Cheer and Drill Announcement

All Drill Team members, Cheerleaders, and Mascots help with track concessions. Please sign up by the Art room. Anyone not signed up by April 1 will be assigned days by Mr. Mallory. If you have a conflict, it is your responsibility to work it out with your track or golf coaches, parents or employers. If absolutely necessary, your parents or an NHS member can work for you. Please make sure that you inform Mr. Mallory of any trades or substitutions. Thank you.

Pictures & other stuff

• Let's TRY to take some team, buddy, & individual pictures Monday before track practice
• I have 2 small and 4 medium t-shirts left if you know anyone who wants them (or hasn't gotten their's yet)
• Plan to sign up for track concessions outside my room beginning Monday
• Remember to return your uniform ASAP after we get pictures taken
• Let me know if you're interested in cheering again next year and for which season or both.

Thanks! Have a great weekend.

PS: I'll try to remember to post this soon on facebook because I realize that not everybody checks they're email all that often.

Cheer News

TRACK CONCESSIONS
Cheerleaders (and Mascot), and Drill Team members, (and Coaches Mahoney and Heese)-

Please put on your calendars the following dates. Cheer and Drill host concessions at home track meets. If you are in Track, you still need to work at least one meet. You can get NHS members or your parents to work for you, but I'm sure you can work something out with Coach Heese, we have been doing this for at least a decade now. She will let you out of this one meet, so don't freak out.

Below are the dates. In the next week or two I will put up a sign up sheet for which meet you'd prefer to work, and then posting a schedule after that.If things come up you can make substitutions (again, squadmates, NHS members, or family) but your slot has to be covered and it's your responsibility to let either Coach Mahoney or Coach Mallory know about it.

• Apr 8- BV Lady Bulldog Invite
• Apr 22- BV JrHi Invite
• May 3- Girls Western Valley Conference Meet
• May 11- BV (Co-Ed) Bulldog Invite

TEAM PICTURES
2010 Cheerleaders, If you woulld like to get "semi-professional" team pictures done, bring your uniforms and hair supplies to school Monday, March 3. I will be glad to take some group pictures, buddy pictures and individual pictures. We can work in the commons or the gym depending on if/where track & golf is practicing. Who knows, if the weather's nice, maybe we can even take some outside. I will upload the pictures to share at either Wal-Mart (Rachel's Mom) or PhotoBucket, burn them to a CD, or save them to a flash drive for you, but it's up to you or your parents to order prints. That way you only get the shots you like but can get as many or as few copies as you want.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO CLEAN AND RETURN YOUR UNIFORMS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER MARCH 3.

SUMMER CAMP
Cheerleaders, and potential cheerleaders, Do you want to learn how to stunt for next year? Wanna learn some new cheers, chants, and dances? Do you want to improve all your other skills with the help of NCAA university cheerleaders and highly specialized professionals? Do you want to meet other cheerleaders from all over Western Iowa and Eastern Nebraska? Then whether you want to cheer for football, basketball, or both you need to get to camp!

UCA will be putting on a camp at West Harrison HS this July. I'm checking to finalize the dates, I know it's either July 23-24 or 30-31. I will let you know as soon as I fond out. I'll get the final price too. I know it's really cheap compared to other UCA and NCA camps. If it doesn't work out fo you, Morningside University also offers a 2 day camp, usually in late June and the Iowa Cheer Coaches' Association also offers one day clinics in August about the time that school gets started.

Please let me know ASAP if you're interested.

MAKING PLANS
Cheerleaders, and potential cheerleaders, two people have asked me about football cheer. Please let me know ASAP if you're interested in cheering for football, basketball, both, or neither next year. I need to know if we need to hold tryouts or not and when. It would also be good to know for ordering poms, warm-ups, tee-shirts, or shoes.

I will be posting this information on facebook soon too. There are a few 8th graders who I'd love to have come out. Volleyball, Cross Country, Drill, Basketball, jobs, poor grades, family obligations and boyfriends all have a way of siphoning off great cheer candidates. We want to build the best program we can. Come join the fun, help fire up that Bulldog spirit, and make 2010/2011 the greatest BV year ever!

 

_______________________________________________________


Boyer Valley Cheerleading: Positive, Committed Leaders
Stirring-up spirit, building excellence & character
Visit Coach's Cheer Blog

 

Cujo for Kenny

I think I've finished up. It may or may not seem a little "cartoony," but that's okay, after all it's a school mascot costume for cripe's sake! If anything, I think it really has a Wayne Thiebaud Pop-Art feel to it, which is what I was going for. Thiebaud is one of my favorite painters and I've always wanted to do something like he would. Thiebaud was born in Arizona, like me, only 50 years before me. Unlike Roy Lichtenstein, Thiebaud actually started out as a cartoonist, working for Disney for a while.

The Pop-Art thing is perfect because it should be upbeat and fun, and the decorating style of the recipient is pretty clean and contemporary. This is a house-warming gift for Kenny Kahl (Class of 2001). Kenny was not only the first mascot here at Boyer Valley (purple), but he also mascotted at Concordia University in Nebraska (blue), which is also my alma mater. Both schools are the Bulldogs. My only hope is that a bright purple painting doesn't clash too much with whatever neutrals and earth tones Kenny used for his home. But then again it's a gift, he can hang it in his john or in his basement where no one else will see it if he wants to. I am seriously considering the poster thing. If not for a fundraiser, at least so that I can give the same image as a gift to a few other people- not to mention being able to keep a copy for myself- maybe in my classroom. NOW the only problem is waiting for it to dry, since it's in oil.

Rules Clarification

I think that I, sent everyone into a tizzy about substate & state tourneys in regards to who can come or not come, etc. etc.
I believe we're good to have all 6 of you come to any substate/state games. So please don't worry about it or become competitive/snippy with each other about who'll get to go or not.

"Six cheerleaders (all in uniform), which includes the mascot, may cheer at girls' basketball sectionals, districts, regionals, and state.  These cheerleaders must cheer the entire game/meet without substitutions.  Cheerleaders are not allowed at girls' state swimming because of the lack of space."

I think that it's that word "substitutions" that I had remembered, which led me to say anything last night and I shouldn't have even said anything before I had looked it up and reviewed it first. It would have only been an issue if we were a big school with Frosh/JV/Var Cheer squads.

Obviously, as I said last night, the jewelry and gum rules have to be enforced now- I have been WAAAY too lax about that all season. But there's some more, which you probably won't like, so don't shoot the messenger, these are State rules, not just me being mean. Hair has to be up and pulled back. No bangs.

The way I figure it, as annoying as this will be for you, it's worth it. Coach Armstead was telling me how no Boyer Valley, Dunlap, Dunlap-Dow City-Arion boys basketball team has ever made it this far. So no other cheer squad has gotten to go along with them.

Here's what the rule book says:

"Pulling hair away from the face situations:

  1.   Hair in a ponytail and bangs (which would have been in the eyes) secured away from

        the face – legal

  2.   Hair in a high ponytail that is long and goes down the back – legal

  3.   Hair in pigtails or side ponytail that does NOT touch the shoulders – legal

  4.   Hair in a low back ponytail at the base of the nape of the neck – legal

  5.   Short hair with hair that could be in face secured away – legal

  6.   Hair in a side ponytail that goes onto or touches the shoulders – illegal

  7.   Hair in pigtails that touches the shoulders – illegal

 

 Bangs pulled across forehead, wispies, & chunks of hair beside face:

  1.  The above - out of eyes and if necessary soundly secured away from the face – legal

  2.   Hair that falls into the face while cheering, stunting, or tumbling – illegal

  3.   How do you know if it is legal? 

            If you have to: 

                        A.  Move your head to move it away from your face – illegal

                        B.  Use your hand to move it away from your face – illegal

                        C.  Tuck it behind your ears – illegal

NOTE:  "Bumpits" are illegal."

 

_______________________________________________________


Boyer Valley Cheerleading: Positive, Committed Leaders
Stirring-up spirit, building excellence & character
Visit Coach's Cheer Blog

 

What's left

GREAT job tonight, Ladies! Maybe your best ever. I'd rather you leave the gum behind, but hey, you maintained your poise and never responded to the poor sportsmanship of the COU students and that was way more important to me than gum. Kinda fun to actually have the crowd cheer with you, huh?

Rest your voices, the deeper into playoffs you make it, the crazier it gets.

• TUES FEB. 23 BV Boys v. TBD @ TBD (If I heard right tonight, I believe it will be ArWeVa)
• THURS FEB. 25 BV Boys v. TBD @ TBD

Miss you already, Nina- drive safe down to OK, ok?

Playoff Schedule

All games will be played at 7 PM. Whether or not games are played, who the opponents are and most locations are to be determined (TBD) by the results of each previous game played. The two games in bold are the first games to be played.

• THURS FEB. 11 BV Girls v. Charter Oak-Ute @ Charter Oak
• TUES FEB. 16 BV Girls v. TBD @ Charter Oak
• THURS FEB. 18 BV Boys v. Charter Oak-Ute @ Dunlap
• FRI FEB. 19 BV Girls v.TBD @ Harlan
• MON FEB. 22 Girls Regional Finals @ Atlantic
• TUES FEB. 23 BV Boys v. TBD @ TBD
• THURS FEB. 25 BV Boys v. TBD @ TBD

Think we play COU enough this year? Almost done. Tired yet?

This is always a hard time of year. Part of you wants to be done so bad you can almost taste it -but another part of you dreams of how amazing it would be to cheer in the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines if our school went all the way to the State Championship! Just hang tough, you've been doing great so far. Even if our teams are eliminated in the first or second rounds, I hope you have memories now to last you a life time.

By the end of this month I will be talking to you all about tryouts for football season, Cheer Camp this summer, running concessions for track meets (which Cheer and Drill share), and (sniff) having to return your uniforms.

You guys have turned out to be a fantastic bunch and you do a fantastic job. I'd love to have you all back for football season, next year's basketball season, or both. I really appreciate how hard you've worked and how far you've all come. You should be proud.

This week's Western Valley Conference play

Monday (Feb 1) we will be hosting Conference Games vs COU.
Game 2 - V Girls @ 6:00 PM
Game 3 - V Boys

Tue 2/2/2010 Western Valley Conference B Varsity 6:00 PM

Thu 2/4/2010 Charter Oak - Ute High School G JV/Varsity Dunlap 6:00 PM (show up for at least the varsity game, Mr. Straight feels strongly that we cheer at all home games- having said that, I won't be at this game because my wife and I are taking our Daughter Grace to Iowa City for medical tests.)

Fri 2/5/2010 Western Valley Conference B JV/Varsity 6:00 PM

Sat 2/6/2010 Western Valley Conference B Varsity 6:00

But then, there'sno game until Feb 12!

A VERY hectic week ahead

Cammey sent me a text and Tiffany asked here on facebook, so here's what you need to know-

You might've thought that we'd have a pile of make-up games, but this is the start of Western Valley Conference Tournaments. Girls this week and boys next week. Why our conference insists on having it's own tourneys when we'll still have District playoff tournaments at the end of the season, I have no idea, but they do.

Mon     1/25/2010     Charier Oak - Ute High School     B JV/Varsity     Dunlap     6:00 PM- (the girls have conference game in Manning this same night, Mr. Straight believes we should be at all home games) Sorry if you don't like it- but we will cheer at both the JV and Varsity games, so please be there b 5:30 or at least 5:45


Tue     1/26/2010     Western Valley Conference     G Varsity           6:00 PM @ Dunlap (home???- this is if I understood the westernvalleyconf.com posting correctly)

If I'm not mistaken, these next two are contingent on our winning- that means they may or may not have them, so please be ready:

Thu     1/28/2010     Western Valley Conference     G JV/Varsity           6:00 PM @ Westside (see me for bus time)

Fri 1/29 the JV/Var Boys have a game in Correctionville, BUT, since it's one gender only but it's NOT a home game- I am going to let you off the hook for it because if the girls win, this will be a monster week and the same will be true if the boys win in their tourneys next week. You deserve at least one day off.

Sat     1/30/2010     Western Valley Conference     G Varsity           6:00 PM

Mon     2/1/2010     Western Valley Conference     B JV/Varsity           6:00 PM and guess what? Boys will have Conference turneys Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat, blah blah blah, assuming they win and keep laying.

vs. Logan

Pyramid of Success 15; Competitive Greatness

“'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 17 years of bus rides, I've over heard 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.

Pyramid of Success 14; 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 inn 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 17 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.