Countdown to the First Competition

For many school teams, it's cheer competition countdown!  One of the struggles I've had as a coach is determining at what point we should keep certain skills in the routine, or take them out. Many times, I hang onto the hope my team will hit certain skills. I tend to wait when I will actually take out skills, if we don't have them.  Then, we are changing the routine very close to competition, which causes stress leading up to competition. 

For me, this way of thinking has changed in the last few years. We need to be hitting skills 90% of the time at least one month prior to the first competition.

Here are some ways to make sure your team is ready by the time the competition comes and you, as a coach, can make these decisions. 

Work Backwards

Start with the first day of your competition and work backwards. For this example, let’s say you are four weeks from the competition.  The following timeline will count the weeks backwards from the week of the competition to four weeks from the competition.   

Week of Competition 

• Clean and polish the routine. 
• Build confidence by hitting all the skills when doing the routine full out.  A clean routine is more important than difficulty.  
• Commit to not adding brand new skills. If you put a routine out there that's a little above their skill level, or they're not confident in what they're doing, then it can affect your team the rest of the season. 

One Week Before the Competition

• The team must be sticking all stunting and tumbling skills almost 100% of the time.  
• Make minor adjustments where needed. 

Two Weeks Before the Competition

• Run the routine full out at least 2-4 times per practice.
• Section out the parts that need work.
• Drill the details, such as running clean and motions.

Three Weeks Before the Competition

• Run the routine full out at least 2-3 times per practice.
• Section out the parts that need work.
• Modify the routine where skills are not hitting 90% of the time.

Four Weeks Before the Competition

• Run the routine full out at least once per practice.
• Work on the areas having the most trouble.

Five Weeks Before the Competition

• Do each section of the routine with counts.  
• Run each section of the routine with music and the cheer up to speed. 

Six Weeks before the Competition

• Ensure the team knows the entire routine, including formations, dance, jumps, tumbling, pyramid and stunts.  
• The stunts need to be hitting 80% of the time.  They may still have bobbles and they might not be perfectly together, but they should be in a place where you can perfect them.  

Decision Time

At least three weeks before the competition is when you need to decide if you can or need to make adjustments to the routine. 

• If the entire routine is hitting and is clean when running it full out, you may want to consider adding one element that would increase difficulty.  Add only one element at a time.  You don’t want to compromise execution for difficulty.  You need to make the decision that is best for your team. 
• If the stunts and/or pyramid is not hitting, the team will need to simplify the stunts/pyramid, rather than hoping that they hit.  

Your team needs to know these deadlines.  Oftentimes, if they know the stunts or pyramid will be simplified, it can be a motivator to actually hit all the elements.  

Writing these goals out for yourself and for your team will make a big difference as you prepare for competition.  I recommend you be even more specific on what you want to accomplish, such as what day(s) you will clean the dance and jumps, etc. Some weeks you will hit all your goals and other weeks you will not.  Regardless, you will stay on track with your routine and be more confident for your first competition. 

Good luck!!!