How To Be a Great Flyer in Cheerleading

There are certain things you should know if you are going to be a flyer for your cheerleading squad. Being a great flyer does require some work but it does not require anything crazy, just dedication and some knowledge.

The first thing you can do to become a great flyer is to make sure your body is tight and as fit as possible. This will make it easier to be tossed and have structure to the stunts. This does not mean you have to be super skinny, just tight. Fit.

The second thing you need to do is not look down when being held up, this will only scare you and create instability in the stunt. What you do is focus on an object that and you will have a much easier time keeping your balance. So try to avoid being afraid when you are being held up.

The third thing you need to do is to make sure you hold your weight when being held up. Squeeze your muscles together and push yourself up a bit. Why? This makes it easier for the base people to hold you up and for you to remain balanced. Along with this, let you base help you remain balanced; this is part of their job, let them do it.

Avoid having feuds with the cheerleaders who hold you up.

Remember to try and evenly distribute your weight when you are falling and being cradled, do not fall to one side, fall to both.

2 Quick Cheerleading Tips

Cheerleading, just like any sport, requires that you take your time to learn skills and do it to the best of your abilities. If you do not practice your moves, then you will find that your skills either stay at the same level or they decline.

There are some things you can do to help you improve your cheer skills.

For cheer motions, you need to remember that your motions have to be sharp, snappy, and accurate. No matter what your motions are, whether they are high Vs or simple hands on your hips, your motions will make or break your cheers. For any cheer, there is a right way and a wrong way to get it done, consequently, take your time to do your motions the right way; don't learn them just because your coach said to, learn them because they will help your squad look good and help the team play better! After you have made the decision about what motions you will want to use, pair them up with the perfect words of the cheer and then get to practicing (if it helps to practice in front of a mirror, go for it!). Make sure your cheer and words flow together nicely and whether or not the cheer is awkward; if you feel it is awkward, think of ways to refine it or seek the help of your cheer coach. Don't be afraid to create something different, after all, you are a cheerleader!

When doing your cheers, your facial expressions and voice are key to making the cheer great and getting the crowd into. Think about it, if you have a great cheer but you are sounding sad and have lackluster motions, the crowd will not get into your cheer. This aspect of cheerleading can be easily overlooked. You want the crowd to hear you and see your facial expressions; your goal is to get the crowd excited and into the game or your cheer at competition. Now, while you don't want to whisper your cheers, you also don't want to scream your cheers. As far as your facial expressions, make sure to look cheerful and happy, that's how you want the crowd to be; don't be overly happy, that might scare people, just be naturally happy.

If you have any questions about cheerleading apparel, then visit Gear4Cheer. 

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.