Featured, Netflix CHEER

Netflix CHEER! – “Tumbling” (Season 2 Episode 6 Recap)

Posted on February 16, 2022February 16, 2022 by Annemarie Arthurs

16
Feb

By Annemarie Arthurs

Published February 16, 2022

We have all seen Ladarius at his highs, and we have all seen him at his lows. Episode 6 starts off with Ladarius informing us that he has decided to leave the team at Navarro.

He mentioned that Kailee had a problem with him. He would try to help her and inform her on things Monica would do and she was struggling with him trying to take over or do her job. He said he was teaching the team how to tumble, how to stunt, grips, and it was becoming more than he signed up for. He claimed he tried to reach out to Monica, but she was not answering or returning any of his calls. He said it seemed like she forgot where she came from when she returned from Dancing with the stars. He finally had enough and was leaving since he felt like she did not care about his feelings anymore. The whole situation got worse once Ladarius went live on Instagram calling out Monica and her behavior.

The pandemic has been taking a toll on both teams. Not being able to practice, not being coached by Monica, games being cancelled, and the headlines because of Jerry, it has been very hard for the rookies.

The relationship between Ladarius and Monica has been getting worse and worse. There was also an issue between Ladarius and Kailee about watching/adopting a dog. They have had a lot of history and they were unable to draw the line of respect between coach and athlete. The team saw a different side of Ladarius and said that he not only was hurting Kailee and Monica but was also hurting the team and what they all came here for. Majority of the team still cares for him and wants to succeed, but they are not standing in his corner anymore.

Back at TVCC, they are 33 days away from Daytona! They have brought in lots of talent this season! The rookie class this year is exceptional. They gained Dee, Angel, Benji and Jaymo, 4 amazing power tumblers and strong rookies.

The biggest struggle TVCC is having this year is their boys performing. This year they have the strongest tumbling and stunting skills, but when it comes to performing and smiling, they are lacking. The three male rookies are known as “The weenies” to the coaches. They tend to band together and sometimes struggle to follow all the rules! The Weenies are always running as a punishment!!

There are many flyers back at Navarro fighting for that center stunt. Between Maddy, Gill, and Cassadee, there is a lot of pressure to be the best!

Both teams are preparing as much as possible for Daytona. TVCC has been running practices just like the warmup, waiting time, and performance experience will be like at the competition!

TVCC is hitting amazing routines and are super excited for Daytona whereas Navarro is struggling a little with new team members and a lot of alternates. Towards the end of the episode, it seems like Navarro is finally getting it together! Also hitting a strong routine makes them even more excited to compete!

Featured, Netflix CHEER, News

Jerry Pleads Guilty

Posted on February 15, 2022February 22, 2022 by Annemarie Arthurs

15
Feb

By Annemarie Arthurs

Published February 15, 2022

On February 10, 2022, Jerry Harris Attorneys released a statement that Jerry has pleaded guilty in his ongoing child pornography case. A little over a year ago he pled not guilty to all 7 of the felony charges that were brought against him in Chicago but has now pleaded guilty to two of those charges last week. Those two charges are soliciting child porn imagery and traveling over state lines with the intent to illicit sexual conduct with a minor.

This case has been ongoing since 2019, when the FBI received a complaint from two victims’ mother. On June 28^th there will be a sentencing hearing, where he could face up to 50 years in prison. With the charges he has pled guilty to, the minimum is 5 years and maximum is 20 years and the judge has yet to decide on that.

Jerry’s lawyers want to make it clear that he does want to take responsibility for his actions.

Featured, Netflix CHEER, News

JERRY. (Netflix CHEER! Season 2 Episode 5 recap)

Posted on February 9, 2022February 9, 2022 by Annemarie Arthurs

09
Feb

By Annemarie Arthurs

Published February 9, 2022

Before we dive into what we all don’t want to discuss, let’s discuss how the season just abruptly ended…

Covid ended their current season and Daytona got cancelled. These athletes at Navarro and TVCC that wanted to win so badly, got it all ripped away from them.

Fast forward a few months. The team is back at practice under many regulations. Getting tested daily is one of those. Luckily Gabby, Maddy and Ladarius were able to return due to the covid rules of allowing athletes that lost a season, gain an extra one! Unfortunately, Monica is not with them first semester. She took the opportunity to join “Dancing with the Stars”. Monica has always been a huge fan of the show and she knew the team would support her in this decision. A lot of the rookies were upset because they came to Navarro to cheer for Monica, and now she’s not there.

This is when we are introduced to Kailee Peppers. She was a Navarro cheerleader and is now the new assistant coach. Kailee took the job and was unaware Monica was leaving, so now there is a lot of pressure on her to fill Monica’s shoes as a “head coach”. The team has been pretty accepting of Kailee and understands she’s dealing with a lot, except for Ladarius. He was very vocal in the fact that she is not able to do what Monica does and doesn’t have the ability to coach Navarro.

Moving into September of 2020. The fan favorite reality star, twenty-one-year-old, Jerry Harris has been accused of soliciting explicit photos and sex from minors. The allegations stem from two 14-year-old athletes who expressed it took place in person and online. The team was devasted, they broke down, and could not accept what their teammate had done.

Netflix interviewed the two boys and their mother. They seemed calm and stated exactly what happened. Cheerleading was their safe space; they could be themselves there and now that has all changed. Charlie stated that it all started in 2018 when Jerry messaged him asking him for photos. Charlie knew of Jerry from the cheerleading world. He wanted to be on the team Jerry was on and he said he was “starstruck and didn’t want him to not like him or not be friends with him” and because of that he was willing to send him what Jerry asked for. They met for the first time in 2019 at ACA Nationals. He said he felt uncomfortable, ashamed, and embarrassed about talking to him. During warmups on Day one, Jerry kept harassing him to see him. He asked him to meet him in the bathroom. Once they were alone in the bathroom, Jerry cornered him in the bathroom stall, begging him to have sex with him. Charlie did not feel comfortable with it and got himself out of the situation.

His brother noticed that he was extremely frantic and stressed when he came out of the bathroom and got back to warmups. He has been wanting to say something about it, but he felt ashamed and scared and knew that if he reported it, he would lose his cheer friends because of how loved Jerry was in the cheer community.

Charlie’s mother reported the incident to USASF twice. They felt nothing was happening. Which is why they decided to file a report with the FBI. Jerry was eventually arrested for child pornography charges. He admitted to being involved with ten to fifteen minors. The judge decided that he would remain incarcerated during trial and that is where he remains.

Social media was very hard on Monica and the team for how they responded. They were grieving the “loss” and arrest of their teammate, but all understand that Jerry is in the wrong.

Featured, Netflix CHEER

HELL WEEK – Netflix CHEER! (Season 2 Episode 4)

Posted on February 7, 2022February 7, 2022 by Annemarie Arthurs

07
Feb

By Annemarie Arthurs

Published February 7, 2022

Starting off we find out some unfortunate news. Coach Kapena came to sit in and watch a practice and had a conversation with Maddy. Sadly, Kapena left the program. During first semester there was a homecoming party at his house that involved alcohol and he allowed current athletes to attend. He has since taken a step back and dealing with the consequences. Monica made it very clear that if you want to have a coaching role, you do have to set higher standards for yourself and if you don’t uphold them, why have them.

Monica made the decision to go back to white unforms and everyone is STRESSED! They claim whenever they wear white they lose, and they are superstitious!

TVCC is hard at work, creating innovative pyramids and routines and reflecting on how badly they want to win. With Coach Vontae more eager than ever, he knows the pressure is on. Vontae knew what he was getting into, he lives for this stuff. With lots of full outs going, they are seeing a lot of stunt falls and mistakes happening. Frustration is taking over Coach Vontae and sits them down. He said, “If I yell at you, understand that I love you”. Vontae is still struggling with when he competed for TVCC and dropped a stunt causing them to lose. He doesn’t want anyone on his team to ever have the same feeling he did.

26 days until Daytona and Navarro is hard at practice. Monica is adamant that side conversations stop, and they focus. With stress on pyramid work, Monica and Ladarius are getting very frustrated with each other. Ladarius feels that Monica is always blaming him and not the rest of the group. Do we agree or no? Ladarius understands that Monica will expect more of you, the more she cares about you, but they seem to be clashing!

Monica’s goal is 51 full out by end of year and they are hard at work to achieve that! During Hell Week, they practice twice a day for the full week. Both routines are flashier and two of the hardest routines both programs have had in a long time. They try to do more reps to condition their bodies for when they perform.

As the music says,

Let’s go out with a bang!

Featured, Netflix CHEER

Netflix Cheer! Season 2 – Episode 3 Recap – Dracut Girl

Posted on February 1, 2022February 1, 2022 by Annemarie Arthurs

01
Feb

By Annemarie Arthurs

Published February 1, 2022

I cheered at East Celebrity Elite, I coached a high school team that went to the same competitions as Dracut High School so I’ve been in the presence of greatness when it comes to Maddy Brum! I can’t lie when I say I teared up a little when the cameras where inside ECE and I saw my coaches there! Living in South Carolina now…it made me feel less home sick with ECE on my TV screen!

Let’s dive into Miss Maddy!

Maddy came down to Texas with her mom and sister to sign, meet the team, and meet Monica! Emotions ran high while her mom talked about her leaving MA and coming to a junior college so far away from home.

Back at TVCC, they are working hard to start going full out. Choreography is flashier, pyramid has higher difficulty with skills they have never done before, tumbling is more intense and overall, the routine is more fast paced. They are struggling a little with stamina and hitting a solid full out. Their goal is to score the highest they ever have, and they are pushing themselves more than they ever have. Nobody likes to condition but they know they must in order to get through the entire routine.

Ladarius got frustrated with Maddy and voiced his frustrations to Monica, but she is hoping that Maddy will get stronger and have less stunt falls. Monica is going to put in the safest routine and if it doesn’t hit, she will pull it. Maddy is very determined to make herself known and to be the best she can be.

We also got introduced to Maddy’s dad. He wants her to be successful, help her future, and be there for her. He cannot leave the state of Massachusetts due to personal reasons, but he wants her to have the world. He had been arrested in the past, but he has set up agents, car arrangements, and even wants her to have her own clothing line. Maddy feels her dad has a lot to make up for but at the end of the day she’s trying to understand where he is coming from.

Now we go to East Celebrity Elite! Back in MA she is hosting flyer classes! We get to meet two of the gym owners, Linda and Cassie, they had nothing but good things to say about Maddy. They knew she had the potential and they saw that she was a star athlete in the making from the day she walked in. She was struggling at home and did not have a lot of direction, but she knew at the end of the day she was going to ECE and that at 6:00 she had cheerleading practice.

“She found something she loved, she decided that she was going to be the absolute best at it that she could be, and she set goals, and she’s by far the most decorated athlete we have at this gym, and deservingly so”

– Cassie Bienvenue

Maddy still has a lot to learn at Navarro. She mentioned she was more used to an all-girl group with 3 girls lifting her rather than one guy. She has been struggling to stay in the air with her stunt partner and getting frustrated with herself. Monica mentioned she wants to reevaluate Maddy flying center stun, and it ultimately came down to Monica pulling her from the air. While Maddy was extremely upset, she ended up coming to a mutual agreement with Monica that this is what’s best for her and the team.

Featured, Netflix CHEER

Netflix CHEER – Episode 2 Recap

Posted on January 25, 2022January 25, 2022 by Annemarie Arthurs

25
Jan

By Annemarie Arthurs

Published January 25, 2022

“We” is family. Getting to see where Coach Vontae and his family grew up gave us a whole new perspective of him. It shows us why he is how he is. He is tough, strong, powerful, and determined. He knew sports, mainly football and cheer, would lead him in the right direction in life.

He was ready to be recruited for football until one day he was asked to cheer, and that’s when Vontae joined Brandon All Stars, followed by a scholarship to college for cheer and the rest is history!

Back at Navarro, the athletes are participating in lots of signings, shows, and meeting with agents! Lexi, Morgan, Gabi, Jerry, and La’Darius have no time to breathe!

Gabi has decided to come back to Navarro and while her and her team are super excited, it has sparked some nerves within the rookies potentially losing their spot on the mat!

TVCC has been practicing hard to gain new skills and score the 99 they have been dreaming of. They have a handful of third year athletes on the team and the coaches don’t want them to leave Trinity Valley without a ring on their finger.

Halfway through episode two Gabi has finally returned to Navarro for her first practice! Choreography is about to begin with Dalston and it will start with a skills check. This is where the coaches and choreographers can see skills and decide where to properly place athletes in the routine to best showcase them!

Monica has built an incredible program and does not like to switch it up, so Dahlston is doing his best to keep it as similar as possible to previous years!

TVCC is also starting choreography, and shocking fans by hiring the old Navarro choreographer, Brad Vaughan! Like they say “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” so they brought in someone directly from Navarro’s past!

As the episode comes to an end, TVCC and Navarro are getting ready for the basketball game against each other! Both teams want to show up and be better than the other! Both teams put on a show on the sidelines, and it ultimately ended with a TVCC win!

Coach Vontae is ready to build a strong program and is determined to beat Navarro and prove to people that they are just as good, if not better!

Events, Featured, News, Results

Netflix CHEER Season 2: Episode 1

Posted on January 20, 2022January 20, 2022 by Annemarie Arthurs

20
Jan

By Annemarie Arthurs

Published January 20, 2022

It’s like we never left Daytona!

Netflix really said, “Let’s start 2022 off with a bang” and released season 2 at the perfect time! Recapping last season definitely pulled at my heart strings! After following this program, it’s exciting to see all the interviews, events, and signings they went through after season 1 aired.

Starting off with episode one of Netflix’s series CHEER, we were made aware of some mature and adult things we would learn more about, but we also got a sneak peak of some exciting things! Number one, being introduced more to TVCC!!

For Coach Monica & Coach Vontae, the competition seems to be more intense than ever!

Navarro’s newest rookies are amazing and as Monica said, “the talent is ridiculous”. Watching Maddy, Gill, Cassadee and Payton…..their technique and skill is unbeatable. 40 are on the team….and 20 will make mat! Ladarius said “do better” if you want to make mat!

Navarro’s newest rookies are amazing and as Monica said, “the talent is ridiculous”. Watching Maddy, Gill, Cassadee and Payton…..their technique and skill is unbeatable. 40 are on the team….and 20 will make mat! Ladarius said “do better” if you want to make mat!

A lot of these athletes are extremely anxious with the upcoming mat tryouts. The coaches need to make decisions that are best for the team and there’s no guarantee that people who have made mat before, will make mat again. Maddy made a very good point when she said “cheerleading, it’s all a mind game, if you don’t believe that you’re going to be the best, then you’re not going to be the best”

Back at TVCC. Their team is still feeling angry and defeated about their last performance at Daytona. Their main complaint…. they went once, and Navarro got to go twice. Their teammate Jada will always be out there making sure she is proving everyone wrong! She is the strongest female tumbler and flyer on the team and she’s ready to lead TVCC to victory at Daytona!

The coaching style differences between Monica and Vontae are crazy but they both work!! The athletes they coach know exactly what to expect.

What works for Navarro works and what works for TVCC also works! Tough love is Coach Vontaes approach whereas Coach Monica is the opposite.

So, with episode one coming to an end…lets end this like TVCC ends practice!

“Here’s to you, here’s to me, national champs, where soon to be, and if the judges’ disagree, f*** them, here’s to we”

Events, Featured, Results

MAJORS 2022 Competition Results

Posted on January 20, 2022January 20, 2022 by Annemarie Arthurs

20
Jan

By Annemarie Arthurs

Published January 20, 2022

“Oooooooooo HONEY! That was the TEA, MAJORS you just gave it to ME!!!”

Nothing like starting off our first MAJOR All-Star Competition blog of 2022 with my favorite voiceover throwback! Shout out to Top Gun!

Safe to say Friday night was one for the books! I think all all-star cheerleaders can agree that when an event like this is happening and streamed on Varsity TV…. we all know exactly when to tune in, grab the popcorn, and a cozy blanket! I for one can say that I scheduled my entire day to be ready to go at 7:05pm!!

From X-Small – Large Coed…. these teams took the mat and left it all out there! With all the obstacles that gyms have faced this season in this everlasting pandemic we are living in…. it was amazing to see such success, amazing choreography, true talent, and NO MASKS all happening LIVE!

Okay, now let’s get to the part we all really care about!

Starting off strong with the L6 Senior-XSmall & XSmall Coed divisions…these teams were a FORCE! I remember when first hearing about these new division a while back I thought to myself “how can such few athletes be expected to do so much” but this division has proven to be the strongest!! I got goosebumps watching SC Cheer!! Those ladies sure know how to entertain!

Moving onto Medium Senior & Medium Senior Coed, the “OG” Generals never disappoint! This team has made a name for themselves in the cheerleading world and continues to keep Woodlands Elite at the top!

Finally, the Large Senior and Large Senior Coed division. Safe to say I’ve been watching these divisions religiously since 2007 and it gets better and better every year! Orange, Panthers, and Senior Elite, Cheetahs and Steel sure know how to make you stop everything you are doing and not take your eyes off the screen!

Shout out to all these choreographers and coaches that can bring these amazing routines to life!

Now for the results!!

2022 MAJORS RESULTS

L6 SENIOR COED XSMALL

L6 SENIOR COED SMALL

L6 SENIOR COED MED

L6 SENIOR COED LRG

L6 SENIOR XSMALL

L6 SENIOR SMALL

L6 SENIOR Medium

L6 SENIOR Large

L6 Senior Coed-XSmall

1	Twist & Shout Tulsa-Diamonds	93.81671
2	CJA All Stars-Team Gunz	93.06671
3	Gymtyme Illinois-Fever	93.06671

L6 Senior Coed-Small

1	Brandon All Stars-Senior Black	94.33331
2	ACE Cheer Company-Warriors	92.08331

L6 Senior Coed-Medium

1	Woodlands Elite OR-Black Ops	93.23331
2	Prodigy All Stars-MIDNIGHT	93.03331
3	The California All Stars-Black Ops	90.18331

L6 Senior Coed-Large

1	The Stingray All Stars-Steel (COED GRAND CHAMPS)	97.53331
2	Cheer Athletics-Cheetahs	93.81671

L6 Senior-XSMALL

1	SC Cheer-Fearless	90.86671
2	Cheer Central Suns-Lady Suns	90.20001
3	The California All Stars Mesa-Vixens	89.90001
4	Twist & Shout Edmond-Obsession	87.46671

L6 Senior-Small

1	Cheer Extreme Raleigh-SSX	92.91671
2	The California All Stars San Marcos-Lady Bullets	90.05001
3	Rain Athletics-Aqua	89.60001

L6 Senior-Medium

1	Woodlands Elite OR-Generals	92.93331
2	The Stingray All Stars-Peach	90.16671

L6 Senior-Large

1	Cheer Athletics-Panthers (ALL GIRL GRAND CHAMPS)	94.10001
2	Cheer Extreme-Senior Elite	91.75001
3	The Stingray All Stars-Orange	91.25001

I don’t know about you…but bring on NCA Nationals!!!

These teams will be coming in hot!!

Events, Featured, Results

2022 UCA College Cheerleading Nationals Results

Posted on January 19, 2022January 19, 2022 by Annemarie Arthurs

19
Jan

By Annemarie Arthurs

Published January 19, 2022

Well, everyone!!

The 2022 College Nationals Season is officially here!!

I think it’s safe to say that after binge watching CHEER on Netflix, we are all super excited and eager to see some college cheer! These college athletes have gone through numerous obstacles, quarantines, endless covid testing, hours and hours of choreography, workouts, practices, and an absurd number of full outs!

The UCA College Cheerleading Nationals were held this weekend in Orlando, Florida and these teams came ready to fight and win!!

Being a part of IPP it’s exciting to be in contact with these coaches all year and then see their teams compete and hear the music we have helped them create! Every team out on that mat has proven that they deserve this spot and that they belong out there! They all want to be crowned National Champions!

With a wide range of teams in All Girl, Coed, and Game Day divisions…it was a battle to get to finals and come out on top!

Now let’s get to these results and see our top three teams!!

JUMP TO A PARTICULAR DIVISION

DIVISION 1A

allgirl 1a

small coed 1a

division 1

allgirl division 1

smallcoeddivision1

open coed

open all girl

open small coed

1a gameday

small coed gameday

All Girl 1A Gameday

Open Coed Gameday

Open All-Girl Gameday

Division IA:

1	University of South Florida- USF Coed	93.9
2	University of Alabama-Coed	93.1
3	Ohio State University	92.1

All Girl IA:

1	University of Alabama-All Girl	91.7
2	Western Kentucky University-WKU All Girl	91.3
3	University of Mississippi-Ole Miss	86.7

Small Coed IA:

1	Western Kentucky University-WKU Small Coed	92.7
2	University of Memphis	87.8
3	Bowling Green State University	84.2

Division 1:

1	Morehead State University-COED	94
2	University of West Georgia	84.4
3	University of Delaware	79.4

All Girl Division 1:

1	University of West Georgia	95.2
2	Eastern Kentucky University-EKU All Girl	88
3	University of Delaware	86.15

Small Coed Division 1:

1	Eastern Kentucky University	94.6
2	Hofstra University	89.8
3	Grand Canyon University	89.2

Open Coed:

1	Jones College	89.5
2	Shelton State Community College	85.2
3	Iowa Western Community College	83

Open All Girl:

1	Pearl River Community College	88.65
2	The College of New Jersey	83.5
3	Rowan University	83.3

Open Small Coed:

1	Northwest Community College	91.9
2	Drury University	89.1
3	Wilmington University	88.9

1A Game Day:

1	University of Cincinnati	97.2
2	University of South Florida	96.3
3	University of Tennessee	95.5

Small Coed Game Day:

1	University of Delaware	95.5667
2	Coastal Alabama Community College	93.7667
3	Hofstra University	93.1

All Girl 1A Game Day:

1	University of Mississippi	97.2333
2	Temple University	97.1333
3	Bowling Green State University	95.4333

Open Coed Game Day:

1	Grand Canyon University	97.6
2	Southeastern Louisiana University	96.0333
3	Midwestern State University	94.5333

Open All Girl Game Day:

1	Sacred Heart University	96.7333
2	University of Rhode Island	95
3	Towson University	93.7333

Featured, News, Tips

Tough Times Don’t Last

Posted on January 14, 2022January 14, 2022 by catweeden

14
Jan

By Cat Weedon

UpdatedJanuary 14, 2022

They say ‘Tough Times don’t last but Tough People Do’

And these my friends, are the toughest of times. It’s about time we had a very honest conversation about it.

As Coaches, Owners and Directors we thrive on structure, order and on controlling chaos. But right now, there is very little ability to do any of this. Every day brings new challenges that we never anticipated we would face. Every day brings more decisions that need to be made accurately and swiftly. SO MANY DECISIONS. The sheer number of daily decisions can be almost paralyzing.

I see you calming the storms, keeping the ship on course, and leading with confidence. I also see the days its hard to get out of bed and face the realities of what today will bring. I see the struggles to leave it all at the door, to have something left to give so you can be Mom, Dad or Spouse. I see the stress of wanting to NOT be another person or institution that have let these kids down. I see the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows that are hidden behind your game face.

I feel for the constant changing of routines. I feel for the daily texts and calls asking for kids to step up and compete an additional routine. I feel for every coach having to comfort a teary kiddo that they may miss this event, but they will be back for the next. I feel for altering every hope and dream we had for our teams at the beginning of the season. Those hopes and dreams are still there, but they look different every practice. Today it’s to stay in range on tumbling/ stunts with fill ins, tomorrow its to try to address bandaids you’ve put on routines just to make it through the last event, the next day its just do what we must do, to get this team on the floor this weekend.

I hear the tenacity in every owner and coach that has refused to give up. Just keep swimming, keep putting one foot in front of another. I hear the parents who are rallying behind their gym leadership with kindness, understanding and grace. I hear the pleas for just one normal week. Just one event where the roster this week is the same as the one last week. I hear the compassion of coaches that know this kid just needs your kindness and love, not the correction. I hear the pride of the hitting against all odds. I also hear the tears in the car on the way home convincing yourself you’ve done the best you can do today. And you have! You did the best you could and you should be proud of that.

Your battles are my battles too. We are wearing so many hats, and filling so many roles that it can be overwhelming:

OWNER:

Navigating owning a business dependent on children during a 3 year long pandemic

GYM MEDICAL DIRECTOR:

Tasked with enforcing everchanging CDC Protocols, calculating Days of Quarantine, and determining who is back in time to compete any given weekend

COACH:

Responsibilities to multiple teams’ success despite the challenges. Because parents want to see results and let’s be honest, we need the good results to recharge the empty tanks.

CHOREOGRAPHER:

Sometimes you’re putting a ‘Bandaid’ on a routine, and sometimes you’re totally having to rethink sections depending on who is on the floor this weekend.

DOCTOR:

Eye’s down a kid, thinks to myself “did that kid just cough 3 times, was it dry or wet, do they sound sick or did the dust get them, does she seem like she feels ok? Racking my brain… I don’t think mom said Suzy wasn’t feeling good.” Everyone quick water break, Suzy sis come here, you’re not in trouble! “ How are you feeling?”

THERAPIST:

Kids are hurting and they need you. Sometimes they need encouragement, sometimes a stern push in the right direction, sometimes they need to be held accountable and sometimes they just need hug. The pressure can be debilitating on cheer athletes right now. Especially with the current Anon culture. Gyms are doing their best to keep kids competing, even with out-of-level fill in athletes, only to be slammed for not perfect performances. Anons should be ashamed of themselves. We are doing our best.

PSYCHIC:

Answering questions about events that are over 30 days away is a stretch right now. Honestly, most of us are functioning at a 3-4 days in advance place right now. But parents want reassurances that comps are going to happen, that money invested in flights and hotels won’t be lost, that all of this will lead to end of season events their kids are hoping for.

And we give them those reassurances the best we can, all while understanding that 2 years ago Cheer Stood Still. Every email, call, post or text now includes “as far as we know”, “Based on the information we have”,“ If anything changes you will be the first to know”, or “ They’re saying the event is a GO”

Escapism: (noun) the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy.

I have read 8 books since Jan 1st. Though I have always loved to read, every free second I have right now, I’m reading. I’m staying up all hours of the night to read it is consuming me. Tabbi M my cheer BFF called me out, rightly so, for using reading as a method of escapism. She was 100 percent correct.

I am ESCAPING into books, because my current reality as a Coach and Gym Owner is not always pleasant. This moment in time is HARD. I’m lucky that I can escape into a book, but others may not have safe outlets that help them cope with the world around them right now. Pour into them, give them grace and support, its so needed right now.

But there is light, and hope, and daily reminders of why we all CHOOSE this industry

Let me tell you something about every coach and owner I know, no one can match their tenacity. No one problem solves better, and no not one of them will give up on these kids or this season.

The greatest mistake we made, was believing that the 2020-2021 season was the worst it was going to get. We let our guard down. To a certain degree, last year was a walk in the park compared to now. We all competed a lot of virtual events, and while those were challenging, if you had the time and willpower you could get a zero for submission. Now the battle is making through the week leading up to competition. It feels like a total win to just be on the floor.

Tough Times Don’t Last, Tough People Do.

And we are TOUGH

Keep fighting the good fight, Keep Livin the Dream.

Cat Weeden Signature Full Wht

Featured, News

USASF Announces 3 New Worlds Divisions

Posted on September 6, 2021October 5, 2021 by Steve Pawlyk

06
Sep

By Steve Pawlyk

Published September 6, 2021

Cheer is back!

and we have more great news!

USASF has just announced 3 new Worlds divisions. This move is a major win for small gyms around the country. Although small representation at the Cheerleading Worlds has been increasing, it’s still not where we would like to see it considering that small gyms make up a super majority of programs around the country. With this new announcement things are about to change. Small gyms will finally get the chance to increase their presence at the 2022 World Championships. This coming April we will see these new divisions launch and potentially lead to an explosion of new talent coming to the world stage. The goal is to help small gyms continue to grow and retain athletes as they will now be able to have the chance to compete on the same stage as some of their idols.

The new divisions will include: Limited Xtra Small/Small (Allgirl), Limited Xtra Small Coed & Limited Small Coed. The new divisions will be reserved for programs represented by only one at the championships. In addition to the new division, there will also be a unique registration process for the teams. Although they will qualify for the World Championships via receiving a bid in their conventional division, when registering they will have the opportunity to transfer to one of the new Limited Divisions or they can remain in their usual Small or Xtra Small divisions.

This news brings even more excitement to come and the chance for small gyms all around the country to be able compete in the sought after Worlds Championships. Being able to say they have a Worlds caliber team will help their programs to grow and continue the presence of cheerleading through the country and world. We wish all potential programs the best of luck and can’t wait to see you take the stage in April!

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NEW 2021 PREMADE MIXES

Premade Cheer Mix – We Got the Style [2:30]

$258.00

School’s in Session cheer mix with customizable voiceovers and sound effects for competitions

Premade Cheer Mix – School’s in Session [2:30]

$258.00

Premade Cheer Mix – Real True Boss [2:30]

$258.00

Premade Cheer Mix – Coming in Hot [2:30]

$258.00

Premade Cheer Mix – Fight Fight [2:15]

$181.00

Premade Cheer Mix – I’ve Got the Power [2:30]

$258.00

Premade Cheer Mix – Bombs Away [1:30]

$102.00

Premade Halftime Cheer Mix – Center Stage [0:30]

$42.00

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Premade Cheer Mix – Encore [2:00]

Sale!

Premade Cheer Mix – Shake Your Body [2:00]

Premade Dance Mix – No Words For It [2:30]

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Sale!

Premade Cheer Mix 7 [2:30]

Featured, News

IPP now the Official 2021 music producer for USA Cheer!

Posted on August 30, 2021August 30, 2021 by Steve Pawlyk

IPP Music is the official music producer for USA Cheer 2021

30
Aug

By Steve Pawlyk

Published August 30, 2021

We have some exciting news!

IPP has been chosen to be the Official 2021 Music Producer for USA Cheer!

Thanks to Lauri Harris, LeRoy McCullough, Tony Nash and Nicole Nichols, we had the pleasure of mixing music for Coed Premier, AllGirl Premier and Junior Coed Elite.

We are beyond thankful for this opportunity. As the routines near completion we can’t wait to see and hear how awesome each team looks performing to their IPP mix. We anticipate music releases in the coming weeks on our youtube channel..

We can’t wait until the world hears what we’ve created. This opportunity was nothing short of amazing and we look forward to continuing our relationship with USA Cheer and the mentioned nationals team as we move towards the debut performance in the Olympics one day.

Thank you to all who were involved and who believed in IPP. For more information or to book with IPP please visit our website.

We look forward to hearing from you!

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Featured, News

CHEERLEADING REACHES OLYMPIC STATUS

Posted on July 20, 2021July 21, 2021 by Steve Pawlyk

20
Jul

By Steve Pawlyk

Published July 20, 2021

The day has finally come! Cheerleading reaches Olympic status.

At the close of the 138th session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting, the International Cheer Union (ICU) received “Full Sport Recognition”. So what does this mean moving forward?

As a result of receiving full sport recognition, cheerleading will now be eligible to petition to not only be included in the Olympic games and other multi-game events, but will also help to ensure more funding, education and support to help develop cheerleading in other countries who seek to participate.

This is such a momentous occasion because it’s been 11 years in the making. The ICU was founded in 2004 with the goal of positively impacting cheerleading and cheerleaders throughout the world. Shortly after it’s formation, the ICU applied for recognition by the OIC. It wasn’t until 2016 that ICU was granted provisional recognition.

Jeff Webb, President of the ICU recently stated, “"The IOC's actions have created a monumental milestone for cheerleading. We are truly honored to receive this recognition by the IOC," said Jeff Webb, President of the International Cheer Union. "This decision will greatly assist us as we strive to create opportunities for healthy participation and competition for millions of cheerleading athletes worldwide."

We look forward to the coming years and are excited for cheerleaders from all nations to take the stage at the Olympics and perform the routines and choreography the world has been waiting to see!

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Featured, Music

Top 20 Hottest Cheer Songs of 2021

Posted on June 14, 2021May 16, 2023 by Steve Pawlyk

14
Jun

By Steve Pawlyk

Published June 14, 2021

After a long year of dealing with Covid-19, we are starting to get back to normal and things are instantly heating up. Check out our top 20 songs of 2021 that will keep your summer mixes blazing hot while you train for the upcoming season.

Dua Lipa - We're Good

Driver’s License - Olivia Rodrigo

My Head & My Heart - Ava Max

SWANG - Expensive Taste

Alan Walker - Fake A Smile

only child - poison

Zayn - Vibez

Yrin Glam - Unbothered

Sia ft. Burna Boy - Hey Boy

Tayler Jade - WYA

Sabrina Carpenter - Skin

Dua Lipa ft. DaBaby - Levitating

Black Eyed Peas ft. Shakira - Girl Like Me

Alyssa Rubio - Mutual

Elle Baez - Come Back

Tate McRae - You Broke Me First

Shawn Mendez ft. Justin Bieber - Monster

Masked Wolf - Astronaut In The Ocean

Rooga ft. Lil Chris - Catch A Body

Taylor Swift ft. Bon Iver - Exile

We’re Good - Dua Lipa
Driver’s Licnese - Olivia Rodrigo
My Head & My Heart - Ava Max
Expensive Taste - SWANG
Fake A Smile - Alan Walker
Poison - Only Child
Vibez - Zayn
Unbothered - Yrin Glam
Hey Boy - Sia ft. Burna Boy
WYA - Tayler Jade
Skin - Sabrina Carpenter
Levitating - Dua Lipa ft. DaBaby
Girl Like Me - Black Eyed Peas ft. Shakira
Mutual - Alyssa Rubio
Come Back - Elle Baez
You Broke Me First - Tate McRae
Monster - Shawn Mendez ft. Justin Bieber
Astronaut In The Ocean - Masked Wolf
Catch A Body - Rooga ft. Lil Chris
Exile - Taylor Swift ft. Bon Iver

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Featured, Safety, Tips, Workouts

How Cheerleaders Can Improve Their Flexibility

Posted on September 24, 2020September 25, 2020 by Dr. Scott Christie

24
Sep

By Dr. Scott Christie

Published September 24, 2020

Did you know there are three main determinants of your flexibility potential?

They are:

Did you know there are three main determinants of your flexibility potential?

They are:

Your neuromuscular system
Your joint capsules
Your joint structure

Neuromuscular System:

Your nervous system and muscles are the largest determinant of your range of motion. The brain will create tension in the muscles surrounding a joint in order to protect it as you move closer to an end range of motion.

The reason the nervous system does this is to ensure your joint stays in place and does not move out of place. Therefore, the stronger you are or the more stable your joint is as it gets closer to its end range, the greater range of motion can be achieved.

How do we create a greater range of motion?

The best way to improve your range of motion in this scenario is to use different contract and relax methods.

For example, use a partner, lie on your back, have your partner help you move into a heel stretch position. Once you are in position, resist your partner who is trying to push your leg further.

Do this for 5 seconds then relax. Repeat 5 more times. You can also do this with a stretching strap.

Joint Capsules:

The second area of restriction comes from your joint capsule which helps hold two bones together and can become stiff or can already be stiff based on your genetic make-up.

The best way to improve your joint capsule flexibility is to hold your stretches longer. Once you are done stretching you should do some contractions at your newfound end range so that you are strong in this new position.

Stretching like this every day is key to long term flexibility increases.

JOINT STRUCTURE

Lastly, the structure of your joint can dictate how far a joint can move. For example, some athletes will have a fairly deep hip socket and as such they will not be able to increase their range of motion at this joint.

However, they can employ other strategies like tilting their hip or flexing their back to be able to get their leg up higher. This may not be ideal, but the body ultimately is the boss.

As you can see, each area discussed above will respond differently to how you can achieve improved flexibility. There are also other strategies like vibration therapy and rolling but at the end of the day the most important takeaway is to stretch daily.

For tips on stretching, you can visit Cheer District’s Stretching Series on their YouTube channel.

Events, Featured, Music, News, Tips

Your Mix Can Now Have Audio on Varsity TV

Posted on September 21, 2020July 16, 2021 by Steve Pawlyk

21
Sep

By Steve Pawlyk

Published September 21, 2020

We have some good news!

Your mix can now have audio on Varsity TV. Fear of copyright law violation and potential lawsuits have burdened the cheer community with having to watch videos of their favorite teams in silence. Moreover, viewers have been paying subscription fees year after year for an incomplete service. However, this season Varsity TV, Flo Cheer and a few music production companies, such as IPP, have come up with a solution! I can almost see the excitement on your face. I bet you’re saying, “about time” right now.

Want your mix to be streamed with audio? Here’s what you have to do. First, you’ll need to choose content for your mix that comes with synchronization rights. More specifically, transferable synchronization rights. You’re scratching your head right now. I know. Bear with me though. I’ll help you out. Without getting into some technical mumbo jumbo regarding licensing it can be summed up easily:

Avoid cover songs

Purchase a full custom mix or select content from a licensing platform such as www.songsforcheer.com

Work with a cheer music production company, such as IPP, who has a synchronization agreement in place with FloCheer

Technically, you’ll be all set if you work with one of the cheer music companies who have an agreement in place. Just let your production company know that you want your mix to have audio when streamed.

The only question we have left to answer for you is, which production companies have an agreement with FloCheer? There are only 4 companies (IPP is one) that I know of at the time of this blog. My best advice would be to contact your production company and ask them. If they do not have an agreement with FloCheer then you should encourage them to reach out to get a contract in place. You’ll definitely be disappointed if every team in your division has audio on their stream except for you. Your music is a major part of your routine and the whole world should hear it!

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Featured, News

Coach Monica Aldama of Netflix’ CHEER to be on Season 29 of Dancing with the Stars

Posted on September 2, 2020July 16, 2021 by Steve Pawlyk

Monica Aldama Netflix Cheer Dancing with the Stars

02
Sep

By Steve Pawlyk

Published September 2, 2020

Brush off your dancing shoes! It’s time to boogie.

There hasn’t been much good news circulating in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, but we’ve finally got something to cheer about! ABC has just revealed the much anticipated cast for season 29 of Dancing With The Stars. And let me tell you this season is about to be lit! The cheerleading community is going to get to see America’s favorite coach, Monica Aldama, on the big stage.

The world saw coach Monica rise to fame on the Netflix series “CHEER”. She, along with her amazing collegiate cheerleading squad, became an instant household name. Her 25 years of collegiate coaching experience and 14 National Titles are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to coach Monica. She is an inspiration to young women, has a powerful work ethic, she’s her athlete’s biggest fan and is an advocate for inclusion, diversity and equality both on and off the mat. Monica is a force to be reckoned with and truly deserving of all of her blessings. She will be the perfect addition to the Dancing With The Stars cast.

It will be quite a sight to see coach Monica competing against the likes of Carol Baskin, star of Netflix’s “Joe Exotic” and owner of Big Cat Rescue. It will be the “big dawg” Monica versus “cool cat” Carol. Other stars include Chrishell Stause of TV’s “Selling Sunset”, GRAMMY award-winning rapper, Nelly and many more. We will all be looking forward to parking ourselves on the coach for one more series starring coach Monica. The global cheerleading community will be rooting for her when the season premieres live Monday September 14 at 8e/7c only on ABC!

For a full list of cast members click here

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images: https://www.instagram.com/monicaaldama/

Featured, Tips

Shifting your Mindset

Posted on August 28, 2020August 28, 2020 by Liz Scumaci

28
Aug

By Liz Scumaci

Published August 28, 2020

What is the Law of Attraction?

People have been practicing the belief that positive energy attracts positive outcomes for hundreds of years, but it wasn’t until the early 19th century that this practice was coined the Law of Attraction. Every individual emits a distinct frequency that can be as high or low as they want. Higher frequencies attract positive experiences while lower frequencies attract more negative ones. It may seem simple, but it takes a lot of time and patience to fully master the practice of matching frequency to desired energy.

I adopted the Law of Attraction as a daily exercise in my life 10 years ago and haven’t looked back since. I saw a need and a want to always have a solution based mindset. Having a solution based mindset and a positive attitude towards the Law of Attraction is the perfect formula for success. Through the utilization of this practice, I continue to grow my business to unimaginable heights. My continual high frequency attracts positive life experiences which I attribute to the success of GlitterStarz.

Turning Uncertainty into Positivity

Turning uncertainty into positivity, and ultimately prosperity, starts with just changing your energy. In order to do this, you must first start by shifting your mindset. “I am,” statements are a great start. For example, if you are worried about having to close your gym then verbally assure yourself, “I am going to figure out a plan to keep my gym open.” Speaking this truth into the universe will boost the frequency you are emitting, thus attracting more positive life experiences. Simple wishful thinking won’t cut it. It is important to completely rewire your internal thinking, so that it aligns with this new mindset. Following simple steps will help boost your frequency in turn generating more desired outcomes.

Steps to Success

In a recent virtual meeting, I provided gym owners with several ways to increase their frequencies. The first being, the “I am” sentences as mentioned above. I recommended compiling all of the previous doubts into new positive statements. Create daily, weekly and monthly goals that help bring the “I am” statements to life. It is important to keep track of your accomplishments along the way in order to practice gratitude, so keeping a journal is highly encouraged. The most important step that is crucial for your frequency to increase is rehearsing your victories. Using all five senses try to envision yourself accomplishing those goals. How does it look, smell, taste, feel and sound? This mental image should always remain present in order to help align your frequency with the desired outcome.

Shifting your Mindset GlitterStarz Attraction Cheerleading youhitzero ippmusic com attraction

Have Patience

Trusting in positive thoughts to yield positive outcomes is a great start to practicing the Law of Attraction. However, there is much more to this theory when practiced. I provide an in-depth summary of the Law of Attraction and several steps to increase frequency. It is important to be mindful of your thoughts, feelings, gratitude and most importantly trust in the universe. It will deliver whatever the focus of your energy is and remember it will grow.

Liz Scumaci

Owner - GlitterStarz, Inc.

instagram.com/glitterstarzinc

Featured, Safety, Tips

Cheerleading Practice Design Guidelines

Posted on August 17, 2020August 17, 2020 by Dr. Scott Christie

17
Aug

By Dr. Scott Christie

Published August 17, 2020

Cheerleading Practice Design Guidelines

5 ways to reduce athletes’ risk of avoidable injuries

When designing a practice plan the main goal should be to put into place the appropriate elements of implementing the perfect routine. In order to achieve this goal, special attention must be paid to developing skills safely and efficiently, mitigating injury risk and ensuring your athletes have the adequate physical and mental capacity to handle the intensity of practices and performances.

One of the biggest obstacles in cheerleading is being able to ensure that you have full attendance at practice. A coach constantly has to deal with athletes missing practice due to sickness, vacations, weather, other unanticipated events, as well as injuries in and out of practice. Most of these factors are uncontrollable but a coach does have a significant control over avoidable injuries occurring during practice.

To help with achieving full team practices, below are five ways to reduce your athletes’ risk of sustaining avoidable injuries.

1. Chunking your practice (10-15 mins sections)

Chunking your practice is good for two reasons. First, by changing up your activities into small 10-15-minute chunks, you can avoid unnecessary mental and physical fatigue that comes with staying on one movement pattern or skill for too long. Secondly, from a memory acquisition standpoint chunking your practices creates faster learning of skills.

2. Control fatigue

Pay attention to your athletes’ body language. As a previous coach, I know it is very easy to get upset with the poor performance of your athletes at times and as a result push them harder to help develop ‘mental toughness’. This strategy more often than not will lead to an avoidable injury. Cheerleading requires high power outputs and fatigue will reduce an athlete's power production significantly which can lead to increased risk of injury (especially near the end of practices).

3. Use vivid visualization

Vivid visualization allows for more practice time without actually performing the skill. This can be done at home or at practice once the athletes are too tired to continue safely.

4. Monitor overtraining

Many sports have their athletes fill out short mental health questionnaires out on a daily basis. There are many stresses taking place in an athlete's life outside of cheerleading. It is important to be aware of this and monitor it on a daily or weekly basis. Try to remember that as much as cheerleading is all about the team, a team is still made up of many unique individuals that require different coaching methods.

5. Improving physical fitness

Athletes that are extremely physically fit are better suited to be able to handle the high physical and mental demands of cheerleading practices and performances. Most sports have their athletes work on their fitness between practices, cheerleaders should be doing the same!

For more information from Dr. Scott Christie please visit our website’s resource page at www.cheerdistrict.com. Interested in implementing training programs backed by science within your gym community? Email support@cheerdistrict.com for more information.

About Dr. Scott Christie:

Featured, News, Results

Netflix CHEER! Snatches 6 Emmy Nominations

Posted on July 30, 2020July 16, 2021 by Steve Pawlyk

30
Jul

By Steve Pawlyk

Published July 30, 2020

The Results are in...

and Navarro Cheer just made mat! As of July 28, 2020 Netflix “CHEER” Snatches 6 Emmy nominations. Soon after airing in January 2020, the coaches and athletes became household names.

Whether you were are cheerleader or not, you were on the edge of your seat waiting to see if Jerry was going to make mat or if Lexi was going to stay on the team or if Morgan was going to hit her elite stunt! And of course we all wanted to be Gabi Butler!

The amazing docu-series shed light on an industry that is so deserving of the spotlight. We can all agree that cheer is an intensely competitive sport like no other. The combination of strength, agility, stamina and competitiveness shredded any preconceived notions that many viewers may have had about cheerleading.

Each episode of Netflix Cheer! grew more and more intense and made us all hopeful that we too could make mat so that we could experience the sense of accomplishment that the Navarro athletes felt when hitting a flawless routine. Although the season ended abruptly due to covid-19, it’s undeniable that Navarro College was about to capture another college national title adding to their mound of accolades.

Visit Netflix to relive the experience with your favorite Navarro Cheer athletes!

Outstanding cinematography for reality program
Outstanding directing for a reality program
Outstanding picture editing for an unstructured reality program
Outstanding unstructured reality program
Outstanding sound editing for a nonfiction or reality program (Single or Multi-camera)
Outstanding sound mixing for a nonfiction or reality program (Single or Multi-camera)

Check out Navarro College's 2019 Performance!

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Events, Featured, News

Varsity Releases New Considerations For Competition Formats

Posted on July 27, 2020July 16, 2021 by Steve Pawlyk

27
Jul

By Steve Pawlyk

Published July 27, 2020

Covid-19 has been the ultimate disruptor in both our personal and professional cheerleading lives.

The Coronavirus has brought many uncertainties and has suspended many things that bring us joy and make us feel whole. It abruptly ended our 2019-2020 season and has delayed our 2020-2021 season. With each state operating under unique safety guidelines it’s unclear as to when we will have a uniformed practice protocol in place to prep each program for competition.

Thus, resulting in unpredictability for the possibility of normalized competitions this season. To help ease some tensions, Varsity Spirit has released some new considerations for competition formats! Each is designed to be beneficial to all programs nation-wide.

According to Varsity Spirit:

“We are considering four options to safely and responsibly host Varsity Spirit events for the 2020-21 season. The format that each event follows will be communicated pre-event to all registered teams. All Varsity Spirit event staff will be educated and trained based on the guidelines set forth for each event.”

The formatting will possibly proceed as follows:

In-Person with Spectators

Spectators allowed with social distancing measures in place
Live awards ceremony with limited athletes and/or coaches

In-Person with Limited Spectators

Spectator viewing limited to team performance time only
Live awards ceremony with limited athletes and/or coaches; OR virtual awards ceremony

In-Person with No Spectators & Virtual Awards

Spectators not allowed; only athletes and coaches permitted
Virtual awards ceremony

Virtual

Routines will be uploaded and judged virtually by Varsity Spirit certified judges
Virtual awards ceremony

To learn more about our Varsity All Star Virtual Competition Series click here:

To learn more about Varsity All Star Virtual Competition Series click below:

Virtual Competition Series Virtual Competition Series

Based on the aforementioned competition format options above and information found on the Varsity Spirit website, it appears that Varsity Spirit is holding the health and safety of competitors, coaches, families and staff at the forefront. The presented formats will provide options for most programs to be able to compete and enjoy the 2020-2021 season to the best of their ability.

Although we may be some time away from normalcy in both our personal lives and cheer, unprecedented steps are being taken to ensure that allstar cheer doesn’t suffer anymore than it has already had to endure.

I know that the cheer community is looking forward to a productive competition season regardless of the format. We must all strive to make sure that comeback is greater than the setback!

For more information on the 2020-2021 competition season and the health and safety measures that Varsity Spirit is taking please visit https://www.varsity.com/health-update/

Varsity Releases New Considerations For Competition Formats

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Events, Featured, News

Varsity Summer League

Posted on July 13, 2020July 16, 2021 by Steve Pawlyk

Varsity All Star Summer League IPP Cheer Music 2020

13
Jul

By Steve Pawlyk

Published July 13, 2020

As Allstar cheer programs around the country are beginning their summer practices, it seems like cheerleading is going to make an unbelievable comeback. Despite the huge setback caused by Covid-19, Varsity is giving the allstar world something bright and sunny to look forward to! Just last week we saw the release of the Varsity Allstar Summer League.

What is Summer League?

The main goal of the summer league is to keep athletes active in allstars all summer long. Athletes of all skill levels will get the chance to learn compulsory routines created by Jennifer Cooper of Big Red Choreography and will be able to challenge other groups in both live and virtual competitions.

Two different routine options were developed to help abide by state-by-state social distancing guidelines. One set of routines will include stunts and pyramids for those who can practice in such a manner and the other will focus on choreography only. All routines are set to music created by Innovative Performance Productions (IPP Music). 8 count sheets are also available for each routine.

Rules and Levels

The summer league routines are categorized by level and include levels 1&2, 3&4 and 5&6. Each level was purposely created to highlight level appropriate skills. For example, according to the Varsity website:

The Level 1/2 Routines were designed to highlight the execution of basic building skills while introducing all star elite athletes to beginner level choreography and transitional elements. This program provides great Summer building blocks to set your lower level teams up for success in the coming season.

The Level 3/4 Routines were designed to elevate athletes knowledge of key level appropriate building skills and highlight tumbling and jump progression mixed with unique transitional choreography. This program provides great Summer building blocks to set your mid-level teams up for success in the coming season.

The Level 5/6 Routines were designed to challenge top level athletes with intricate building sequences, stamina-driven tumbling & innovative choreography. This program provides great Summer building blocks & a challenge to your most advanced teams, to set them for success in the coming season.

For more information or to register your athletes for Varsity Summer League click here

To download the music for your level click here

For choreography tutorials and 8 count sheet click here

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Featured, Tips

Why Hiring an HR Professional is Worth the Time and Money

Posted on April 30, 2020April 30, 2020 by Joyce Whitaker

30
Apr

joyce whitaker_youhitzero_com profile_photo

By Joyce Whitaker

Published April 30, 2020

Human Resources Includes You!

You may be asking yourself

“What does HR have to do with me or my industry for that matter?”

Glad you asked! HR is so much more than being the event hostess or ensuring there are treats in the break room.

These days we are asked to provide metrics on engagement, productivity, ensure a safety and security plan is in place in event of a crisis (such as the one we are now facing), interpret employment law to ensure that a business is compliant or offer our advice in C-Suite situations. HR professionals have become true leaders for clients and organizations.

Oftentimes many of you are trying to get a deeper understanding of hiring employees (taxes withheld via a payroll or accounting service) vs. an independent contractor (reporting their own income on their tax return).

HR professionals will analyze the current positions established in your gym and determine whether the work being performed meets Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) duties, test and requirements. Improper classifications could result in hefty penalties and fines; not to mention back wages from the start date of the infraction if the individual you hired as a contractor is truly an employee.

This could shut a business down quickly. Ouch!

Always remember you are operating a business first and foremost. More and more small businesses are being audited so please remember that when defining your business model.

Speaking of Independent Contractors....

Be mindful when hiring contractors to always define the working relationship including the scope of work to be performed, start and end date, agreed compensation and additional items such as what the employer will provide (Ex: 1099 Misc form) through a well crafted document. Get everything in “writing!”

We are now trying to prepare for our new normal and what our lives will look like on the other side of this global crisis. Ask yourself, “Am I prepared for the next natural disaster or global pandemic?”

If the answer is Yes, then WOO-HOO! But, if your answer is No, there is no time like the present to design a crisis response plan. A plan of this magnitude can calm your fears, save your gym time along with money in the long term as it allows you to:

Identify your threats (e.g., whether your region is prone to floods or tornadoes or the potential of another global pandemic)
Create a written communication plan for your athletes, parents and vendors.
Develop a plan to keep your business going during the crisis.
Test your communication and crisis response plan with real world exercises.

During this unprecedented time, keep in mind what your gym will need to remain sustainable and think about some of the other services that may be available:

Live and Virtual Training Sessions on Harassment, Leadership and more
Document and Handbook Design (Editable Forms)
HR Audits and Strategic Planning

Remember we are in this TOGETHER!

About the author

I’m a unique stakeholder with a wide range of experience as an HR Executive for an Event Producer, an Allstar parent and Collegiate Spirit Coordinator & Coach. I understand what’s happening with your business model from a bird’s eye view. My calling is helping people and I’m here to help in any way I can!

Featured, Workouts

15 min Home Workout Video – Day 1: Conditioning and Stretching (Virtual Home Training)

Posted on March 26, 2020July 16, 2021 by Steve Pawlyk

26
Mar

By Steve Pawlyk

Published March 26, 2020

It’s time to take our virtual home training to the next level.

Don’t let the coronavirus and quarantines stop you from reaching your fitness goals. Keep up with the training and keep striving to be a better you. To make each workout easier and more enjoyable, we’ve established a step-by-step guide complete with workout music which were created by well-established personal trainer/fitness coach, Jason Mason - ATC, CSCS.

Let’s dive in!

The first of our four releases will focus on conditioning and stretching. It begins with warm up exercises to get the blood flowing then takes you through a series of full body (body weight based) strengthening exercises and concludes with a cool down stretch. This circuit will be great for our flyers to gain stability and flexibility.

Download the workout for offline use

DOWNLOAD MP3

CIRCUIT 1

Candle Stick Get ups w/ Tuck Jumps
Hand Stand Hold
Lunges - Shoulders Open
Push Ups - To Floor (with Scapular Retraction)
Bicycles - Abs

CIRCUIT 2

Skaters
Plank to Tricep Extension
Squat Hop in and out
Pike Sit Ups
Perfect Set Jumps - (open Shoulders)

Stretching

Straddle
Left Split
Right Split
Pike
Butterfly Stretch
Downward Dog
Left Calve Stretch
Right Calve Stretch
Left Quad Stretch
Right Quad Stretch
Left Arm Across Body
Right Arm Across Body
Left arm up and over - Tricep Stretch
Right Arm up and over - Tricep Stretch

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Featured, Music

Best Cheer Songs of 2020 to Keep Your Spirits High During Coronavirus Lockdown

Posted on March 24, 2020July 16, 2021 by Steve Pawlyk

24
Mar

By Steve Pawlyk

Published March 24, 2020

Did your season just come to a screeching halt? Feeling upset and discouraged? Feeling like all your hard work was for nothing?

Well guess what....it wasn’t. Now is the time to stay positive and look to the future. If you’re on lockdown and not feeling optimistic, try tuning into these top cheer songs of 2020 to help keep your spirits high!

Intentions (featuring Quavo) - Justin Bieber
You Should Be Sad - Halsey
Before You Go - Lewis Capaldi
Everything I Wanted - Billie Eilish
Lose You To Love Me - Selena Gomez
What A Man Gotta Do - Jonas Brothers
The Man - Taylor Swift
My Oh My (featuring DaBaby) - Camilla Cabello
Adore You - Harry Styles
Falling - Trevor Daniel
Roxanne - Arizona Zervas
Dreamin About You - Lorelei Marcell
In Your Eyes (featuring Alida) - Robin Schulz
Head First - Christian French
Birthday - Anne-Marie
React - The Pussycat Dolls
Don’t Start Now - Dua Lipa
Hot Girl Bummer - Blackbear
Heartless - The Weekend
Circles - Post Malone

IPP's Premade Mixes are USA Cheer Compliant and customizable! Add Sound FX, swap songs, & more! Add your Team Name to the mix for only $10!

HALFTIME

POM

CHEER

DANCE

GAMEDAY

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Featured, Tips

Home Quarantine Workouts by Jess Forte of Cheer Intensity (with videos)

Posted on March 20, 2020October 7, 2021 by Jess Forte

Home Quarantine Workouts for Cheerleading

20
Mar

By Jess Forte

Published March 20, 2020

This is our world...

I often liken the anticipation, the adrenaline we experience to climbing that first major drop of the highest roller coaster in the amusement park. It’s “Scary” in a sense, but also exhilarating! This sense of “fear” has ironically preceded almost anything and everything great in my life. Or is it not irony?

One of my Level 5 athletes was walking to perform in A Hall at NCA Nationals a few weeks ago and asked me “why do I keep doing this, even though I feel like I am about to vomit? But I continue to want to cheer, to put myself back on that stage?"

On Deck
The butterflies
The jittery hands
The lights blinding
The roar of the crowd
The smell of sweat
The 9 panels
The music starts
A snap, a wink, a smile
Let’s go
The point stunt
The last pass
Your coaches’ eyes scream “you’ve got this!”
The final structure
The last pose
The embraces
The tears

I recently read a book entitled “Fearvana” by Akshay Nanavati. He firmly believes that fear is an essential element to unlocking our potential, our success, and our passion. That finding and enduring a worthy struggle can open doors that we didn’t know existed and allow us the ultimate amount of bliss and fulfillment. So basically, All-Star Cheerleaders are onto something! Akshay defines fearvana as “the bliss that results from engaging our fears to pursue our own worthy struggle.” We experience our own version of “Fearvana” when we stand in the corner to throw a new pass, or when we set for our routine at Nationals.

So now on May 20, 2020 we find ourselves in a very odd situation. Our season, as we had envisioned it, was stripped from us by the Coronavirus. And there are so many unknowns. As an adult, I am having to draw on all I have known in my life to come to a logical conclusion that “this too shall pass;” that difficult situations come upon us and we are equipped as humans to work through them and overcome obstacles. Our athletes may not have this frame of reference. For them, their world is potentially about to be turned upside down. What I want to tell them is that you are right where you are supposed to be. If that is in a state of FEAR, that’s ok.

Because fear keeps us on our toes; it elicits a heightened sense of reality that allows us to be our best selves. And who is better equipped to handle this fear than an all-star cheerleader? You all face it head on every day! And not only that, but you thrive on it! You hit that stunt, you land that pass, and you rock that dance - butterflies and all! So you have the tools to handle this, too.

SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

Every athlete is being dealt the same hand right now. But it is your choice how you decide to handle it. If you are forced to be home for an undetermined amount of time, what is going to propel you from the state of fear, disappointment, or anger into a state of being that is productive for your goals in the sport! Here is a suggested to do list:

Write down 3 of your goals every morning. The same 3!
Write down actions you can take NOW to take a step towards those goals (conditioning, studying technique, reading motivational books, contacting college coaches if you are an upperclassman, applying for scholarships at your dream school, e-mailing you gym owner to ask for internship hours, or your coach to help set a plan to achieve your goals when the gym opens back up.)
Schedule those actions for each day. For example:

9:00 am - wake up and get ready
9:30 am - eat a breakfast high in protein and fats! (Think eggs, sausage, bacon)
10:00 am - journal goals and current emotions (this will be cool to look back on)
10:30 am - school work
12:30 pm - lunch high in nutrients (think salads, fruits, veggies)
1:30 pm - Conditioning workout (example below)
2:30 pm - more school work
3:30 pm - watch tumbling technique videos, read a motivational book, or work towards goals
4:30 pm - flexibility regimen
5:30 pm - Dinner high in protein and carbs (think pasta, steak, potatoes, meat)
6:30 pm - Relax and connect with teammates, coaches, etc.
Get at least 8 hours of sleep!

Adam Forte's Conditioning Workout

1. WARM UP

30 seconds each exercise X 3

Jog in place
High Knees
Butt Kicks
Mummys
Heisman

2. JOINT ROTATIONS

Upper Body

1. Finger wiggle and squeeze
2. Motorcycles
3. Wrist circles (both ways)
4. Arms behind head
5. Arms across body
6. Hold hands behind back and pull up
7. Look up, down
8. Tilt head to both sides
9. Shoulder rolls
10. Arm circles forward and back
11. Small arm circles forward and back
12. Arms up tilt both ways
13. Hips washing machine
14. Hips figure 8
15. Leg swings forward/back 5x each
16. Cross leg swings (knee to front)
17. Pony (alternating knees)
18. Ankle circles (both ways)
19. Sit on shins and rock back and forth
20. Sit on heels and arms behind head turn (to both sides) and tilt 3x
21. Hands and knees one arm behind head elbow up/elbow down 5x

Wrists

1. On hands and knees circle around
2. Fingers facing you
3. Side to side
4. Cross hands (both ways)
5. Back to all fours and do 5 flicks
6. Palms up

3. JUMP FOCUS

10 Double Marked Jumps
10 Double T Jumps

4. JUMP Conditioning

3 Rounds

Fast Kicks - 20
Side Hurdler Lifts - 20 Right and Left
Hip Rolls - 20 Right and Left
Toe Lifts - 20
Floor Jumps - 20

5. TUMBLING Conditioning

3 Rounds (you can lower amount on each if you would like)

Plank - 1 Min
Side Plank - Right and Left 30 Min
Superman Hold - 1 min
Lunge Hold - 30 Sec*
Lever Hold - 30 Sec*
Heel Kicks - 30*

*Do one leg then the other

6. Stunt Focus

3 Rounds of 30 seconds each

Mountain Shrugs - 20
Lib Lifts - 10 Right and Left 10
Full Up Squats - 20
Ext Pops - 10

7. Cool down/stretch

Adam Forte's Flexibility Workout

1. WARM UP

30 seconds each exercise X 3

Jumping Jacks - 30 Seconds
High Knees - 30 Seconds
Butt kicks - 30 Seconds
Mummys - 30 Seconds
Sprawls - 10

2. BRIDGES

3 Rounds

3 Count Bridges - 10
Bridge Hold - 30 Seconds
1 Leg Bridge Kick Right - 20
1 Leg Bridge Kick Right - 20

3. Split Warm Up

Alternate Right and Left Leg 3x

Leg Lift Kicks - 12/10/8
Forward Lunge Twist Stretch - 30 Seconds
Forward lunge kick - 30/20/10

4. Right and Left Splits

1 Min hold each

Sit up - 30 Seconds flex foot and lock back leg
Chest Down
Head up arms back in should stretch

4. CENTER

1 Min hold each

Squat Stretch
Frog Stretch
Center Split

7. Cool down

Featured, News

Cheerleading Worlds Postponed and NCA College Nationals in Daytona Cancelled for 2020

Posted on March 16, 2020September 28, 2021 by Steve Pawlyk

16
Mar

By Steve Pawlyk

Published March 16, 2020

Is Cheerleading Worlds 2020 Cancelled?

As a result of the coronavirus outbreak, last night at 9:00pm Varsity Spirit made the unprecedented and clearly difficult decision to postpone all Varsity competitions and events scheduled to take place over the next 8 weeks, including Cheerleading Worlds, originally scheduled for April 24th in Orlando.

Varsity made a statement last night via their website:

"As you may have seen, the CDC just announced their recommendation to cancel or postpone events with 50 or more people for the next eight weeks. With that recommendation, we have made the decision to not proceed as planned with scheduled events for at least the next eight weeks of the 2020 competition season. We are actively exploring all options, including rescheduling events, extending the competition season, and hosting virtual competitions, to continue to provide a competition experience for the thousands of athletes who have worked so hard this year to compete."

Are the NCA Cheerleading College Nationals in Daytona cancelled?

Unfortunately the bad news did not stop there, as this morning confirmation broke that the 2020 NCA College Nationals in Daytona will be cancelled entirely. This marks the first time in 40 years the competition will not take place.

Varsity's Michele Shetzer had this to say in a statement:

Dear College Cheer and Dance Coaches:
At Varsity Spirit, NCA & NDA, the health and safety of our athletes, coaches, employees, families and friend: is our top priority. We have been diligently monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and closely watching official information from public health organizations like the Centers for Disease Control ("CDC") and World Health Organization ("WHO"), and state and local health authorities, as well as recent announcements from colleges and universities across
the U.S., as it relates to our larger community and our events, camps and competitions.

In the best interest of the health and well-being of all those involved, we have made the very difficult decision to cancel the 2020 NCA & NDA Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championship in Daytona Beach,
Florida. This marks the first time in 40 years that this event will not take place.

We know that this announcement is difficult for all teams and coaches that have been working tirelessly over the past several months, so we have begun to
explore video/virtual options for your routines to be seen, shared and judged. If your school and administration allows, we encourage you to continue
to prepare your competition routines in hopes that you will still have the opportunity to have your performance judged in comparison to the other team:
from around the country. We will be communicating more details in the near
future. NCA & NDA will provide full refunds or the option to reallocate those funds to your summer cam balance. Please contact Michele Shetzer at
mshetzer@varsity.com to communicate your
preference.

Steve Pawlyk Signature Full

Is the 2020 NCA Cheerleading College Nationals in Daytona Beach cancelled?

On March 15 2020, Varsity Spirit announced that the 2020 NCA College Nationals will be cancelled for the first time in 40 years and will no longer take place, as planned, April 4th and 5th in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Is Cheerleading Worlds 2020 cancelled?

The ICU World and Junior World Cheerleading Championships are officially postponed, as are the Cheerleading Worlds originally scheduled for April 24th in Orlando

Featured, News

Cheerleading and the Coronavirus: Schools with Travel Restriction (LIVE UPDATES)

Posted on March 13, 2020July 16, 2021 by Steve Pawlyk

cheerleading and the coronavirus schools with travel restrictions

13
Mar

By Steve Pawlyk

Published March 13, 2020

updated 11:31 a.m. (EST)
Sunday March 15, 2020

The cheerleading world has seen a tidal wave of competition cancellations in the last 24 hours. In an effort to help you stay up to date on what's going on with your team and your competitions, this post will serve as our official list of which colleges and schools have announced travel restrictions for their student body and extra curricular programs.

We will do our best to update this throughout the day so check back to be sure your school has not announced a ban on travel or any other restrictions.

To stay up to date with which competitions have been cancelled or postponed and which ones are still occurring as scheduled, check out our post, "Cheerleading and the Coronavirus: What's Cancelled as of now"

cheerleading competitions and coronavirus cancellations

Cheer Competitions & Coronavirus – What’s Cancelled as of now (LIVE UPDATES)

There is an obvious concern at the moment regarding cheerleading competitions cancelations due to the [Read More...]

12
Mar

SCHOOLS WITH TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS:

updated 10:45 am (EST) Friday, March 13 2020

Boston college
University of Louisville
University of Texas at San Antonio
Harvard University
Framingham State University
University of Central Oklahoma
Florida International University
Radford University
Fitchburg State
University of San Diego
West Virginia University
Cal State Stanislaus
Holy Cross
Valley State
Umass Lowell
UW - Milwaukee *pending
New York University (NYU)
College of Charleston
Merrimack College

updated 2:29 pm (EST) Friday March 13, 2020

UMKC
American University
Penn State - Behrend
Brenau University
University of Michigan
Eastern Kentucky University
Alderson Broaddus University *pending
Elon University
Virginia commonwealth university
University of New England
Oakland University
University of Maryland
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Saint Joseph’s University
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville (decision will be made monday)
CalU of PA *pending
~~Limestone College~~
Wingate University
Stan State University

updated 5:10 pm (EST) Friday March 13, 2020

University of maine
Arkansas State
Southern Arkansas University
Endicott College
Bellamine University

updated 8:45 pm (EST) Friday March 13, 2020

University of South Carolina
Oklahoma State University
Young Harris College

updated 10:50 a.m. (EST) Saturday March 14, 2020

University of North Texas
Georgia College
North Carolina Wesleyan

last updated 6:35 a.m. (EST) Saturday March 14, 2020

Utah Valley University

updated 11:31 a.m. (EST) Sunday March 15, 2020

University of Arkansas at Fort Smith
Ohio State University

We will continue to stay on top of this and update the list throughout the day as schools announce travel restrictions for athletic programs.

Steve Pawlyk Signature Full

updated 11:31 a.m. (EST) Sunday March 15, 2020

Featured, News

Cheer Competitions & Coronavirus – What’s Cancelled as of now (LIVE UPDATES)

Posted on March 12, 2020July 16, 2021 by Steve Pawlyk

12
Mar

By Steve Pawlyk

Published March 12, 2020

CHEER COMPETITION CANCELLATIONS

UPDATED IN REAL-TIME

updated 11:13 p.m. (EST) - Sunday March 15 2020

updated 7:14 p.m. (EST) - Tuesday March 17 2020

Varsity has made another announcement this evening:

"The coronavirus is affecting our sport in ways we could never imagine. Gyms across the country are anxious about their futures. Athletes in every state are worried about being deprived of their year-end memories. And parents are understandably concerned about the safety and well-being of their children. Throughout this crisis, we are trying to carefully think through every scenario before we make a decision that could affect everyone involved in our sport.

In parallel with most other sports, we made the decision to postpone year end events, including those at Disney. But unlike some other sports, we feel that our season has more flexibility. We train and compete year-round. Therefore, we hope to save the competitive season for our athletes. We understand that kids just want to finish what they have started. So do we.

We are exploring ways to reschedule as many events as possible, including our Championships at Disney, which could extend the season to possibly end by late June to mid-July. Will this process be perfect? No. Will it be optimal? No. But we are making every effort to not deprive thousands of athletes the chance to finish this season, while still complying with future CDC and governmental guidance.

To achieve this we are asking you, our customers, to remain flexible. We need your support and partnership as we work to navigate this extremely difficult situation. We know that cheerleaders are tough and resilient. We are not a crowd that "throws in the towel" easily, and we will continue to explore all opportunities to safely save the season. We are all in this together.

https://youtu.be/meKDogRTYtM

WORLDS AND DAYTONA CANCELLED/POSTPONED:

Cheerleading Worlds Postponed and NCA College Nationals in Daytona Cancelled for 2020

Last night at 9:00pm Varsity Spirit made the unprecedented and clearly difficult decision to postpone [Read More...]

16
Mar

- 11:13 p.m. (EST) - Sunday March 15 2020

VARSITY SPIRIT SUSPENDS ALL EVENTS FOR THE NEXT 8 WEEKS

source: Varsity.com

JUMP TO CANCELLATIONS

we've received many questions regarding coronavirus and CHEER...

There is an obvious concern at the moment regarding cheerleading competitions cancellations due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

"Is my competition cancelled?"
"Will my license still be valid whenever a makeup event is held?"
"Will there be any discounts?"
"Is Cheerleading Worlds 2020 cancelled?"
"Is NCA Cheer Nationals in Daytona cancelled?"

Let's start with the license issue. IPP will be issuing license extensions to any current customers whose competitions have been cancelled.

To request an extension, click here. Be sure to include your team name and order number in the message and we will send an updated license.

Additionally, all purchases made from today onward will come with 15 month licenses (vs the standard 12).

There have also been inquiries regarding discounts as the COVID-19 outbreak is expected to have a negative impact on the economy. To help offset this, we have implemented a discount code that anyone can use to take an additional 10% off any order of any kind.

Simply enter this code at checkout in the coupon code box:

ALITTLEHELP

WHAT CHEERLEADING COMPETITIONS ARE CANCELLED?

~~As it stands right now (3:40 EST, Thursday, March 12), no competitions have been cancelled.~~(see below) Varsity released a statement this morning saying that they were "diligently monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and closely watching official information from health authorities such as the Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) and World Health Organization (“WHO”) as it relates to our larger community and our events, camps and competitions."

The article goes on to suggest the CDC's best practices to mitigate the spread of the disease at events and promises that they "have a dedicated response team working around the clock to make sure that we keep our participants and attendees updated as the situation evolves."

~~Bottom line is nothing has been cancelled as of yet.~~ Below is a searchable list of all upcoming Varsity events through the summer. We will be actively tracking any changes to the status of these events and providing live updates here in this article.

Be sure to check our other coronavirus-related POST:

Cheerleading and the Coronavirus: Schools with Travel Restriction (LIVE UPDATES)

In an effort to help you stay up to date on what's going on with [Read More...]

13
Mar

LIVE UPDATES:

updated 7:10 pm EST - Sunday, March 15, 2020

ICU Postpones competition for international teams // US Teams will compete as planned

announced via Facebook (@InternationalCheerUnion):

Memphis, 15 March 2020
European Office: Lausanne
National Cheer Federation Members
International Cheer Union (ICU)
Re: ICU World Championships Week Update - 15 March 2020

Dear ICU National Cheer Federations:
As you all know, the global sports community is facing an unprecedented test: determining when and how to move forward with competitions and events in light of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The health and safety of our athletes, coaches, employees, families, and friends is paramount.
The ICU Governing Council has met and has unanimously agreed to postpone the 2020 ICU World Championships and AGM, scheduled for 27 April - 1 May. A large number of countries have already informed us that their athletes and delegations will not be attending and there are travel restrictions in place in the US and around the world, making a global competition impractical at this time.
We will continue to actively work with officials in the United States, as well as Walt Disney World management, to monitor and assess the situation so we can determine when we may be able to reschedule. We will communicate updates to you when we have them.We are grateful for your cooperation as we take steps to confront the spread of this virus. Thank you again for your commitment to our athletes and your support of the International Cheer Union and its mission.
Sincerely,
Jeff Webb
President
International Cheer Union

updated 8:55 am EST - Friday, March 13, 2020

MG Spirit Spectacular (St. Louis) - CANCELLED

UCA International All Star Championship - OCCURRING

Varsity announces on Twitter UCA International All Star Championship in Disney still occurring as scheduled:

"Hello Coaches, and Gym Owners, Family and Friends,

Due to the fact that the Walt Disney World Resort is not closing the Theme Parks until March 16th, we will continue to host the UCA International All Star Championship with the precautionary measures we have put into place. We hope you understand how quickly the situation has been evolving over the last few hours. Because so many of our teams have worked so hard to be here and have already arrived in Florida, we are going to proceed with our isolated competition format as planned with the event ending Saturday evening.

The following precautionary measures were announced earlier today to significantly reduce the number of people in the venues and large crowds in general:

• All UCA International All Star Championship teams will compete one time on Saturday only.

• Only the families and fans from the team that is on deck, on the floor, or just finishing will be allowed in all competition venues.

• To enable social distancing, all award ceremonies will be online only (no live presentations) and available free of charge on Varsity TV on Varsity.com.

For those who have not yet checked into your Disney hotel or picked up your commuter tickets, if you choose to cancel, although we are bound to Walt Disney World’s cancellation policies, we – Varsity Spirit will be issuing you a full refund. If you choose to cancel, please contact your registration specialist.

If you have already checked into your Disney hotel, picked up your tickets and have used them at the Theme Parks and decide to leave early based on the recent developments, we - Varsity Spirit will be fully refunding any unused portion of your package.

The Theme Parks will be open until the close of business Sunday for you to enjoy if you choose to do so with your teams. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate this unprecedented situation."

source: Varsity Cheer Twitter

updated 1:50 am EST - Friday, March 13, 2020

MSAA New England Cheer @Worcester State MA - CANCELLED
Gateway Championship - St. Louis - CANCELLED

updated 12:57 am EST - Friday, March 13, 2020

Cheerleading Competitions Coronavirus Cancellations Varsity Twitter Varsity announces via Twitter: The Quest Recreational Championship and the UCA International All Star Championship this weekend in jeopardy...

Tweet reads:

"As you may have just seen, the Walt Disney World Resort just announced that they will be closing the Theme Parks on Monday, March 16th. Note that the hotels will remain open at this time. The Quest Recreational Championship will continue as scheduled tomorrow. Please understand that we are diligently working with Walt Disney World in regards to the potential impact it may have on the UCA International All Star Championship. We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as we gather more information from Disney throughout the night and will share it with you as soon as we can."

updated 9:02 pm EST - Thursday, March 12, 2020

CHEERSPORT - Colorado Grand Championship - POSTPONED

Bowie State Cheerstarz 2020 - POSTPONED

Universal Spirit-The Grand Championship - POSTPONED

USA Non Affiliated Rec Championships - POSTPONED

USA All Star Championships - POSTPONED

Twin Cities Challenge - POSTPONED

Tournament of Champions & All Star Prep Nationals - POSTPONED

Tidewater Beach Championship 2020 - POSTPONED

Spirit Festival Nationals - POSTPONED

Spirit Celebration Spring Fling Nationals - POSTPONED

Northside Xpress Regional - POSTPONED

One Up - Syracuse - POSTPONED

Platinum Nationals PA 2020 - POSTPONED

Reach the Beach Dance National 2020 - POSTPONED

Reach the Beach Daytona National 2020 - POSTPONED

updated 7:34 pm EST - Thursday, March 12, 2020

CHEERSPORT-Kansas City - Midwest D2 Championship - POSTPONED

CHEERSPORT-Kansas City Grand Championship - POSTPONED

CSG Dance Nationals - POSTPONED

COA - Nor Cal Nationals - POSTPONED

Athletic Championships - Tulsa DI & DII - POSTPONED

ACP Bid Championship - POSTPONED

ACP Disco Open Championship - Trenton - POSTPONED

ACP Power Dance Nationals & TX State Championship - POSTPONED

Aloha DI & DII Championships - POSTPONED

updated 6:54 pm EST - Thursday, March 12, 2020

JAMfest - Louisville Championship - POSTPONED

JAMfest - JAM Bash North Georgia - POSTPONED

Epic Tour: Ocean City 2020 - POSTPONED

Colonial Championship 2020 - POSTPONED

Double Down Championships - Smoky Mountain Championship DI & DII - POSTPONED

Empire State Championship 2020 - POSTPONED

Encore Championships - Pittsburgh Area DI & DII - POSTPONED

updated 6:20 pm EST - Thursday, March 12, 2020

ICU Cheer is holding emergency meetings to evaluate the fate of ICU Worlds 2020. Decision will be made in 24 hrs....

updated 5:10 pm EST - Thursday, March 12, 2020

Spirit Festival Nationals - POSTPONED

CHEERSPORT - NorCal Grand Championship - CANCELLED

CHEERSPORT - West Coast D2 Championship - CANCELLED

JAMfest - Lucky JAM - POSTPONED

Turn your phone to landscape mode to view the list of competitions

We hope all of you are safe and well. Remember to wash your hands and check back here for any cancellations or further news.

MORE CHEERLEADING CORONAVIRUS NEWS SOURCES:

Steve Pawlyk Signature Full

updated 11:13 p.m. (EST) - Sunday March 15 2020

Which 2020 Cheerleading Competitions have been cancelled/postponed due to Coronavirus?

These are the current cancellations as of March 13, 2020:
Spirit Festival Nationals – POSTPONED
CHEERSPORT – NorCal Grand Championship – CANCELLED
CHEERSPORT – West Coast D2 Championship – CANCELLED
JAMfest – Lucky JAM – POSTPONED
CHEERSPORT-Kansas City – Midwest D2 Championship – POSTPONED
CHEERSPORT-Kansas City Grand Championship – POSTPONED
CSG Dance Nationals – POSTPONED
COA – Nor Cal Nationals – POSTPONED
Athletic Championships – Tulsa DI & DII – POSTPONED
ACP Bid Championship – POSTPONED
ACP Disco Open Championship – Trenton – POSTPONED
ACP Power Dance Nationals & TX State Championship – POSTPONED
Aloha DI & DII Championships – POSTPONED
JAMfest – Louisville Championship – POSTPONED
JAMfest – JAM Bash North Georgia – POSTPONED
Epic Tour: Ocean City 2020 – POSTPONED
Colonial Championship 2020 – POSTPONED
Double Down Championships – Smoky Mountain Championship DI & DII – POSTPONED
Empire State Championship 2020 – POSTPONED
Encore Championships – Pittsburgh Area DI & DII – POSTPONED
CHEERSPORT - Colorado Grand Championship - POSTPONED
Bowie State Cheerstarz 2020 - POSTPONED
Universal Spirit-The Grand Championship - POSTPONED
USA Non Affiliated Rec Championships - POSTPONED
USA All Star Championships - POSTPONED
Twin Cities Challenge - POSTPONED
Tournament of Champions & All Star Prep Nationals - POSTPONED
Tidewater Beach Championship 2020 - POSTPONED
Spirit Festival Nationals - POSTPONED
Spirit Celebration Spring Fling Nationals - POSTPONED
Northside Xpress Regional - POSTPONED
One Up - Syracuse - POSTPONED
Platinum Nationals PA 2020 - POSTPONED
Reach the Beach Dance National 2020 - POSTPONED
Reach the Beach Daytona National 2020 - POSTPONED
MSAA New England Cheer @Worcester State MA - CANCELLED
Gateway Championship - St. Louis - CANCELLED
Mardi Gras Spirit Spectacular (St. Louis) – CANCELLED

Featured, News, Tips

How to Maximize Your Score Sheet

Posted on February 24, 2020October 7, 2021 by Melissa Eannuzzo

24
Feb

By Melissa Eannuzzo

Updated February 24, 2020

How to Maximize Your Score Sheet

Ahhhh youth cheerleading...

It’s an exhilarating, inspiring yet scary sport. In the world of Pop Warner cheerleading, ALL of the coaches are volunteers so many are starting with limited knowledge and working their way up. Typically, they coach because their kids are cheering and they want to spend more time with them. For others, like me, we do it because we simply love the sport. My name is Melissa Eannuzzo and I’ve been coaching in the Pop Warner organization (as well as college, All Stars, middle school - you name it) for over 15 years. In this blog series I’ll be talking to various Pop Warner coaches about topics that are near and dear to our hearts.

I’ll be kicking off this series by talking to Kaitlin Eby of the South Pasco Predators. Kaitlin is the perfect coach to start with seeing she’s won 9 regional first place titles, 4 National first place titles, 3 national second place titles, 1 national 3rd place title and so on. Her scores have been the definition of “maxed out”, having scored 95-97 at each competition.

Let’s dive deep into what exactly it takes to “max out” your score sheet.

First thing you need to know is that there is a top half of your score sheet and there is a bottom half. Both are just as important, but also very different. The top half, according to Kaitlin, “is where many teams don’t maximize their scores”. The top half includes choreography, dance and performance. Here are a few rules I always follow when creating a routine:

4 count transitions:

I can’t emphasize enough how important this is. Cheerleaders should not have to move any further than they are able to in 4 counts. This ensures that no one is running across the floor and that they can confidently move to each formation.

No more than 2 counts of nothing:

This means that when cheerleaders are walking, stunting, dancing or whatever it may be, there should be movement at least every 2 counts. For example, when moving from their stunt group to jumps, many will walk in clean for an eight count to get there. Instead, add motions every two counts to give the judges more entertainment!

Rules of 3’s:

For each section of the routine (stunts, jumps, tumbling, pyramid & etc.), the judges want to see different pictures being created and unique transitions to get to each picture. By following the rule of 3’s in each section, choreography scores will improve. 3 pictures, and 3 transitions for each section!

Now comes the bottom half of the score sheet. This is broken into difficulty and execution. According to Kaitlin, here’s how to maximize both areas:

Difficulty in the routine:

Instead of having one stunt sequence that includes a 1/4 turn up to prep and a 1/4 turn cradle, look at every stunt and see where those 1/4 turns can be added. If you 1/4 turn up to each stunt and 1/4 turn cradle out of every stunt, you are much more likely to score a perfect 15 than if you only do it once. Another tip to maximize difficulty is by utilizing every member of the team. 9 groups of 3 athletes will always score higher than 5 groups of 5 athletes doing the same skills.

Execution:

This might be the most important section. Although execution only gives you an extra 1 point in each category, that 1 point is the difference between 1st and 5th place. Execution is what wins National Championships. When coaching, execution comes down to two things: being clean and being consistent. Kaitlin’s tip for all coaches when it comes to cleaning & consistency in a routine is to get your routine taught as soon as possible. The earlier that the cheerleaders know the routine, the more confident they will be. The cleaning and perfecting can’t start until the routine is taught.

Kaitlin Eby provided GREAT tips to help to understand the score sheet and also amazing tools to use as you prepare for the upcoming Pop Warner season. Since Pop Warner is year round now, you can start preparing your teams and your athletes IMMEDIATLEY by utilizing some of these techniques. This will ensure you certainly have an advantage over your competition.

Coach Melissa - How to Maximize your Score Sheet

Throughout the Pop Warner season, I would love to talk to as many of you as possible about topics YOU want to learn more about. If you have any suggestions, questions, insight etc. please email me: Melissa4398@gmail.com.

I wish you and your organization the best of luck this upcoming season!

Cheerily Yours,

Melissa Eannuzzo (Pop Warner & Allstar Coach)

Instagram: @melissaontheradio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RadioMelissa

Twitter: @radiomelissa

PREMADE MIXES

Quick Video Tutorials

Halftime Mixes

(short performance)

Christian Cheer Mixes

Standard Packages

Advanced Packages

Elite Packages

Dance Mix Package:

Semi Custom Packages

Full Custom Packages

PREMADE MIXES

Let’s dive into Miss Maddy!

“Oooooooooo HONEY! That was the TEA, MAJORS you just gave it to ME!!!”

2022 MAJORS RESULTS

L6 Senior Coed-XSmall

L6 Senior Coed-Small

L6 Senior Coed-Medium

L6 Senior Coed-Large

L6 Senior-XSMALL

L6 Senior-Small

L6 Senior-Medium

L6 Senior-Large

Well, everyone!!

The 2022 College Nationals Season is officially here!!

Now let’s get to these results and see our top three teams!!

JUMP TO A PARTICULAR DIVISION

Division IA:

All Girl IA:

Small Coed IA:

Division 1:

All Girl Division 1:

Small Coed Division 1:

Open Coed:

Open All Girl:

Open Small Coed:

1A Game Day:

Small Coed Game Day:

All Girl 1A Game Day:

Open Coed Game Day:

Open All Girl Game Day:

They say ‘Tough Times don’t last but Tough People Do’

OWNER:

GYM MEDICAL DIRECTOR:

COACH:

CHOREOGRAPHER:

DOCTOR:

THERAPIST:

PSYCHIC:

Tough Times Don’t Last, Tough People Do.

Cheer is back!

and we have more great news!

NEW 2021 PREMADE MIXES

Dua Lipa - We're Good

Driver’s License - Olivia Rodrigo

My Head & My Heart - Ava Max

SWANG - Expensive Taste

Alan Walker - Fake A Smile

only child - poison

Zayn - Vibez

Yrin Glam - Unbothered

Sia ft. Burna Boy - Hey Boy

Tayler Jade - WYA

Sabrina Carpenter - Skin

Dua Lipa ft. DaBaby - Levitating

Black Eyed Peas ft. Shakira - Girl Like Me

Alyssa Rubio - Mutual

Elle Baez - Come Back

Tate McRae - You Broke Me First

Shawn Mendez ft. Justin Bieber - Monster

Masked Wolf - Astronaut In The Ocean

Rooga ft. Lil Chris - Catch A Body

Taylor Swift ft. Bon Iver - Exile

Your neuromuscular system

Your joint capsules

Your joint structure

Neuromuscular System:

How do we create a greater range of motion?

Joint Capsules:

JOINT STRUCTURE