Blog Entries

Join Professional Organizations

dbracewell@roadrunner.com — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

As a cheer coach, you are part of a larger community-the spirit industry. Thousands of event producers, cheer vendors, organizations, gyms, and teams comprise the spirit industry. The longer you coach, the more you need to know. Why join professional organizations?

Membership in professional organizations gives the individual cheer coach an immediate network of other spirit professionals. Belonging to a professional organization puts you in contact with others who share your [...]

Frequently Asked Questons about the NCSSE

dbracewell@roadrunner.com — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Q. What is the NCSSE?

A. The National Council for Spirit Safety and Education is an association of companies serving the United States & International cheerleading community who share a primary mission: to provide comprehensive safety training and certification programs for the educational development of spirit coaches and advisors through an international council of unified industry leaders.

Q. I already have taken one course from another company. Why do I need t [...]

Running on Empty

hmitchell@enterpriseschools.net — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

As we approach the next to last regular season ballgame, I think I am all out of energy! We did have a week off last week from school, but not from cheerleading or ballgames. It is hard to stay interested in the ballgame part of cheerleading when we have so much else to do! And it is cold and rainy - what a combination! Enough complaining.....How do you r [...]

2008 Spirit Industry Awards

dbracewell@roadrunner.com — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

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Congratulations to the recipients of the 2008 Spirit Industry Awards!

It's the Academy Awards of the Spirit Industry! From "Best Spirit Apparel Catalog/Brochure Design" to "Best New Product or Service," from "Best Lighting, Sound and Set Design" to "Best Philanthropic Initiative" and many more, peers are recognizing peers for raising the standards of excellence, professionalism and innovation in all areas of the Spirit Industry.� The 2008 Spirit Industry Awards were pre [...]

Who I am

afoxworth@maconeast.net — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Well, hello all!! As I sit here writing this blog I am thinking of what I can say to all of those reading this........which might not be many!! :) I have been in cheerleading for about 14 years now. It has literally consumed my life since I can remember!! I loved being a cheerleader and now I love coaching cheerleading. I have some of the best cheerleaders anyone could ask for! Our homecoming week is in a few weeks so I'll keep you posted on how that go [...]

Homecoming

hmitchell@enterpriseschools.net — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Well, it is Homecoming week in Enterprise, Alabama. This is the week that the kids live for and those of us who teach dread. I am all for school spirit, but Homecoming week is like one big party which makes it hard to get anything done in the classroom! It is encouraging to see the kids get excited about someth [...]

Pet Peeves

dbracewell@roadrunner.com — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

I'm watching college football on tv and the camera zooms in on a cute cheerleader--Not! She's chewing gum. Granted the game hasn't started yet, but this tops my list of pet peeves. As a coach, I could spot a gum chewer a mile away!

Second--"spirit fingers." If you are wiggling your fingers and kicking up on [...]

Spirit Leaders or Spirit Makers

hmitchell@enterpriseschools.net — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

I have come to the conclusion that the majority of people think the cheerleaders should devote all time to "making spirit". While I do feel like we are the leaders of spirit I don't feel like we should be making spirit - to the point where we are the only ones with spirit and we are trying to make everyone else h [...]

Cheering on the Sidelines

dbracewell@roadrunner.com — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

I had a call this morning from a coach whose athletic director has forbidden the cheer squad from standing on the sidelines at the football game. This decision was made as a safety concern for the cheerleaders. I agree with the athletic director. Her question was how can her cheerleaders see the game to know what cheers to yell--offense or [...]

Heat and Heart

dbracewell@roadrunner.com — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

In the last month, two football players in New Jersey have died as a result of their participation in football. One died after a tackling incident; the other died from a previously unknown heart condition. As we work through a new cheer season, let's look at two health and safety issues that have taken the forefront in [...]

On My Side - In My Corner

hmitchell@enterpriseschools.net — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

I am beginning to think this blog thing might be addictive even if noone reads it! I have to take a moment to give kudos to my administration! I know that at times we often get aggravated at our administrations because they just don't understand what we are going through, but after a week from well - you know where - my principal stood behind me with [...]

Going Through The Motions

dbracewell@roadrunner.com — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

I recently heard a television reporter saying football coaches were tired of their players just going through the motions. That comment made me think of the last two cheerleading competitions I attended. I wish the cheerleaders had gone through the motions!

Are good, crisp cheerleading motions becoming extinct? I see pictures of cheerleaders in [...]

Telfon Skin

hmitchell@enterpriseschools.net — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

As I sat down to write this, I truly had a hard time trying to decide what to write about. But in the past 4 days we have had something that has happened to our squad that has never happened to me before. I had 2 people quit! I know some of you are thinking no big deal because it has happened to you, but I am thinking this is a BIG deal in my little wo [...]

Are spring floors going away?!

lali03@hotmail.com — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Hey Everyone!

I need a little feedback! I have heard that spring floors may no longer be used in competitions? I was wondering if anyone had heard something along the same lines or have I just been misinformed? Either way, any details would be great!!

Good Luck and Cheer Hard!

-LL

Cheers To A New Begining

david@nfinityshoes.com — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Welcome to the new and improved Coaches Closet!! We've been working on it over the summer and we finally have got it right. It is my pleasure to be writing the very first blog and hope that you'll take advantage of all the new and improved features.

First let's talk about the blog. This is not about [...]