How to Become a Certified Cheerleading Coach

Guiding a team of high-spirited cheerleaders offers a challenging, yet honorable, career path. Instructing youth or adult cheerleading routines and stunts, then facilitating the improvement of performance to the competition level, offers an achievement that can last a lifetime. Coaching, of course, requires commitment and dedicated training to be successful. While there is no guaranteed path to becoming a certified cheerleading coach, there are certifications available that will increase your chances of landing a high-profile position.

Instructions

    • 1

      Master the fundamentals of cheerleading to include all warm-up exercises, stunts, routines, and drills. Practice makes perfect and cheerleading in no exception.

    • 2

      Join a cheerleading squad, Try out at your school if you are a youth or in college. Or try out for a local competition squad or join a squad at a gym.

    • 3

      Volunteer to lead the squad in warm-ups and practice drills. This will help you gain leadership experience and get a good taste for coaching, while improving you own skills and keeping you in peak performance.

    • 4

      Become a coaching assistant while still competing. As an assistant, you will find yourself working with younger cheerleaders, while gaining valuable guidance from an experienced coach.

    • 5

      Find out the requirements for coaching certification in your state. Begin working towards fulfilling those requirements.

    • 6

      Obtain the Spirit Safety certification from the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (see References). This certification focuses on medical, liability and safety issues.

    • 7

      Obtain the Master certification from the National Council for Spirit Safety and Education. This certification focuses on tumbling, cheerleading fundamentals, stunts, and ethics.

    • 8

      Seek other applicable certifications available. The United States All Star Federation offers six levels of certification for those belonging to a gym's cheerleading squad.

    • 9

      Get a first-aid certification and make sure you retain that certification. First aid is crucial in any athletic program and cheerleading is no different.

    • 10

      Put together a compelling resume that details your experience and certifications related to cheerleading. When applying for coaching positions, any experience as an assistant or instances of leading a squad are important, as well as the certifications outlined in the previous steps.