Expert: Kimmi - 4/8/2010

Question
Last year was our first year for my 13 yr old daughter to be cheerleader. Also, our sponsors's 1st yr. We winged it and became a pretty good squad. We even had some cute stunts, easy but cute. Here's the problem. This year we have new parents, some of which do not like that the sponsor and I are such good friends. I was a cheerleader for 9 yrs, the sponsor-never. So I help her with ideas and support..one of the mothers said she demanded we be certified to work with her daughter..Yes it will be one of those years. We are going to a UCA stunt camp but it's just one day. in a small West TX town. Do we have to be certified to work with them? If so how do we get there, we have no budget for this.My daughter worked her butt off and was made captain, but some moms would rather we be a crappy squad than have the help of a mom that has cheered before. I have never encountered this problem before! The moms are just plain scary. Thanks!!

Answer
Hi Kirsten,

  Ok from your post, I'm guessing that the squad you're coaching is a middle school squad? If so, you do not have to be certified to coach them in most states,(some do require it) BUT it is always recommended. I coached for 2 years before becoming safety certified, and once I was certified I realized many things I had been doing wrong that could have potentially caused harm and lawsuits to myself.

  It is never a bad idea to get safety certified. You want to have that buffer for you in case an incident or injury ever does occur so that no one can say that you were negligent. Its not hard to get certified. The AACCA is the place you go through. http://www.aacca.org/ AND http://nfhslearn.com/Certification.aspx

  They offer clinics and online classes to get your certification. I can't remember how much it cost when I got certified....it's been a while, and undoubtedly the price will have changed regardless. But, in my opinion, it is the worth the cost to yourself to get certified in safety. My school didn't pay for it, so I paid for it myself, and it has come in handy several times over the years.

  If you know that your parents are going to act this way, and possibly form a vendetta, the best thing you can do is protect yourself from any potential problems you may encounter.  

Good luck, and Happy Cheering!
Kimmi