Having your team synchronized starts with a solid 8 count cheer sheet, since honestly, wanting to wing a two-and-a-half-minute schedule is a recipe for disaster. When you've ever was in front of thirty athletes while trying to remember if the ripple starts on count three or 5, you know that uncomfortable silence is the last thing you would like. It's the system for everything that will happens on the particular mat, and without it, you're just hoping for the best while the music blares.
A good sheet isn't simply a list associated with numbers; it's a way to convert the chaos in your head into something the particular team can actually follow. It links the gap between the music producer's vision as well as the athletes' movements. When everyone is looking from exactly the same counts, these messy transitions abruptly begin to click.
Why You Actually Need One
You might think a person can maintain the whole routine in your head, but as soon as you add tricks, tosses, and also a pyramid, things get challenging fast. An 8 count cheer sheet acts as your own "source of reality. " When 2 athletes are quarrelling about when a high V occurs, you don't possess to guess—you just check the document.
It furthermore makes life a lot easier if you have to make changes mid-season. We've all been there: an damage happens, or the stunt just isn't hitting, in addition to to rework an entire section. If you have got your counts documented, you can observe exactly exactly where the holes are usually and how in order to plug them without having throwing off the rest of the particular 8-counts. It will save a lot time plus prevents those enormous headaches that arrive with "re-learning" areas of the dance.
Setting Up the particular Document
Presently there isn't one "official" method to do this, but most coaches find that the grid format functions best. You would like it to be readable at a glance, even if it's sitting on the particular floor five foot away from a person while you're yelling over the songs.
Many people utilize a spreadsheet like Excel or Google Sheets, yet even a simple table in the Word doc may work if you retain it organized. The goal is in order to see the circulation of the songs horizontally or vertically so that you can track the particular progression of the particular routine.
The Basic Columns
At the extremely least, you require a column intended for the 8-count number (1, 2, 3, etc. ) and a column for that counts themselves (1-8). But to be able to really useful, you should add areas for various groups.
If your routine has waves or different stunts happening at the same time, generate "Group A" and "Group B" columns. This way, a person aren't trying in order to cram two different sets of instructions into one tiny box. It's also the great idea to possess a "Music Cues" line. If there's a certain "ding" or the lyrics change, write it down! This helps the sports athletes associate the movement with what they're hearing.
Umschlüsselung Out the Music
Before a person even start choreographing the big stuff, you need to map the music. Place on your headphones, grab your 8 count cheer sheet, and just listen. Mark down where the high-energy sections are and where the music "breathes. "
I usually like to mark the start of each section—like the stunt sequence, the leap section, and the particular dance—so I understand specifically how many 8-counts I have for each. When the songs gives you 4 8-counts for a transition, and you're looking to move individuals from the back corner towards the front and then into a stop, you'll know pretty quickly if that's realistic or if you're requesting the collision.
Don't forget the sound clips! Good cheer music is full of "whooshes, " "booms, " and "hits. " Your sheet should reflect these types of. If there's the massive bass fall on count 1 of the third 8-count, that's probably where you want a pyramid hitting or a basket to soar.
Methods for Clean Choreography
When you begin filling in the movements on your own 8 count cheer sheet, try to be as specific as possible. Rather of just creating "arms up, " write "High Sixth is v. " Instead of "move to tricks, " write "clean on 7, prepare on 8. "
Small details make the huge difference within how clean the team looks. In the event that half the group cleans on count 7 and the particular partner cleans upon 8, the routine looks sloppy, even if the stunts are perfect. The sheet forces a person to come to a decision on those tiny moments that often obtain overlooked during a busy practice.
One more thing to think about is the "visual" of the sheet. If I'm creating a dance, We might use striking text for your weighty "accent" counts. It helps me keep in mind where the power must be. You can even use different colors for different areas of the routine—maybe blue for tricks, green for tumbling, and red intended for the pyramid. Much more the document a lot less intimidating to look at.
Using the Sheet During Practice
Once you've got this completed, don't simply leave it within your bag. Print out a several copies or have got it pulled up on a capsule. When you're teaching, make reference to the matters constantly. Instead associated with saying "Okay, let's do the component where we move to the middle, " say "Let's proceed from 8-count 12, count 5. "
It builds a routine in the athletes. They start thinking in counts too, which is exactly what you desire. Eventually, they won't even need the music to practice; they'll be capable to "count it out" themselves since the structure is therefore ingrained in their own heads.
In the event that you have a captain or a co-coach, provide them with the copy. It's a lifesaver if you want to split the team into groups. A single group can work on the stunt time with the sheet when you work on the dance along with the other group. It keeps everyone on the exact same page—literally.
Discussing it using the Group
Some coaches like to keep the 8 count cheer sheet to themselves, but I've found that sharing a digital copy with the particular team (or their particular parents) can be really helpful. When an athlete misses a practice, they can look in the sheet to see exactly what they missed.
It's also perfect for those visual learners who require to see the numbers written down to be familiar with tempo. You can actually leave a "Notes" section at the particular bottom for pointers like "sharp motions" or "watch your own spacing. "
Of training course, some paper can't replace physical practice, yet it sure does make those hours in the fitness center more productive. There's nothing quite such as the feeling of finishing a choreography program and knowing that every single count is accounted with regard to. It gives you the level of self-confidence that really rubs off on the particular kids.
So, if you're still relying on your memory and a prayer, give the 8 count cheer sheet a try. It might take an hour or two to set up at the beginning of the season, but it'll help you save a hundred hours of frustration by the time competition period rolls around. It's the simplest tool in a coach's kit, but honestly, it's probably the most important one for keeping your sanity intact.