In order for your team to perform well, they are going to need confidence in what they do. First and foremost, many people learn by doing and watching the actions of others that they most look up to. So if you want your team to have confidence, you must first look within yourself and ooze self esteem for yourself and your team. Think of it this way, pack of lions won’t be led by a sheep. They are led by a strong lion. So it all starts with you. Now once you show your kids confidence, it’s time to focus on them. These are helpful tips on bringing out the spunk they will need to compete.
1. Have a Vision!
Have a team vision board In order for you to get better, you’ve got to look forward to something. Plus, if they don't know where they are going, how the hell are they supposed to get there?
Have set goals, and always have them in front of you. Have the team put together a team vision board of all the stunts/jumps and skills they would like to accomplish during the year. Your mind believes what it sees. So make it fun! Take some pictures of a team with really great jumps or a killer pyramid and Paste your kids faces on top of that picture. Sure it may look a little silly but their minds will subconsciously remember them actually doing these skills. If your mind believes in something , it will find a way to do it. As they actually do these skills, be sure to snap a pic and post it !
Also, don’t just set it and forget it! Add to the vision board throughout the year. As your team accomplishes certain skills add more!
You can even make a team vision board online. Get them all involved in a group on Facebook or post all their goals on instagram. You can go along throughout the year posting videos and pictures of them accomplishing their goals. What’s great about this is that they are going to be online anyways. Give them something positive to interact with and look at.
2. Give them praise.
This should be a no brainer, but often overlooked. It’s so easy to go throughout the year and always be working on what’s wrong with the routine. You sometimes forget to give them an extra boost in where it is working. This will help them have something to build upon. Make it fun. Have a friendly competition within your team. Whichever stunt hits the most that month, gets to be stunt group of the month. Or they get a special prize at the end of the month. Something to make them feel special and work towards. You’d be surprised to see how many people step up to the plate to get the good praise, rather then trying to just do it to get by and not get yelled at.
You can do this with all aspects, have a tumbling or jump contest. Even make a fun dance off after a practice one day. Cheer isn’t just about work, they should be having fun as well!
3. Level the playing field
I remember being sometimes "out of it" if I was having an off practice. Wondering what the hell was going. Thinking “how does that girl make it look so easy” This could be a great team building activity. And it helps when you get into it too! All sit in a circle and start out by saying what goals each child has for that practice. What is the number one thing they need to do that practice to make it worth it. Then, go around with each person saying what they failed at doing the last practice. The team can give positive constructive criticism to help each person with their so called “failures”. What they make think is a total failure may not even be that bad if they look at it from a different stand point. Help your team point out little changes they can make to better themselves. And listen, by doing this you are leveling the playing field. Not one person is better then the other. Some kids are just naturally better at jumps over stunting. That’s perfectly ok!
This will also show the team that everyone has something they need to get better in. That no one person is perfect . I hoped these tips help! There are literally SO many ways you can boost your teams confidence. Find something that’s going to bring out the best of everyone. Make sure to make it crystal clear that “failing” is the way to success. No one was born an expert in something. That they are going to have a lot of failures until they figure out what works for them.
There are so many ways to boost your team's confidence so I'd love to hear from you! If you have a special way you boost your kids confidence comment below. Drop a comment and let me know!