cheerleading wellness practices Archives

By Steve Pawlyk

Published October 21, 2024

I think we all know competitive cheer is a demanding sport that requires relentless dedication, combining strength, flexibility, and endurance. With top-tier competitions like The Cheerleading Worlds and ICU Championships, athletes often face long seasons packed with intense training, travel, and pressure to perform. Leading cheer programs such as Top Gun All Stars, Cheer Extreme, and Brandon All-Stars have developed effective strategies to prevent athlete burnout, ensuring their teams perform at peak levels without compromising well-being.

1. Balancing Training Volume and Rest Days

Top cheer programs understand the importance of balancing high-intensity practices with rest. Coaches from Cheer Extreme Raleigh, known for their meticulous routines, schedule mandatory rest days to allow athletes’ bodies to recover. This approach helps minimize the risk of overuse injuries, which are common in cheerleading due to repetitive tumbling and stunting sequences.

For programs competing in both national and international events, such as Top Gun All Stars (winners of L6 Senior Large Coed), the offseason serves as a critical time to reset physically and mentally. Coaches focus on lighter skill-building sessions rather than full choreography to maintain fitness while avoiding fatigue.

2. Mental Health Support and Stress Management Techniques

Competitive cheer involves intense psychological demands. Teams like Brandon All-Stars emphasize mental health by incorporating mindfulness practices and sports psychology workshops. Athletes learn relaxation techniques to manage competition-day anxiety and burnout associated with travel and rigorous training schedules.

Additionally, Cheer Athletics provides access to mental health professionals and peer-support networks. These initiatives encourage athletes to openly discuss stress and mental fatigue, promoting a healthy team environment where athletes feel supported through challenging seasons.

3. Smart Travel and Recovery Plans

Travel can disrupt athletes’ sleep and recovery, particularly when competing in multiple competitions within a short period. Programs like The Stingray Allstars, who regularly compete at large-scale events like The Cheerleading Worlds, use smart travel strategies. Teams arrive early at competition sites to adjust to time zone changes and avoid jet lag.

Arriving Early to Adjust and Prepare
Teams often arrive at competition sites a day or more before the event begins. This early arrival helps athletes adjust to new environments, manage time zone changes, and minimize jet lag. It also provides time for pre-competition routines like light practice, stretching, and warm-ups without the stress of rushed travel.
Smart Travel Planning and Flexible Accommodations
Many cheer programs utilize specialized travel services like Varsity Spirit’s Stay Smart program, which arranges flexible housing and transportation. This allows athletes to stay at nearby hotels, ensuring minimal commute time to venues and optimal rest between events. Flexible booking options also accommodate travel changes, reducing stress for athletes and staff during long seasons.
Nutrition and Active Recovery on Travel Days
To maintain energy levels, teams prioritize proper nutrition throughout travel. They pack healthy snacks and focus on balanced meals, avoiding excessive sugar or caffeine that can disrupt sleep or cause energy crashes. Incorporating active recovery on travel days—such as light stretching, yoga, or walking—also helps athletes maintain mobility and reduce muscle stiffness.
Creating Buffer Time Between Events
Successful programs carefully plan their schedules to allow for downtime between competitions. This includes days dedicated to rest and recovery post-event, where athletes can recharge physically and mentally. Managing post-competition “cheer hangovers,” a phenomenon where athletes experience emotional or physical exhaustion, is crucial to sustaining performance throughout the season.
Hydration and Sleep Hygiene
Staying hydrated is essential, especially during travel and long competition days. Teams encourage frequent water breaks and sometimes use electrolyte drinks during intense events. Sleep hygiene practices, such as maintaining consistent bedtime routines and limiting screen time, help athletes get quality sleep even in unfamiliar settings.

Additionally, many elite programs prioritize recovery on travel days, using tools like compression therapy and ice baths to reduce muscle soreness. Ensuring athletes have adequate downtime between competitions also plays a key role in preventing burnout.

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4. Injury Prevention and Customized Training Programs

Injury prevention is paramount for cheer programs aiming to compete at the highest levels without burning out their athletes. Programs like Rain Athletics and ICE All Stars focus on injury prevention by tailoring individual training plans that account for athletes’ needs and physical limitations. Cross-training exercises, such as yoga and swimming, are incorporated to build strength without stressing overworked muscle groups.

Teams also limit the number of “full-out” practices to reduce the physical toll of repeatedly performing competition routines. Instead, practices may focus on sections of routines or visualization exercises to mentally rehearse the performance without risking fatigue.

5. Team Bonding and Social Support

The most successful cheer programs recognize that camaraderie is essential to long-term athlete well-being. Cheer Extreme SSX and South Coast Cheer’s Fearless have developed strong bonding practices to create cohesive, high-performing teams. These programs understand that beyond technical skill, fostering team unity is crucial for handling the pressures of competitive seasons like The Cheerleading Worlds and MAJORS.

Cheer Extreme SSX emphasizes structured team bonding activities, such as organized group outings and movie nights, which help athletes unwind and develop deeper interpersonal relationships outside of practice. These activities also promote better in-competition communication, which is crucial for executing precise stunts and choreography under pressure.

South Coast Cheer Fearless, known for their success in the L6 Senior XSmall division, similarly prioritizes team bonding. They regularly organize post-practice dinners and outings, creating opportunities for athletes to connect outside the competitive environment. This culture of camaraderie has been a key factor in their ability to maintain consistent high performance throughout their undefeated season, as they continue to win at major competitions like MAJORS and NCA Nationals.

Both programs demonstrate that by nurturing a supportive and close-knit environment, athletes become more resilient, motivated, and capable of performing under high-stakes conditions. The strong relationships within these teams not only foster morale but also provide essential emotional support, helping athletes manage stress and stay engaged throughout the season. These bonding practices contribute directly to their competitive success by ensuring that every member feels valued and connected to the team’s goals.

Bonus Team Bulding Ideas:

World Cup Shooting Stars fosters a family-like atmosphere, emphasizing both competition and personal growth. Their success is attributed to a positive team environment that ensures each athlete feels valued. They engage in seasonal team bonding activities, such as themed parties, which help cultivate unity and allow members to relax and connect before high-pressure competitions
KC Cheer Fierce 5 is known for their strong culture of tradition and community. They prioritize bonding through structured choreography camps and regular team practices. This creates a rhythm where athletes learn to depend on each other, strengthening their on-mat chemistry during competitions
Twist & Shout Diamonds & GymTyme IL Fever tend to focus on building trust among teammates through consistent practice sessions and team outings. Trust is crucial for executing complex stunts and tumbling sequences safely under pressure. Off-mat bonding events also help athletes decompress and maintain mental well-being throughout the season
Woodlands Elite Black Ops‘s strategy is skill-building sessions with team-building exercises. Their bonding efforts go beyond practice, including fun activities like scavenger hunts or escape rooms, encouraging problem-solving and collaboration among athletes

Avoiding burnout is essential for elite cheer programs competing at the highest levels. Through smart training plans, mental health support, intentional recovery strategies, and fostering team cohesion, programs like Top Gun All Stars, Cheer Extreme, and Brandon All-Stars set a gold standard for balancing performance and well-being. These strategies not only keep athletes healthy but also help them maintain the passion and drive needed to excel during demanding seasons like The Cheerleading Worlds and ICU Championships.