurt. However, I believe even on the Level 2 testing, you need a gym owner to sign off that you have enough hours coaching that level.

I would contact any area gyms or rec programs. The perfect place to start for allstar would be tiny/mini. If you can coach them, you can coach anyone!

Good Luck!

 

[CheerKatie08]

If you are going away to school, I would really recommend taking your first year off and working on those certification tests, as ACEDAD suggested. Being a coach requires a lot of time, especially if it's a competitive team. You only get to experience college for 4 years, and don't want to sacrifice your GPA from being overwhelmed with work!

Summer camp staff is a great way to get your foot in the door with coaching opportunities without having to worry about schoolwork. You are assigned to "private coach" routines, and get a lot of one-on-one time with the squads you are working with! The coach will usually stay within earshot, and it's very interesting to see the different coaching styles and get a sampling of what a full-time coaching job is like before you commit!

 

[CoachErica09]

Rec is an amazing place to start, and it's where I started almost 10 years ago at the age of 16! (whew, I'm getting UP there!). I coached rec for 2 seasons before I moved into High School coaching (huge time commitment if you're coaching a competitive squad who also cheers games) so you might want to consider that. Then I moved on to All-Star assistant coaching, then head coaching.

My advice is to watch everyone that you see coaching, and take little bits of their style to make up your own. Watch their successes, failures, and what their teams think of them. Look here on the boards often. I can honestly say I have grown as a coach just learning from mistakes over the years. I grow a little more with each season, and tweaking my style! Find a gym with an owner that is invested in every level and every coach. You won't get the support you need without a close staff and great owners! Ask to learn new skills, don't sit back and expect someone to teach you everything. Learn to spot, learn how to correct issues, how to tell what a person is doing incorrectly in every skill. Watch tons of videos and sit in on coaches private lessons or classes so you can learn from them.

Finally, come on here often and ask questions! Get out and network with other coaches, and don't be afraid to ask questions! Even though you might get some weird looks about what others might consider elementary questions, we ALL had to start somewhere, and no coach walked into a gym as a newbie with a halo on their heads knowing it all...we all have learned lessons (both good and bad)...and have our horror stories of how we learned them!

Good luck! Coaching is truly the most rewarding and fun thing I have ever done in my life, and I don't see myself stopping until I can't walk anymore! (then I'll just coach an HS team from a chair like Candy Berry lol)