5 Ways to Maximize Your Summer Cheer Practices

How to Use Off-Season Time for Big In-Season Wins

Summer is the golden window for every cheer coach. No competitions. No school events. No game-day stress. Just time to train, bond, and build the foundation for a successful season ahead.

But here’s the truth: without a plan, summer practices can quickly lose steam and become a missed opportunity.

Whether you’re coaching a sideline squad, an all-star team, or a high school program, here are 5 smart ways to make your summer practices meaningful, productive, and yes—fun.

1. Set Clear Goals for Each Practice

Start strong with a team kickoff meeting whether in-person or virtual. Ask:
“What do we want to accomplish this summer?”

Common summer goals might include:

• Hitting clean stunts
• Improving tumbling form
• Boosting flexibility
• Learning choreography early
  

Write them down. Post them. Revisit them weekly. Goals = accountability.

Coach Tip: Break each big goal into weekly “mini wins.” Small milestones help athletes feel constant progress and avoid overwhelm.

2. Prioritize Technique Over Difficulty

Summer is not the time to rush through difficult skills, it's the perfect season master the basics.

Focus on:

• Jump technique
• Motion precision
• Safe, clean stunt execution
• Tumbling technique (not just new skills)

When athletes understand the why behind every movement, they’re better equipped to self-correct later in the season.

Coach Tip: Use video to compare early vs. late summer technique. Visual proof of progress is super motivating!

3. Rotate in Theme Days to Keep Things Fresh

Let’s face it, cheer practice can get repetitive. Inject some fun and structure by rotating theme days into your summer schedule.

Try:

• Tumble Tuesdays – Emphasize drills and form work
• Flexibility Fridays – Focus on deep stretching and splits
• Stunt Clean-Up Saturdays – Refine grips, transitions, and timing

Themes help you dive deep into one area of development while breaking the monotony.

Coach Tip: Have your captains help determine the themes. 

4. Incorporate Team Building Every Week

Want a team that trusts each other on the mat? Start building that trust in the summer.

Simple activities can make a big difference:

• Trust falls or group balance games
• Cheer-themed scavenger hunts
• Partner journaling: “What I admire about my teammate”
• Group goal-setting sessions

Coach Tip: Let your captains or athletes lead one activity each month. It builds leadership and gives them ownership.

5. Evaluate Progress & Celebrate Small Wins

Don’t wait until the end of summer to check in. Build in bi-weekly progress check-ins that track effort and achievement.

Recognize:

• Most Improved Flyer
• Hardest Worker of the Week
• “Flexibility Queen” or “Stunt King”
• Attendance All-Stars
  

🏆 Celebrating small wins builds confidence and reinforces a culture of consistency.

Coach Tip: Once you select an athlete to recognize, have that athlete pick the the next athlete to recognize the following week and then continue this weekly.

Final Thoughts

Summer practices should be intentional. By mixing focused training with fun, connection, and clear goals, you’ll enter the fall season more prepared and more unified than ever before.

Remember: Championship seasons are built in the off-season. Make every summer session count.