Tips on Coaching Pee Wee Cheerleaders

A pee wee cheerleading squad typically consists of young children. Coaching pee wee cheerleaders takes time and patience. Keeping in mind that they are very young in terms of mental and physical development, this high-energy athletic activity should be taught in a fun way. Coaching budding cheerleaders should aim at building their self-confidence and improving their athletic skills without wearing them down physically or emotionally.

  1. Preparation

    • A coach has to prepare in advance the activities to do in a particular session. Since little children have lesser attention spans, it is essential to conduct the practice sessions in an exciting way before the kids start losing interest. Keeping each session short and interesting and moving quickly from one activity to another will hold their attention throughout the session.

    Precautions

    • The coach has to ensure that each practice session meets all safety precautions. Each session should begin and end with a stretching period to prevent muscle pulls and other injuries. Performance skills should be taught in a proper sequence through skills progression training. This will ensure that the kids master the basic skills first before learning the difficult stunts. Before going to each higher level, the coach has to ensure that the child is strong enough, flexible and ready to move on.

    Practice

    • Instructions should always be short and concise as little kids cannot handle elaborate instructions. For small children, getting behind them and helping with the hand and leg movements for jumps, cheers or dances is essential. Keeping in mind their fragile bodies, it is important not to expect them to perform any fancy stunts or to perform in perfect synchronization with each other.

    Praise

    • Motivating the little ones is essential to keep them going. Praising them for every task they complete or every skill they master helps them practice with much more energy and confidence. With each word of motivation, their performance gets even better. Knowing that they are doing well enough helps them take pride in their achievements and builds their confidence levels.