Most Recent CheerProfessional Articles

In addition to all the great content we bring cheer professionals in our quarterly print issue, you’ll find plenty of original exclusive content right here at TheCheerProfessional.com.

 

Blogs

Guest Post: Starting a Gym 101

,

After seeing the popularity of Gym Kix’ Stephanie Beveridge and Carrie Harris’ 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.

Web Exclusives

The Cheerlebrity Phenomenon, Part Two

, , , ,

To limit the distraction of having a cheerlebrity teammate, Twist & Shout’s Orson Sykes sets strict rules during competitions for cheerlebrities regarding what’s expected of them, even when it once meant having a sit-down discussion with Whitney Love about strolling around too much at Worlds. (The cheerlebrity quickly isolated herself and went on to give more »

The Cheerlebrity Phenomenon

Web Exclusives/ webexclusive2

The Cheerlebrity Phenomenon

, ,

A pro cheerlebrity is hard to miss. She’s usually female, a flyer, slicing through the air during a basket toss—makeup bright, smile broad. Perhaps she’s signing autographs before competition or wowing judges on the floor with a superior tumbling pass. Maybe she has an agent in hopes of getting recruited by a college and scoring a scholarship. She might have even signed an exclusive contract with a magazine or landed a deal to sell a specific brand of shoes.

10 Minutes With: Eric Little

In the Industry/ Web Exclusives/ webexclusive1

10 Minutes With: Eric Little

,

As our industry evolves and shifts, Eric Little stays right in step. With more than 750 national titles and 62 Worlds medals under his belt, Eric Little has cemented himself as one of the industry’s premier choreographers—earning him the USASF’s first-ever “Choreographer of the Year” honor in 2011. Along with all-star programs, Little works with an array of collegiate, NFL and NBA cheer and dance teams, a natural progression for this one-time Riverside Community College and Long Beach State University cheerleader.

America’s Best Athlete Does Her Best to Help Newtown Families

Blogs/ Web Exclusives/ webexclusive1

America’s Best Athlete Does Her Best to Help Newtown Families

, , ,

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, 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.

Candid Coach: Trisha Hart of All-Star Legacy

Blogs/ In the Industry/ Web Exclusives/ webexclusive1

Candid Coach: Trisha Hart of All-Star Legacy

, ,

Meet Trisha Hart, now in her 10th 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 in response to our burning questions.

It’s a Myth-stery: The Biggest Insurance Myths Debunked

Down to Business/ Web Exclusives/ webexclusive2

It’s a Myth-stery: The Biggest Insurance Myths Debunked

Insurance is an investment most cheer gym owners can’t afford not to make. Just like locking the front door and screening your employees properly, knowing how to properly protect your business liability-wise is of utmost importance—otherwise, you could be leaving your program vulnerable to devastating financial loss. See if you subscribe to any of these common insurance myths and learn the realities below:

Now Hiring: 5 Questions to Ask a Potential Employee

Down to Business/ webexclusive2

Now Hiring: 5 Questions to Ask a Potential Employee

, , ,

Obviously, not all hires result in not-so-happy endings, but it’s clear that references and background checks are just one part of the bigger picture. Listening to your own instincts may be just as vital to making the right hiring decisions—and asking the right questions is the best way to get a feel for who a candidate really is. We asked human resources expert Shirley McAllister, CPP, for some pointers on what to look for in responses from a potential cheer employee.

Different Strokes: Athlete Learning Styles

Blogs/ Down to Business/ webexclusive2

Different Strokes: Athlete Learning Styles

, ,

Like snowflakes, no two cheerleaders are alike. Though athletes may be a sea of energetic smiles out on the floor, off the mat is a dynamic mix of personalities—from social butterflies to wallflowers and from Type-A perfectionists to laid-back types. That diversity often translates to learning styles as well, a difference that is less obvious but critical to maximizing team performance and efficiency at practices.

Working Wisdom: Q&A with Steve Wedge

In the Industry/ Web Exclusives/ webexclusive2

Working Wisdom: Q&A with Steve Wedge

, ,

From the moment Steve Wedge got his first taste of competitive glory as an Ohio State University cheerleader, he was hooked. It was during Wedge’s first year of cheering that the squad brought home the title from UCA’s Ford Collegiate Cheerleading National Championships in Honolulu—and he hasn’t looked back since. CheerProfessional caught up with this busy cheer mogul for an in-depth Q&A.

Game Changers: Jessica Smith of Southern Cheer Elite

In the Industry/ Web Exclusives/ webexclusive1

Game Changers: Jessica Smith of Southern Cheer Elite

, ,

When Jessica Smith first started her Danville, KY-based gym, Southern Cheer Elite, she stacked her shelves with all the business books she could get her hands on. But the primers didn’t prep Smith with the intel necessary for success—either the information wasn’t industry-specific enough or didn’t have practical applications for her own business. One thing was clear: Smith was going to have to find her own way to make it as a small gym owner.

Spotlight: Morton Bergue of CheerGyms.com

In the Industry/ Web Exclusives/ webexclusive1

Spotlight: Morton Bergue of CheerGyms.com

, ,

When in doubt, diversify, diversify, diversify. For CheerGyms.com owner Morton Bergue, all-star cheerleading is just one part of a bigger puzzle, as it comprises one-fifth of overall business. To maximize profitability, Bergue and his team regularly host classes and stunt/jump clinics for novices and school squads, and space is rented out during non-peak hours for everything from birthday parties to Tae Kwon Do classes. The move isn’t just a smart business strategy, but a necessary one.

Guest Post: To My Team Before Competition

Blogs

Guest Post: To My Team Before Competition

, ,

Four months since our building collapsed in a tornado during practice. This team has been through so much. They are bonded by something most people can’t imagine. It is my hope that this weekend brings them together even more as a team and shows them just how amazing they are. So going into this last practice, I put together a motivational piece for my Dream Team.

Get Creative: Outside-the-Box Ideas for Getting New Customers

Down to Business/ Web Exclusives/ webexclusive2

Get Creative: Outside-the-Box Ideas for Getting New Customers

Whether you’ve just opened your doors or have been in business for decades, one of your primary business concerns is probably attracting new students. Traditional marketing strategies like radio, television, or billboard advertisements can certainly be effective—but they’re also expensive and not guaranteed to get results. Luckily, there are better, more affordable ways to advertise your gym and bring in new business.

Blogs

Get a free Cheerleading Guide from Cheerleading Blog

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 more »

ASGA: We Want Answers!

Blogs

ASGA: We Want Answers!

, , ,

Between Tate Chalk’s take-no-prisoners talk and the organization’s open letter to the USASF, the All-Star Gym Association (ASGA) is making its voice heard—and many cheer professionals are listening. In its open letter, the ASGA put USASF on the hot seat on a number of its concerns, specifically: · Tax structure: ASGA inquires as to the more »

Blogs

Do Your Part for All-Star Cheerleading!

All-star cheerleading is not a “mainstream” sport. Getting kids to walk into gyms is tougher than getting them to play in a basketball league. In light of this, our community needs to rally around each other now more than ever. But how do we show the kids and parents outside of our industry that All-Star cheerleading more »

Blogs/ Uncategorized

Technique Time with SkillzonDemand: Hang Drills

The hang drill: Simple. Easy. Fundamental. At least that’s what many cheerleaders and coaches think and therefore quickly overlook it, when in fact, the hang drill is the single most important component to advancing into elite skills. Taking time at the beginning of the season to focus on the hang drill and work at it more »

Varsity’s Matthew Goto weighs in on success

Blogs

Varsity’s Matthew Goto weighs in on success

When asked by CheerProfessional to define success, I had to evaluate what success meant to me. Success by definition is characterized by three points: 1) prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors; 2) attainment of wealth/position/honors; or 3) successful performance or achievement. There are many professional roles in our industry, and each of those roles can more »

Candid Coach: Cory Nyholm and Shiela Hajjar

Web Exclusives/ webexclusive2

Candid Coach: Cory Nyholm and Shiela Hajjar

Coaches gone candid—it’s Q&A time! We asked Cory Nyholm of Alpine All Stars in Parker, CO, and Shiela Hajjar of Cheer Zone Athletics in Saucier, MS, to give us the real deal on their coaching experiences. Q. What are three things you’ll never do again as a coach? Cory: First, I’ll never again take my more »

Two Sides: USASF Tumbling Rules

Two Sides

Two Sides: USASF Tumbling Rules

CheerProfessional explores both sides of the debate on the USASF’s new tumbling rules for the 2012-2013 season. In March, the USASF rocked the industry with an unexpected announcement of new rules for the 2012-2013 competition season—affecting areas ranging from the age grid to appropriate uniform coverage. Among the most controversial changes were those pertaining to standing more »

«< 2 3 4 5 6