Expert: Pamela Enders - 1/16/2010

Question
Hey,    I'm auditioning for my national squad who compete in worlds every year. The 3 categories of the auditions are pom dance, hip hop and jazz. I think I will audition for the Pom squad. What makes a good pom/hip-hop/jazz dancer and are there any tips for tryouts?   Thanks

Answer
Dear Mj,

Thanks for writing!

First, I’d like to clarify my area of expertise – I am a sport psychology coach and an expert on the mental game of cheerleading.  I do not coach a cheer team and do not profess to be an expert on the technical aspects of the sport.  So…I cannot answer your questions about what makes a good pom/hop/jazz dancer but – I CAN respond to your request for tips on tryouts.

I actually created a product – a 2-CD audio set plus 50-page workout on tryouts and I also have written a good deal about this on my blog – http://www.confidentcheerleadingblog.com .  Check it out!   

Here are some excerpts from my blog and if you go to the site you will find lots more stuff on all aspects of the mental game of cheerleading.

So – here are the excerpts (below).  And good luck to you!

Dr. Pam
The Mental Game of Cheerleading
http://www.confidentcheerleadingblog.com
http://www.confidentcheerleading.com

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Anxiety can be part of cheerleading tryouts and there are many reasons for that.  But one thing that happens when you’re anxious is that your focus is directed at yourself and you can get too caught up in it.  In other words, a healthy perspective can really help but this means being able to step back and take in the big picture.

Here’s a tip that might help:  Put yourself in your prospective coach’s shoes. Really, try it!  Imagine you are the coach and you are trying to put together the best squad possible.  What are you looking for?  

Take out a piece of paper and write down all the qualities you would like to see in the cheerleaders you will be bringing onto your team. List as many as you can think of.

Here’s a list to get you started:

1.   Competence/Skills
2.   Attitude
3.   Spirit
4.   Personality
5.   Leadership
6.   Team player
7.   Helpfulness

Can you think of more?

Once you have your list, consider if you have those qualities.  How might you demonstrate those traits during tryouts?

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Cheerleaders or those who want to be cheerleaders might overlook one of the most important qualities cheerleading coaches look for during tryouts and that is - are you coachable?

What does it mean to be coachable?  Well, think about this for a moment.  If you were the coach, what kind of person do you think would be a pleasure to coach?  Here’s my list:

1.   Eager to learn
2.   Open to learning
3.   Willing to try new things
4.   Actively looks for feedback
5.   Takes in and uses feedback to improve
6.   Accepts critiques graciously
7.   Is always on time
8.   Rarely complains
9.   Never whines
10.   Views mistakes as opportunities to learn
11.   Pleasant to be with
12.   A real team player
13.   Supportive of others

What would you add to this list?  Do you have the qualities on this list?  A coach will likely choose someone with these qualities who also has the potential to learn over someone who is highly skilled but who does not have these qualities. Something to think about!
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Part of the anxiety surrounding Cheerleading tryouts is the wish to control things you cannot control!

Are you caught up in trying to control the uncontrollables?

What do I mean by this?  Well, are you preoccupied with who else might be trying out?  Or worried about who else might make it? Or concerned about who the judges might be? Or agonizing over whether your tumbling skills will be better than someone else’s?

If so, you are preoccupied with trying to control the uncontrollables!  You have NO control over any of these things, right?  You cannot control who will be trying out, how good they are, how much the judges will like them, who gets chosen, or who the udges will be.  

If you spend time thinking about any of these things, you are wasting your energy and your valuable time.  So, stop it already!

Try this instead: consider what IS under your control and focus on those things.

Control the controllables!

What are these?  Well, make a list! (You know I’m a big fan of writing things down.) Here’s a start:

1.   What you work on in practice
2.   How often you practice
3.   Time and dedication you devote to your preparation
4.   Training and feedback you seek
5.   Books and videos you use to supplement your learning
6.   Information you gather about the tryouts
7.   Good nutrition
8.   Good work-out ethic
9.   Mental preparation

What might you add to this list?  I can guarantee that if you seriously devote your time and energy to controlling what you can, in fact, control, your anxiety will decrease and your performance will improve.
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I have heard from many cheerleaders who are worried about tryouts.  This has led me to decide to write a book about this topic.  I am working on the book now but I will include excerpts from it in today’s and upcoming posts.

Doubts are fueled by several factors including Lack of Accurate Feedback about Skill Level and Ability.   If you are a true beginner, with no previous cheerleading or tumbling experience, you will be trying out for a beginners’ team so this does not apply to you.

I have seen cheerleaders who think they are not skilled enough pass on trying out for a varsity squad when, in fact they did have the right skills for varsity.  And I have seen the reverse – cheerleaders believing they were highly skilled but were not – trying out for an upper level team that was way out of their range.  

There are also cheerleaders who think they can learn a new skill such as a backward handspring a week before tryouts!  Well, this is obviously not a good idea!  Having an accurate and objective sense of your skill level is important and can save you much heartache.

The solution?  Ideally your current coach or instructor will already have been giving you consistent feedback about your skill level and ability but if not, ask your coach to assess your skills and ask your coach if you are ready to try out for a particular squad.  If your coach tells you that you are NOT ready, take this information as data, not as a personal attack. Find out what you need to work on so you can prepare for next year.

Inadequate Training: This problem is related to problem number three. In this instance the cheerleader simply has not had the right kind of training in order to move to the next level. Many cheerleaders know that they have not have the right kind of training or experience because their skill level is not up to par. Not having the right kind of training contributes to doubt.

Solution? The solution in this instance is pretty straightforward and that is to make sure that you do get adequate training. There are countless cheerleading gyms available to learn the skills. There are also videos and books which may be helpful.  (Of course do NOT try any tumbling moves on your own – be safe!) Before you sign up for a cheer gym, visit several and observe other cheerleaders and talk to them to see what they recommend.