It's Not About the Trophy

People typically think I am competitive.  Yes, there is truth to that, but I am actually a coach that strives to make sure my teams are doing the best they can.  If the best they can is not going to win a trophy, then I am at peace with that.  

I coach my teams to develop their character and their identity. Their identity is not in a State title.   Identity and character is something they will be able to carry with them for the rest of their lives. They will be able to apply character attributes they learn in cheer to every area in their current lives and future lives.  In their current lives, they can apply what they learn to their friendships, families, and to their school work. For their futures, it can be applied to their future careers and families.  You have done your job as a coach if your team can look back and know that what they learned as a cheerleader, they are applying their lives.  

This is a reminder that this year, of all years, cheerleading is not about the trophy.  As a coach, are you facilitating personal growth? Are you facilitating character development?

When your team competes in a competition, if they do not place how they planned, how will they respond? As a coach and as a competition judge, I have seen a variety of teams that have not placed where they had hoped. Some have handled it with such grace and class.  Other teams have such sour looks on their faces and don’t clap for the other teams.

As a coach it is your job to prepare them how to handle victory and defeat.  Every time my teams go to competition, I go over with them how they need to respond.  They need to be told to clap for the team that beats them. They need to be humble in their victory. In cheer, less than a point usually divides the top teams.  In many cases, it could have been a number of teams that could have won.  Hopefully, you have coached them all season in their character and strong positive sportsmanship that when they clap, it will be genuine.  

As coaches let’s continue to focus on the lives that we are impacting.  Let’s focus on the futures we are building.  The character and identity of the members of your team is the most important thing you can develop. This is why for the rest of this school year, we will focus on a number of character traits you can build in your team. Look for the regular emails you will receive.