Mix your own cheer music with these DIY editing programs.

Footloose and free: Available for both Windows and Mac, Audacity is a free, open-source download that can be used to edit different types of sound files; copy, splice or mix sound effects; and alter the speed or pitch of a recording. Newbies rave that Audacity is user-friendly and easy to learn—translation: great for putting together cheer music in a pinch. (Free; http://audacity.sourceforge.net)

Beats on ACID: Combine DIY convenience and powerful pro capability with Sony’s ACID Music Studio. The software’s Beatmapper tool allows you to import your songs and MP3s of choice for easy remixing; you’ll also get free access to the Sony Sounds Series loop library. For those looking to experiment, a free trial is available for download. FYI: for PC only. ($64.95 and up; http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/musicstudio)

Just add turntable: Easy-to-follow visuals and simplicity of editing make DJ Audio Editor a beginner’s friend. Windows users will appreciate the ability to mix and match effects to create entirely original sounds; plus, effortlessly save files in an array of audio formats so that they can be compatible with any sound system. ($39.95; http://www.program4pc.com/dj_editor.html)

Totally effect-ive: Mac users, take heed—though some music editing programs are PC-only, plenty of great options exist for Apple aficionados. If you’re a sucker for sound effects, look no further than Logic Pro 9. With more than 15,000 loops, 1,700 sampled instruments and 4,500 presets for plug-ins, you’ll have a deep library of resources to create one-of-a-kind cheer music. ($199.99; http://www.apple.com/logicpro)

Other programs we like:

FL Studio ($49 and up; http://www.image-line.com/documents/flstudio.html)

Acoustica Mixcraft 6 ($74.95; http://www.acoustica.com)

Magix Music Maker 2013 ($59.99; http://www.magix.com/us/music-maker/detail/)

Adobe Audition CS6 ($349; http://www.adobe.com/products/audition.html)

Business experts and Gym Kix owners Carrie Harris and Stephanie Beveridge

After seeing the popularity of Gym Kix‘ Stephanie Beveridge and Carrie Harris’ Expert Q&A on starting your own gym, we’ve decided to tap their expertise even further! This post marks the first of a series on starting your own gym—from two veteran cheer professionals who’ve been there, done that.

Starting a gym is no easy task. To help new gym owners in getting their businesses set up professionally, legally and thoroughly, we have comprised a checklist of key steps that every business should take in order to start their business out on the right track. These steps are guidelines to follow after you have already completed the necessary research as far as competitors, demographics and feasibility for starting your new business.

1. Pick a business name & register with your county (DBA–Doing Business As)
2. Decide on the legal forms of business ownership
3. Write a business plan
4. Set up professional relationships (bank, business consultant, accountant, attorney, etc)
5. Ensure all legal requirements are met for starting a business
6. Get all licenses, permits and insurance
7. Decide on prices for your services
8. Decide on any financing you will need and how you will get it
9. Obtain a location, building, equipment, etc…
10. Set up recordkeeping/accounting/in-house office system for your services
11. Hire employees
12. Develop a daily operating/managing system for your staff and your business

Each of the above tasks needs to be taken into consideration if your business is to become a successful reality. In this post, we’ll start with the first task on the checklist and then explore each one individually in future posts.

Picking a business name and registering it

A business name is an important part of your business efforts and should not be taken lightly. Know your target market and be sure your business name fits what your services are. Some people say be creative and others say be descriptive when picking a name for your business. In the end it will be solely up to you, but whichever way you decide, be sure and visit the U.S. Patent and Trademark office’s (USPTO) online system to search all state and federal trademark registers to see if their proposed name is being already in use.

In addition, domain names should be searched to ensure your website will be easily accessible. You don’t want your domain to be www.powertumblecentralnewyork.com because there are three other gyms with Power Tumble as a domain name. Keep it simple and be unique! It is also important to be aware of how your web domain might be misinterpreted, take a look at these unfortunate examples:

• A company selling CAD software and Learning CDs was called ViaGrafix – quite innocent until a blue pill hit the market. The company is now called Learn2. Their website was: www.ViagraFix.com

• If you’re known as Big Al, why not call your online fish supplies store for Big Al’s Online?
 His website is: www.BiGalsOnline.com

Once you have decided on a business name you will need to register your county clerk’s office or with your state government, depending on where your business is located. There are a few states that do not require the registering of business names.

A logo for your gym is also an essential part of your brand. If creativity is not your strength, hire an outside business to help create a good logo that represents your business and the impression you want your customers to have of you and your gym. Do not rush this process. This is your main form of marketing and your first impression. Keep in mind that if you have a logo that only looks good printed in four different colors, which can be expensive for printed and clothing items! A busy logo may also be hard to decipher and not immediately grab the attention of your target market.

You will never regret taking more time, but you will regret rushing through such a vital part of your business’s future.

-Stephanie Beveridge & Carrie Harris

As the industry—and our nation—tries to get back in the holiday spirit after last week’s tragic Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., a cheerleader named Janie Pascoe is doing her best to restore hope. After being named Athlete of the Year at America’s Best National Championships in Kansas City last weekend, Janie requested to donate her $500 scholarship prize to the Newtown Memorial Fund for the victims’ families rather than using it toward her Indiana University education.

“It is an honor to receive this award, but I feel the money would be better used in the hands of the New Town Memorial Fund rather than mine and maybe this will encourage others to help as well,” said Janie in a statement.

Though it’s an unconventional approach, America’s Best Championships and The JAM Brands were more than happy to oblige Janie’s selfless wishes. “I couldn’t help but tear up at how amazing this young athlete truly is,” says Chad Lemon of The JAM Brands. “It is so refreshing to know that there are great, positive role models out there and Janie fits that bill to a tee. I think Janie’s small act of kindness shows that she truly is ‘America’s Best’ Athlete of the Year.”

Cheers to Janie for showing what the true holiday spirit is all about.

Question: Since different companies have different scoring grids, is there a way to compare them (i.e. a Level 2 Mini first-place score at a Jamfest competition of 79.950 and a Level 2 Mini first-place score at a Varsity competition of 54.36)? 

Jeremi Sanders of JAM Brands

Answer from Jam Brands Scoring Director Jeremi Sanders: Since different companies use different standards and rubrics to score teams, it can get complicated when trying to compare one event company to the next. Since scoring systems are mainly based on what is allowed per level, routines tend to be similar. The difference factors in when certain skill sets are weighted more or less from company to company.

Editor’s Note: Stay tuned for our Winter 2013 issue, in which we’ll have a feature story on various scoring systems and how they stack up — including interviews with Jeremi, Varsity’s Justin Carrier and more!

Meet Trisha Hart, now in her 10^th year as co-owner of All-Star Legacy (a decorated cheer gym with three locations in Virginia and West Virginia), coach for the program’s Mini Level One and Youth Level Two teams, and cheer consultant/choreographer. We snagged this busy cheer professional for a candid Q&A—read what she had to say below:

CP: What is one thing you wish you’d known when starting out?

Trisha: I would have liked to find more balance from the beginning. In this industry, you work from the minute you wake up until the minute you go to bed, and at first, I sacrificed a lot of my personal friendships and family relationships to bring the gym great success. I also invested a lot of emotion into the clients and kids, which I wouldn’t take back, but in retrospect, I wish someone had told me not to take it so personally when kids would leave and go to a different gym.

CP: You spend a lot of time training coaches from other programs. What’s one thing you think coaches could do differently as a whole?

Trisha: After seeing Worlds on ESPN or certain YouTube videos, coaches often have expectations that their kids will be able to do those things, but teaching them how to get there is something we’re lacking. A good test-taker might be able to get credentialed very high, but at the end of the day, hands-on training and being able to communicate with different athletes is bigger than anything else. Going to a gym or practicing 3-10 hours a week and having them repeat bad habits won’t get progress. Coaches need to be more hands-on, and I blame that on lack of training that we’re offering as an industry.

Q: Name something you wouldn’t do again as a coach.

Trisha: Relying on parent volunteers to be the communication of the business. We’ve worked with a lot of parents to get messages to the masses—each team has one or two parent representatives. I’ve learned that giving them the reins can sometimes bite you in the butt, as your words can be misconstrued. It’s great to have parent volunteers, but not necessarily as a main line of information.

CP: Talk about trends you’re seeing in choreography.

Trisha: Right now, it’s too skill-based. Look at any event producer’s scorecard—in order to get a quantity score, you end up jam-packing two minutes and thirty seconds with so many skills that you lose all the flashy fun. Showmanship and entertainment value are what competitive cheerleading was originally built for, but we’re starting to get away from them. We have to do so much in a routine that we’re counting the number of elements and skills versus appreciating the creativity of what we do. In maximizing the scoresheet, we lose the creative overall effect and appeal. I’d love to see it all be one big package again, but the only way that will happen is by not expecting so much.

CP: How would you sum up your coaching approach?

Trisha: Passionate and energetic about our industry and coaching, with high expectations for all athletes’ growth and development—no matter what age or ability level.