Tips for preparing for competitions
1. Check Time, Music Time, Boundaries & Legality of Stunts
• Every competition has set guidelines for maximum time and maximum music time. It is up to your squad to come in under the time limits. Many competitions also have boundaries which may cause trouble for squads who just use an open floor for practice. Squads must know which stunts are legal or illegal. It is up to the squad to arrive at the competition with legal stunts not the company organizing the event. All of the these factors have cost many squads a higher placing in competitions. Always check and recheck these factors.
2. Fulfill Score Sheet Requirements
Different competitions have different score sheets. Make sure you have a routine that builds points on that particular score sheet. Some squads will be upset after a competition, not realizing they focused their routine in the wrong direction.
3. Evaluate Routine for Dead Spots
• Step back from your routine (or watch it on video) and evaluate the routine as a judge or a spectator in order to locate the places which lose the attention of the crowd. You might want to bring in former cheerleaders to give you a fresh opinion. Place sharp filler motions or something in these spots to keep the continuity of the routine.
4. Evaluate Consistency of Stunts
• If any stunt is not hitting on a consistent basis then it is guaranteed not to hit under pressure. When in doubt "water it down." The squad needs to take the floor with confidence.
5. Recheck Time, Music Time, Boundaries & Legality of Stunts
• Rather safe than sorry!!!
6. Synchronize Everything
• Motions, dance, tumbling, tops in stunts, bases in stunts, when to walk, when to clap, EVERYTHING! And do it sharp.
7. Have Fun
• This is the time the stress level starts to rise at an incredible rate. STOP and talk about it. Work as a team, rely and lean on each other don't fight with each other. Talk about it, get it in the open or it will build up. Remember, this should be fun or it's not worth it.
8. Create Your "Signature"
• How will everyone remember your team? What is going to set you apart from the other teams? It could be a pyramid like N.C. State and the "Wolf Wall". It could be tumbling, like Greenup County High School. Perhaps your signature could be a knowckout stunt sequence, like Boaz High School, or a specific cheer such as Christian Brothers’ traditional spellout.
9. Recheck Time, Music Time, Boundaries & Legality of Stunts
• Yes! - Again, seriously!
10. Build Confidence
• Again, talk about it. Work on building your confidence level. Take the floor as a team not as a group of individuals.
11. Perform in Front of a Crowd
• Give yourself a chance to work out some of the nerves. Do it more than once if possible.
12. Make sure you have Backup copies of your Music
• After you are positive your times are under the limit, make a few copies of the music and put different people in charge of it.
13. Be Prepared for any Outcome
• Everyone goes to a competition to win. However, only one team will. If you don't place where you wanted to, then evaluate what you could have done better. It is very possible you were not the best team there. It is always easier to be immature and blame someone else for your shortcomings or to claim the competition was fixed (politics). Its much harder to step back and evaluate yourself and grow from there. Also, if you do win, do not be arrogant or cocky. Everyone knows already you were chosen as the winner don't rub it in. If you do, it will only cause problems in the future. Represent your school or all-star gym with class. People will look forward to seeing you at the next competition if you do.
Text by: http://www.varsity.com/varsityresources/cheerleader-competition.html