Thank you to the SMCT Boosters who helped decorate for our teams and made sure we had plenty of food! Special thanks to Tanya M. and the boosters for getting the yard signs donated by @JonvilleTeam! They are GREAT!! And another BIG THANKS to all the parents who safely transported our kiddos to and from Chick-Fil-A!!

MONDAY 05/02/2022

• JV and Freshman Practice @4:00 pm -6:00 pm in the Cheer Gym
• Varsity Practice Cancelled!! Good luck on AP Exams!

TUESDAY 05/3/2022

• No Cheer Events-Relax and Enjoy!

WEDNESDAY 05/04/2022

• JV and Freshman Practice @4:00 pm -6:00 pm in the Cheer Gym
• Varsity Practice Cancelled!! Good luck on AP Exams!

THURSDAY 05/05/2022

• Flash Mob Practice @ 4:00 pm-5:30 pm on back grass field

FRIDAY 05/06/2022

• No Cheer Events-Relax and Enjoy!

You’ve made the team! I mean, your son or daughter is the actual athlete, but like it or not, you’re both on the team in many ways.

Cheer or dance is a big commitment. Your title, in addition to “parent,” now includes chauffeur, uniform cleaner, and “near broke,” among other things. You’re the cheerleader’s cheerleader.

My first year as a cheer parent felt like I was drinking from a firehose. I was always walking around looking like a deer in headlights. “What in the WORLD have we gotten ourselves into?” I would ask myself on a regular basis. I cried often. Entering the cheer world can feel like a whole lot, especially when you don’t know what to expect.

Here are some more tips to help you with your first few months of being a cheer parent:

READ ALL OF YOUR CHEER EMAILS AND MESSAGES

And I do mean, ALL of them. Especially during key times like tryouts, choreography, and competition season, new information is coming out quickly and abundantly. It’s ALL important. You don’t want to miss an important piece of information like a practice time change or a note about payment deadlines. Keeping track of your cheer information is essential.

Pro tip: Create a folder in your email inbox, just for cheer info and file all of your cheer-related emails there. That way you won’t miss anything cheer related between your BOGO offer from Old Navy and the email from your mom about plans for the holidays. Plus, you can always refer back to these messages when you need them most!

YOUR TEAM LIAISON/BOOSTERS IS YOUR LIFE LINE

Most programs will designate a parent to be the liaison between the program coaches and the parents. This person has typically had experience in this program and the sport. CLING TO THIS PERSON. Buy him or her a coffee and pick their brain. They usually have so much insight and info, and you’re going to want to learn from them. My first team rep basically saved my life during our first year of cheer, and I will forever be grateful to her.

GET TO KNOW YOUR COACHES

This may be challenging based on the size and proximity of your gym, but I think that knowing at least a little bit about my athlete's coaches has really helped me with supporting. This can be done by attending Booster meetings or talking with them when they make themselves available to parents.

BE FLEXIBLE WITH YOUR SCHEDULE

There is usually a set practice schedule that stays pretty routine and consistent. However, when it comes to events like choreography, community events, and competition weekends, anything can happen, and it’s important to keep a flexible schedule. Cheer competitions tend to run long, and the performance order can change at the drop of a hat, with almost zero notice. In other words, if you have a cheer competition on the schedule for a Saturday morning, don’t schedule your holiday party or family reunion on the same day. You never know when you’re going to be done, and I can’t tell you how many parents I’ve seen who have had to show up to their friend’s dinner party in cheer competition gear, including me.

BE “Parent” ABOVE ALL ELSE

By joining the cheer world, your athlete has gained a whole community of people who will help him/her to become a better cheerleader. They will have coaches, judges, and other athletes giving them advice, tips, and feedback on how to be the best athlete that they can be. What your athlete needs most from you is to be their PARENT: not their coach or their judge. The most important role you play in your child’s life is the role of their parent, and those are big shoes to fill by themselves. Be the supporter, be the encourager, be the cheerleader’s cheerleader. Let the rest take care of itself. The sport of cheerleading brings so much value to your child’s life.