Fun Ideas to Motivate Cheerleaders

Even the peppiest cheerleader gets down sometimes, but it's up to the coach and the squad to try and keep that from happening. However, in the event that one of your cheerleaders gets down, some of the best ways to cheer her up are fun team-building exercises.

  1. Compliment Cards

    • Sometimes the best way to motivate a squad is for them to be reminded that they are a team, and they need to learn to love and respect each other despite the differences they may have. This can be difficult with high school squads. But at any age, compliment cards are a great way for squads to connect with one another. Write each squad member's name on a blank card and pass it to the other members. Have the squad write anonymous compliments on the cards and give each member his compliment card at the end of practice.

    Shoe Toss

    • Have every member of the squad take off her shoes and throw all of them in a pile. Divide the squad into two teams and have them race to see which team can have everyone find their shoes and have them on first. Sometimes a little friendly competition is good for a team, especially when there aren't any prices involved.

    Spirit Stick

    • Another great way to motivate your squad as well as build your team as a whole is to have your own spirit stick. The cheerleader with the most spirit and who shows the most care to the squad as a whole will get the spirit stick for the week. Because the squad members will be required to vote for who they think deserves it, and can't vote for themselves, the team will grow closer to one another, and the individual cheerleaders will be motivated to work harder to earn the spirit stick.

    Awards

    • Although earning the spirit stick will motivate a squad, each person will only have it for a week. Offer awards for skills advancement. If there are awards involved, you can bet your squad will work harder than they would at a normal practice. Offer some sort of award, like a $10 gift card, to anywhere the winner chooses for mastering the latest stunt or learning a new cheer the fastest.