High School Middle School Cheerleading

[Tealxblack25]

Hey Everyone,

So I coach a middle school team and I was just looking for some info, tips, advice etc.

Right now I have about 27 girls, we have been breaking off into stunt groups 5 on 5. Thats leaving 2 girls with nothing to do. Right now I have them spotting but we are now in our 3rd day of camp tomorrow is our fourth and I can tell they are just not into it because they feel like they are just standing around. I want them to be a part of the routine and I dont want them to feel left out. I was maybe thinking of having them do something in the front at the end like motions? Some of these girls are 2nd year girls from last year. Their also just like "dead weight" they dont have the coordination to base back fly etc safely because no matter how much you tell them they just dont do it. I am unable to do cuts because it is a league that they pay to cheer there so it always puts me in a tough position!

Also, what do you as coaches find yourself doing when you get that cheerleader that refuses to fly, is too short to front and too small to base or back ?

I also have a flyer that no one can lift unfortunately.. I know flying is not about the weight but. Sometimes some girls are just simply unteachable. I have shown her how to hold her own weight up many times and even then the bases just cant get her up.

Also, I have a team of 30 and not ONE of them can tumble.. and we are a competing team and I take 20 to competition. Not ONE can tumble nor do they even come close to being able to be spotted. How do you make up for the non tumbling on a middle school score sheet ?

Any tips or ideas would help !

 

[Cheercambree98]

If the girls can tumble, have them tumble in front, if not have them do a shoulder sit? So then they're kind of doing something.

If she is too small, have her front spot

sorry, but no idea for the other questions, I will keep thinking !

 

[mollymags]

Also, I have a team of 30 and not ONE of them can tumble.. and we are a competing team and I take 20 to competition. Not ONE can tumble nor do they even come close to being able to be spotted. How do you make up for the non tumbling on a middle school score sheet ?

Do they have absolutely no tumbling at all or can they do cartwheels, forward rolls, or round offs? Very basic skills may not count for much, but I'd think that having them do them will help you more than completely omitting tumbling sections from your routine.

 

[cheerforeverever]

Watch some level 1 routines for inspiration. They have unique ways to incorporate minimal tumbling but still hit the scoresheet (cartwheels, rolls, etc). I'd also suggest incorporating some extra back & shoulder stretch & strengthen in addition to normal all over conditioning to hopefully get some of the more flexible girls into front/back walkover capability by mid/late season maybe to help with the tumbling scores.
A shoulder sit is a great idea for the 2 extra girls during the pyramid to be included.....even if it takes the 2 of them twice as long to get it down, they can work on it during normal stunt group time as well. Other options are for the girls to use props (signs, flags, poms) depending on where you are competing, or a tumbling transition (rolls if clean or cartwheels)/motions/ a transitional lift (one girl lifting at the waist of the other girl while the one being lifted does a kick, toe touch, or just does something cute like singing a voiceover excitedly until they go behind a stunt to hide. A knee stand is a possibility as well (like they do in level 1) because it only uses 2 athletes.

 

[Keep_Believing]

You should write to MTV Made!!!! In all honesty they are lucky to have you! I would start having them get into a conditioning and stretching program/schedule. That improves tumbling, jumping, and flying a ton! Good Luck! Let us know how it goes!

 

[Tealxblack25]

Thank you for all of the tips ! I will take this all with me when I go today - as for the tumbling they do have cartwheels, forward rolls, etc. It is the first week of cheer camp so Im hoping in a couple months maybe Ill have something and I will k eep you guys posted !

 

[SarahS]

Team jumps to forward rolls hits many scoresheets for standing tumbling (not maxing it, but at least giving you credit.) For running tumbling, cartwheels or roundoffs, performed correctly, will at least get you some credit.

As for the stunt groups, can you make six groups instead of five, three of which have four and three of which have five? Then everyone would have a position. You'll probably find that several of your groups will be fine without front spots.

 

[BuegeSmalls]

Maybe have them do a forward roll to the front and then a jump and some kind of motion sequence?

 

[iCheer247]

With your first problem, that is exactly how my team was. 27 girls, 5 stunts of 5, two extras. (We tried 6 stunt goups on our team but that didnt work due to excessive falls). For one of the "extra" girls, she stood behind the stunt that didn't hit very often. She could catch the flyer and was pretty important in the stunt group. For the other girl she tumbled in the front since she used to be a gymnast. If neither of them can tumble or want to spot, then maybe they can do jumps in the front with very minimal tumbling (ex, forward roll, cartwheels).

As for the flyer no one can lift in a stunt, you can maybe put her in a thigh stand. That way it is much easier for her to be lifted and she can show off her body positions if she has any. If the entire team is doing thigh stands, it actually earns a lot of points since everyone is involved and there are more stunts up in the air. I don't know if this is an advanced level team. If it is scratch the thigh stand idea.

***Sorry if I have repeated any information. I just saw the post above me and realize that I said pretty much the same thing. I AM NOT COPYING YOU i just wanted to get my idea out.

 

[Tosh]

We all have to start somewhere, however it seems as though you are planning on maintaining 5 to a stunt group.....for starting out this is fine, but I think making it a goal to have 4 to a stunt group is great for moral, especially in MS. I would also recommend that you switch out girls....do not have the same two standing out, have them stunt and maybe a different two stand out....this creates competition and will motivate all the girls to work even harder because they do not want to loose their spots.

For tumbling, team forward rolls will get you on the score sheet and can look very nice as well as cartwheels...if you can get the entire team to do them together, you can actually get decent scores for tumblin, may be even better than having a handfull of tumblers.

Finally, drill, drill, drill,

 

[SparkleSpankies]

I would start removing fronts and adding additional stunt groups. I am sure out of 5 groups you can remove 2 fronts and create an additional group!

 

[coach.elle]

Even if it means doing easier stunts, I would go for 6 stunt groups. I would much rather see a simple thigh stand to prep with a team that uses every single person, than 5 libs.

Maybe have one part of your routine where you have 6 very basic stunts, and another part where you have only 5 stunts and do something a little more advanced.

 

[Tealxblack25]

Here is a video of our week at camp !



You can kinda see the teenie girls Im talking about just kind of walking aimlessly. I put them in front at the end of the pyramid ! Eventually I will work on a sixth stunt group and see what I can do - thank you everyone for your advice !

 

[Sophie]

Here is a video of our week at camp !



You can kinda see the teenie girls Im talking about just kind of walking aimlessly. I put them in front at the end of the pyramid ! Eventually I will work on a sixth stunt group and see what I can do - thank you everyone for your advice !

Dang, I don't know about anyone else but for middle school i was in awe. And my middle school team thought we were good last year! Danng Good job

 

[Tealxblack25]

Dang, I don't know about anyone else but for middle school i was in awe. And my middle school team thought we were good last year! Danng Good job

oh thank you ! You can subscribe to our channel if you want - we post videos here and there.. I didnt post the video for that purpose but pleae feel free ! Everyones tips helped us out a lot - we now have 38 girls cheering for us so these tips will help when when it comes time to choreograph a 38 person halftime !