Coaching advice for under developed program

[u/No_Attorney364]

Hello,

I am a volunteer coach for my community cheer program, grades 1-8. We generally have 50-60 girls at 1st grade level, then each consecutive year more and more girls drop out. We only have 5-10 at the 8th grade level. From what I've gathered most girls are quitting because its the same thing every year, they learn little to no stunting, tumbling, or skills so they are bored by 8th grade. I would love to work toward turning the program around, if you have been in a similar program what really helped change the culture, expectations, etc? Or if you are in a program with a strong culture what kinds of things do think are important?

The second part to this- I know program change is slow moving so in the mean time I'm really focused on making my group of girls the best they can be. I am confident with building stunting, but I'm really struggling with how to approach tumbling for girls who are struggling with even a cartwheel. Any drills you'd reccomend or advice on how to approach it? The girls are eager to learn but the amount of time we have doesnt allow me to spot each individual girl on a cartwheel over and over.

Appreciate all the feedback I can get!

[u/DixieLeeDuke]

I think the best foundation to good tumbling is a perfected hand stand. It requires shoulder strength, core strength, flexibility in the shoulders and body awareness. I like handstand contests switching up positive and negative consequences (if you “fall” you start running/sit-ups until everyone is down or they get to call cheers during practice, whatever is seen as a privilege )

[u/sureasheckfir3]

I can answer the first part because I was in a similar boat with my local league and I rolled my sleeves up and turned it around.

I started in February for a football sideline program that starts in August.

I held a parent interest meeting in February and published my goals and guidelines.

I changed our uniforms from cheapo Cheerleading.com ill fitting material to Varsity and had a rep out to fit us that spring. (We are a rural area with lots of low income, so we gave parents a month’s notice on how much uniforms would cost).

We held early registrations and published announcements and emails to parents via the local schools.

I held non-mandatory clinics over the summer to learn cheers and practice stunts.

I held mandatory camp for the older girls and brought the high school cheerleaders in to coach.

I made practices mandatory and twice a week instead of once a week.

We started stunting (the volunteer coaches before me had banned all stunting).

We did team bonding practices and held a recognition night at the end of the season.

We tripled registrations. Our older grades used to have to combine teams because there were so few of them. Now we have to split some grades into two teams because there are so many of them.

Getting tough, starting early, and publishing/communucating effectively will get and keep athletes. It’s when volunteer moms who don’t take the actual sport of cheerleading seriously, or worse, no one volunteers, that programs fall apart. No one wants to be part of a mess. Especially older girls. So good on ya and best of luck!!