Cheerleading Tips- Tips for Spotters

Being on the cheerleading squad is a premium opportunity to show off your athletic and gymnastic prowess. There are so many duties on the cheer squad that you will likely have to wear many hats while wearing your cheerleading apparel. One very important job is the spotter. This duty is incredibly important because the success or failure of this job can mean safety or injury for another job on the team, the flyer.

So if you are a spotter, what are some things that you can do to make sure that you are on top of your game and your skills are sharp?

• Always keep your eyes on your flyers. Yes, this seems like a given but it is a necessary point to mention. When you are cheering at a game or competition, there are a lot of things that can distract your eyes from watching the flyer. There are fans in the stands applauding, yelling, holding signs, etc. If you are outside then there's nature, the sky, planes, cars, etc. The point is that you can be distracted and look somewhere else for only a second but that second can do some harm. Always watch your flyer. 
• When calling the stunt, make sure you can be heard by all the other cheerleaders on the squad; this is important because it keeps everyone on the same page. You want everyone on the same page for two reasons: 1) It makes you look prepared and not embarrassing. 2) It keeps people safe and functioning. So don't just say the stunt but yell it, it's better to be too loud than too soft. 
• Listen to your flyer, when (s)he says "Down" then act on it. Really listen for it. Remember, being on the same page and prepared keeps you all safe and the routines going strong. 
• Try not to laugh. Now, cheerleading is all about having a good time, in fact, your job is to create a good time for everyone else too. However, you should try to refrain from laughing during your routines because it can be distracting to the other cheer squad members and to yourself. You have to pay attention to what other people are doing and giving your attention to your flyers so they stay safe; if you are laughing, none of that is happening. 
• Do not let go of your flyer until you are sure they are stable on the ground. Safety for your flyer is your priority so make sure they are completely good to go before doing anything else. 
• Hold your flyer tight. Loose grips on your flyer can result in you losing your grip entirely and that means a hospital visit for your flyer. 

As a spotter, you have one of the most important jobs, if not the most important. Now go do it confidently and with spirit. 

If you have any questions about cheer gear, then contact Gear4Cheer - a Chicago cheerleading apparel company. 

This Might be Why You Didn't Make the Cheer Squad

Trying out for the cheerleading squad is a dream for a lot of males and females, especially when you get to collegiate and professional levels. However, you got to the cheer tryout only to hear your name be called when they're announcing the cuts. You thought you did everything right and you tried really hard. So what did you do wrong that caused you to not make the squad?

Your attitude: The coaches look at your attitude and can tell whether or not you are being genuine. If you had a bad attitude and it showed or you were trying to hide it, then this would be a red flag for the cheer coaches. This goes along with your spirit; if your enthusiasm was not there, then the coaches will not choose you because they want that good enthusiasm.
Your personality: Were you hiding your personality or were you being you? Sure, you might have a great personality but if the coaches didn't get a chance to see it, then they didn't know it existed and that's a problem.
Your leadership skills: Taking control of situations or helping guide the pack is not something only the coaches do or the assigned captain, it's something everyone can contribute a bit to when the situation calls for it. Each cheerleader has a little captain duties, not just the one with the C on their cheerleader uniform. 
Your team work skills: Did you have conflict with another person at the tryouts? Were you showing that it's either your way or the highway? That's a problem. This also includes if you are helpful to the team or just let things become someone else's responsibility.
You ability to adapt and change: If you are someone who has a really hard time adjusting to different duties that may not be your own, then that sticks out to the coaches.

Don't worry, there is the next year's tryouts for you to go for. Consider these things and practice your moves!

How To Choose the Best Shoes for Cheerleading - 6 Tips

Cheerleading can be quite tough on the body, especially when you have a competition on top of a couple games that week; maybe those games even went into overtime. Bottom line is that you need shoes that look good but also have good support and keep your feet feeling good.

Here are some tips for finding the right kind of shoe for you. Bonus points for finding one that matches your cheerleading apparel and cheer uniform. 

• Grips. You want to find a shoe that has good finger grips in it, especially if you are a flyer. When your fellow cheer squad members hold you up and toss you, you want them to have the best grip on your shoes as they can get. Look for shoes that have finger grips that can fit almost all finger sizes so you don't have to worry about who can grip your shoe and who can't. 
• Insoles. You will want shoes that have a good amount of padding inside the shoe to cushion your foot from the stunts, especially for landing. If you can, try to find shoes that have interchangeable insoles or at least find a good pair of insoles that you can place inside the shoe in addition to what is built in. 
• Comfort. Consider the comfort of the shoe; this is perhaps the most important aspect of finding the right shoe because if it is not comfortable, no amount of padding will make you want to wear them. Find shoes that are flexible and even breathable. The lighter the shoe, the more comfortable it will likely be; heavier shoes tend to make your feet tired and then they will start to hurt. 
• Arch support. You will want shoes that have good arch support. The better the arch support, the more comfortable they will be because you won't develop flat feet, landing will be easier on the feet, stunts will feel better, and your feet will just feel better overall. 
• Color: The color is entirely up to you/your squad. Most cheerleading squads prefer a white shoe because the color is neutral and compliments any uniform color scheme. 
• Lining. Finding a shoe that has a good lining is important as well. With many athletic shoes, you can find ones that have anti-microbial linings to prevent stink from sweat and bacteria. The strength of the lining matters since you are doing a lot of work on your shoes and a weak lining can make your shoes difficult to wear. 

If you are looking for good cheer apparel and cheer accessories then check us out! 

How to Get Guys on Your Cheerleading Squad

So cheerleading is predominantly a women's sport in the current times however did you know that cheerleading started out as a man's deal? Not only that but if you look at college cheerleading squads, there are a fair amount of guys on the cheer squads and they are not ashamed of it. So what are some ways you can get your squad to have a few more guys?

1. Let the females do the selling. A guy is always intrigued when a few cheerleaders come talk to them and ask them to come to their practice and try it out. Also, the cheerleaders know the sport the best so what better representatives than them? The cheerleaders will be able to answer any questions the prospective members have about the sport, the squad, the stunts and cheers, etc. 
2. Look for the guys who seem interested. At almost every sporting event, there are guys who are very into the cheers for the team and go wild in rooting for the team. Try to target these guys as they are already open to the idea of cheering for a sports team. Some people will be harder to recruit than others so look for people who give you at least a little bit of an opening. 
3. Let them know how athletic it is. A lot of guys believe that cheerleading is just a hobby and not a real sport because there is no ball, field, court, rink, etc. The truth is, you have to be pretty strong to be able to lift people up and you have to be coordinated. Let them know it is a workout, lifting weight, each time they do a practice, competition, or game. No, there are not as many components o cheerleading as there are for other sports but that does not mean it is not a sport, let them know this. Chances are, they will be pleasantly surprised. 
4. They will be celebrities... sort of. In most levels of cheerleading, there are more girls than they are guys, even at the collegiate level where there are a lot of male cheerleaders, they are out numbered by their female counterparts. Thus, if they were to join the squad, they would be noticed for sure and complimented for their bravery and courage. It could even get them more noticed by the ladies. 
5. Remind them it is a sport. This was hinted at before that it is indeed a sport despite not having a ball or object that needs to be scored into a net or part of the field. However, it is tough, requires strength, coordination, mental toughness, and it makes you sweat. So bam! It's a sport. 

New Cheerleading Accessories in the Market

Cheerleading accessories are great to use in addition for cheerleaders to use in addition to their cheer uniforms since they can give your overall look a nice twist but also can make things easier in some ways. Cheerleaders wear makeup sometimes, it is no secret. However, just like any makeup, it can become a nuisance when you're on the court or field sidelines doing cheers because it starts to run.

So what can be done to fix this predicament? Waterproof makeup for cheerleading.

When you're on stage during a cheer competition or on the sidelines during a basketball or football game, your performance is also measured by your stage presence. Having makeup that gets runny and becomes a distraction can be a real problem for cheer squads.

You need a high quality makeup that has the ability to stand up to your demands. The quality, cost, and delivery of the makeup have to be things to consider when choosing the right makeup. Having waterproof makeup is not only a possibility, it is a must for cheerleaders. To keep up with demands and trends in the cheerleading world, Gear4Cheer has released waterproof makeup, such as waterproof mascara.

For more, checkout Gear4Cheer or contact us and see what we have to offer!

7 Tips to Prepare You for College Cheer Tryouts

Every year, girls and guys try out for their college cheer squad, whether they are seniors in high school trying to make the squad as an incoming freshman or they are already at the university or college and trying to make it as an current student. Regardless of where you are now, you have to focus on the future, the future of being at your college cheer tryouts and making the squad.

Here are 7 tips to increase your chances of making the squad.

1. Grades. It seems like it shouldn't matter what your grades are in order to be on the cheerleading squad. Well, technically it doesn't since many colleges and universities don't have a minimum GPA requirement to be on the squad; however, schools often have a minimum GPA for students to be enrolled, so if you want to be a student there (and thus be on the squad) then you will have to have a good GPA. In addition to that, your good grades can be something that gets you picked over another contender. 
2. Know the squad's background. Do your research on the squad and see what they're like, what they know, what they do, who's on the squad, etc. When you show up to the cheerleading tryout, you want to show the squad leader and coaches that you are interested in the squad. Look for the squad's requirements to become a member and what is expected of the cheerleaders. Why do you want to be on the squad? What does it mean to you? Know these answers. 
3. Don't skimp on the application. When filling out your cheer squad application, do not do anything less than thorough. Not every school will require this but some do. When doing your research, find out how the squad does their applications, if they do; some schools want photos or videos along with a written application before the tryouts start. 
4. Prepare your first impressions. Know what you will say to people that you meet, have a good smile and attitude. You only get one chance to make a first impression and a bad one is hard to repair. Be on time for the tryouts or prepare to not make the cut and be prepared with everything you will need. 
5. Shape up on your skills. College cheerleading squads want the best; they have hundreds of students trying out for the squad and so they don't have to settle for anyone. Indeed, practice makes perfect. The skills required to be on the squad are much higher than junior high and high school. 
6. Learn new skills. While you need to improve any lacking skills you used in the past, it is important to learn new skills for college. Look for what skills they expect on the squad that you do not know or do already and learn those. 
7. Be a role model. The cheerleading squads like to see that the applicants are people that will make the squad and the school look good. In addition to having good grades and recommendations, giving to charity is also good. Quite a few college cheer squads donate to charity in some way so if you have this done already, they will like to see that. 

So get ready and dominate the college cheerleading squad tryouts! Go into the tryout looking great with new cheerleading apparel, cheerleading uniforms, or even just cheerleading accessories. Contact Gear4Cheer for info or visit our site. 

Do You Have What it Takes To Be Cheer Captain?

Being on a cheerleading squad can be a lot of fun and very challenging. Being cheer captain for a cheer squad can be even more fun and even more challenging. Most, if not all, cheerleaders dream of being the cheer captain of their squad, especially for high school, college, and professional. However, there are responsibilities of being a cheerleader that one must recognize before becoming a cheer captain. In addition to the responsibilities one must know, a cheer captain must also possess to be effective in his or her leadership.

Characteristics:

• Communication: this includes more than just being able to speak and listen, it means being able to say everything that needs to be said and saying things in a timely manner. Do not leave out details when communicating something and do not tell people the night before if they need two nights to get something. 
• Mature: Being mature and responsible are not things you learn to do once you exit teenage years or once you become a parent, they are things you learn and do if you want to succeed at anything. Be dependable for the coach to count on you to handle things and be punctual. 
• Being a good role model is part of this as well. You are the leader of the group and consequently, the newcomers, and even some of the veterans, are going to look up to you to know what to do in situations.  
• Another aspect of being mature and responsible is being fair. If there is a problem between two of your cheerleaders, you can't be more partial to one over the other because you are buddies with one or the other. 
• Being friendly and approachable is something that a cheerleading captain has to be. If you are being watched by or even meeting prospective cheerleaders, you have to be nice to them or they will either choose another squad (if they can, ex: choosing colleges) or they will just not be on the squad until you leave. A cheer captain who is not friendly and approachable will not gain many squad members. 

Responsibilities:

• Starting and sometimes even leading practices is a responsibility of a cheer captain (co-captains are included in this). 
• Call the cheers during games and competitions. You will have to know what cheers are going to be used during the games and competitions, then, you will be asked to call them out so the other cheerleaders know what to do as well. 
• Be in charge of sign production and other accessories. 
• Be an ambassador.As the cheer captain, you are supposed to be an ambassador. You will be the first to greet and welcome other squads, talk to prospective squad members, etc. 
• Be a mediator and handle conflict. As the cheer captain, if there is a problem between two of your squad members, you will be the first one to handle it; only if it gets out of your control will it really be brought to the coach, or if it involves you. 
• Be a liaison. The coach will ask you to relay information to your squad members and vise versa. 

Go forth and be the best cheer captain you can be! If you are looking for new cheerleading gear or cheerleading apparel, then you need to check out Gear4Cheer - a Chicago cheerleading company. 

How To Become a Great Cheerleader

Cheerleading is a sport that requires you to look good and be good right from the start if you want to be on the squad because there are no backups. Once you are on the squad, there is still that sense of greatness that your squad has to uphold if your squad wants to be effective cheerleaders. In this blog, you will find several tips for how to maintain the excitement you had while trying out for the squad into the actual games and competitions and be the best cheerleader you can be.

1. The first thing you can do to maintain your great cheerleading energy is to do a sound off. The point of the sound off is to make it sound like your squad actually cares about having energy while doing the cheers. How are you supposed to get the crowd energized and into the game when the cheerleading squad sounds like they hardly even care? Make your cheers sound full of spirit and commitment to get the best effect from the cheers. Make sure to sound off nice and loud and make the crowd say WOW. 
2. Show the crowd your pearly-whites. Do not be afraid to flash the smile to the crowd and get them energized by knowing that the cheerleaders are a happy bunch. How is the crowd supposed to feel like you care when you're stone-faced and look depressed? Now, you don't have to be like Barbie in Toy Story 2 and be smiling huge and bright the entire time, you're not a smiling robot; just be cheerful and look happy. People love seeing smiles and when we see other people smiling, it improves our own moods and we smile too. This same concept applies to the cheerleaders and crowd at a football or basketball game. 
3. Keep sharp and snap the motions. When doing the motions in the game or competition, make sure that your cheerleading squad's motions are quick and have that snap. When doing the cheer motions, you do not want your motions to be lazy and loose, you want them tight. The reason you want to have the snap when doing the motions for a cheer is because it looks like your squad is on top of things; like your squad actually practices and cares about how it does. Also, it looks like your squad is moving in unison instead of staggered. 
4. Keep your mind in place. This means that you have to stay on top of things during the game. Know where your team is in the game; are they winning or losing? Offense or defense? You want to show your crowd, as well as your team, that you know the sport and that you are paying attention. It would be quite embarrassing if you were doing a cheer that said you wanted a touchdown when your team is on defense. I'm just saying. 
5. Stay in shape. This does not mean that you have to be constantly working out and have a perfect beach body but rather exercise so you are able to handle doing cheerleading for an entire game or competition. Having cheerleaders who are huffing and puffing just as much as the athletes does not look good for the team or the school. 

Bottom line, you do not want to lose that spunk once you become a member of the cheerleading squad. As someone who is around a lot of cheerleaders, I have seen a lot of moves from things discussed above and it never looks good when the tips above are violated. If you are in the market for some cheer apparel, check out this Chicago cheerleading apparel company for great deals and promos. 

Kids & Teen Fashion Fall 2013

The school year is back in session for kids and teens and so the time of getting new clothes and accessories has arrive; sorry, children, but it is true and sad that Summer 2013 is officially over. All the kids and teens want to look good in school and impress their friends. There are quite a few good looks for the kids going back to school For the Fall 2013 look in regards to children and teen fashion , many critics claim that bright colors and print designs are a couple of the hip looks. The only problem is that it can be difficult to find and sometimes even afford the coolest and latest fashion trends for children and teens; fortunately for you, Gear 4 Cheer has bags and other accessories that feature the latest fashion wants.

Print design is one of the latest fashion trends for children and teens for Fall 2013. Gear 4 Cheer has plenty of backpacks and lunch bags with print designs on them that your children and teenagers will love! We have designs such as zebra design, chevron design (looks like zig-zag lines), as well as other designs. A particularly interesting design we have in stock is an owl design. We also have outer ware, shorts, pants, shirts, and foot ware that all have attractive print designs. For our shorts collection, we have shorts with print on the backside as well as floral designs. If you are looking for a t-shirt that will feature a great print design, we have those too! You can even have the shirts made to represent the school; this is even better because not only is it featuring the cool trend of print design but is also unique which adds to the "cool factor." If you would like to check out our designs available for Fall 2013, then check out our back to school page as well as our apparel page.

As stated earlier, the other hot Fall 2013 fashion trend was having bright colors. At Gear 4 Cheer, we have bright colors such as turquoise, hot pink, lime green, powder blue, as well as other bright colors that will attract the eye and make your child or teen glow. We have backpacks and lunch bags that feature these colors as well as apparel; we have t-shirts, long sleeves, hoodies, jackets, pants (even yoga pants), shorts, and footwear that utilize bright colors that are in style to really make them pop and your child stand out. Your child or teen does not have to be a cheerleader to be able to find things they like on our website, they only have to enjoy looking good and feeling comfortable being themselves!

This is only a glimpse of what we can offer you if you want to send your child off to school in the latest designs. If you would like to see our entire inventory, check out Gear 4 Cheer and look for yourself, we think you will like what you see!

How Cheerleaders Can Represent Their School in the New School Year

The school year of 2013-2014 is finally here, whether the kids like it or not. And since it is back to school time, it is also time for the new cheerleaders to take their spots next to the football field with their veteran teammates as well as know how to represent their school to really get the school spirit flowing.

The beginning of every school year is filled with lots of excitement; excitement for new classes, the beginnings of sports seasons, and seeing friends that have not been seen since the end of the previous school year. The hope for a great year is high and the school pride is overflowing. Of course, there are ways that the cheerleaders can help facilitate the school spirit while still being respectful of other schools and showing pride for the teams while not being vicious and hurtful.

The best way to be a good cheerleader and still be respectful at the same time is to take on the role model mentality; know that people are going to be watching you and acting the way you do. By the time of high school, people have their own ability to make decisions by themselves but at the same time, there is immense peer pressure to act a certain way and it is quite often that the peer pressure overrides any conflicting ways of behaving. Thus, it is important to try to make the peer pressure positive instead of negative. A new school year promises fresh starts and enabling a positive attitude at sporting events can be what it takes to get the school in a good mindset. Acting nicely and being a good sport is something people will notice and will want to do if they see other people doing it too; peer pressure does not have to be a bad thing at all. It can be used for good.

Another way to be a good cheerleader is to be a cheerleader even outside of sporting events and pep rallies. What I mean by this is that it might be a good idea to promote school spirit even when just going about the normal school day and in the classroom. Encouragement is something that keeps on giving.