How to Succeed At Both School and Competitive Cheerleading

Of course crunch time for competitive cheerleading is right when your second school semester starts up‚ the timing couldn’t be more inconvenient! Competitions are looming in your near future (or maybe you have already competed at one and anticipating another), just as you try to assimilate back into your school schedule. You are meeting your new teachers and marking down all of the important dates on each class syllabus, but all your brain can focus on is going full out. How are you ever going to get into the swing of things when you have to be competition ready in just a few short weeks? Well, there’s no easy solution, but there are some healthy habits to start now in order to not fall too far behind in your classes as you wrap up competition season. Tell your teachers. You might have just met them, but most teachers’ understanding of cheerleading is stuck around the sidelines which is a total misconception of what you do; they don’t know how hard you have to go in order to be a competitive cheerleader and the level of commitment that is being asked of you! Once you explain your sport clearly, chances are that your teachers will support your endeavors and try to work with you around your cheer responsibilities. For example, they might give you special exceptions on petty homework assignments or extensions on big project deadlines. Communication is key: your teachers can’t help you if they don’t know what is going on. Put your schoolwork first. Cheerleaders have every right to think they can have it all‚ the good grades, the competition trophies, and the thriving social life‚ but sometimes, like during competition season, the social life has to take a back seat. If you only have time for two areas in your life to be on point amidst your busy schedule, it had better be cheerleading and school. Tell your friends you’ll have all the time in the world for them closer to summertime. They’ll get it that you are busy and will be there when you’re not. Also, try to fit in homework during cheerleading. Now, don’t sit down to study during practice or anything along those lines, because that is the easiest way to have a very mad coach on your hands. But, there is quite a bit of travel time and downtime in between competitive cheer activities. So, whether you’re stuck on a bus for hours heading to a competition, or in a hotel room with your teammates at night, or have a thirty-minute wait before competition check-in, there is always time to squeeze in some homework. Whenever you put your books down to pick your poms up, make sure to scribble down a fast note where you are leaving off so that you know exactly where to start back up later on. Keep your mind sharp. Instead of scrolling your Facebook feed or texting aimlessly for hours on the bus while you travel (if you don’t have any outstanding homework assignments, of course), download some phone apps that cater to brain stimulation, like puzzles or memory games. By engaging your mind as you travel, you not only distract yourself from unwanted competition nerves, but you also stay mentally active for when you head back to school on Monday morning. Besides, problem-solving apps make your brain sharp as a tack to tackle any new routines or last minute motions your coach might unexpectedly throw your way! How do you juggle competitive cheer with school? What else would you recommend for busy cheerleaders to do to balance their commitments? Let us know in the comments.