cheerleaders

Cheerleading Courses in Sheffield!

August 21, 2015 by UKCA Admin

This weekend we are proud to be holding 2 Cheerleading courses in Sheffield. Both of these courses will be held at the following address:

Hinde House School
Shiregreen Lane
Sheffield
S5 6AG

On Saturday 22nd August we will be running a Level 2 Cheerleading Basic Skills course, which will give our members the skills they need to improve their Cheer. This course will be followed by a Level 3 Basic Stunts course on Sunday 23rd August, to give our Cheerleaders the knowledge and health and safety training for safe stunt techniques – up to 2 levels high! Also taught on the course are key choreography moves. The Basic Stunts course is a fantastic training programme for coaches as they will even learn how to create lesson plans for Cheer training!

Holding these 2 courses across one weekend is a great opportunity for our UKCA members to build their Cheerleading skills and achievements all in the space of just 2 days!

All of our members who are successful on the course will receive UKCA Certificates of Qualification to help them going forward in their Cheerleading careers.

We have many more courses taking place throughout 2015 and we cannot wait to have more qualified Cheerleaders active across the UK. Train with us to learn practical and theoretical Cheerleading skills. After all, you can’t learn to become a Cheerleading coach sat around a table!

See you soon.

Team UKCA.

Cheerleading Tips for Beginners

April 24, 2014 by UKCA Admin

Cheerleading is a very energetic sport. Cheerleaders need to be fit, strong, agile, enthusiastic and above all confident in their ability to put on a good show.

Are you just starting out in Cheerleading? Have you got a friend who is thinking of joining a Cheerleading team? We take a look at some tips for cheerleaders that are just starting out.

Stretching

Cheerleaders need to be flexible and ideally should have the suppleness close to that of a gymnast. Make sure you work on your flexibility by stretching daily. You could do this even when watching TV so it need not take up too much of your time or interfere with your daily routine.

Always Smile

A good cheerleader will smile through anything. No matter how badly your team is performing or how difficult the stunt is you are performing, remember to smile. Practice your cheers and routines in a full length mirror so you can keep a check on your facial expressions.

Chant on the Move

You’ve got to make the most of your voice if you’re going to be a great cheerleader. It’s no good being a great mover if you don’t belt out your cheers – but don’t screech! Practice your cheering while performing your routines – it’s more difficult than you think.

Record and Playback

Have a friend video you performing your cheerleading skills. This will enable you to have a look at your skills and see what areas need improving. You can then make the necessary fixes and record yourself again. This is a good way of allowing you to see your own improvement and will keep you motivated.

Tight and Snap

Keep your motions tight, and snap them into place. A good cheerleader’s moves are always tight and rigid, not loose and flailing. When you clap, your arms should be in front of your face (around nose height) and should not go past your shoulders on the release.

Talk the Talk

Cheerleading has a vocabulary of its own so it’s best that you get up to scratch with all the terms for all the moves as soon as possible. You’ll make a good impression on your coach and fellow cheerleaders if you know your buckets from your basket toss and your cupie from your cradle catch.

Prepare for Performance

If you’ve never performed in public then it’s time to start now. Start off by performing your moves in front of friends and family so that you get used to people watching you. By the time you arrive for your first training session you should be a little more accustomed to public performance.

Avoid Risks

Don’t do anything you are not comfortable with. Of course be prepared to give things a try, but don’t be forced into doing anything that you haven’t done yet or you consider too risky for your level of experience. A good coach will not expect you to do anything they don’t think you are capable of pulling off.

Correct Paperwork

Cheerleading can be a dangerous sport so make sure that all the necessary paperwork is in place. You will be expected to complete a signed waivers and a permission form (depending on your age) before being allowed to participate. Also, there should be some form of insurance in place to cover you in the event of an unfortunate injury.

Keep Going

Remember, Cheerleading is first and foremost meant to be fun. Yes, there are competitions that you may go on to compete in and expectations within your Cheerleading group may be high, but always make sure that if you make a mistake, you just pick up the next move. Always keep going.

Share your beginner’s tips with us on our Facebook page.

Don’t Overstretch Yourself

April 17, 2014 by UKCA Admin

One of the most important traits of a cheerleader is flexibility. Getting it right is really important, so we take a look at some common stretching mistakes people make.

1. Not Stretching the Right Muscles
Depending on what you’re trying to learn, there are specific muscles you will need to stretch. To improve flexibility, most cheerleaders want to work on their splits. This means you should work on your hamstrings and hip muscles. Whatever you’re trying to learn, talk with your coach on what muscles you should focus on.

2. Not Working on Your Entire Body
While you do want to focus on specific muscles for specific skills, like the splits, you can’t forget about the rest of your body. For your splits, while you can focus on your hamstrings and hip muscles, don’t forget to incorporate into your workout exercises for your lower back, groin, calves, and quadriceps. Working on your entire body will help keep you limber and help prevent injuries and soreness.

3. Not Stretching Consistently
When it comes to your flexibility, it’s more effective to stretch more often for shorter amounts of time as opposed to the other way around. Don’t stretch for an hour once a week. Not only will you be sore the next day, but it will also take longer to improve your flexibility. Instead, stretch every day for 10 to 15 minutes. Or, stretch twice a day (in the morning and at night) for 10 minutes.

4. Not Stretching Slowly
Don’t rush through your stretches. This isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. You want to hold poses and stretches for as long as you can. Moving too quickly can cause injuries and reduce the effectiveness of the stretch.

5. Not Warming Up
If you stretch in the early morning or when you first wake up, warm up your muscles. Jog in place for a few minutes or do jumping jacks. Stretching cold muscles can cause injuries. Also, it’ll be harder to stretch if your muscles aren’t warmed up.

6. Not Breathing
A bad stretching habit is holding your breath. By taking deep breathes during a stretch, your muscles can loosen and extend more.

7. Not Stopping When it Hurts
While it’s normal to feel your muscles tightening, don’t ignore any sharp pains. You could pull a muscle, or worse. Listen to your body; it will tell you when it’s being pushed too far or needs a break. Never force a stretch, thinking your body will respond.

8. Not Wearing the Right Clothing
Never underestimate the power of good practice wear. Your clothing needs to be able to stretch and move with your body. Don’t wear anything baggy or loose and never wear jeans.

Share your stretching tips with us on our Facebook page.

Kobika Starlites host a Secondary School’s Competition

April 4, 2014 by UKCA Admin

The Kobika Starlites hosted a secondary school’s competition on Wednesday 2nd April at Sir William Ramsay School, Hazlemere. There were 150 participants competing over two categories, with UKCA representative Mel Owen judging the evening.

Five schools produced ten squads, including:
– Wycombe High School
– Great Marlow School
– St Michael’s Catholic School
– Sir William Ramsay School
– Sir William Borlase Grammar School

This resulted in an amazing evening, made even more incredible by the incredible spirit and sportsmanship shown by all the participants and their parents!

Here’s some of the feedback from the event:

Love the way every school supports and cheers all the others. Great atmosphere.
Spectator

We all really enjoyed the competition. Well done to everyone – lots of fun and energy! Thank you for all the effort that you and your team put in!
Parent – Wycombe High School

Great work tonight. Not just cause we won but the effort that the girls put in is down to you and your team! You have persisted and inspired the girls! Tonight I was so proud yet had nothing to do with it all so massive big ups to you and your ladies! Top night.
Head of PE- Great Marlow School

Check out some of the shots taken from the school’s performances:

The Kobika Starlites will be holding another school’s competition in May for primary school and are expecting over 260 participants to compete.

We always enjoy hearing and sharing UKCA team stories, so if you have something you want to share don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can contact us via our Facebook page or Twitter.

Cheerleading is…

November 5, 2013 by UKCA Admin

Cheerleading at Manchester Velodrome

Cheerleading is a way of life, shared by a chosen few,
It is working as a unit in everything you do.

Cheerleading is a rivalry, the competition makes you strong,
It is sharing secrets and tears, learning to get along.

Cheerleading is that ongoing drive to be the very best,
It is patience, perseverance, and very little rest.

Cheerleading is having poise and charm with every word you say,
It is total dedication twenty-four hours a day.
It is always being ready with encouragement and a smile,
Cheerleading is your chance to express your individual style.

Cheerleading is reaching out to comfort a sister who is sad,
It is defending each other in good times and the bad.

Cheerleading is a talent to be able to shine on cue,
It is hiding the pain and anguish that if only half the people knew.

Cheerleaders, after all, are real people that sometimes get down
but when they’re in the spotlight, they must never put on a frown.

Cheerleaders are actresses always ready to go,
That is why it’s important for all the world to know.
Not every girl can be a cheerleader, it takes a special kind,
Cheerleaders are full of life and a little bit out of their mind.

Share this with your friends and let them know what it means to be a cheerleader.

Why Should I Get Insured?

September 4, 2013 by UKCA Marketing

Sir Clive Woodward, World Cup winning Head Coach of England Rugby Union and insure4sport Ambassador, puts it best:

“Being properly prepared is the key to success. Choosing the right insurance should be a key part of your preparation.”

Insurance for cheerleader coaches and instructors is essential to the education process of cheerleading. It can cover you if you were to suffer an injury during a session that results in you being unable to work and require physiotherapy treatment.

As well as covering your personal well-being, insurance can cover session participants also. It covers you if someone injures themselves and brings a claim for compensation against you taking away the hassle of legal procedures.

It also can cover you if any of the exercises, moves or actions taught are brought into question should anyone in your training session suffer an injury.

There is also the option to cover the equipment in the training room. As expected it covers any of your equipment if it was to be damaged or stolen. As well as this, the venue hosting your sessions may have equipment that you don’t necessarily use and may suffer from damages – sport insurance can protect you.

The UKCA have partnered with insure4sport to create a bespoke insurance policy for cheerleading coaches and instructors. The cheerleading policy covers all cheerleading disciplines, including acrobatics and there is additional options for sports accident and sports equipment cover also.

If you’re thinking of getting insurance but still have any questions, consult insure4sport’s FAQ page for answers.

Also, during the application process make sure you quote the UKCA.

So with insurance being a key part of preparation: if you fail to prepare, then prepare to fail.

BBC 5 Live: Does Sport Empower Young People?

June 5, 2013 by UKCA Admin

That was the question the Sutton Tornados were invited to answer at BBC 5 live’s Sporting Day Out at Liverpool John Moores University on Thursday 31st May.

Sutton Tornados meet ex-Olympic swimmer, Rebecca Adlington

The cheer team joined 100 young people from Merseyside sports clubs, charity groups and schools to take part in fitness, sport and broadcasting activities, including dodgeball and a spot of TV presenting.

Sutton Tornados ready to debate with the panel (from BBC 5 live website)

The day culminated in a debate exploring the empowerment of sport hosted by Olympic swimming bronze medallist and 5 live broadcaster Steve Parry, and featured a panel including former Olympic champion swimmer Rebecca Adlington and Team GB Taekwondo star Martin Stamper.

Sutton Tornados meet Team GB Taekwondo star Martin Stamper

The cheer team had the opportunity to discuss the benefits of cheerleading. This included how it empowers young people by bringing back 90% of females that drop out of school sport. As well as it being accepted, beyond its GCSE and A-level status, as a sport.

cheerleaders

Select category:

theukca

Office address

Partner links

Affiliate associations

Privacy

Site by: