Stay in tune with our top sound system picks! Four of our favorites include:

SW720

Great for large crowds: Plug your iPod into this wireless, battery-powered portable PA system and you’ll be ready to roll. The SW720 by Amplivox features a handheld wireless mic, built-in DVD/CD/MP3 disc player, tone and echo controls, and a built-in 8-inch speaker. Hook it up and reach an audience of up to 500! ($1,259; www.ampli.com)

Light and easy: How about a sound system you can sling over your shoulder and carry around with ease? Despite being just three pounds, the battery-operated Anchor Audio Minivox Lite delivers an impressive 109 decibels of sound. Plug in your iPod, MP3, or CD player and you’ll be ready for audiences of up to 100 or more, with sound clarity both indoors and outdoors. ($329; www.anchoraudiowarehouse.com)

Bose Acoustic Wave

All-purpose elegance: Not too large or complicated, The Bose Acoustic Wave Music System II is a sleek, all-in-one system. It’s great for large spaces—indoors and outdoors—and provides clear, rich sound. Plug it into a standard outlet and play selections from your iPod or tablet (or use the CD player and/or AM/FM tuner). You can also purchase the travel case and power pack for on-the-go needs. ($1,079; www.bose.com)

The price is right: Deliver big and powerful sound using Ion’s Center Stage, a complete sound system consisting of two easy-to-transport, self-powered 50W speakers with stands, a built-in mixer, microphone, and cables. Mic, guitar, other instruments and an iPod plug right into the speakers. Sweet beats, indeed! ($199.99; www.ionaudio.com)

–Jackie Pilossoph

Have you ever looked at a team and thought how horribly behaved and out of control the athletes were? Chances are that they were acting the same way that their coach does. If you are a coach, then you are a role model—the two go hand in hand. Your athletes are constantly watching you, and you have an enormous influence over the development of your athletes.  So what role do you play in ensuring good behavior on your team?

Your attitude is contagious, especially in the “good sport” culture that most organizations are adopting. You must remember that their commitment to your team is the biggest commitment in their current life’s endeavors, so naturally you will become one of the most influential people in their lives. Lead by example and show them how to work as a team, to set and achieve goals, to develop time management skills and to promote a healthy lifestyle. This will shape values and behaviors for their adult life.

Although teaching the technical aspect of your sport ensures success in the eyes of your organization, it is the personal development that will encourage your athletes to be good people. Your athletes need to know that you see what they are doing, and need for you to believe in them. Holding them accountable for their performance will make them better at their sport, but giving them that emotional support before and after practice will help them gain the self confidence that they need to be successful for the rest of their lives.

On Friday, people across Canada are gathering in memory of Vancouver All-Stars cheerleader Amanda Todd, who took her own life last week after being the victim of online stalking and cyber-bullying for several years. (Before her death, she made this YouTube video to tell her story—warning: video includes graphic images.)

These vigils speak not only to the tragic loss of a 15-year-old, but also to a bigger issue at hand—both in society at large and our industry. Bullying has hit an all-time high, with one out of every four children being bullied and almost half of all children being bullied in some form online. So here’s the question: what can we do as cheer professionals to protect our athletes and make sure the deaths of cheerleaders like Amanda Todd, Peter Blake McCullers, Jeffrey Fehr and others are not in vain?

Here are some ways you can start:

**Sign this petition from Cheer for a Cause to pass H.R. 975, the Anti-Bullying and Harassment Act, which makes it easier for parents and schools to report and act on incidences of bullying and harassment.

**Make a statement. Follow in the steps of the University of Louisville, which posted this photo on Twitter this week to speak out against bullying, or CheerFactor All-Stars and Phoenix All-Stars, both programs which are spearheading anti-bullying campaigns.

**Contact us at CheerProfessional or leave a comment if you’ve dealt with bullying in your gym or want to share ideas for anti-bullying initiatives. We’ll be covering this issue in our Winter 2013 publication and want to hear from you.

The University from Cheerleading Blog (which launched in late 2011) features all of the popular blog series and hot topics packaged as complete guides and available to download for free.

The complete guides cover topics including planning tips for camp, competition and season fundraising, deciding if your team should attend camp and what to expect when you get there, choosing the right competition for your team, keeping your team attitude healthy with conflict resolution tips and much more!

As of August 2012, the library has hit over 2,000 downloads. The top 5 downloaded guides are:

• #1 The Complete Guide To Tumbling for Cheerleading
• #2 Introduction To Stunt Groups For Cheerleading
• #3 Introduction to Motions and Stances for Cheerleading
• #4 Conflict Resolution Tips For Cheerleading Squads
• #5 The Cheerleader’s Guide To Stretching and Strength Training

Get all the tips you need to succeed in cheerleading—the University features information and answers for everything cheer! Visit the blog at www.cheerleadingblog.com to browse the full library and download your favorites for free.

As college cheerleaders, we had long days of classes on top of tough practices and workouts. People always asked, “Where do you get that kind of energy?” And as a coach, the pace doesn’t slow—practices, games and events take up a lot of time and energy. (Plus, you may have a family and career!) No matter what stage you’re at in your cheer career, eating healthy—and measuring the proper amounts—is the number-one way to keep your energy all day.