BUS TIME FOR SAT 4:20PM

No Jade, Lara, or Larissa- but Catherine is back so we're good to go tomorrow

Bus time is 4:20PM Saturday

Secret Santa & BB Pep Rallies

1. Please come to the Art Room ASAP to draw your name for Secret Santa. NO MORE THAN $10/gift
   
2. Please bring in your Cheer Stocking ASAP if you can find it, let Coach know if you need a new one (yes Cheyann & Nick, I already know you need new ones).
   
3. Please let me know if you CAN'T make it to this Saturday's game. I know Larissa is visiting her aunt that day. If we have 3 (including Jenn) great, but I won't make only one person cheer alone (although Rena would).
   
4. Please come pick up your 2014-15 Cheer Tee Shirt ($18)

Here are the dates Mr.Gee has give us for Basketball Pep Rallies:

• Jan. 16th 
• Feb 6th
• and then if we have home play-off games.

Sorry about the spam.

Sorry if my Facebook account has been sending you links about dirt pills. It’s not me, I think i’ve been hacked. I’ll try to change my settings &/or passwords as soon as I can. Meanwhile, please delete them & accept my apologies. Especially cheerleaders.

Cheer This Week/Next Week

• FRI 12/5- HOME GAME- (Nick Ahart- come Mascot for us!)
• Wear Uniforms to School
• PEP RALLY!!! (anybody got a plan?)
• TUES 12/9- @CAM in Anita, BUS TIME 3:40PM!!!
• FRI 12/12- Boys only vs. Coon Rapids HOME (yes, come to & cheer for JV at 6pm, Nick, you too- its a home game)
• SAT 12/13- @West Harrison, BUS TIME 4:20PM

HEY! REMEMBER THESE??!

Liberty is the only person who's come to pick her's up. I know $18.50 is a lot, but it'll be a lot for me to get stuck with if none of you ever pay for your. I have them in a box in my Art room. We've had them for months. Please come get yours. If you can't afford it, ask your parents or grandparents to get it for you for Christmas- or at least loan you the money. PLEASE!!!

FINALLY- If you still have one and can find it, bring your Cheer Stocking to school so we can hang them up between now and Christmas. That way I'll only have to make a new one for Cheyann.

The Few... The Proud...

Yep, Tomorrow: Bus Time 4:15PM

• First game is tomorrow-  G/B Var @ Elk Horn
• Bus Time is 4:15PM- I suggest you get to the North Hallway by the gym by or before 4:10PM to make sure you don't miss it.
• It's a Tuesday away game, so just dress up, you don't have to wear your uniform to school alday, but you will on Friday.
• Just in case it wasn't on your radar (I spaced it off, actually) #bemoreorganized #communicatebetterthanCoach #doashesaysnotashedoes

Basketball Schedule

Sorry I haven't done a great job of communicating in this off season. Hopefully you've been able to use the "off-season" time to focus on lots of other things. Below is this year's basketball schedule. Wish I'd gotten it to you sooner. We just finalize the newsletter before Thanksgiving break.

Please let me know as soon as you can which games you may not be able to attend. Please let your parents and employers know when you have games so they can adjust your schedules. This schedule is also on the school Website and the conference calendar Website.

Since two of you are playing basketball, one of you is on Drill, and many of you have jobs- it may be rough to get together for practices during basketball (nothing new from any given year). We found that it isn't easy to meet with me during DEAR since I have a MS class. So its important that we all communicate as much as we can, here on the blog, in the facebook group, by phone, text & email. Please please please feel free to contact me, see me before/after school, go ahead and interrupt my class (so long as you're cheerleaders). 

In order to get along, to be informed, and to all feel equal, we all need to communicate as much as we can with EVERYONE. I will try to do better, hopefully without clogging up your news-streams or making you feel like I'm some kind of creeper. But please, communicate with your squadmates clearly & frequently too. No different levels of classified information- if there's a game or prize for a pep-rally, just share it with ALL members, even if that seems inconvenient or unecissary. We need to be a team. If/since we don't have regular practices to help build that unity, we can't let a lack of communication or miscommunication cause disunity. Talk to each other.

Reminders (new for Cheyann):

• We attend all home varsity games & G/B Var. away games (generally if one gender is away alone, the other gender is at home and we couldn't attend both)
• Yes, we should cheer at the JV game before the home Var. game
• We ride the team bus to away games (I'll try to make sure you know times), we sit toward the front, we're the last one's off, no fraternizing with boys.
• Pep Rallies for Friday home games
• While ya ought to be proud enough to wear it every game- I get that 1) that's a heckuvalotta games and 2) it gets dang cold in Iowa in the Winter- SO, our expectation is that you wear your uniform every Friday. Why not dress-up on other game days, just like the basketball players?

DAY DATE LEVEL OPPONENT LOCATION

• Thursday, Nov 20, 2014 G Varsity Audubon Jamboree Audubon
• Friday, Nov 21, 2014 G/B Var Pride Scrimmage Dunlap
• Monday, Nov 24, 2014 G JV/Var Maple Valley-Antho Oto Mapleton High School
• Tuesday, Dec 2, 2014 G/B Var Elk Horn Kimballton Elk Horn-Kimballton High
• Friday, Dec 5, 2014 G/B Var Ar-We-Va Boyer Valley High School
• Tuesday, Dec 9, 2014 G/B Var CAM CAM High School
• Friday, Dec 12, 2014 G/B Var Coon Rapids Bayard Boyer Valley High School
• Saturday, Dec 13, 2014 G/B Var West Harrison West Harrison High School
• Tuesday, Dec 16, 2014 G/B Var Glidden-Ralston Boyer Valley High School
• Friday, Dec 19, 2014 G/B Var Adair-Casey Adair-Casey
• Friday, Jan 2, 2015 B JV/Var Maple Valley-Antho Oto Boyer Valley High School
• Tuesday, Jan 6, 2015 G/B Var Woodbine Boyer Valley High School
• Friday, Jan 9, 2015 G/B Var Paton Churdan Paton-Churdan High School
• Saturday, Jan 10, 2015 G/B Var Charter Oak Ute Boyer Valley High School
• Tuesday, Jan 13, 2015 G/B Var Elk Horn Kimballton Boyer Valley High School
• Thursday, Jan 15, 2015 G/B Var Ar-We-Va Ar-We-Va Community School
• Friday, Jan 16, 2015 G/B Var CAM Boyer Valley High School
• Tuesday, Jan 20, 2015 G/B Var Coon Rapids Bayard Coon Rapids Bayard
• Friday, Jan 23, 2015 G/B Var West Harrison Boyer Valley High School
• Saturday, Jan 24, 2015 G/B Var Glidden-Ralston Glidden-Ralston High School
• Tuesday, Jan 27, 2015 G/B Var Adair-Casey Boyer Valley High School
• Thursday, Jan 29, 2015 G JV/Var Whiting Boyer Valley High School
• Tuesday, Feb 3, 2015 G/B Var Woodbine Woodbine High School
• Friday, Feb 6, 2015 G/B Var Paton Churdan Boyer Valley High School
• Monday, Feb 9, 2015 G/B Var Charter Oak Ute Charter Oak-Ute High School
• Thursday, Feb 12, 2015 B JV/Var Whiting Boyer Valley High School

Living in the 'House of Pain,' & Lovin' it!

I want to make clear that I am insanely proud of and grateful both to and for this squad. You are great at what we do. You encourage and inspire the crowd to encourage and inspire the team. THAT'S what cheerleading is all about, Charlie Brown.

You've ALL show plenty of leadership this season; initiative, creativity, intendedness, flexibility, poise, cooperation, etc. From the games we added to run-thrus, to the Puppy Clinic, to the decorating Jennifer had planned for this last game, stunting, and crowd-encouragement, especially breaking off from the student section to rally fans in the far reaches of the stands. That's what teamwork is all about, Charlie Brown.

Do I worry about some of your choices? Boys, the fact that leggings and compression shorts are NOT real pants, drama, social media, talking smack outside of school with kids from other towns? Rebelling on stupid things like piercings and ponytails (not to mention what you call me sometimes)? Sure. But I wouldn't trade ya for the world. It's been an awesome ride (don't say anything about the ride to the West Harrison game- anybody would've got lost on THAT detour!). This season is what memories are made of, and THAT is what Fall Friday nights in high school are all about, Charlie Brown!

I for one can't wait to see what this Basketball season is gonna be like. Keep that Bulldog spirit up, Ladies (and Nick). LOUD&PROUD!

Pictures Finally Came In

So I finally got pictures printed from this year- some of you complained that I still had last yeat's pictures up. Hey Lib, maybe my cupboards could give you ideas for yearbook layouts!

Quick Note

1. VAN TIME- from the Art Room tonight for the Woodbine game 6:00PM
2. PEP RALLY WED. 10/29- In the past, our last principal prefered to wait to see if we advanced to the second round. This year we WILL have a rally before the first game. Just a short one, 2PM (wed is a 2:15 early out).
3. Read, Review, Remember, & Follow State Rules, which I shared with you last week. You will not be able to cheer on Wednesday if you're violating any of those guidelines. Sorry.

Ted Mallory shared a Flickr album with you

Finally got around to uploading a bunch of these. Enjoy.

Cheerleading album by Ted Mallory on Flickr.

Just follow this link to see this album:
https://flickr.com/photos/18964583@N00/sets/72157625920770516

Sent from my iPad

Things to know for Playoffs

See http://www.iahsaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/2014_Football_PostSeason_Manual.pdf for more dates and football playoff rules.

See http://www.iowacheercoaches.org/spirit_rules.htm for more/commplete listing of Spirit (Cheer, Drill & Mascot rules).

• No run-thrus (tunnels or human gauntlets, like last game) are permitted. Sorry ):
• Eight cheerleaders (all in uniform) will be admitted free to football playoff games, but any number may cheer. They just need to pay their own admission.

Violation of following rules may result in canceling the school's insurance covering cheerleaders:

• NFHS Spirit Rule 2-3-2: “Fingernails, including artificial nails, must be kept short, near the end of the fingers.” ICCA/IHSAA addition: “All nails, including artificial nails, must be cut to a length so that the nail is not visible when the cheerleader holds up her/his hands from the palm side. This is what is considered safe.”
• NFHS Spirit Rule 2-3-3: “Hair must be worn in a manner that is appropriate for the activity involved. Hair devices and accessories must be secure.” ICCA/IHSAA addition: “All cheerleaders’ hair must be pulled away from the face and off the shoulders: i.e. ponytail. This would be for both stunting and non-stunting squads. Ribbons may not have large or hard objects (including sequins of any size) sewed or glued onto ribbons. Metal barrettes that are small and flat are legal – banana clips and large floppy bows with streamers are not legal. It is not legal to tuck hair behind the ears – hair needs to be SECURED away from the face – this includes bangs falling into the eyes. “Bumpit” hair inserts are not legal.”See http://www.iowacheercoaches.org/Spirit_rules_hair.htm for further clarification on hair rules.
• NFHS Spirit Rule 2-3-7: “Glitter that does not readily adhere on the hair, face, body, uniform or costume is illegal. Glitter may be used on signs, props, or backdrops only if laminated or sealed.” ICCA/IHSAA addition: “No spray on/roll on glitter. Glitter in eye shadow should be minimal.”
• 2-1-7 Participants are not permitted to have gum or candy in their mouths while cheering.
• 2-3-1 Wearing any jewelry is prohibited AT ALL TIMES (including practices) except religious or medical medals which shall be taped to the body under the apparel. Items should not be draped around the neck even if they are taped to the body. All silicon bracelets, hair ties, belly button rings, spacers, tongue studs, upper ear cartilage rings, safety pins, corsages, friendship bracelets, spirit pins, etc. are considered jewelry and must be removed. Jewelry cannot be taped over; and fishing line, etc. cannot be put through the pierced holes. Wrestling cheerleaders may not have pins on their uniforms, pillows, or on the floor near them. Coaches also need to remove jewelry when participating.
• 2-7-2 Basket tosses, elevator tosses and similar multi-base tosses are permitted only on grass (real or artificial), a mat, or a rubberized track. Tosses are not permitted on gym floors.

from Ted Mallory

Hi!

Have you already seen it? http://TTTotes.com/speaking/follow.php

 

 

Ted Mallory

Heads Up(s)

• Larissa let me know that some Senior parents had requested that Mr. Gee speak again at this Friday's pep-rally. I talked to him and he's game. He'll come by about 3:07, so please plan on leaving some time for him.
• As of now, the only teacher with any pie votes is Mr. Armstead. One kid wanted to vote for another teacher, but didn't pay me.
• I've had these t-shirts with your names in glitter letters on the back for a few weeks now, but so far only one of you has come and paid for theirs. I know $18.50 is a lot, but please bring your money as soon as you can. As soon as you pay, you get a really cool shirt. This may have been my fault for not reminding you often enough, but I figured you hate it when I nag.
• Please arrive by/before 6:20 tomorrow night- sooner if you want to warm up or practice any stunts, because they'll be presenting the Seniors and their parents right at 6:40pm
• Dress warm. 72 today, but only 57 tomorrow and breezy, down to 38 overnight.

Fwd: pep rally outline

Here is the outline for Friday that Shelia sent me, so that you'll have some idea of what to expect.

---

Ted Mallory

http://tmal.wikispaces.com/home

Boyer Valley Community Schools

Challenging all students to meet their full potential 
Art | Yearbook | Cheerleading | Newsletter | Web Coordinator

malloryt@boyer-valley.k12.ia.us

http://www.boyer-valley.k12.ia.us

School- 712-643-2258 Ext. 249

Cell- 712-269-5853

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. Furthermore, the e-mail system, equipment, network, back up files and records are property of the Boyer Valley Community School District.

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shelia Beam <beams@boyer-valley.k12.ia.us>
Date: Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 10:02 AM
Subject: pep rally outline
To: Ted Mallory <malloryt@boyer-valley.k12.ia.us>, Jim Jordan <jordanj@boyer-valley.k12.ia.us>

--

Shelia M. Beam

BVHS Student Council Advisor

1102 Iowa Ave.

Dunlap, IA 51529

712-643-2251

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE:  This email message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information.  Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. Furthermore, the e-mail system, equipment, network, back up files and records are property of the Boyer Valley Community School District.

BullPup Cheer Clinic 2014

BAM! There it is. Now can you stop nagging me Jennifer? Love you (just don't love being nagged).
http://www.boyer-valley.k12.ia.us/vnews/display.v/ART/5422eb55511a3

Lost & Found

PS-  One of you left your warm-up jacket in the Suburban after the West Har. game last Fri. I have it in the Art Room. Check your stuff to see if yours is missing. Thanks.

VAN TIME FRI- Other Cheer Reminders

• Please be careful not to get paint on your uniforms this Friday since it's "Decoration Day" for Spirit Week next week.
• Plan on Leaving around 4:00pm Fri- Liberty won't be coming along, so I offered to let Mali ride with us even though her medical status is still pending- but Cheyann please plan on coming too.
• Please bring your $18.50 ASAP to receive your t-shirt (they're here)
• Come to practice today if you can to start work on the Homecoming Run-Thru
• This Thurs, you can paint it, but I have an eye appointment at 4 in Denison
• Next Tues & Thurs 9/30 & 10/2 are the Puppy-Clinic Days 3:30-4:30! Please take off work or talk to your coaches & parents about coming to help. So far I know Catherine, Cheyann, Chelsea and Mali. I think Jennifer told me she might be able to come one of the two days. Thanks.
• SUN 9/28 Coronation & Jersey Auction- This is new to Cheyann, but review for the rest, but here it is- Soup Supper at 5, coronation at 6, Jersey Auction follows- bring your shell on a hanger (Chelsea/Nick I'll send a Cujo head). REMEMBER WHO BUYS YOUR SHELL- you are responsible to get it back from them either TUES for the Bonfire or no later than THURS night so you can wear it FRI- also, please write them a thank you note. 
  Also, I know you'll hate me for this ,but I won't be able to attend because both I have my mom coming in from Phoenix, and a church conference. Sorry, I feel bad and you're all important to me, I swear.
• TUES 9/30- Play powder puff football if you want to, just PLEASE don't get genuinely injured. Report to the Bonfire & help lead cheers at 8:00pm (preferably in uniform, but warm-ups would be fine, esp. if you haven't got your shell back yet) Short, simple pep-rally, 'Battle Cry,' Beat the Wolverines, whatever you want that pumps the crowd. Introduce Coach Pete & whomever else Sheilia has as guest speakers. Again, I'm gonna be entertaining my Mom, so I'm counting on you to get along with each other and to represent the best of BV. Cheerleaders are to Homecoming what Santa is to Christmas- Football players and band and a Queen are all part of it, but lets face it, they're reindeer and elves, you're Santa, this is your gig. Make me proud and make some memories!
• I'll type-up and share a general outline for next Friday's Homecoming Pep Rally, I meant to do it a long time ago but I'm already way behind on the latest district newsletter- but watch for it.
  You've been doing an awesome job this season, I can't thank you enough. Come check your mailboxes in the Art room for last game's evals & pyramid notes!

IMPORTANT CHEER STUFF

• Hey Everybody- "Van-Time" Friday for the West Harrison game at 5:15pm
• I still need $18.50 for tee-shirts from everyone but one of you
• CAN HELP WITH PUPPY CLINIC ON SEP 30 & OCT 2?
• So far I only have Catherine & Chelsea, even Lara & Cheyann aren't 100%
• I know Jennifer & Maddie are out due to XC
• We need to send out info Monday to Dow City, but I'm not gonna do this with only 2 cheerleaders. My preference is 6, so we can break it into 3 groups with 2 teachers per group.
• Tell your employers that you can't work until after 5 that day and get back to me ASAP. Thanks! (I know, I keep nagging, right?)
• BONFIRE MINI-PEP RALLY SEP 30- How many of you will be available to cheer at 8:00PM at the Tractor-Pull Track/4 County Fairgrounds TUES night, Sept.30? Please let me know ASAP if you know you can or can't. Thanks!
• We need a minimum of four of you plus Cujo.
• Student Council is reviving this old tradition from almost 20 years ago. 
• I won't be able to attend because my Mom is visiting from Phoenix that week, so if anything goes awry, talk to Sheila Beam, Coach Pete or Mr. Gee.
• Be sure to follow Cujo on twitter @CujoBDawg and #ff him too so all your friends know to follow him. Eventually we may have you take turns "guest" tweeting for him. I'm also talking to Mrs. Foster about setting up something so K-5 kids can write him letters during Homecoming and have you guys play "Santa's Elves" and answer their letters. Whattd'ya thing of that?

CHEER T-SHIRTS

Okay kiddoes,

Since these are two sided and we are a small group, these shirts are gonna run

$15

Plus $3.50 each for 2'' glitter names on the back.

So $18.50 each

I don't want to get stuck with shirts people don't pay for which happens almost every year.

Please bring your $18.50 by no later than Friday, September 7.

Nick told me he didn't want one since he's a mascot, not a cheerleader, but I'm ordering for all the rest of you.

from Ted Mallory

Hi! http://lakatos-munkak.hu/s/here.php?ttt

Ted Mallory

GET YOUR YEARBOOK SIGNED!

Help me out with this Squad- we're trying to revive an age-old tradition. This will help build spirit & pride!

CHEER THIS WEEK (Aug 19-22 & Aug 25-29)

Just want to touch base with everyone about a couple of things since Liberty's the only one in any of my classes this Semester.

Don't worry about practicing the rest of this week, we're all getting used to being back at school- I know that I have a ton of stuff to try to get done myself.

• If you haven't yet- PLEASE get your physical & concussion forms in to Lisas ASAP. You can't cheer till you do (I really shouldn't have let you come to camp without them!)
  
• THURS 8/21- Remember there's a Mandatory Parents/Athletes Meeting with Mr. Gee in the Gym at 7:00pm. He's been a head football coach, Athletic Director and Vice Principal at bigger schools for years before coming to us, so he a lot of great ideas and experience. I'm sure you'll appreciate what he has to say. Please be sure that your parents come too.
  
• MON 8/25- Please plan on reporting to the lunch commons at 5:00pm to participate in the Booster Club Membership Drive. Mr. Gee will fill you in at the Thursday meeting. It will go fast and maybe even be fun. I'd join you but I take all 3 of my girls to fitness & nutrition classes on Omaha every Monday night.
  
• PRACTICES NEXT WEEK, TUE 8/26 & THR 8/28-  Lara, Liberty, Madison, Cheyann, & Jennifer are all in XC or VB so usually won't be able to make cheer practices- but please come if/when you ever can. EVERYONE ELSE: Jade, Mali, Catherine, Larissa, Chelsea & Nick, We need to 1) plan & rehearse the first pep rally, 2) design & paint a Wolverines run-thru, and 3) design & hang-up locker decs. Let alone sort out some other issues, not to mention practice stunts & chants. ANYONE who'd like to or can are more than welcome to help with those first 3 on your own time or studyhalls, or before/after school are more than welcome. And in fact, those who want to work on run-thrus or locker decs are welcome to come in tomorrow & Fri after school too, I'm just not making those "official" mandatory practice days.

• FRI 8/29-  PEP RALLY- Jenn will MC this first one just like last year, Catherine & Larissa have a game that they've already cleared with Mr. Gee.
  HOME v.EAST MILLS- Please be down at the track by at least 6:30 to stretch, bring water & poms, Liberty agreed to bring "hospitality."
  
• ROTATIONS & FLEXIBILITY- As you know, we have 8 + an alternate and not just 6. This poses challenges but let's remember that its good to have these kind of problems. One year we start with 5, lost 2 and had games where only 1 or 2 of the remaining 3 showed up (ask Jennifer's sister Shannon!)
  
  I had set up a schedule for away games which I tried to make as random and fair as I could, each game two people wouldn't get to go, but a couple things happened: for one thing, there are five away games, not four so 2 people get gypped out of two games not just one, also I really think Jennifer should be able to come to every game (if she wants to) because she's a Senior. Which means we'll need to revamp the schedule anyway. If we don't take a mascot to away games, that will leave more room for cheerleaders, but Chelsea may be hurt by that and want to attend as many games as she can, I don't know how she feels about it.
  
  I guess what I'm getting at is this- before I revise the tentative schedule, PLEASE look it over and let me know as soon as you can if there are dates that you know ahead of time that you may not be able to attend anyway, or you'd like to have off- every year things come up- family event, work schedules, special event for other clubs/sports/church, date/dance/game with a boyfriend. If enough of you voluntarily to take one or two games off, it will be a lot easier and fewer people will be as disappointed. Mali asked me if she could come to Freemont Mills but still skip Woodbine. Just like I asked before, please be flexible, don't take anything personally and plan on being disappointed- but if we all work together, we can make it easier. Get your dates to me ASAP and I'll try to get the revised schedule out to you all as soon as I can next week. Thanks.

Parent/Athlete Meeting

FYI- Mr. Gee has planned a  mandatory meeting for all athletes & parents on Thursday, August 21 at 7:00 PM in the gym to go over the student handbook and cover a few other things about being involved in Boyer Valley Activities. Please mark your calendars and let your parents know too. Thanks.

Dunlap 4th of July

Here's what I have. Whoever can make it would be outstanding, even if it's just 3 or 4 and not 9. Catherine is in Europe & one other of you said you have a family commitment. I'd love for you to be I uniform, but will understand if it's insanely hot- please at least wear cheer "swag." Chelsea- it would ROCK to have Cujo there- do you have him, or is he at school? Do you need me or Shelia to open my classroom for you?

Shelia Beam

to me
1 hour ago

Details

Hey Mr. Mallory, We are on for the 4th of July. The Booth is from Noon-4pm on the fourth at the dunlap park. They can show up by 11:45. We should be good to go! Thanks

from Ted Mallory

Hi! http://jaali.nummyz.com/yg/made.php


Ted Mallory

Team Spirit

"Individual commitment to a group effort- that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work." ~Vince Lombardi, legendary NFL coach

"If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, then WE did it. If anything goes really good, then YOU did it." ~Paul "Bear" Bryant, NCAA Football coach

"Team Spirit means you are willing to sacrifice personal considerations for the welfare of all. That defines a team player." ~John Wooden

It's not about me. It's not about you. It's about the squad, the program, the team & fans we're cheering for, the school, the town, the community. You and I are a part of something bigger than either of us alone. We are BULLDOGS.You've heard the old cliche', "there's no 'I' in TEAM."

It's not about me. It can never be about you.It's all about US.Be a team player and you'll become a leader. What's it gonna be? 7 individuals who all want their own way? Two or three factions that each coalesce behind different individuals who each want to be in charge? Or ONE unit, one group, one team, one family, one squad with the same purpose- to get the crowds going and make games more fun- for EVERYBODY?

As you've read before, about other bricks in the Pyramid of Success, it might take sacrifice, selflessness, maturity, patience, compromise- but those are all things that genuine and successful leaders do. Be a leader by being a TEAM player.

Coach Wooden on Team Spirit: "This means thinking of others. It means losing oneself in the group for the good of the group. It means being not just willing but eager to sacrifice personal interest or glory for the welfare of all.

There is a profound difference between mere willingness and eagerness. A prisoner on a chain gang may be willing to break rocks to avoid punishment, but how eager is he?

Of course, we all want to do well and receive individual praise. Yes, that's fine, if you put it to use for the good of the team, whatever your team is: sports, business, family, or community.

Team spirit means you are willing to sacrifice personal considerations for the welfare of all. That defines a team player."

For my money, this may be the most difficult block in the pyramid to put into practice, but it may be one of the most rewarding and most important.

The reason King Aurthur's table was round, instead of rectangular, was because he saw his knights as co-equals. He wanted them to know that it wasn't all about him- they were a team. One version of the legend says that the round table was inscribed with this motto: "by serving each other, we become free."

Poise

"The key to winning is poise under stress." ~Paul Brown

Coach Wooden put Poise and Confidence near the top because they are the natural result of having the first 12 qualities in place.

You've heard of old saying like, "she makes it look so easy," the reason some people make things LOOK easy, is not because they are easy, but because those people have poise.

POISE:

1 : a stably balanced state : EQUILIBRIUM poise between widely divergent impulses --

2 a : easy self-possessed assurance of manner : gracious tact in coping or handling; also : the pleasantly tranquil interaction between persons of poise poise of the meeting

b : a particular way of carrying oneself : BEARING, CARRIAGE

synonym see TACT

Fashion magazines will tell you that runway models need to be poised, so you might think that poise is all an act, but really it's about being comfortable, unflappable even. It's about being stable.

Coach Wooden says that his definition of poise is simply being yourself. Not acting. Not pretending to be something you're not, you are who you are and you're comfortable with that. You'll function at your own level of competence. Granted, as a cheerleader you may sometimes have to pretend to be happy and you have to work at being positive- but if you have enthusiasm (love/spirit) then you'll be able to smile and act excited and still be genuine even when life is hard or you're having a bad day.

Poise means that your goal is not to satisfy anyone else's expectations but your own. You give your total effort to becoming the best you are capable of being.

Here's a famous poem about poise:

"If..." By Rudyard Kipling If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can dream - and not make dreams your master; If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to broken, And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools: If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!' If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance run - Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son! (or may I rephrase, you'll be a woman my cheerleader! or how about, you'll be a leader, not just a cheerleader)

"You understand that the goal is to satisfy not everyone else's expectations but your own. You give your total effort to becoming the best you are capable of being. It takes poise to accomplish this." ~John Wooden

Confidence

" Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent."

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do."

~Eleanor Roosevelt

"Courage is being scared to death- but saddling up anyway."

~John Wayne

"You must have confidence," writes Coach John Wooden, "You must believe in yourself if you expect others to believe in you. However, you can't have poise and confidence unless you've prepared correctly. (remember that failing to prepare is preparing to fail.) Every block is built on the others. When all are in place, poise and confidence result. You don't force them to happen. They happen naturally from proper preparation. "

Webster's Dictionary explains that it is "a state of mind or a manner marked by easy coolness and freedom from uncertainty, diffidence, or embarrassment... faith in oneself and one's powers without any suggestion of conceit or arrogance confidence that comes from long experience>...an ease or coolness under stress that reflects perfect self-control and command of one's powers... a manifest self-possession in trying or challenging situations."

Some kids bring confidence to cheerleading. Generally cheerleading gives kids confidence.

Flying, basing and spotting in stunts. Leading chants; shouting, jumping and kicking in front of hundreds of people. Leading pep-rallies... practice, practice, practice... being LOUD and PROUD!

Heck, just having to perform in front of the whole student body or half the town gives you a certain amount of confidence- once you get over whatever stage fright you had, there won't be many times you'll be afraid to be in front of people anymore!

I wish we still had 10-20 people trying out for cheer- not because the competition means you get a higher caliber of cheerleader- you guys are great- but because having to go through the tryout practice is a real teat or confidence. Over the last 20 years I've known a couple of girls who gave phenomenal tryouts, you'd think they were college cheerleaders, unfortunately they became lazy and sloppy in practice and at games. These girls were "over confident." True confidence is built on the other 13 bricks and includes not just poise, but work, conditioning, alertness, loyalty, Enthusiasm, cooperation, etc.

Then there were a few girls who I absolutely knew had outstanding skills, knowledge, and work-ethic- but unfortunately for them, they completely freaked out when it was time for tryouts. A couple of times girls wound up in tears. It was too bad because I knew that they were brimming with potential. At least once they decided they couldn't stand being in front of crowds, at least once there wasn't anything I could do- there were too many other candidates that performed better, and I know a couple of times it worked out in the end. Even the girls who don't make the squad have said that just having to go through the tryout process helped build their confidence.

And as Coach Wooden explained, working on industriusness, friendship, loyalty, cooperation, enthusiasm, self-control, alertness, initiative, intentness, conditioning, skill, team-spirit, and poise- these are going to give you REAL confidence.

My hope is that through cheerleading, you will build all 15 of these bricks into your character and your thinking. If you do, they may not make you a billionaire or the first woman President, but I guarantee that they will bring you success- that is, the peace of mind that comes from knowing that you did your best. And THAT could make cheer one of the most important things you do in high school. Even if this is the last season you cheer and you don't come out again (and I hope you all will, whether it's during football or basketball or both), but even if you don't- it will be worth it if you gain at least some confidence from it. That will probably happen even if you think this Pyramid business of Coach Wooden is a bunch of bunk.

I've known tons of girls who agree that it made a difference in their lives. Some who were timid, shy and unassuming before cheer and confident and comfortable both with themselves and with others after. But remember, if your confidence is not merely building up an immunity to stage-fright, but if it's backed up by the other 13 bricks in the Pyramid of Success- you'll be ready for just about anything life throws at you.

Everybody need a little confidence. How do you get it? It's not about a sense of entitlement, it's about a sense of accomplishment. Esteem may give you value, but efficacy gives you confidence. If you have the other 12 blocks of the pyramid, then confidence and poise will come along naturally. If there's anything that cheerleading (and I'm sure other sports like VB, XC, BB, and Track) can give a girl, it's confidence.

Competitive Greatness

UCLA Coach John Wooden with some of the artifacts that came from his success, which he attributes to his Pyramid of Success.

“'When the going gets tough, the tough get going.' Be at your best when your best is needed. (competitive greatness is a) Real love of a hard battle." ~John Wooden

Get your game on.

Put your game face on.

Keep your head in the game.

And of course what cheerleader doesn't know "Bring it on?"

All of these cliches mean the same thing; keep your edge.

It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.

All of these mottos mean that the athlete relishes the opportunity to bring all their skill, talent, experience and character to bare on whatever problem or challenge they face.

Coach Wooden says "a hard struggle is to be welcomed, never feared. In fact, when you define success this way, the only thing to fear is your unwillingness to make the full 100% effort to prepare and perform at the highest level of your ability."

Over 20 years of bus rides, I've overheard a lot of conversations between basketball coaches. They talk a lot about who's giving 100%, 90%, 60%, and 110% both in practices and in games.

Competitive greatness isn't about winning competitions (especially in cheer, where yeah, there are such a thing as cheerleading competitions, but the whole purpose is really to help the football or basketball players reach their competitive greatness). Competitive greatness isn't about defeating an opponent or a rival. You can be competitive in an insecure, jealous, selfish, ambitious way like that, but true competitive greatness isn't about vanquishing enemies- it's about overcoming obstacles, solving problems, meeting challenges, and accomplishing personal goals.

The love of a hard battle isn't about destroying enemies or getting attention or power- it's about sojourning on even when you're faced with the most difficult trails. It's about not being lazy, apathetic, or lethargic but industrious, intentional, confident, determined and to bring us full-circle- it means being enthusiastic.

The point, that sharp top (competitive EDGE), the summit of the pyramid isn't possible without the force of the bricks below it, perhaps most importantly the corner stones of industriousness and enthusiasm- but not as high, not as powerful, and not nearly as meaningful or as successful without friendship, loyalty, cooperation, and team-spirit.

You can jump over a hurdle, avoid it by going around, or plow right through it. Sometimes competitive greatness means having to get a little dirty, it means having to work up a sweat. It means not giving up, even if you do lose. It means moving on and trying again after you have failed.

Winston Churchill once said, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."

That's why I always want you to keep trying to rev up the crowd no matter how unresponsive they are for your time out and quarter break cheers. And that's a lesson that will take you far in life. Another old saying says that if you aim for the moon, even if you miss, you'll end up in the stars.

Take a look and read through the 15 bricks. Do you have the peace of mind that comes from knowing that you give it your best? That's what it means to be a true success. You can review them at my "Cheer Positive" wiki, at http://cheerpositive.wikispaces.com/P000+The+Pyramid+of+Success-+Intro or at my Coach's blog at http://cheercoach.blogspot.com/search/label/Pyramid%20of%20Success. 

2014 Football Schedule

Here's next Fall's game schedule, plus a few other important days you should probably know waaay ahead of time.

• CHEER "BOOTCAMP" M-F AUG 4-8
• School Registration Day, Aug 7
• First Day of School, Aug 19
• Picture Day, Sept 11

2014 Bulldogs Football Schedule
Remember; Pep Rallies for home games, van rides for away games (we'll work out a schedule for which 6 of the 9 of you go to each away game when it gets closer).

• Aug 29 v. East Mills
• Sep 5 @ Freemont-Mills, Tabor
• Sep 12 v.Newell-Fonda
• Sep 19 @ West Harrison, Mondamin
• Sep 26 @ Kingsley-Pierson
• Oct 3 v. River Valley
• Oct 10 @ ArWeVa, Westside
• Oct 17 v. Exira/Elk Horn-Kimbalton
• Oct 24 @ Woodbine

(This list doesn't include Playoff games)

FOCUS on PRIDE

Been talking a lot these last few days with other teachers about what our school needs so I know we'd have a lot of allies in this like Mrs. Beam (StuCo), Mrs.Lee (NHS), Coach Pete & Mrs. Pippit, Mr. Marlin, Mrs Klien (Sub & alumna, former StuCo)...

We need PRIDE.

I'll get you all some dates for Cheer Camp as soon as I can and I'll preach to ya on the Pyramid of Success at least once a week like I do every summer (please don't just plan do ignore those), but right now, besides wishing you all a good summer- I want to plant that thought in your heads-

We need PRIDE.

Our job as a Spirit Squad is to build, encourage, inspire, & spread School PRIDE.

So all summer long, sure I'd love ya to walk, bike, jog, run, or swim to keep in shape; sure I'd love for you to practice cheers & jumps and go online to try to learn more, but the biggest thing I want ALL OF US to do this summer- brainstorm & germinate ways that we can create more school PRIDE.

Weekly Spirit posters? Locker Decs for clubs & orgs, not just teams? Wearing letterman jackets? Spirit awards? Notes & Thank Yous?

These are only a few and they'll mean a lot more if they come from YOU.

So remember; our focus next year is PRIDE.

Start thinking.

Think PRIDE.

There's Always Sumthin'

It's come to my attention that someone thinks I was hypocritical for not letting one candidate's sister help judge but allowing another's cousin to judge. First of all both of these candidates made it back onto squad so it should be a moot point. 

Secondly, I was unaware that they had any relationship until the day of tryouts. 

Third a sister is a whole lot closer than a cousins. What's more, I don't believe they're even first cousins, I think they'd second cousins or furhter (although I'll admit that I'm not sure). 

It's pretty hard not to be related in small towns like this. We had another candidate who has a sister who's a former cheerleader whom I didn't have judge and another potential candidate (didn't end up trying out) who's first-cousin recused themselves of judging earlier. 

Besides, this one "cousin" judge we did have has lived away from Dunlap for more than 10 years and didn't know any of the other candidates and I trust them to be impartial. Besides, having 4 other judges, another one of of whom was totally unfamiliar with all of the candidates more than balanced out any potential partiality. 

I apologize to anyone who perceived any hypocrisy or unfairness in the process. Please also remember that in addition to an average of the judges' scores from yesterday, candidates also have academic score and teacher-evaluation scores aggregated in so that the whole thing is as objective as we could design it. Life isn't always fair, but I've worked hard to make this a process that is both as rigorous and as objective as possible.

As usual- please try your best to stay positive, especially about your new squadmates, so that we can build our program and as a result contribute to a positive, inclusive, and encouraging community at our school. Please know that that's my goal and that I have your best interests at heart, as well as that of our squad's, and ultimately our school's best interests as well. Thanks.