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It’s All About Confidence

The best way to have a great competition experience is to feel like you’ve performed at your absolute best. But performing at your very best doesn’t just involve wearing the best cheer uniform, getting all the stunts right and having slick choreography; you need to look and feel confident!

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No matter how experienced of a cheerleader you are – whether you’re just starting out or been at it for years – you can’t help but get those butterflies in your stomach before taking to the floor. It’s perfectly natural but can take over your mind and body. You can’t necessarily change this about you, however you can act and look like you’re confident by following some of these tips:

Tip #1 – Banish Nerves

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Before you take to the floor, it’s important to relax. Humming a slow song or visualising a calm scene in your mind can help your mind slow down. If your stomach is feeling funny, eating a banana will get rid of any nausea without making you feel full. Do a few stretches to relieve tension – roll your shoulders, take deep breaths, and stretch your arms, backs and legs.

If you have the time, find a quiet place to meditate – relax and concentrate on deep breathing. Avoid caffeine and any energy drinks as they’ll make you extra jittery.

Laughter is a great distraction from worrying. Chat with your friends, tell a couple of jokes

Tip #2 – Build Team Confidence

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In order for everyone to perform at their best, the whole team has to be confident and united. Team building activities is a great way to do some extra bonding with your squad. You could even do a team sleepover to get everyone excited and remind everyone that competitions are supposed to be fun.

Create various goals at the beginning of the competition season. As the season progresses, celebrate when you approach or surpass a goal! If you focus on winning at competitions, you’ll set yourself up for failure if you don’t always win first place. A good aim is to get a better score than you did in previous competitions.

After a competition, take some time as a group to share one thing each teammate did well during the performance. It will help maintain a positive attitude as we are proud of ALL of you, we are proud of ALL of you.

Don’t forget to like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter to keep up to date with all the UKCA news.

The King’s School in Macclesfield Represent the UK

This February sees one of the UKCA teams represent the UK in the group stunt event at the World School Cheerleading Championships in USA. The King’s School will be the first ever Macclesfield school to represent the UK in the competition held in Florida. The team of 30 girls qualified to represent their school and country in the prestigious event by winning numerous national titles at the UKCA School Championships. They are entering Cheerleading and Stunt Group categories.

UKCA Kings squad
Back row: Lucy Miller, Grace Pulley, Holly Brierley, Jessie Milton Edwards, Lauren Whitney, Rowena Moores, Kira Stevenson, Fran Robbins and Ellie Holder
Middle row: Fiona Cornish, Nikki Hughes, Tilly Stott, Emily Naismith, Evie Homer, Polly Cartwright, Lauren Kitchen and Eleanor Collett
Front row: Emily Underwood, Kelly Corcoran, Briony Phillips, Sophie Jackson, Antonia Bianchi, Olivia Moores, Jessie Krajewski, Izzy Stevens and Millie Turner
(Missing from photo but on the World Championships team are Ella Solomon, Mimi Stevens, Katie Fray and Beth Burrows.)

King School’s Cheerleading coach Rachael Burrows-Jarvis said: “This team of girls have worked hard at Cheerleading for many years to achieve this world standard with a large number now in their ninth year. Cheerleading involves stunts, gymnastics, jumps, dance and a cheer all choreographed together to create a dynamic, clean routine which is entertaining for the crowd and judges.”

The school will be competing in the International team event and the Group Event against countries from all over the world. This involves four girls throwing up numerous stunts for one minute to music, technique precision, fast transitions, team work, and crowd appeal. The four girls involved are Lauren Whitney, Bethany Burrons, Olivia Moores and Rowena Moores.

Rachael added: “The girls have worked hard at the routines and are striving to show the world what King’s and the UK can do. To make a cheerleading routine successful it is imperative that team members attend all practices as the sport relies heavily on all team members being present and practising together. For example, if one member is absent then the whole pyramid cannot be practised. It also builds up trust between members and improves strength and technique.”

“I am extremely proud of the girls and I am looking forward to their performance on the world stage and the great feeling of representing your country at something you really enjoy and have worked hard for.”

The girl will be wearing tracksuits and polo shirts which have been kindly sponsored by Lauren Whitney’s parents’ company TechTex and Richard Milner Developments.

We wish the team every success in the States and know they will do their best to make the UKCA proud!

Tip #3 – Stay Positive

It’s easy for a cheerleader to be spirited at a competition when the energy is up and music is playing. It’s another thing to be positive during a difficult practice session or poor performance.

If your squad is having an “off” day, don’t get discouraged. Try raising everyone’s spirits by getting the squad to perform a favourite cheer, blast some fun music, or ask for a five-minute break to talk about any feelings of discouragement.

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Coaching Bursary

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There is a fantastic opportunity for female coaches from GreaterSport and Sport England. The aim of the coaching bursary is to increase the number of qualified female coaches in Greater Manchester. Before 31st March 2014 they aim to help 100 females in Greater Manchester achieve a coaching qualification in their chosen sport.

Females in Greater Manchester who are interested in completing a coaching qualification to enable themselves to work or volunteer at sports clubs as a coach are able to apply. To be eligible to access this bursary the sports club you coach at must be based in: Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford or Wigan.

The bursary is available for females to complete a sports qualification, recognised by a National Organisation of the sport, CPD courses and officiating courses. The bursary can fund up to 50% of the coaching course, up to a maximum of £200.

The closing date for applications is 14th March 2014. All successful applicants will be required to register on CoachWeb and undertake ten hours of volunteering once they have completed the coaching qualification. Successful applicants will also be required to complete an ‘End of Grant Form’ in order to evaluate the impact the coaching qualification has had on them as an individual, and their sports club.

For more information and to get your application form, visit the GreaterSport website.

Intermediate Tumbling at Wright Robinson College – 11/01/14

Last weekend, Wright Robinson College hosted our Intermediate Tumbling course for UKCA coaches. The course enables participants to coach handsprings and vertical rotations within stunts and basket tosses.

The course is aimed for participants aged 13 and up who hold the UKCA Cheerleading 2 Basic Stunts as well as Tumbling Level 2 Certificate. Success on the course awards participants with a Certificate of Qualification as well as the ability to become an Assistant Coach.

UKCA coach Karen Graham had this to say about the event:

Well done candidate coaches. We had a fabulous day of tumbling, very tired by the end but we certainly achieved much. We are proud of you!

Check out these pictures from the course:

Intermediate Tumbling - Warm Up

Intermediate Tumbling - Exercise

Intermediate Tumbling - Explaining Tumble

Intermediate Tumbling - Assisted Tumble

Intermediate Tumbling - Tumble

Intermediate Tumbling - Tumbling

Intermediate Tumbling - Tumbling

If you’re looking to enhance your cheerleading skills, check out our Course Diary now to find a course suitable for you.

Olympic Legacy Project in North East Northamptonshire

Chris Long, Sport Premium Officer at Prince William School in North East Northamptonshire is setting up an Olympic Legacy Project, with cheerleading a key component. The project is due to start next week and due to being let down by a coach, sessions in some of the schools are without a coach.

He is looking for a coach to take ‘Introduction to Cheerleading’ sessions for a five week block, developing a routine for competition on the 14th February in Kettering.

The schools needing a coach are:

Thrapston Primary School, Market St, Thrapston, Northants NN14 4JU. Tuesdays, 3.30-4.30.

and

Oundle Primary School, Milton Road, Oundle, Northants PE8 4AB Thursday 3.30-4.30

If you are interested in the position, email Chris Long at clong@pwschool.northants.sch.uk for more details.

Twas The Night Before Competition…

Christmas Cheerleading Bauble

Twas the night before competition, and all through the UKCA
Not a person was tired, ready for the big day.
The awards were hung on the wall with care
In hopes that another would soon be there.

The uniforms were nestled in the small suitcase,
The shoes were kept close and tied with lace.
Eventually to sleep, dreaming of winning,
waking to the sound of a base singing.

We ate a hearty breakfast, coach said “It is a must”.
Loaded onto the bus; leaving a trail of dust.
We entered the gym, and started to unpack,
To find nothing that we lack.

Took our seats, waiting for our time
getting excited, we just want to shine.
Pom poms shake, banners fly high,
we’re going to make the roof fly.

Taking to the floor with a skip and a hop,
just remembering not to drop.
We did our routine the best we could
as all the other teams should.

Left the mats smiling, full of cheer
that’s us done for another year
now we just wait for the result
whatever place we get, it won’t insult.

DJ Caino announces our team for the prize
we jump up cheering, what a delightful surprise.
We take the trophy and yell with glee
before grabbing our phones for a selfie.

Competition comes to an end, we just want to do it again
we’ll have to wait until Spring, for another chance to reign.
All that’s left to say is remember this day forever
Congratulations to all, and to all a good year.

Merry Christmas to all our UKCA teams!