Here’s 5 Tips to Help Your Cheerleader Build Confidence!

Hi All and welcome to this amazing training to learn my top 5 tips and advice to help your cheerleader build confidence in tumbling!

Now, for those of you who don’t yet know me, my name is Danielle and I am the founder of CHEERFIT and the go-to fitness expert for the cheerleading industry! I’ve helped thousands of cheerleaders and parents I am here to help you too!

I also created a free video training that goes along with this blog : )

Parents, I know you want to do everything you can to help your child succeed! You want them to excel in anything they set their mind to, and you hate to see them struggle through challenges. I know, there is nothing more upsetting or frustrating than wanting to help in every way possible, but just not knowing what to say or how to help.

Can you relate?? And even though I can’t see you I bet you are all nodding your heads at home saying yes, yes, and yes!

But don’t sweat it, in this blog post today, I am going to share my top 5 tips – both mental and physical help your cheerleader demystify the mental block, build confidence, and advance their skills!

PS, I bet these tips are tips no one has ever told you before! This is because I am putting a different spin on things and proving the cheer world with a FITNESS approach!

So let’s get to those tips!!

MINDSET:

Tip #1: CHANGE THE WAY YOU’RE THINKING

• Moms, dads… it starts with YOU – if you are nervous or stressed out that your child will not hit that stunt or will not throw their skill, your kids can sense that ..and you being nervous, causes them to be nervous too! Yes, your kids can feel your tension. 

• Here’s how to fix it,  “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at CHANGE”!! This is such a powerful quote that you want to remind yourself of over and over again! Say it again, “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at CHANGE!” 

• For example, if your child comes to you and says, “Mom, I have a mental block”, tell them to STOP thinking about the mental block and focus on what you do have! “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at CHANGE!” 

Just a simple change in your thinking can release the pressure that comes when pushing through a mental block or trying to get a new skill!

Tip #2: FOCUS ON SMILING

Instead of overthinking that skill, tell your cheerleader to focus on SMILING! Here’s why:

• Smiling naturally reduces stress
• Smiling naturally lifts your mood
• When you’re smiling, it takes the fear away and does not let negative thoughts creep in

So when you see your child frustrated trying the same thing over and over again..tell her to SMILE! Actually do it with me right now, just SMILE – you can’t help but improve your mood right?? And there you have it tip #2!

Tip #3: FOCUS ON SOMETHING COMPLETELY RANDOM

One of the main reasons why your cheerleader is holding themselves back is because they are afraid of NOT being perfect. Cheerleading is a sport focused on perfectionism ..and anything less than perfect can be looked at as a failure. This, however, is NOT the case. 

You should not instantly get a skill, you want to be able to build up to new skills. Build the foundation first gives the confidence and strength every step of the way! So remember, instead of stressing about being perfect, focus on something completely random! This will help take that stress away. 

Here are some random things to think about…

• Pink Elephants
• Sponge Bob
• Purple Monkeys
• Think of a joke
• Anything random

Why this works: Thinking of something random takes your mind off of being perfect and takes out the stress of perfectionism. When you clear your head you are able to better focus on the opportunities AHEAD instead of the setbacks. ‘

So next time your child needs a little boost, tell them a joke, a random thought, or just act goofy and this will take their mind off stressing about being perfect.

Ok, so now you have the mindset down..which is always the number one thing I start on with parents during our one-on-one virtual coaching calls . After we’ve got the mindset down, we then go into the physical strength build part of it! 

PHYSICAL:

Ok so now that we have the mindset down..it’s time to focus on the physical aspect of helping your cheerleader build confidence!

Tip #4: FITNESS BUILDS STRENGTH, STRENGTH BUILDS CONFIDENCE and that’s our goal!

I’ve got 2 fit tips that you will LOVE! If your child is stuck in a mental block, these 2 exercise tips are a must do!

Mountain Climber Challenge Busters – this is a sure-fire exercise to keep in your back pocket and use anytime your cheerleader needs a little boost! Mountain climbers truly help overcome challenges, bust through, mental blocks, and CLIMB MOUNTAINS (hence the name itself).

• If your child is stuck in a mental block, bust this exercise out before every practice. (go for 45-60 seconds)
• As you guys do the mountain climbers (together), think of positive thoughts, repeat your goals out loud, and tell yourself I CAN DO THIS!
• Immediately stand up, shake it off, smile, and go right into the skill!
  

Motivational Plank Holds –this is a great exercise to boost confidence and see instant results. Being able to have that instant gratification helps build motivation.

Motivation = success, success = confidence!

Here is what to do: Every night, do a plank hold challenge (parents, I highly recommend you do these exercises with your kids!). Be sure to track your progress each night and try to hold that plank a little longer each time! Tracking progress will help your child see that they ARE improving every day. A little bit each day = big results! Seeing those little improvements each day as she is able to hold the plank longer and longer will definitely build that motivation.

Motivation = success, success = confidence!

EMPOWERMENT:

Ok so we rocked the mental side, we’ve got the physical aspect down, now we focus on EMPOWERMENT!

Tip #5: DO THESE MINDSET EXERCISES WITH YOUR KIDS

• Doing the workouts together will not only empower your kids, but also show them that you believe in them, you are here for them, and you are right there with them practicing what you preach. And hey, you’ll get in a good workout too : )
• Look at every challenge as an opportunity! Remember, challenges give you the strength to push through and find new opportunities. “Every challenge is an opportunity to achieve something great!
• Empower your cheerleader and believe in them..and they’ll believe in themselves too!

I love this tip because it truly helps! I have countless stories from moms who share with me on our virtual coaching calls just how much doing these exercises with their kids truly does help! Never before have our moms realized that their child’s confidence starts with them.

The power and benefits that both our parents and kids receive by doing the exercises together and bonding over the CHEERFIT tips, workouts, and exercises are incredible. 

So to recap, tonight’s top 5 tips are:

1. Change the way YOU look at things – When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at CHANGE
2. Focus on Smiling
3. Focus on something completely random
4. Boost confidence through exercise
5. Empower your child by doing the workouts and tips with them!

If you liked this tips, sign up for the FREE video training that goes along with this blog! Enjoy : )

So there you have it, I hope this workshop has empowered you with the tips, tools, and strategies and a new perspective on how to help your child build confidence and make THIS the best season yet!! And remember I am here supporting you guys every step of the way! Leave a COMMENT or send me an email, and let me know how I can help! ([email protected])

DANIELLE DONOVAN

is the go-to fitness expert for the cheerleading industry and founder of CHEERFIT (www.cheerfittraining.com). Danielle holds national fitness certifications through the American Council on Exercise and specializes in sports conditioning, youth fitness, and group fitness as it pertains specifically to cheerleaders. Danielle has been featured on NBC,Inside Cheerleading Magazine, FITNESS Magazine, Livestrong, Yahoo Beauty, NY Post, American Cheerleader Magazine and more. Through fitness, Danielle focuses on helping cheerleaders build the confidence, strength, and flexibility they need to reach their goals and prevent injury.

First of all – the irony that I am writing a food post on a blog is actually pretty funny. I am not a foodie. I don’t like to cook and I’m not big on baking either.  So, how did I get here? My commitment to raising kids healthier than I was raised began when my oldest daughter was born and became a mission when she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 12. Add a hip-hop addicted middle child and a gymnast-turned-Allstar Cheerleader to the mix and I began to look at food and nutrition a whole new way.

I know that by the end of the school year, we’re all a bit lunch-boxed out however, competitive cheerleading has no Off Season. The end of the school year doesn’t mean the end of practices, private lessons, and open gym. Cheerleaders never stop moving and the food they eat is as important to their training and importance as anything else.  As parents of cheerleaders, we know that when the rest of the world hears “cheerleader,” they think of pom-poms and sidelines. In our world, “cheerleader” means high-performing, world-class athletes who push themselves as hard as any other participant in any other sport. We know they need to practice, drink lots of water, stretch out properly, and get enough sleep, but one thing that can be hard running from school to practice, to private lessons – in the car a lot and home late after practice– is making sure that they eat right.

What I have learned with my girls is that preparation is everything but, as a single, working mom, that isn’t easy. One thing that worked for us is bento boxes, both for lunches and snacks. While bento boxes are more expensive than regular lunch boxes, they are specifically designed to keep food from getting squashed or spilling, they are better for the environment than using Ziploc bags, and there is only one thing to wash after every use instead of a lunchbox full of different containers. They also lend themselves to healthier foods – because items like berries, veggie dip, salsa, cheese and crackers, and healthier items stay separate and ready to eat and make lunch look appealing and inviting.   Packing a box for a snack on the way to practice, tumbling, or private lessons not only saves you time and money by removing the need to run through the drive through on the way, but it gives you the opportunity to provide the fuel out athletes need to perform at their best.

Salad with spinach, lettuce, cheese, carrots, and ham; cherries and berries; granola bar; granola; cheese, crackers, and ham; cashews, and eggs. With a refresh of fruit and cheese, this will be enough food for a snack on the way to tumbling.

One of the appeals of this kind of lunch system is that it looks like those pre-packaged, processed lunches that our kids so often ask us to buy. We can create the look of products like Lunchables at home, for a fraction of the price, and filled with healthy foods that will provide the fuel our athletes need.

Here are some high-performance foods that work well in lunchboxes or snack boxes:

• Chips and Salsa: Salsa is high in antioxidants like lycopene and it helps the body absorb vitamin C.
• Cheese and Crackers: whole wheat crackers better than the butter crackers like Ritz. Pair them with any kind of cheese your cheerleader prefers. Not only are they quick and easy but provide complex carbohydrates, calcium, and protein.
• Wraps: these are a great way to get carbs, veggies, protein, calcium (from cheese), and the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants present in whole foods like spinach, tomatoes, carrots, and peppers in one easy to eat package. We like grilled chicken wraps with lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cheese, and red peppers. It’s filling, easy, and packed with super foods.
• Rice Cakes: top them with everything from hummus to peanut butter or almond butter. Add fresh fruit on top for vitamin and minerals – bananas and strawberries and peanut butter on a rice cake is delicious.
• Veggies and dip – carrots, cucumbers, peppers, celery, broccoli, and snow peas are some of our favorites to pack with or without dip.
  
• Salads: my kids are salad eaters. Their current favorite is baby spinach and romaine, with grilled chicken, shredded carrots, shredded cheese, cherry tomatoes, corn, black beans, and hard boiled egg. This gets all kinds of good food in them! I would finish this box off with cheese and crackers, berries, a granola bar, and something sweet like a couple of cookies or chocolate covered blueberries.
  
• Snacks and munchies: it’s so tempting to grab chips or goldfish for something salty to snack on, especially when you are on the go. For a healthy alternative, and a great addition to a snack box with fresh fruits and cheese are nuts and seeds. Almonds, pecans, pistachios, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and cashews give the crunch and salt that we get from chips, but also provide high quality fats, potassium, vitamins, and calcium (did you know almonds have as much calcium as milk?!) that our kids really need. Muffins are another great addition to a lunch or snack box. There are some really fantastic super food muffin recipes out there to really pack the nutrients into a snack that also tastes delicious.

Turkey wrap with spinach, lettuce, and cheese; veggies and dip; cherries, blueberries and strawberries; cheese, crackers, and ham; granola bar; granola, and eggs. Enough for lunch and a snack on the way to tumbling.

Picky Eaters:

I know that some kids are just picky eaters, especially some younger ones, and getting them to try rice cakes covered in hummus is just not going to happen. That’s ok. For those kids, I would say your two key words are going to be familiarity and presentation. Oh – and dipping sauce.  

Familiarity and dipping sauces: Start with what they like! If they love peanut butter and jelly on white bread, start with peanut butter and jelly on honey wheat. Give them sweet foods like strawberries, melons, watermelon, and cut apples. Granola bars drizzled or bottom-coated with sweet yogurt or chocolate is a great way to introduce whole grains hidden in something sweet. If they love chicken nuggets, give them grilled chicken with some ketchup or barbecue sauce to dip it in. If they aren’t big fruit eaters, start with something like apples and pears and let them dip them in caramel.  If they aren’t a big fan of raw veggies, start with cucumbers or baby carrots and let them dip them in ranch sauce.

Presentation:

Kids are usually more willing to try something new if we can present it in a way that they will love. Bento box accessories are really affordable and can go a long way towards making healthy lunches more appealing for picky eaters.

• Animal picks and forks:
  These are perfect for tucking into cut fruit or cheese. It’s a great utensil that doesn’t take up much space and who doesn’t love a smiling giraffe peeking out of your strawberries. These aren’t just for little kids, either – my 10 and 12 year olds like them, too. For picky eaters and younger kids, they’re a fun way to introduce new foods.

Flower picks:

These are perfect for creating fruit kabobs – sneak a new one in there amongst the old favourties. A blueberry or raspberry in between some strawberries or apples. These are also great for creating lunch meat rolls – some turkey and cheese for kids who don’t like bread or who are gluten-free. Roll them together and secure with a flower prick. There are also pricks that look like leaves, animals, a set of eyes, or bugs for kids who aren’t into flowers. They work the same way a toothpick would, but these are reusable, and they aren’t sharp.

Vegetable cutters:  

These are great for cutting cheeses, sandwiches, fruit, or meat into fun shapes. I know what you’re thinking – you don’t have time for that.  Honestly, I don’t use them often. My kids need bigger portions now and they aren’t picky eaters. However, if you are trying to entice your kiddo into trying something new, presenting it in the shape of a flower or a heart can go a long way and actually, it doesn’t take that much more time. It’s an inexpensive, easy way to make a new food look interesting.

I hope I’ve been able to offer some ways to help make your life as a parent easier on the go and some suggestions to make lunch and snacks easier and healthier for your athletes. You certainly don’t have to use bento boxes, it’s just what I have found, through trial and error, works best for us and allows me to get the healthiest variety of foods for my kids lunch in the easiest and most fun way.  Also, summer is a great time to try these things out – introduce new, fun snacks. Take things on the go on road trips and to practice; maybe to the pool or the beach so when fall comes around, you’ll have a great repertoire of lunch ideas to start the year off. Wishing you all a healthy and exciting cheer season ahead!

Books with recipes that out family enjoys:

• Eat Like a Champion: Performance Nutrition for Your Young Athlete
• Little Bites by Christine Chitnis and Sarah Waldman (This has vegetarian, gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free recipes)
• Feeding the Young Athlete by Cynthia Lair
• Raising Vegetarian Children by Joanne Stepaniak (This is not just for vegetarians)
• The Tassajara Bread Book by Edward Espe Brown

Article written by CHEERFIT Mom, Kristin Kessler