Itentedness

Itentedness means keeping your eye on the prize and raising the bar. It means staying motivated by staying focused. We should always set realistic goals, concentrate on achieving them and resisting all temptations to give up and stay determined and persistent.

I told Varsity once we got the step-up into a half-extension "prep," and the cradle-catch that NEXT we need to work on getting it up with an elevator and get it all the way up into a full-extension. NOW that we have our chants and sidelines down, we should develop some floor-cheers and we should borrow, make-up, and re-coreograph new chants.

Now that JrHi cheer has most of the chants down, we deed to add conditioning time and begin learning the fundamentals of stunting.

Can we do these things? Like "Bob the Builder" would say, "Yes we CAN!"

Author & Coach Brian Brio says that there are 2 kinds of questions that hurt and 2 kinds that help:

When you catch your self asking these, STOP-
Hopelessness-inducing questions- "WILL this work?
Hopelessness-assured questions- "Will this EVER work?"

Try asking THESE instead-
Possibility-inducing questions- "HOW will we make this work?"
and Exciting Possibility-inducing questions- "How will I contribute so that we MAKE this work for the squad and our school?"

I really want to reccomend Beyond Success and the updated Beyond Success; 15 secrets of a winning life both by Brian D. Brio. He's a former high school swim coach and motivational speaker & writer. He uses Coach Wooden's 15 pyramid blocks better than I have and it's a pretty easy/quick read, even for teenagers. Think of it as along the lines of Chicken Soup for the Soul only with the success pyramid.

Initiative

"With courage and initiative, leaders change things."

~Rev. Jesse Jackson

Every cheerleader needs to work on the ability to make decisions on their own and act on them. Never be afraid of failure, but learn from it. No matter what, there are going to be times when you're gonna make mistakes or when something you try isn't going to work the way you hoped. No one is perfect. If you let fear paralyze you, you'll never achieve anything.

I've never had captains because I don't want popularity contests, and I don't want political battles. EVERY cheerleader is a leader. ANY cheerleader can begin any chant and the rest of the squad should jump on board. Besides just how they perform at a game, initiative means that cheerleaders bring their ideas and controbutions to practices. It means they become the "movers and the shakers" at school because they start projects and programs, through student council or other clubs, or just sparking trends, beginning or maintaining traditions and setting an example.

Alertness

" Alertness and courage are life's shield."

~Phillipino Proverb

"As you strive to reach your personal best,
alertness will make the task much easier.
Be observing constantly,
quick to spot a weakness and correct it or use it,
as the case may warrant."

~Coach John Wooden

This means constantly observing what's going on around you. It means keeping an open mind. It means always being eager to learn and improve. It means to "look alive," and "stay-awake."

Obviously this is important during a game so that you don't look rediculous. You have to know what's going on in the game in order to call appropriate chants, stop chants when it's the right time to stop, key-into what gets the fans to respond, the needs of your squadmates, etc. These are skills that get built with experience.

Obviously it's important while stunting to stay focused, to keep your eye on the flier and make sure that she never hits the ground.

But perhaps most importantly, it's important when it comes to self-awareness. Were you AWARE that your grades were slipping? Were you AWARE that adults were watching when you were smooching your beau? Were you AWARE that preschoolers were around when you were kussing?

Self Control

"I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquuers his enemies;
for the hardest victory is the victory over self."

~Aristotle

"While we may not be able to control all that happens to us,
we CAN control what happens inside us.

~Benjamin Franklin

"He who conquers his anger has conquered an enemy."

~German Proverb

How can you have any kind of work ethic, or any cooperation without self control? Besides that, without self-control, you cannot remain loyal and you're liable to lose friends. Having self control, means being responsible and it's part of maturity. I tell students that to be responseable is being response-able, that means being able to control your RESPONSE to anything that happens and anything that anyone else says or does.

Cooperation

"Alone we can do so little;
together we can do so much."

~Hellen Keller

"We must be willing to learn the lesson that cooperation may imply compromise,
but if it brings a world advance it is a gain for each individual..."

~Eleanor Roosevelt

Listen if you want to be heard. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. It should go without saying that a cheer squad is going to go nowhere if they can't cooperate. Cooperate with their coach and with each other during practice, cooperate with each other during a game or during a stunt. If a train has 8 cars and all 8 want to go in different directions, it won't go anywhere.

Loyalty

"Be loyal to people in their absence. Then watch how others begin having more faith and confidence in you, because they know you won't be talking about them behind their backs."

~Stephen Covey, author of the 7 Habits of Effective People
I reccoment 7 Habits of Effective Teens

Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.

~Vince Lombardi

Coach Wooden expects members of a team to be loyal to themselves, but all so to everyone depending on you in order to keep your self respect. When you're a member of a squad, you can't flake out or walk off. Your teammates need you at games and at practices. You can't let them down.

Friendship

"For the Friendship of two,
the patience of one is needed"

~ Indian proverb

Just like love, friendship is not merely something that happens casually. Friendship takes work, you need to deliberately be a friend, and you can offer friendship to those you wouldn't normally or naturally be pals with.

Coach John Wooden says that friendship has three components:

1) Mutual Esteem- that means that both people value each other. Cheerleaders have to recognize that every squad member is important and needed. No matter how different from you or how annoying someone is, there is ALWAYS something valuable about each and every human being.

2) Respect- That means. a high or special regard, thoughtful and sympathetic regard. In other words, thinking about others before yourself. You know, "the Golden Rule," treat others as you want to be treated. Every human being is entitled to dignity and respect.

As a cheerleader, it's important to offer respect for your squad mates. Even if they're younger than you or less experienced, or less gifted, or irritating as heck!

3) Devotion- Webster's dictionary puts it this way: "the fact or state of being ardently dedicated and loyal." You have to choose to stick-with-it when it comes to trying to become friends with your squad mates.

Enthusiasm

"Act Happy
feel happy
BE happy
without a reason in the world"

~Dan Millian

ENTHUSIASM, love, school spirit, fire, energy, passion- whatever you call it all the work in the world won't be worth the time without it. If you have it, it brushes off on those you come in contact with. And THAT'S what cheerleaders are for- spreading that spirit!

ENTHUSIASM EQUALS LOVE

And how does one have enthusiasm in life? Actually, it is as simple as this: Cultivate the ability to love living. Love people, love the sky under which you live, love beauty, love God. The person who loves becomes enthusiastic, filled with the sparkle and the joy of life. And then he goes on to fill it full of meaning. If you're not enthusiastic, begin today to cultivate the love of living. Like Fred, for example…

So don't depreciate life by enumerating all the thing that are wrong with it. L Things are wrong, and something has to be done about them. But focus mentally upon all that is right about life; J life is mighty good, a lot better than not having it, I should think. A lifetime on this wonderful earth doesn't last very long, either. It is here today and gone tomorrow. So love it while you can, and be full of enthusiasm-

~ Norman Vincent Peale
“Enthusiasm Makes the Difference”

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale was a powerful motivational speaker and writer who taught about being POSITIVE, optimistic, and enthusiastic- all vital qualities for any cheerleader.

He also wrote The Power of Positive Thinking, but I suggest you buy, read, and live by The Power or Positive Thinking tor Teens, it's shorter and written in easier to understand language. Even Angie would enjoy reading it!

PYRAMID

"Hard work, dedication and desire don't guarantee you a thing, but without them you don't stand a chance."

~Pat Riley, NBA Coach (Bulls, Lakers)

"Dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish anything if you're willing to pay the price."

~Vince Lombardi

Success depends more on how hard you work for it then on your talent. Think of it as a math equation:

e/a= s

Effort divided by ability equals Success. You can have all the talent & skill in the world, but if you aren't willing to work hard, you will go nowhere.

Cheerleaders need to focus and push themselves (& each other) in practice. We should WANT to work out and train and review and improve. If we don't work, we won't get anything done.

The Pyramid of Success

I'd like to take this Christmas break as an opportunity to blog about something I think is very important. I don't just want you to learn chants and stunts and prepare you for games. I want to teach you about character and hopefully try to prepare you for life. If you read these posts and really take them to heart, we will have a better squad and you will take something away from cheerleading that will be much more powerfull than being able to yell loud.

"Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."

~John Wooden

Come back and watch the blog daily and you'll see a short post with a couple of motivational quotes about each of the 15 bricks in Coach Wooden's Pyramid.
Merry Christmas & Happy New year.

Click here to visit Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success
Click here to visit Coach Wooden's homepage

Team Picture

Angie, you're such a problem child!

Celebrating another basket

We love our new uniforms

More cool shots

Above, Angie & Cassie leap-up in the pattented "Angie-Jump"
Below, Rena shows off her signature Hurkie.

I'm tellin' ya, I had an lucky night with the camera- there are tons of shots from the Charter Oak game. Hope ya like picctures.

Jumpin'

Above, Kayla does a Hurkie. Below, she does a reindeer (aka. double -hook)

The underclassmen- Soph Kayla and Froshes Vicki & Kristen wanted to pose together

Black and White and a different angle and presto! Kristen has that Gothic GLAM!

Junior High Winter Cheer

Back row: Eighth Graders Christine, Kenzie, Sasha and Megan
Front: Kelsey, Taryn (as the Bulldog), and Caitlin.
We've been working on chants and sidelines, when we get back from Chrsitmas vacation we'll start more work on conditioning, building stunts and hopefully floor cheers. We are the future!

Kenzie and Christine LOVE Sasha SO much, they're willing to embarass themselves.

The Angie Jump

Angie doing her patented junp

Half Extension Preps

Last Friday night at the game against Woodbine, we not only put both Angie and Vicki up in Preps, but we also go them down by using the cradle!

They're HERE!

Angie models our new uniforms- that FINALLY came! Now, if those darn shoes would just get here.

HEEEEERE'S Kaylie!!!

Our new mascot made her premiere Tuesday night against Logan-Magnollia. She's the 5th mascot and the shortet. Dana Anderson thought "Cujo" must suffer from osteoporosis since he keeps shrinking (her Brother Dave was at least 6'2" when he played Cujo and the guy before him was 6'4"). We're struggling with whether or not to change Cujo's name, now that he is a she. I was never really keen on Cujo anyway- what do you think?

Spike? Duke? Buffy? SOme kids have suggested "Cujjette."

CLICK HERE TO SEND US YOUR SUGGESTION

A mute fan

Poor Heidi. She wants to come out for cheer next season, but right now, her jaw is wired shut after oral surgery. But she still has spirit!

Varsity Rocks the Doghouse!

Here we are chanting at the Manning game last week. You can tell that we really get psyched!

Jr Hi Survivors

Here we are at the Girls' Woodbine Game last night. L-R: Christine, Sasha, Taryn, Kelsey, and Caitlin. Missing (at Doctor's appointments) were Megan and Kenzie. Everybody else is ineligible because they can't get their sorry butts of the D/F list! These girls are a HARD CORE CHEER family.! Christina's boyfriend went out for mascot but didn't quite make it, his older sister cheered on varsity- Taryn's big sister IS our new mascot and Kelsey's cousin Randi cheered for like forever till she graduated last year

New Mascot Chosen

Friday, December 9th we held a tryout and Kaylie Fouts was chosen!
Congratulations Kaylie on becoming Boyer Valley's 5th mascot ever.

CLICK HERE to see a PDF of the evaluation sheet that judges used to score our candidates.

CLICK HERE to see a PDF of the Excel worksheet that I used to average all of their scores together.

Each candidate had to get three teacher reccomendation forms, scoring the student in several categories. These scores are averaged into one score. CLICK HERE to see a PDF of the Teacher Evaluation form

Then I take their culmuative GPA and divide it by a possible 4.0, creating a 0-100 percentage.

Finally all of the judges' scores are averaged into a third score.

Those 3 scores averaged together are the candidates total score. This is pretty much the same process that's followed for cheerleaders too. So you see that I try to make it as objective as possible, so it's hard for me when candidates or their parents criticize me for playing favorites (CLICK HERE for an example).

I'm feeling bad for not having posted anything here for a few days. I guess it's been going pretty smoothly. No, it's not a total fairy tale, I mean let's face it, there are personalities to manage, motivationg to do, interests to balance, yadda yadda yadda.

Jr Hi Skirts & bloomers ("spankies") came today so they can cheer at their third game in actual uniforms.

Varsity body-liners came today which I take as a good sign that the skirts, shells & shoes will arrive soon too.

We've gotten both Angie and Vicki up in half-extentions ("preps") last week and we've been practicing catching Angie in a cradle. That should impress people. We have THREE home games this week. For the life of me, I'll never understand basketball coaches & A.D.s- playing each team ONCE is enough in football, why do we have to play everybody twice?

My computer caught a virus and died yesterday, so I had to use one in the graphics lab. The girls want me to take more pictures and submit them to the paper. It would be a lot easier with my own computer working.

Dec 3- MVAO Rams

Top: "Air-Kirk" Angie shows what an awesome jumper she is! I tell ya, she loves to do it and she's mighty good at it. I'm glad we got her.

Above: Angie, Rena, & Vicki gave it their best tonight even though half the squad was in Des Moines at the State Drill Championships. It took a lot of courage and school spirit to stick it out with only half a squad, but they pulled it off and did a great job, even though several of our boys in the crowd were heckling them half the time.

At last check I think we had almost 10 people show an interest in becoming mascot- of course several have escaped from various asylums- but that might just be a good thing!