Upward Cheerleading
®
for Flag Football
Coach Cheerbook
©2011 Upward Unlimited.
®
Upward is a registered trademark of Upward Unlimited.
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL READER’S VERSION®.
Copyright © 1996, 1998 Biblica. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of Biblica.
Table of Contents
3 Introduction
Section One: Practice
Section Two: Games
6 Practice Chart
74 Game-Day Format
12 Welcome and Games
13 Cheerleading Fundamentals
14 Warm-ups and Stretching
16 Motions
Section Three: Forms
76 Star Distribution Form
77 Game-Day Cheer List
21 Motion Drills
22 Jumps
25 Cheers
30 Chants
35 Pom Routines
44 Mid-Practice Huddles – Devotions
45 Practice 1
61 Practice 7
47 Practice 2
63 Practice 8
50 Practice 3
66 Practice 9
54 Practice 4
68 Practice 10
56 Practice 5
70 Last Practice Devotion
58 Practice 6
2
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Introduction
Introduction
Welcome to Upward Cheerleading! As a coach, you will have an incredible opportunity
to make a difference in the lives of the cheerleaders on your squad this season.
Because your role is so vital to delivering the best sports experience, your league will
equip you with all the resources you need as you invest your time and talents in the
lives of children and families.
This coach cheerbook outlines basic skills of cheerleading, such as motions, jumps,
cheers, chants and pom routines. It also includes practice devotions for the mid-point
of each practice as well as information on cheerleading format for game days.
Be sure to check out the coach resources on MyUpward.org. There you will find the
Coach’s Sideline, a weekly practice plan customized for your squad’s age group. Each
one contains an individual skill focus with corresponding drills, squad meeting topics
and the appropriate mid-practice huddle devotion.
An additional resource for you is the coach training guide. This guide details the
role and responsibilities of an Upward Cheerleading Coach. If you did not receive a
coach training guide at the coach training conference, please see your cheerleading
commissioner or league director.
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
3
4
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Section 1:
Practice
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
5
Practice
As a coach, it is essential that you are prepared for practice. Being prepared will make
your practices fun, efficient and meaningful. Below is a practice timeline to help you
and your cheerleaders have a productive practice:
1. Welcome and games (5 minutes)-see pages 12-13
2. Warm ups and stretching (10 minutes)- see pages 14-15
3. Skills and motions (10 minutes)- see pages 16-24
4. Mid-Practice huddle-Devotions (8 minutes)- see pages 44-72
5. New material (20 minutes)- see pages 25-43
6. Post-practice meeting (5 minutes)
Practice Chart
On the following pages you will find practice charts for the first five practices of the
season. These charts are provided here to help you structure your first 5 practices.
However, all 11 Coach’s Sidelines are located at MyUpward.org. We recommend you
print these out before your season starts so you are fully prepared.
6
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Practice 1
K5
Welcome
and Games
(5 minutes)
Warm-up
& Stretch
(10 minutes)
Play the
Name game
(see page 12)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Review and
Fundamentals
(10 minutes)
Teach the following motions:
Touchdown, Low Touchdown,
High V, Low V, T Motion, Right
L, Left L, Clasp
Mid-Practice
Huddle
(8 minutes)
Devotion 1
(see page 45)
New Material
(20 minutes)
Motion Drill 1
(see page 21)
Chant: W-I-N
(see page 31
or DVD)
(See pages 18-20 for a visual
demonstration)
Teach a proper jump form and
a spread eagle. (see page 22)
Post Practice
Huddle
(5 minutes)
Remind your squad
about skills learned
at practice.
Update parents with
email addresses,
phone numbers,
welcome letter and
upcoming practice
time.
Distribute the first
practice card that
details how to
get registered on
TeamUpward.com.
1st-2nd
Grade
Play the
Name game
(see page 12)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Teach the following motions:
Touchdown, Low Touchdown,
High V, Low V, T Motion, Right
L, Left L, Clasp
Devotion 1
(see page 45)
Motion Drill 1
(see page 21)
Chant: W-I-N
(see page 31
or DVD)
(See pages 18-20 for a visual
demonstration)
Teach a proper jump form and
a spread eagle. (see page 23)
Remind your squad
about skills learned
at practice.
Update parents with
email addresses,
phone numbers,
welcome letter and
upcoming practice
time.
Distribute the first
practice card that
details how to
get registered on
TeamUpward.com.
3rd-4th
Grade
Play the
Name game
(see page 12)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Teach the following motions:
Touchdown, Low Touchdown,
High V, Low V, T Motion,
Right L, Left L, Clasp, Right
Diagonal, Left Diagonal, Broken
T, Candlesticks, Dagger, Right
Punch, Left Punch, Clasp
Devotion 1
(see page 45)
Motion Drills
1&2
(see page 21)
Remind your squad
about skills learned
at practice.
Chant: W-I-N
(see page 31
or DVD)
Update parents with
email addresses,
phone numbers,
welcome letter and
upcoming practice
time.
(See pages 18-20 for a visual
demonstration)
Teach a proper jump form and
a spread eagle (see pages
22-23)
5th-6th
Grade
Play the
Name game
(see page 12)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Teach the following motions:
Touchdown, Low Touchdown,
High V, Low V, T Motion,
Right L, Left L, Clasp, Right
Diagonal, Left Diagonal, Broken
T, Candlesticks, Dagger, Right
Punch, Left Punch, Clasp
Distribute the first
practice card that
details how to
get registered on
TeamUpward.com.
Devotion 1
(see page 45)
Motion Drills
1&2
(see page 21)
Remind your squad
about skills learned
at practice.
Chant: W-I-N
(see page 31
or DVD)
Update parents with
email addresses,
phone numbers,
welcome letter and
upcoming practice
time.
(See pages 18-20 for a visual
demonstration)
Teach a proper jump form and
a spread eagle (see pages
22-23)
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Distribute the first
practice card that
details how to
get registered on
TeamUpward.com.
7
Practice 2
K5
Welcome
and Games
(5 minutes)
Warm-up
& Stretch
(10 minutes)
Play the
Simon Says
game (see
page 12)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Review and
Fundamentals
(10 minutes)
Review last week’s
Motion Drill, W-I-N
chant, and jumps.
Mid-Practice
Huddle
(8 minutes)
Devotion 2
(see page 47)
Teach a tuck jump
(see page 23)
New Material
(20 minutes)
Motion Drill 2
(see page 21)
Remind your squad about
skills learned at practice.
Cheer: Rock this
house (See page
27 or DVD)
Distribute practice cards
to each cheerleader at the
end of practice. This card
will contain a scripture
verse and an unlock code to
TeamUpward.Com.
Teach the
following motions:
Right Diagonal, Left
Diagonal, Broken T,
Candlesticks, Dagger,
Right Punch, Left
Punch, Clasp
Give each child a green
practice star for participating
in Scripture learning.
Cheerleaders should display
stars on their megaphone.
(See pages 18-20 for a
visual demonstration)
1st-2nd
Grade
Play the
Simon Says
game (see
page 12)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Review last week’s
Motion Drill, W-I-N
chant, and jumps.
Devotion 2
(see page 47)
Teach a tuck jump
(see page 23)
Motion Drill 2
(see page 21)
Remind your squad about
skills learned at practice.
Cheer: Rock this
house (See page
27 or DVD)
Distribute practice cards
to each cheerleader at the
end of practice. This card
will contain a scripture
verse and an unlock code to
TeamUpward.Com.
Teach the
following motions:
Right Diagonal, Left
Diagonal, Broken T,
Candlesticks, Dagger,
Right Punch, Left
Punch, Clasp
Give each child a green
practice star for participating
in Scripture learning.
Cheerleaders should display
stars on their megaphone.
(See pages 18-20 for a
visual demonstration)
3rd-4th
Grade
Play the
Simon Says
game (see
page 12)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Review Motion
Drills 1 & 2, W-I-N
chant and jumps.
Devotion 2
(see page 47)
Teach a tuck jump
(see page 23).
Cheer: Rock this
house: (see page
27 or DVD)
Chant: P-U-M-P:
(see page 31
or DVD)
Pom Routine:
Teach 1-2 eight
counts to Pom
Routine: Launch
(See DVD
to learn)
5th-6th
Grade
Play the
Simon Says
game (see
page 12)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Review Motion
Drills 1 & 2, W-I-N
chant and jumps.
Teach a tuck jump
(see page 23).
Devotion 2
(see page 47)
Cheer: Rock this
house: (see page
27 or DVD)
Chant: P-U-M-P:
(see page 31
or DVD)
Pom Routine:
Teach 1-2 eight
counts to Pom
Routine: Launch
(See DVD
to learn)
8
Post Practice Huddle
(5 minutes)
Remind your squad about
skills learned at practice.
Distribute practice cards
to each cheerleader at the
end of practice. This card
will contain a scripture
verse and an unlock code to
TeamUpward.Com.
Give each child a green
practice star for participating
in Scripture learning.
Cheerleaders should display
stars on their megaphone.
Remind your squad about
skills learned at practice.
Distribute practice cards
to each cheerleader at the
end of practice. This card
will contain a scripture
verse and an unlock code to
TeamUpward.Com.
Give each child a green
practice star for participating
in Scripture learning.
Cheerleaders should display
stars on their megaphone.
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Practice 3
K5
Welcome
and Games
(5 minutes)
Warm-up
& Stretch
(10 minutes)
Play the
Cheerleader
Tic-Tac-Toe
game (see
page 13)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Review and
Fundamentals
(10 minutes)
Review Motion Drills 1
& 2, all learned cheers,
chants, jumps.
Mid-Practice
Huddle
(8 minutes)
Devotion 3
(see page 50)
New Material (20
minutes)
Chant: P-U-M-P:
(see page 31 or DVD)
Pom Routine:
Teach 1-2 eight counts
to pom routine: Activate
(See DVD to learn)
Teach a toe touch
jump (see page 24)
Encourage your
cheerleaders to use
their Cheer voices and
to smile throughout
practice and game.
Post Practice
Huddle
(5 minutes)
Remind your squad
about skills learned at
practice.
Give each child a
green practice star
for participating in
Scripture learning.
Remind your squad
about TeamUpward.
Com
Remind parents about
upcoming practice and
game.
1st-2nd
Grade
Play the
Cheerleader
Tic-Tac-Toe
game (see
page 13)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Review Motion Drills 1
& 2, all learned cheers,
chants, jumps.
Devotion 3
(see page 50)
Chant: P-U-M-P:
(see page 31 or DVD)
Pom Routine:
Teach 1-2 eight counts
to pom routine: Activate
(See DVD to learn)
Teach a toe touch
jump (see page 24)
Encourage your
cheerleaders to use
their Cheer voices and
to smile throughout
practice and game.
Remind your squad
about skills learned at
practice.
Give each child a
green practice star
for participating in
Scripture learning.
Remind your squad
about TeamUpward.
Com
Remind parents about
upcoming practice and
game.
3rd-4th
Grade
Play the
Cheerleader
Tic-Tac-Toe
game (see
page 13)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Review Motion Drills 1
& 2, all learned cheers,
chants, jumps.
Devotion 3
(see page 50)
Chant: Number One
(see page 32 or DVD)
Teach a toe touch
jump (see page 24)
Pom Routine:
Finish teaching pom
routine: Launch
(see DVD to learn)
Encourage your
cheerleaders to use
their Cheer voices and
to smile throughout
practice and game.
5th-6th
Grade
Play the
Cheerleader
Tic-Tac-Toe
game (see
page 13)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Review Motion Drills 1
& 2, all learned cheers,
chants, jumps.
Cheer: Let’s Go
(see page 28 or DVD)
Perform this pom routine
using a formation from
our “formations page” at
your next halftime.
Devotion 3
(see page 50)
Teach a toe touch
jump (see page 24)
Encourage your
cheerleaders to use
their Cheer voices and
to smile throughout
practice and game.
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Cheer: Let’s Go
(see page 28 or DVD)
Chant: Number One
(see page 32 or DVD)
Pom Routine:
Finish teaching pom
routine: Launch
(see DVD to learn)
Perform this pom routine
using a formation from
our “formations page” at
your next halftime.
9
Remind your squad
about skills learned at
practice.
Give each child a
green practice star
for participating in
Scripture learning.
Remind your squad
about TeamUpward.
Com
Remind parents about
upcoming practice and
game.
Remind your squad
about skills learned at
practice.
Give each child a
green practice star
for participating in
Scripture learning.
Remind your squad
about TeamUpward.
Com
Remind parents about
upcoming practice and
game.
Practice 4
K5
Welcome
and Games
(5 minutes)
Warm-up
& Stretch
(10 minutes)
Play the LineUp game
(see page 13)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Review and
Fundamentals
(10 minutes)
Review all learned
cheers, chants, pom
routines, and jumps.
Mid-Practice
Huddle
(8 minutes)
Devotion 4
(see page 54)
Pom Routine:
Finish teaching pom
routine: Activate (See
DVD to learn)
Perform this pom
routine using a creative
formation from our
“formations page” at
your next halftime.
Teach a Herkie jump
*(see page 24)
1st-2nd
Grade
Play the LineUp game
(see page 13)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Review all learned
cheers, chants, pom
routines, and jumps.
Devotion 4
(see page 54)
Play the LineUp game
(see page 13)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Review all learned
cheers, chants, pom
routines, and jumps.
Pom Routine:
Finish teaching pom
routine: Activate (See
DVD to learn)
Perform this pom
routine using a creative
formation from our
“formations page” at
your next halftime.
Devotion 4
(see page 54)
Play the LineUp game
(see page 13)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Review all learned
cheers, chants, pom
routines, and jumps.
Teach how to correctly
show spirit after every
performance. Check
out Coach Sideline
Practice 4 for ways to
teach spirit.
Teach a Herkie jump
*(see page 24)
10
Cheer: Louder Now
(see page 29 or DVD)
Chant: Wave Your Hands
(see page 32 or DVD)
Teach how to correctly
show spirit after every
performance. Check
out Coach Sideline
Practice 4 for ways to
teach spirit.
Pom Routine:
Teach 1-2 eight counts
of a pom routine. Pick
a pom routine from our
Coach DVD (See DVD
to learn)
Teach a Herkie jump
*(see page 24)
5th-6th
Grade
Cheer: Let’s Go
(see page 28 or DVD)
Chant: Number One
(see page 32 or DVD)
Teach how to correctly
show spirit after every
performance. Check
out Coach Sideline
Practice 4 for ways to
teach spirit.
Teach a Herkie jump
*(see page 24)
3rd-4th
Grade
Cheer: Let’s Go
(see page 28 or DVD)
Chant: Number One
(see page 32 or DVD)
Teach how to correctly
show spirit after every
performance. Check
out Coach Sideline
Practice 4 for ways to
teach spirit.
Post Practice
Huddle
(5 minutes)
New Material
(20 minutes)
Review and remind
the squad about skills
learned at practice.
Give each child a
green practice star
for participating in
Scripture learning.
Remind your squad
about TeamUpward.
Com
Remind parents about
upcoming practice and
game.
Review and remind
the squad about skills
learned at practice.
Give each child a
green practice star
for participating in
Scripture learning.
Remind your squad
about TeamUpward.
Com
Remind parents about
upcoming practice and
game.
Review and remind
the squad about skills
learned at practice.
Give each child a
green practice star
for participating in
Scripture learning.
Remind your squad
about TeamUpward.
Com
Remind parents about
upcoming practice and
game.
Devotion 4
(see page 54)
Cheer: Louder Now
(see page 29 or DVD)
Chant: Wave Your Hands
(see page 32 or DVD)
Pom Routine:
Teach 1-2 eight counts
of a pom routine. Pick
a pom routine from our
Coach DVD (See DVD
to learn)
Review and remind
the squad about skills
learned at practice.
Give each child a
green practice star
for participating in
Scripture learning.
Remind your squad
about TeamUpward.
Com
Remind parents about
upcoming practice and
game.
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Practice 5
K5
1st-2nd
Grade
3rd-4th
Grade
5th-6th
Grade
Welcome
and Games
(5 minutes)
Warm-up
& Stretch
(10 minutes)
Play the Shoe
game (see
page 12)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Play the Shoe
game (see
page 12)
Play the Shoe
game (see
page 12)
Play the Shoe
game (see
page 12)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Warm Up
and Stretch
(see pages
14-15)
Review and
Fundamentals
(10 minutes)
Review all learned
cheers, chants, pom
routines, and jumps.
Mid-Practice
Huddle
(8 minutes)
Devotion 5
(see page 56)
Pom Routine:
Teach 1-2 eight counts
of a pom routine. Pick
a pom routine from
our Coach DVD that
your squad would love
to perfrom. (See DVD
to learn)
Devotion 5
(see page 56)
Pom Routine:
Teach 1-2 eight counts
of a pom routine. Pick
a pom routine from
our Coach DVD that
your squad would love
to perfrom. (See DVD
to learn)
Devotion 5
(see page 56)
Cheer: G-O
(see page 29 or DVD)
Chants: Get Tough
and 1-2-3-4 (see
page 33 or DVD)
Formation Change:
Practice performing a
cheer in one formation
and show spirit
to perform a pom
routine in a different
formation. Use our
formations page for
ideas. This will make a
great halftime routine.
Review all learned
cheers, chants, pom
routines, and jumps.
Cheer: Louder Now
(see page 29 or DVD)
Chant: Wave Your Hands
(see page 33 or DVD)
Formation Change:
Practice performing a
cheer in one formation
and show spirit
to perform a pom
routine in a different
formation. Use our
formations page for
ideas. This will make a
great halftime routine.
Review all learned
cheers, chants, pom
routines, and jumps.
Cheer: Louder Now
(see page 29 or DVD)
Chant: Wave Your Hands
(see page 33 or DVD)
Formation Change:
Practice performing a
cheer in one formation
and show spirit
to perform a pom
routine in a different
formation. Use our
formations page for
ideas. This will make a
great halftime routine.
Review all learned
cheers, chants, pom
routines, and jumps.
New Material (20
minutes)
Pom Routine:
Continue to work on a
pom routine. (See DVD
to learn)
Devotion 5
(see page 56)
Formation Change:
Practice performing a
cheer in one formation
and show spirit
to perform a pom
routine in a different
formation. Use our
formations page for
ideas. This will make a
great halftime routine.
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Cheer: G-O
(see page 29 or DVD)
Chants: Get Tough
and 1-2-3-4 (see
page 33 or DVD)
Pom Routine:
Continue to work on a
pom routine. (See DVD
to learn)
11
Post Practice
Huddle
(5 minutes)
Review and remind
the squad about skills
learned at practice.
Give each child a
Green Scripture star
for participating in
Scripture learning.
Distribute practice
cards to each
cheerleader at the end
of practice.
Review and remind
the squad about skills
learned at practice.
Give each child a
Green Scripture star
for participating in
Scripture learning.
Distribute practice
cards to each
cheerleader at the end
of practice.
Review and remind
the squad about skills
learned at practice.
Give each child a
Green Scripture star
for participating in
Scripture learning.
Distribute practice
cards to each
cheerleader at the end
of practice.
Review and remind
the squad about skills
learned at practice.
Give each child a
Green Scripture star
for participating in
Scripture learning.
Distribute practice
cards to each
cheerleader at the end
of practice.
Practice
Welcome and Games
Always start your practices with a welcome game to get your squad excited about the
practice. Below are some fun games you can play with your squad, or you can create
your own welcome games.
Name Game
Equipment needed: Five small balls (or use poms)
Have cheerleaders stand in a circle and create a pattern by throwing one ball. Prior to
throwing the ball, each cheerleader has to say the name of the person to whom they
are throwing it. The ball must be thrown to every person in the circle one time. The last
person to receive the ball will throw it back to whoever began the pattern. Once the
pattern is established, try speeding it up and see how quickly you can complete the
pattern while still saying the names prior to throwing the ball. After they have mastered
the speed, try adding balls to see how many you can get going at the same time. This
is a great ice-breaker game that helps in learning names.
Cheerleading Simon Says
This game is played just like the traditional game of Simon Says except that the things
Simon says to do are cheerleading-related. For example, you could say “Simon says,
‘Do a High V!’” or “Simon says, ‘Do a toe touch!’” You could also let the cheerleaders
take turns being Simon. This game encourages the learning and improvement of
motions and jumps.
Shoe Game
Have everyone take off their shoes and put them in a pile in the middle of the room.
Mix the shoes up. Divide the cheerleaders into two groups. See which group can find
their shoes and put them on first. When they have their shoes on, the team done first
must quickly sit on the floor.
12
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Practice
Cheerleader Tic-Tac-Toe
Set up nine chairs in three rows. Divide the squad into X’s and O’s. Just like in regular
tic-tac-toe, the X’s and O’s alternate, except they sit in the chairs instead of drawing
it out on paper. Ask questions about the rules of football, basketball or cheerleading.
The cheerleaders must raise their hands to answer. If they answer correctly, they
sit on one of the chairs. The first team to get three in a row--diagonally, vertically or
horizontally--wins.
Line Up
Divide the squad into two groups, which will compete against each other to complete
the challenge. Challenges could be lining up according to birthdays, alphabetically by
first name or last name, age or other criteria. Then try the same challenges without
talking.
For additional welcome games and activities, please visit MyUpward.org.
Cheerleading Fundamentals
Being prepared for practice is imperative. You will need to not only know what to
teach, but how to teach it.
In the following pages, you will find specific skills to aid you as you prepare your
cheerleaders for games. Refer to your cheer coach DVD for visual demonstrations
of each of the items covered in this section. Additional resources are available at
MyUpward.org.
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
13
Practice
Warm-ups and Stretching
Warm-up exercises and stretching are necessary before any sports activity. Prior to
each practice, use the following guidelines to lead your squad:
·Warm up to a fun song with built-in instructions.
·Choose a fun song from our coach’s resources at MyUpward.org, or select a
song of your choice and choreograph your own warm-up routine.
·Check out warm-ups at MyUpward.org for a visual demonstration.
·Play a fun game with commands.
Here is an example of a fun warm-up game:
Captain’s Coming!
The coach plays the role of the Captain. The Captain will call out any one action listed
below and each cheerleader will have three to four seconds to start performing the
action:
COMMAND
ACTION
“Captain’s coming”
Everyone stands frozen in a salute until the captain says, “At Ease!”
“Ship”
Cheerleaders run to the right
“Sailors”
Cheerleaders run to the left
“Man overboard”
One person drops to a knee while the other stands behind, putting a
hand on their shoulder
“Three men rowing”
Three cheerleaders get in a line and pretend to row a boat while
singing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”
“Four men pointing north”
Four cheerleaders get into a circle and point up
“Hit the deck”
Cheerleaders fall to the floor on their stomachs
“Pirate attack”
Captain tries to tag the cheerleaders as they try to escape
14
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Practice
The following is another simple but effective layout for warm-up activities:
·Running: One minute around the room. If you have limited space, run in place.
·Jumping jacks: 20-30
·Trunk twists: From a standing position, twist back and forth 10-20 times to
loosen the back.
·Shoulder circles: With arms by your side, lift your shoulders and take them back
down, creating a circular motion 10-20 times.
·Arm circles: Hold arms out in a T-motion and circle them 10-20 times.
Stretching is a vital part of cheerleading because good flexibility helps prevent muscle
injuries. Stretching should be done before every practice and game. Below are some
stretches you can perform at each practice.
Back Stretch: Sit on the floor, crossing right leg over left, and turn to the right. Using
left arm, push on the right leg. Switch to stretch the other side of your back.
Pike Stretch: To stretch your legs, sit on the floor with legs together straight out
in front of you. Bending from your hips, stretch forwards with your arms and torso,
reaching for your feet. Do this stretch twice, once with toes pointed, and once with
them flexed.
Quadriceps Stretch: Support yourself against a wall or stationary object. Pull your
heel up behind your body and hold.
Straddle Stretch: Sit on the floor with legs spread out. Bend forward at the hips and
keep head straight up. First reach towards your right foot, then for your left foot, and
finally , reach towards the middle.
Runners Stretch: In a back lunge, lean to the front, placing both hands on the
ground. Start with right leg forward, and then switch to the left leg. Make sure your
knee does not bend past your foot.
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
15
Practice
Motions
Learning motions properly is necessary for your squad so that cheers will be done
precisely and accurately. Sharp, tight, clean motions are essential for all cheerleaders.
You may want to use this section as a reference when creating motions to your own
cheers or to the chants found on pages 25-34.
When practicing motions, make sure your cheerleaders follow these guidelines:
·Keep motions in front of you: If you hit a motion properly, you should be able to
see your arms and fists in your peripheral vision while looking forward (with the
exception of a Touchdown motion).
·Watch arm levels: Keep shoulders relaxed. A T-motion should be level and a
High V or Low V should look like a “V.”
·Use proper fists direction: The thumb should always be on the outside of the
fingers, but should not extend above the knuckles. The side of the fist facing the
crowd depends on the motion being performed. For example, the pinkie side of
the fist faces the crowd when performing a Tabletop. However, the index-finger
side faces out for a high V-motion.
·Keep wrists flat (not bent or cocked): Your wrists should be perfectly flat, as if
they were extensions of your arms.
·Use proper hand placement for claps: Keep elbows in and clasped hands right
below your chin.
Incorporate push-ups in
your warm-up program to strengthen
arms, since strong arms produce strong motions.
Even when your cheerleaders are learning a new routine,
cheer, chant or jump, have them practice sharp motions.
The way they practice is the way they will perform on game day.
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Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Practice
Cheerleaders should avoid the following:
·
Bent wrists (wrists should be perfectly flat, as though they were extensions of
the arms)
·
Bent elbows (when arms are supposed to be straight)
·
Misplaced arm levels
·
Over-extension of arms (always make sure fists can be seen out of the corner of
the eyes)
·Improper fist direction (varies according to the motion the cheerleader is
performing)
·To maintain sharpness with motions, your cheerleaders should avoid:
·Bouncing or swinging their motions
·Inserting extra motions or movements
Many motions can be specific to the right or left
side. All motions are only shown in one direction,
but those marked with an * can also be done in the
opposite way they are shown.
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
17
Practice
Clapping
Two clapping positions can be used.
Clasp
Hands are held together
below the chin.
Side Lunge
Front leg is forward with knee
bent, in line with the ankle. Back
leg is straight. Front lunge is
another variation of this stance.
18
Clap
Similar to a clasp, but hands
are flat against each other.
Left Punch
Right arm rests on the hip. Left
arm is extended straight up by
the ear. Both hands are in fists.
Ready Position
Feet are positioned shoulderwidth apart while hands rest on
hips. This will be the position in
which most cheers are called.
Touchdown
Extend both arms straight up
by your ears. Hands are in fists.
Bring the arms straight down for
a Low Touchdown.
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Practice
The High and Low
V motions can also be
specific to the right or
left arm by using only half
of the V and the other
hand on the hip.
High V
Both arms are raised at an angle to
create a V shape. Hands are in tight
fists with arms forward enough to be
seen out of the corner of your eyes.
T Motion
Extend both arms out to the side
of your body to create a T shape.
Hands are in tight fists, with
arms forward enough to be seen
out of the corner of your eyes.
Low V
This is similar to the High V, but
both arms are lowered to create
an upside-down V shape. Hands
are in tight fists, with arms
forward enough to be seen out of
the corner of your eyes.
Broken T
This is similar to the T motion
except that both elbows bend
inward, bringing fists toward
the chest. This motion can be
specific to the right or left arm by
only using half of the Broken T.
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Dagger
Bend both arms at the elbow.
Hold arms parallel to each other
and tight to the chest.
19
Practice
Candlesticks
Arms are straight out, parallel
to each other and the floor.
Fists should face inward, as if
holding a candle in each hand.
Bow-n-Arrow
Right arm is in a Broken T while
left arm is in a T motion. (Pictured
is a Right Bow-n-Arrow.)
20
L Motion
Raise one arm to a T position.
Extend the other arm straight up
by the ear. (Pictured is a Right L.)
Diagonal
One arm is in a High V position while
the other is in a Low V position.
(Pictured is a Right Diagonal.)
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Practice
Motion Drills
Below are two eight-count drills that include a series of motions. The purpose of
this motion drill is to help cheerleaders put their knowledge of motions to counts
and rhythms. Often cheerleaders who know every motion forget the placement and
sharpness when performing. Encourage them to make the transition from one motion
to the next sharp, clean, quick and simple. Start slow so that each motion is correctly
performed with each count:
MOTION DRILL 1
MOTION DRILL 2
1. Touchdown
1. Right Diagonal
2. Low Touchdown
2. Left Diagonal
3. High V
3. Broken T
4. Low V
4. Candlesticks
5. T-motion
5. Dagger
6. Right L
6. Right Punch
7. Left L
7. Left Punch
8. Clasp
8. Clasp
For a video demonstration of
these motion drills, please view
the 60-Second Spirit blog on
MyUpward.org.
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
21
Practice
Jumps
Jumps are another key element of cheerleading. Performing more jumps will build
your cheerleaders’ stamina, endurance and flexibility. The following drills will help to
improve their jumps’ height and form. Focus on one jump per practice and encourage
your cheerleaders to perform jumps at games after every cheer, chant and pom
routine. As you teach, stress good form over height of the jumps.
Jumps should be done in the following manner with appropriate counts:
1. Arms in a High V and feet together. (see image #1 below)
2. Swing arms around. Slightly bend your knees, placing your weight on the balls
of your feet. (see image #2 below)
3.Lift arms to a T-motion while hitting the appropriate jump. (see image #3 below)
4. Squeeze legs together for a “feet together” landing with arms by your side.
(see image #4 below)
5. Stand up with feet together and hands on hips or by your side. (see image #5
below)
1
2
22
3
4
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
5
Practice
Spread Eagle
Help cheerleaders perfect their overall jump form
by teaching this drill with Spread Eagle first before
moving to another jump.
1. Arms in a High V and feet together.
2. Swing arms around. Slightly bend your knees,
placing your weight on the balls of your feet.
3. Swing arms out and around to a High V, keeping your back straight. Spread
legs with toes pointed, knees facing forward.
4. Squeeze legs together for a “feet together” landing with arms by your side.
5. Stand up with feet together and hands on hips or hands by your side.
Tuck Jump
1. Arms in a High V and feet together.
2. Swing arms around. Slightly bend your knees,
placing your weight on the balls of your feet.
3. Keep legs squeezed together and back straight
while bringing your legs up to your chest. Hit a
T-motion or a High V with arms.
4. Squeeze legs together for a “feet together” landing
with arms by your side.
5. Stand up with feet together and hands on hips or arms by your side.
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
23
Practice
Toe Touch
1. Arms in a High V and feet together.
2. Swing arms around. Slightly bend
your knees, placing your weight on
the balls of your feet.
3. Swing both arms out to a T-motion while lifting both legs in a split high as they
will go.
4. Squeeze legs together for a “feet together” landing with arms by your side.
5. Stand up with feet together and hands on hips or arms by your side.
Herkie
The example below is for a right herkie:
1. Arms in a High V and feet together.
2. Swing arms around. Slightly bend
your knees, placing weight on the
balls of your feet.
3. Swing right arm out to a T-motion,
placing the left arm on your hip while lifting the right leg out to the side as
high as it will go. Keep the left leg into a hurdle position to the side and slightly
behind your body.
4. Squeeze legs together for a “feet together” landing with arms by your side.
5. Stand up with feet together and hands on hips.
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Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Practice
Cheers
It is time to get loud and to
All cheers, chants and pom
have some fun! This section
routines provided in this book are
will provide you with a base
also demonstrated on your cheer coach
of cheers to use during the
DVD. Your DVD has additional cheers
flag football season. Squads
and chants that are not listed on the
are not required to use all
following pages.
cheers and chants provided in
this book. New cheers and chants
are also found in the Coach’s Sideline
(located at MyUpward.org). Remember that
all cheers are to remain positive and uplifting. Refrain from using terms
such as beat, kill, fight or defeat.
When teaching cheers, follow these guidelines:
1. Teach the words first.
2. Have cheerleaders repeat the cheer or chant until everyone is
familiar with the words.
3. Teach the cheer, chant or pom routine.
4. Review slowly, but still focus on sharp and precise motions.
5. Once everyone has the overall knowledge of the cheer or chant, practice
it at a full speed. Look for correct motion placement and sharpness, while
emphasizing squad synchronization from the very beginning.
6. Do not move on to a new cheer or a chant without perfecting technique first.
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
25
Practice
Teach cheerleaders to end each cheer,
chant and pom routine by showing spirit!
Encourage them to yell things such as, “Go, Upward!”
“Touchdown!” “Let’s go, Red and Black!” and other similar
phrases. Have them practice three to four short phrases
after every cheer.
1. W-I-N
MOTIONS
WORDS
CLASP, RUN RIGHT FOOT DOWN
UPWARD
CLASP, RUN LEFT FOOT DOWN
PAUSE, WE
CLASP, RUN RIGHT FOOT DOWN
WANT TO
CLASP, RUN LEFT FOOT DOWN
WIN
RIGHT LOW V, FEET TOGETHER
SPELL IT
LEFT LOW V, FEET TOGETHER
OUT
CLASP, FEET TOGETHER
W
HOLD FEET TOGETHER, HANDS IN CLASP
I
HIGH V, FEET TOGETHER
N
26
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Practice
2. ROCK THIS HOUSE
MOTIONS
WORDS
LOW V, FEET TOGETHER
BIG PURPLE
HIGH V, FEET TOGETHER
IS HERE TO
STOMP RIGHT FOOT, ARMS IN DAGGER
ROCK
STOMP RIGHT FOOT, KEEP ARMS IN A DAGGER
THIS
CLASP, RIGHT FOOT FRONT
HOUSE
RIGHT LOW V, RIGHT FOOT FRONT
SCORE
LEFT LOW V, LEFT FOOT FRONT
SIX
RIGHT HIGH V, RIGHT FOOT FRONT
MORE
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
27
Practice
3. LET’S GO
MOTIONS
WORDS
RIGHT ARM DAGGER, LEFT DOWN, FEET TOGETHER
LET'S
CANDLESTICKS
GO
LEFT ARM DAGGER, RIGHT DOWN, FEET TOGETHER
LET'S
CANDLESTICKS
GO
CLASP, FEET TOGETHER
PAUSE
CLASP, FEET TOGETHER
PAUSE
RIGHT ARM DAGGER, LEFT ARM DOWN, FEET
TOGETHER
UP
CANDLESTICKS
WARD
LEFT ARM DAGGER, RIGHT ARM DOWN, FEET
TOGETHER
LET'S
CANDLESTICKS
GO
CLASP
PAUSE
CLASP
PAUSE
28
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Practice
4. LOUDER NOW
MOTIONS
WORDS
FEET APART, HIGH V
YELL IT
FEET APART, LOW V
PAUSE
CROSS ARMS AT LOW V, FEET APART
LOUDER
T-MOTION
NOW
CLAP, FEET APART
LET'S
CLAP, FEET APART
GO
RIGHT PUNCH, FEET APART
UPWARD
5. G-O
MOTIONS
WORDS
RIGHT BACK LUNGE, LEFT LOW V, RIGHT ON HIP
GO
STAND UP, LOW V, FEET TOGETHER
GO
BEND KNEES, CROSS ARMS IN FRONT OF CHEST,
FEET TOGETHER
G
JUMP OUT, HIGH V
O
CLASP, FEET APART
GO
CLASP, FEET APART
UPWARD
FEET APART, RIGHT PUNCH
GO
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
29
Practice
Chants:
Chants, also known as “sidelines” are so much fun to perform on gameday. Chants
are shorter then cheers and are recited 3 times. However, the crowd is usually a good
indicator of when to end a chant. In the next few pages, you will find some fun chants
that are designed for all age divisions.
More chants are located on Myupward.org and in your coach DVD. Use the coach
DVD for visual demonstration.
When learning and teaching chants:
›Learn the words first
›Repeat the chant until everyone is familiar with the words and rhythm
›Learn the motions
›Practice it at a full speed and with sharpness
Always look for correct motion placement and sharpness, while emphasizing team
synchronization. Do not move on to a new chant without perfecting technique.
30
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Practice
1. W-I-N
MOTIONS
WORDS
TOUCHDOWN, FEET APART
PURPLE
DAGGER, FEET APART
AND
LOW TOUCHDOWN, FEET APART
WHITE
DAGGER, FEET APART
LET'S
RIGHT HALF HIGH V, FEET APART
W
CLASP FEET APART
I
LEFT HALF HIGH V, FEET APART
N
2. P-U-M-P
MOTIONS
WORDS
FEET TOGETHER, BEND RIGHT, PUMP
PUMP
PUMP LEFT, FEET TOGETHER
PUMP
PUMP RIGHT
PUMP IT
PUMP RIGHT
UP
CLASP FOUR TIMES, FEET APART
P-U-M-P
PUMP RIGHT
PUMP IT
PUMP LEFT, FEET TOGETHER
UP
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
31
Practice
3. WE ARE THE BEST
MOTIONS
WORDS
RIGHT PUNCH ACROSS
PURPLE
RIGHT BROKEN T
AND
T-MOTION
WHITE
CLASP
WE ARE
CLASP
THE
CLASP
BEST
4. NUMBER ONE
MOTIONS
WORDS
RIGHT PUNCH, FEET APART
UPWARD
LEFT PUNCH, FEET APART
IS
CLASP
X
CLASP
X
RIGHT PUNCH, FEET APART
NUMBER
BEND RIGHT ARM BACK, LEFT ON HIP
PAUSE
HOLD UP ONE IN RIGHT PUNCH
ONE
32
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Practice
5. WAVE YOUR HANDS
MOTIONS
WORDS
WAVE TO THE RIGHT, FEET APART
WAVE YOUR
WAVE TO THE LEFT
HANDS FROM
WAVE TO THE RIGHT, FEET APART
SIDE TO
WAVE TO THE LEFT
SIDE TO
RIGHT PUNCH ACROSS
GO
LEFT PUNCH ACROSS (BOTH ARE CROSSED)
UPWARD
RIGHT PUNCH
GO
6. GET TOUGH
MOTIONS
WORDS
CLASP
COME ON
PUNCH ACROSS IN FRONT OF YOU
DEFENSE
BROKEN T
PAUSE
CLASP
GET
TOUGH MOTION
TOUGH
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
33
Practice
7. 1-2-3-4
MOTIONS
WORDS
CLASP
1
CLASP
2
CLASP
3
CLASP
4
HIGH V, LEFT BACK LUNGE
COME ON
LOW V, STAY IN LUNGE
UPWARD
TURN TO THE RIGHT, FEET APART, CLASP
LET’S
LUNGE BACK TO THE FRONT, HIGH V
SCORE
34
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Practice
Pom Routines
After your cheerleaders have learned enough cheers and chants to provide a
significant base to use during each game, consider teaching them a pom routine that
can be performed at halftime or during the awards celebration. Here are some points
to consider as you prepare to teach pom routines:
·Be sure to teach the placement of each pom routine motion.
·Evaluate your squad’s performance. If there is a step too difficult for your group,
simplify it before continuing. The goal is to master clean and simple routines.
·Consider teaching two eight counts PER practice. Review each one until
everyone has learned the routine and it looks synchronized. Continue to teach
the rest of the routine at your next practice.
·Once the cheerleaders have learned the entire pom routine, make necessary
corrections to improve motions and motion placement. The best way to do this
is to count aloud, “Five, six, seven, eight, one” and have your squad freeze
on count “one.” Make the necessary corrections and repeat the drill for “one”
again. Do not go on to count “two” until everyone has correctly performed
count “one.” Repeat for count “two.” When everyone has learned count “two,”
add that to count “one.” Repeat the process for the entire routine until it is
perfected.
·Allow half of your squad to watch while the other half performs the pom routine.
This is a great way to encourage your cheerleaders. The feedback from their
own teammates will inspire and excite them for their big performance.
Get creative and
add some fun to your pom routine by using
a creative formation from the formations page on
MyUpward.org.
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
35
Practice
The pom routines listed on the following pages can be performed to the music on your
Cheertunes CD, located in the inside of the front cover of this coach cheerbook. The
coach DVD (found on the inside back cover) includes visual demonstrations
of all pom routines listed below. It breaks down how to perform each count,
reviews the entire routine without music and then shows how to perform
each pom routine with music.
The following instructions can be used as a guide while watching the coach DVD.
These pom routines are listed in order of difficulty.
Activate (Recommended for K5)
Formation A:
X
X
X
Formation B:
Transition to:
X
X
X
First 8-count
Start in Formation A (see diagram above)
1. High V
6. Pivot to the left and back; clasp
2.Hold
7. Step forward with right leg, arms
in a Low V
3.Clasp
4.Clasp
5. Step forward with your right leg,
arms in a Low V
36
8. Pivot to the left, back to the front
and clasp on 8
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Practice
Second 8-count
The second 8-count is in a ripple. The two groups will perform the following set of motions:
Group 1:
1. Left arm around waist, right elbow
at waist
5. Arms up behind your head and sit
to right. Switch and sit to the left
2. Switch arms
6. Sit to the right
3. Switch arms
7. Sit to the left
4. Switch arms
8. Sit to the right
Group 2: (motions will be opposite of group one)
1. Arms up behind your head and sit
to right
5. Left arm around waist, right elbow
at waist
2. Sit to the left
6. Switch arms
3. Sit to right
7. Switch arms
4. Sit to the left
8. Switch arms
Third 8-count (everyone together)
Move to Formation B (see diagram on previous page)
1. Everyone clean
5. Continue to move while shaking poms
2. Clap and move to two vertical lines
(If fewer than four cheerleaders, form
one vertical line.)
6. Continue to move while shaking poms
3. Continue to move while shaking poms
7. Continue to move while shaking poms
8. Set and shake poms
4. Continue to move while shaking poms
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
37
Practice
Fourth 8-count
1. Both groups will hit a Touchdown
motion. First and third rows will look
inward and hit a Touchdown; second
and fourth rows will face outward and
hit a Low Touchdown.
4. Keep shaking
2. Keep shaking poms
7. Keep shaking
3. Keep shaking
8. Keep shaking
5. Everyone switch and shake poms in
the opposite direction
6. Keep shaking
Fifth 8-count
1. Jump together with arms in a
Touchdown and move back to starting
formation A
2. Keep arms in a Touchdown motion and
continue to move
3. Keep arms in a Touchdown motion and
continue to move
4. Keep arms in a Touchdown motion and
continue to move
38
5. Bring arms to hips, right shoulder to the
front while still walking
6. Switch and point your left elbow the
front while still walking
7. Switch and point your right elbow to the
front while still walking
8. Have outside girls hit a half High V
while the girls in the middle hit a High V
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Practice
Launch
(Recommended 5th & 6th grade)
Formation A:
XXX
Formation B:
Transition to:
X
X
X
First 8-count
Start in Formation A (see above)
·Start with your back to the audience in a squat, looking down to the ground.
·This pom routine will start in a ripple
·Listen for the music, after “Launching”
·“3”-First ripple will stand up, feet apart, look to the left, and hit an O-motion
·“2”-Second ripple will stand up, feet apart, look to the left, and hit an O-motion
·“1”-third ripple will stand up, feet apart, look to the left, and hit an O-motion
·This beginning will start with 5:
5. Hold O-motion
6.Hold
7. Arms down to the hip
8. Move your right foot and step out, facing the front
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
39
Practice
Second 8-count
This 8-count is a ripple High V.
1. First group hits a High V on 1
and holds 2,3,4,5,6.
5. Third group hits a High V on 5
and holds 6.
3. Second group hits a High V on 3
and holds 4,5,6.
7. Everyone cleans with arms by
your side
8.Hold
Third 8-count
Move to Formation B (see diagram on previous page)
(Two separate groups; 2nd row come
fwd and 1st row go back)
1. Step out with the right foot, hit a
T-motion
4. Take Low O to High O
2. Continue to step with the left
foot, and take arms up to an
O-motion
6. Step forward with the right leg,
right toe up and throw arms to
the left in a jazz hand motion
3. Step together with the right foot
and circle arms to the right and
down to an O-motion
7. Switch legs, left toe up and
throw arms to the right side in a
jazz hand motion
5. Arms by your side
8. Jump together with arms by
your side
40
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Practice
Fourth 8-count
1. Step to the right and punch across
with your right arm
2. Step together with the left foot, bring
the right arm by your side
3. Step to the left, and punch across
with your left arm
4. Step together with the right foot,
bring the left arm by your side
6. Step together with the left foot, bring
right arm on your hip and look to the
right
7. Step to the left and punch across
with the left arm
8. Step together with the right foot,
bring left arm on your hip and look to
the left
5. Step to the right and punch across
with the right arm
Fifth 8-count
This 8-count is a ripple L- motion.
1. First group, hit a L- motion and look the
right
6. Second group, circle the arm around
to a left lunge with left arm below the
waist and right arm on hip
2. Second group, hit a L- motion and look
the right
3. Third group, hit a L- motion and look
the right
4. Everyone hold the L- motion
5. First group, circle the arm around to a
left lunge with left arm below the waist
and right arm on the hip
7. Third group, circle the arm around to a
left lunge with left arm below the waist
and right arm on hip
8. Everyone clean arms by your side and
step together, facing the front.
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
41
Practice
Sixth 8-count
This 8-count starts over but rows switch
back.
1. Step forward or back with the right
foot, hit a T-motion
5. Arms by your side
2. Continue to step with the left foot
and take arms up (or down) to an
O-motion
3. Step together with the right foot and
circle arms to the right and down (or
up) to an O-motion
6. Step forward with the right leg, right
toe up and throw arms to the left in
a jazz hand motion
7. Switch legs, left toe up and throw
arms to the right side in a jazz hand
motion
8. Pump arms
4. Take O-motion to a Low O or High O
Seventh 8-count
1. Step to the right, and punch across
with your right arm
5. Step to the right and punch across
with the right arm
2. Step together with the left foot, bring
the right arm by your side
6. Step together with the left foot, bring
right arm on your hip and look to the
right
3. Step to the left, and punch across
with your left arm
4. Step together with the right foot,
bring the left arm by your side
42
7. Step to the left and punch across
with the left arm
8. Step together with the right foot,
bring left arm on your hip and look to
the left
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
Practice
Eighth 8-count
In this 8-count, end in a ripple L-motion
1. First group, hit a L-motion and look
the right on the first beat
4.Hold
2. Second group, hit a L-motion and
look the right on the second beat
3. Third group, hit a L-motion and look
the right on the third beat
5.Hold
6.Hold
7.Hold
Upward Flag Football Cheerleading Coach Cheerbook
43
Practice
Mid-Practice Huddles (Devotions)
As an Upward Cheerleading Coach, you are not only teaching skills for cheerleading
but also values for life. The mid-practice huddle, or devotion time, allows you to
incorporate biblical principles into the sports experience and help young athletes grow
spiritually. The chart below shows the virtues and verses for each group of practices
and is designed to assist you as your organize and prepare for your mid-practice
huddle.
Practice Number
Virtue
Verse
Practice 1
None
(“Get to Know
You” time)
None (practice card features
TeamUpward.com launch information)
Practice 2-4
Uniqueness
There are different kinds of gifts. But they
are all given by the same Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:4 (NIrV)
Practice 5-7
Joy
Always be joyful because you belong to the
Lord. I will say it again. Be joyful.
Philippians 4:4 (NIrV)
Practice 8-10
Forgiveness
Forgive the things you are holding against
one another. Forgive, just as the Lord
forgave you.
Colossians 3:13 (NIrV)
Last practice of
the season
Gospel
Presentation
For God so loved the world that he gave his
one and only Son, that whoever believes in
him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 (NIV)
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Mid-Practice Huddle - Devotion 1
Practice Card Reminder:
At the end of this practice, remember to distribute the first practice card to all cheerleaders
entitled “Practice 1”. This card will include valuable information about TeamUpward.com
as well as provide a launch code that they will enter to get registered on the site.
Instructions:
Gather cheerleaders together in a circle and ask everyone to share their names.
Say:
Let’s play a game to get to know each other better. When I say, “Go!” I want everyone to:
·Find someone who likes two foods that you like
·Then find someone who likes to do an activity that you like to do (Cheerleading does
not count)
·Then find someone who is afraid of one thing that you’re afraid of too
One more thing! None of the above people can be the same. They all must be different.
As soon as you have found the three people that can match each of these things, shout
it out! Ready? Begin!
(After the first cheerleader shouts out that they are finished, encourage everyone else
to continue playing until everyone finds three people to match each of the categories.)
That was terrific! It will be very helpful to know a little more about each other as we work
together as a squad in the weeks ahead.
As you cheer during each game this season, you will be rewarded afterward with different
colored stars that each mean something special. Your actions, attitudes and words on
game day will determine what star you will get.
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These are the game-day stars and what they mean:
·The blue star represents EFFORT: What does it mean to show effort? It means
working hard to try your best at all times.
·The gold star represents SPIRIT: What does it mean to show spirit? It means
doing all your cheers with excitement, eagerness and good voice inflection.
You show others on your squad respect and treat them the way you want to be
treated.
·The gray star represents CHEERS: How do you cheer well? You work together
well with the rest of the squad while doing the motions and jumps and saying
the correct words along with the others.
·The red star represents LEADERSHIP: What does a leader do? A good leader
helps the squad stay focused and calls cheers well before the rest of the squad
does them.
·The white star represents CHRISTLIKENESS: What does it mean to be
Christlike? Being Christlike means to do your best to imitate Jesus in every
way – through words, attitude and actions. It means loving others and following
God’s Word in the Bible; choosing God over the temptations in the world around
you.
At each practice we will stop to have a mid-practice huddle. We will learn about God
and learn a verse from the Bible together. During this time you will have a chance to
earn a green star.
·The green star represents SCRIPTURE LEARNING: What is a Scripture?
Scriptures are verses from the Bible. How can I learn scripture? At different
practices this season I will give you a practice card that has a Scripture verse
on it. Memorize it, think about it and talk about it with others. Come prepared to
say it during practice and learn more about it!
Before we get back to practice, I want to tell you all about a great website that has
been designed just for you! TeamUpward.com is your place to play games and watch
fun videos, like the cool videos from a former college cheerleader who instructs you
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on how to improve your skills. You really need to check it out. The first practice card I
will give you this season will provide all the instructions on how to get on and register
to the website.
Our team is going to have a great season! Let’s pray and then get back to practice.
(Lead squad in short prayer as you thank God for all the cheerleaders and a great
season ahead.)
Mid-Practice Huddle - Devotion 2
Practice Card Reminder:
At the end of this practice, remember to distribute the practice cards that are entitled
“Practice 2”. These cards will contain this week’s verse and virtue as well as the
unlock code for TeamUpward.com. This will be the same verse and virtue for Practices
3 and 4.
Virtue and Definition:
Uniqueness is learning more about others so you can know more about yourself.
Bottom Line:
God gave everybody special abilities.
Scripture Verse - Coach, review the verse together as a squad
There are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given by the same Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:4 (NIrV)
Introduction:
One of the most important things about working on a team is getting to know each
other. The better we know each other, the better we work together. But getting to
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know someone isn’t always easy because every single person who has ever lived is
uniquely made. Just look around you. Everyone looks different right? But not only
that, each and every one of you has a unique personality and abilities. Each and every
one of you likes and dislikes different things. Some of you like to play your DS while
others would rather play outside. Some of you are good at math while others are good
at language arts. No two of us are exactly alike. Did you ever stop to think about the
fact that each person walking around is a uniquely made, one-of-a-kind creation?
Wow! That’s uniqueness. And when we take the time to get to know each other—to
discover what makes each person unique—a funny thing can happen. We can end up
learning a little bit about ourselves. In fact, we say that uniqueness is learning more
about others so you can know more about yourself. Let’s play a little game to help us
learn a bit about each other.
Activity:
1. Have cheerleaders stand in a circle.
2. As the coach, start the game by saying your name and sharing one special or
unique thing about yourself. After sharing, toss the pom across the circle to
another cheerleader.
3. Play continues with each cheerleader sharing something unique and tossing
the pom across the circle until everyone has a chance to share.
4. When finished, ask the cheerleaders to take a seat.
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3RD - 6TH GRADERS ONLY
Interaction Questions:
(Answers to some questions are suggested in italics.)
1. Why do you think God chose to give each of us different talents or strengths?
(We learn to work together; It’s easier than having to know how to do
everything; we can all feel special .)
2. How could learning more about someone else help you know more about
yourself? (When you see someone else’s talents, you can discover some of
your own too.)
3. How do you think it makes God feel when we make fun of someone he has
created just because he or she is different?
Application:
One of the really cool things about being on a team is that each one of you has
something to contribute. As your coach, I’m thankful each one of you has something
different to bring to the team. After all, if you were all great at jumping but no one
was able to YELL, we’d be sunk. It takes each one of our unique gifts and abilities to
successfully cheer our team on.
But the idea of uniqueness doesn’t just apply to sports. The Bible tells us in 1
Corinthians 12:4 that God gave everybody special abilities. Wait, who made us
unique? (pause for responses) That’s right, God did. He’s the one who chose that you
would be a fast runner or really good at encouraging your friends. Aren’t you glad that
God didn’t create a bunch of clones that all look alike, sound alike and act alike? I sure
am. As we work together this season and learn each other’s strengths both on and off
the field, I hope we’ll also learn more about ourselves in the process. At the end of this
practice I will give each of you a practice card for Uniqueness. Use it to review your
verse and unlock the Uniqueness door at TeamUpward.com with the secret code.
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Prayer:
1. Thank God for making each one of us.
2. Thank God for giving each of us special gifts and abilities and for helping us to
remember it wasn’t by accident.
3. Ask God to help us to be happy with the way he has uniquely made each one
of us.
Mid-Practice Huddle - Devotion 3
COACH: DO NOT DISTRIBUTE PRACTICE CARDS AT THIS PRACTICE.
Virtue and Definition:
Uniqueness is learning more about others so you can know more about yourself.
Bottom Line:
God made everybody a somebody.
Scripture Verse - Coach, review the verse together as a team
There are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given by the same Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:4 (NIrV)
Introduction:
Last week we talked about how God has given each one of us different gifts or
abilities. But sometimes it’s still easy to think that we’re not all that special. Maybe
you’re having a difficult time with your math homework, or you trip and fall in front
of everyone in the cafeteria. Maybe you don’t even feel like you’re all that great at
cheerleading. I think we all have days when we sort of feel like “a nobody”. But
the truth is, everybody is a somebody. God will never overlook you. That’s exactly
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why understanding uniqueness is so important. Because uniqueness is learning more
about others so you can know more about yourself. And as you learn more about the
people around you, you will begin to see that every single person is a somebody—
including you!
Activity: Four Corners
Supplies: four cones or poms
1. Create a large square (about 10 feet around) by placing four cones or poms at
the corners.
2. Number each of the corners and tell the kids to remember which is which.
3. Call out the questions on the next page and have the kids run to the corner
that best describes their answer. Make sure you call out the numbers each
time.
4. If more than one answer applies, encourage them to pick one as quickly as
possible. If none of the answers apply, have them run to the middle of the
square.
(Questions on the next page)
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Questions:
I HAVE:
ONE DAY I WANT TO:
1. Blonde hair
2. Brown hair
3. Black hair
4. Red hair
1. Go to college
2. Give an important speech to a big group of people
3. Beat my brother at ping-pong
4. Be a pilot
I HAVE:
MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT CHEERLEADING IS:
1. One sister
2.One brother
3. A brother and a sister
4. A dog
1. Kicks
2. Jumps
3. Cheers
4. Showing spirit
I USE:
I LIKE:
1. Colgate toothpaste
2. Crest® toothpaste
3. Aquafresh® toothpaste
4. Dora the Explorer® toothpaste
1. Pizza
2. Hamburgers
3. Fried okra
4. Broccoli
MY FAVORITE SUBJECT IS:
IF I HAD A MILLION DOLLARS, I WOULD:
1. Math
2. Reading
3. Music
4. Recess
1. Go to Disney World
2. Own a fleet of four-wheelers
3. Build a big mansion
4. Buy my own McDonald’s®
®
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(Coach - Have cheerleaders come together and sit down.) That was a crazy way to
learn about your teammates, huh? You may have noticed on some questions you
ended up in the corner with several other girls, but on other questions, you were
holding your corner down all alone. That’s because each one of us has something that
makes us unique—from our favorite subject, to the way we’d spend a million dollars
to the kind of toothpaste we use.
3RD - 6TH GRADERS ONLY
Interaction Questions:
1. Do you ever feel like a nobody? When?
2. How can you tell that our big creative God made you? (It takes a lot of creativity
to make us all so unique.)
3. Do you sometimes think it would be easier to “fit in” if everyone was the
same? If that were the case, could anybody be a somebody?
Application:
Did you know that before your parents ever met you, God knew what your favorite food
would be? It’s true. He knew what you’d love most and what you’d love least about
cheerleading. He knows you better than anyone because he made you. The same God
who named each one of the stars, the same God who made the whole entire world,
also took the time to give you your personality and special abilities. God handpicked
every unique thing about you. And that, above anything else, makes you a somebody.
Prayer:
1. Thank God for reminding us that we are uniquely made and each one of us is a
somebody.
2. Ask God to help us remember that he notices us even when we might feel like
no one else does.
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Mid-Practice Huddle - Devotion 4
COACH: DO NOT DISTRIBUTE PRACTICE CARDS AT THIS PRACTICE.
Virtue and Definition:
Uniqueness is learning more about others so you can know more about yourself.
Bottom Line:
You can share about God with your unique gifts.
Scripture Verse - Coach, review the verse together as a team
There are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given by the same Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:4 (NIrV)
Introduction:
We already know that each person is unique. But did you know that means each
person learns about God in a different way? While one person sees God in a beautiful
painting, someone else hears God in a catchy song. Just like one person sees God
through someone that cares for people like a nurse or a doctor, another person sees
him through someone standing up to a bully. That’s exactly why God wants you to use
your unique gifts and abilities to tell others about him. Think you’re too young? Think
this is just for preachers or adults? Well, the cool part is that God can use anybody
to share his message.
Activity:
Pair up the cheerleaders on your team and ask each person to share with their partner
one thing they do well. Together, have them come up how they can share about God
in what they do well. (i.e., If you sing well, you could sing a new Christian song at the
talent show. If you are good at science you could offer to help someone out that is
struggling with the subject.) Now switch and have the other person share what they
do well. Once each person has had a chance to share, bring the team back together.
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3RD - 6TH GRADERS ONLY
Interaction Questions:
1. Name one of your gifts that you could use to share God’s message. How?
2. What is one thing you could do this week to share his message?
Application:
God made you unique. You are his creation and he loves you just the way you are. God
loves you so much that he gave you unique gifts…he gave you a special abilities. Do
you ever feel like you just don’t know what that special ability is yet? If so, don’t worry.
Sometimes it takes a few years to figure out what you’re really good at. But when you
do, whatever it is, you should use it to share God’s message with others.
Prayer:
1. Thank God for giving us unique gifts and abilities.
2. Ask God to help us use the gifts he has given us to tell others about him.
3. Ask God to help us stand up for what we believe in.
4. Thank God for taking the time to create us individually and for a specific
purpose.
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Mid-Practice Huddle - Devotion 5
Practice Card Reminder:
At the end of this practice, remember to distribute the practice cards that are entitled
“Practice 5”. These cards will contain this week’s verse and virtue as well as the
unlock code for TeamUpward.com. This will be the same verse and virtue for Practices
6 and 7.
Virtue and Definition:
Joy is finding a way to be happy, even when things don’t go your way.
Bottom Line:
You can have joy because anything is possible with God.
Scripture Verse - Coach, review the verse together as a team
Always be joyful because you belong to the Lord. I will say it again. Be joyful.
Philippians 4:4 (NIrV)
Introduction:
So what does it mean to be joyful or to have joy? I’ll give you a hint: it’s more than just
a fancier way of saying you’re happy. Because it’s easy to be happy when things are
going your way but joy is finding a way to be happy, even when things don’t go your
way. That’s not easy. What if you forget your homework on the bus? Or you get in
trouble for something you didn’t even do? What if everyone plays their hardest but we
still lose the game? When things don’t go your way, don’t you wish you could just snap
your fingers and fix it? Or maybe even go back and have a do-over? Well, you may not
be able to hit the rewind button on life and have a do-over but here’s the good news:
anything is possible with God. He is bigger than your biggest problem, stronger than
the biggest bully, more powerful than a locomotive and faster than a speeding bullet.
No, He’s not Superman. He’s bigger. He’s God and he is on your side!
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Activity:
(Have everyone sit in a circle.) Do you like being cheered for? Have you been cheered
for today? Well, let’s fix that right now. When I call your name, I want you to stand up.
While you stand your teammates are going to cheer for you. Now if you’re sitting down,
I want you to clap your hands and cheer out loud for your teammate. Ready?! (One
at a time, have cheerleaders stand up and be cheered for by the other cheerleaders.
After a few seconds, have the standing cheerleader sit back down and call the next
cheerleader to stand. Be sure all cheerleaders are cheered for by their teammates.)
3RD - 6TH GRADERS ONLY
Interaction Questions:
1. What is the difference between being joyful and being happy? (Being happy is
easy. Being joyful is a choice you make. You can be joyful even when you are
sad or disappointed.)
2. Is it possible to be unhappy about something but still have joy? Give an
example.
Application:
Each week, you have fans cheering for you while you cheer for your team. Who are
your biggest fans on game day? Your families are probably your biggest fans. But
while your family is a big fan of yours, did you know you have an even bigger fan
than your mom or dad? Can you guess who it is? (wait for guesses) That’s right, your
heavenly Father. So what’s so cool about God being your biggest fan? He can’t buy
you ice cream after the game or give you a high-five when you land a perfect herkie.
But He can say the word “mountain” and BAM! a mountain appears. He can take one
boy’s lunch and feed over 5,000 people. Anything is possible with God.
Now, that doesn’t mean things will always go your way. And when something bad
happens, God may not jump in to suddenly turn things around. But God does have a
plan to make everything right in the end and when we trust him, anything is possible.
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No matter how bad things are, you can choose to have joy. It doesn’t mean life will
always be easy or that you’ll always be happy. But real joy is a choice you make even
when things don’t go your way. And you can choose joy because anything is possible
with God. At the end of this practice I will give each of you a practice card for Joy.
Use it to review your verse and unlock the Joy door at TeamUpward.com with the
secret code.
Prayer:
1. Thank God for reminding us he can do ANYTHING and NOTHING is impossible
for him.
2. Ask God to remind us that when things don’t go our way, he has a bigger plan
for our lives.
3. Ask God to help us be joyful regardless of our circumstances.
Mid-Practice Huddle - Devotion 6
COACH: DO NOT DISTRIBUTE PRACTICE CARDS AT THIS PRACTICE.
Virtue and Definition:
Joy is finding a way to be happy, even when things don’t go your way.
Bottom Line:
You can have joy because God keeps his promises.
Scripture Verse - Coach, review the verse together as a team
Always be joyful because you belong to the Lord. I will say it again. Be joyful.
Philippians 4:4 (NIrV)
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Introduction:
Have you ever been promised something and the person didn’t deliver? Maybe your
older brother promised to shoot hoops with you after school but then ditched you to
hang out with his friends instead. Maybe your mom said she’d take you to buy a new
video game on Saturday but ended up canceling because she didn’t feel well. Maybe
your teacher promised to give your class a special surprise if you all got an “A” on
your weekly spelling test but didn’t come through. Whatever the situation, you’ve
probably all been on the other end of a broken promise. But we shouldn’t really be
surprised. Only one person keeps his promises all the time. Do you know who I’m
talking about? That’s right! God always keeps his promises. And if you ask me, that’s
a great reason to have joy.
Activity:
1. Choose three members of the team to race around the field.
2. Tell them that if they can run all the way around the field (without cutting
corners!) in 10 seconds, you will stand on your head for the rest of practice.
(Make sure the distance is too far to be completed in 10 seconds!)
3. Shake hands with each of the runners to signify a deal or a promise.
4. Set your watch or ask the rest of the team to help you count as they run.
5. High-five and thank the runners for being good sports.
3RD - 6TH GRADERS ONLY
Interaction Questions:
1. Why is it so easy for God to keep his promises? (He knows what will happen in
the future, he can do anything.)
2. What are some promises God has made? (to make everything right in the end,
to never leave us, to never give us more than we can handle, to always give us
a way out of bad situations, etc.)
3. Who wants to see me try to stand on my head for 30 seconds?
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Application:
Some deals or promises are flat-out impossible for us to keep. Some are really hard
to keep. Others are just inconvenient to keep. No matter the reason, we experience
broken promises all the time because for us, some things just aren’t possible. But, as
we learned last week, anything is possible with God. And that’s how we can be sure
that God will keep his promises. Just like in the story of Noah and the ark. Do you
know what happened? God told Noah to build a huge boat. Noah obeyed and when
God sent a flood to destroy the earth, Noah and his family were saved. So then, God
made a promise to Noah that he would never flood the earth again. He painted a huge
rainbow in the sky to serve as a reminder that he would always keep that promise.
And still, thousands of years later, there hasn’t been a flood like the one Noah and his
family experienced. But God doesn’t just promise that he won’t flood the earth. God
makes all kinds of promises. He promises to be with you, he promises to love you
even when you mess up. Even when everyone around us disappoints us or breaks
their promises to us, God never does. And that’s yet another reason to be joyful: you
can have joy because God always keeps his promises.
Prayer:
1. Thank God for being trustworthy.
2. Ask god to help us remember that we can count on him no matter what and
that when we see a rainbow, that we would be reminded of his promise to us.
3. Tell God we have joy even when things aren’t going our way because of his
promise to us.
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Mid-Practice Huddle - Devotion 7
COACH: DO NOT DISTRIBUTE PRACTICE CARDS AT THIS PRACTICE.
Virtue and Definition:
Joy is finding a way to be happy, even when things don’t go your way.
Bottom Line:
You can have joy because God has a plan to make things right.
Scripture Verse - Coach, review the verse together as a team
Always be joyful because you belong to the Lord. I will say it again. Be joyful.
Philippians 4:4 (NIrV)
Introduction:
Ever had a really bad day? I mean really bad. Like you studied super hard for a test and
still didn’t do so well. Like your best friend told you that she doesn’t want to hang out
with you anymore. Like you tripped in the hall in front of everyone and now they’re all
making fun of you. Or maybe even your parents are fighting and you wonder what’s
going to happen there. Wouldn’t it be nice to know that even when things are bad,
there is a plan that will somehow make everything okay? Wouldn’t it be easier to
choose to have joy if you knew in the end that everything would turn out all right? It’s
hard to have joy when things are tough and there doesn’t seem to be any way out.
Activity:
(Supplies: a playbook or practice plan)
You guys know what this is, right? This is my playbook—my coaching manual. So
what’s in here? (pause for responses) That’s right. This book has all our cheers and
chants. This is how I know what cheers we are going to do to help pump up the crowd
and energize the team to play their hardest. So is this book important to cheerleading?
Absolutely. That’s why we work so hard in practice to learn the cheers and prepare
for the game each week.
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3RD - 6TH GRADERS ONLY
Interaction Questions:
1. Does it help to know that God has a plan when things aren’t going your way?
Why?
2. Why do you think God doesn’t show us his plan ahead of time? (He is teaching
us to trust him completely.)
3. What kinds of things can you do to follow God’s plan? (read the Bible, pray,
etc.)
Application:
What if I told you that even when things are hard, even when they don’t make sense,
even when we think it will never get better, God has a coach’s manual? In other words,
he has a plan. The Bible tells us that God has a plan to make things right in the end.
It doesn’t mean we won’t have trouble, and it doesn’t mean that his plan will always
be clear to us. It doesn’t even mean that he will make things right tomorrow. But as
you understand more and more about how to follow God by reading his Word and by
coming to church to learn about him, you will begin to trust the plan that God has for
your life. Even though it’s hard for us to see, God sees tomorrow as clearly as we see
right now. And that’s pretty much the best reason to have joy.
Prayer:
1. Thank God for his plan for our life and for being in control.
2. Ask God to help us remember that we can have JOY even in hard
circumstances because he knows what will happen tomorrow.
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Mid-Practice Huddle - Devotion 8
Practice Card Reminder:
At the end of this practice, remember to distribute the practice cards that are entitled
“Practice 8”. These cards will contain this week’s verse and virtue as well as the
unlock code for TeamUpward.com. This will be the same verse and virtue for Practices
9 and 10.
Virtue and Definition:
Forgiveness is deciding that someone who has wronged you doesn’t have
to pay.
Bottom Line:
Since God forgives you, you should forgive others.
Scripture Verse - Coach, review the verse together as a team
Forgive the things you are holding against one another. Forgive, just as the Lord
forgave you. Colossians 3:13 (NIrV)
Introduction:
When you do something to hurt your brother or sister’s feelings, what does your mom
say you need to do? (pause for responses) Say you’re sorry, right? Do you always
feel like saying you’re sorry? Do you sometimes just go through the motions and do
what your mom says, even when you don’t mean it? Do you think your brother or sister
can tell that you aren’t really sorry? Forgiveness isn’t easy. What’s easy is making
the person pay. It comes naturally to hold a grudge and choose to be angry when
someone does something to hurt you. Because what we think we want to do is get
them back or make them feel as bad as we feel. But even though making someone
pay for what they did to you seems fair, it’s not! You have been forgiven in the biggest
way possible. So the fair thing to do would be to pass the forgiveness on to others
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around you. And making someone pay is actually the opposite of what forgiveness
really means. Forgiveness is deciding that someone who has wronged you doesn’t
have to pay.
Activity:
Stand in front of the squad and share a time when you either forgave or should have
forgiven someone who wronged you. Ask squad members to share a similar story.
Maybe someone got mad at his brother for excluding him from an impromptu kickball
game with neighborhood kids. How did he respond? How should he have responded?
What would it have looked like to forgive his brother? Once someone shares his or
her story, have that person come up and link arms with you. The next person to share
will link arms with the teammate on your left and so on until everyone has shared and
you then link arms with the person on the other end forming an unbreakable circle.
If any squad member chooses not to share, ask them to stand and link arms to join
the circle.
3RD - 6TH GRADERS ONLY
Interaction Questions:
1. Why is our first reaction when someone hurts us to make them pay? (Because
they did the wrong thing, because they hurt our feelings, because we feel
like we were short-changed)
2. Has it ever brought you closer or bonded you to someone when you chose to
forgive?
3. Why is it so important that Jesus never wronged God but still died on the
cross? (Jesus was perfect but he paid the price as if he was a sinner.)
4.(Still standing in the circle) You know what this is? It’s more than just a circle.
It’s what can happen when you forgive someone.
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Application:
When you decide that someone who has wronged you doesn’t have to pay, it can bond
that person to you. In fact, the Bible says that you should forgive as the Lord forgives
you. Wait a second. Did you guys get that? We’re supposed to forgive others because
who forgives us? God does! The truth is, we mess up all the time. We do things every
single day that hurt or wrong God. And his word for that is sin. The problem with sin
is that it separates us from God instead of bonding us to him. That’s not what God
wants at all. So he made the ultimate act of forgiveness. He sent his only Son, Jesus,
to live a perfect life on earth and then pay the price for all of our sins on the cross.
And because of that act of forgiveness, we can be bonded to God forever. That’s
amazing news!
God knows you aren’t perfect and he doesn’t hold your mistakes against you. But in
return, he asks that you forgive people in your life just like he has forgiven you. God’s
not asking us to do anything he’s not willing to do himself. In fact, we only know
how to forgive because God forgives us! At the end of this practice I will give each
of you a practice card for Forgiveness. Use it to review your verse and unlock the
Forgiveness door at TeamUpward.com with the secret code.
Prayer:
1. Thank God for always forgiving us even when we mess up.
2. Ask God to help us forgive others when someone disappoints us or makes us
angry because God always forgives us.
3. Ask God to help us follow his example and be the first to forgive.
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Mid-Practice Huddle - Devotion 9
If this is your last practice, skip to page 70 for the last devotion
COACH: DO NOT DISTRIBUTE PRACTICE CARDS AT THIS PRACTICE.
Virtue and Definition:
Forgiveness is deciding that someone who has wronged you doesn’t have to pay.
Bottom Line:
When you want to get even, do the opposite.
Scripture Verse - Coach, review the verse together as a team
Forgive the things you are holding against one another. Forgive, just as the Lord
forgave you. Colossians 3:13 (NIrV)
Introduction:
So we started talking about forgiveness last time. Have you guys had a chance to
practice forgiveness this week? Maybe a friend at school hurt your feelings, or your
older sister blamed you for something that happened and you got in trouble but then
she later said she was “sorry.” Didn’t you just want her to pay for what she did?
Sometimes don’t you just want the person who has hurt you to feel as bad as you do?
Let’s face it, if we we’re all honest, we have to admit that forgiveness isn’t our first
response when someone hurts us. We want to get even. We want people to pay. We
want them to feel as bad as we do. But God has a better way than getting even. He
wants us to do the opposite.
Activity:
You guys know what the word opposite means, right? Okay, I want you to partner
up with someone and think of as many pairs of opposites as you can in one minute.
I’ll give you an example. The opposite of high is _______ (pause for responses).
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That’s right—low! Make sure no other group can hear you as you and your partner
come up with opposites. Everybody ready? Come up with as many pairs as you can.
Ready? Go.
3RD - 6TH GRADERS ONLY
Interaction Questions
1. What do you think “turn the other cheek” really means in your world? (don’t
fight back, be nice when they are mean, help your enemies)
2. Why is it so hard to forgive someone when they hurt you? (We feel like we
should defend ourselves.)
Application:
When it comes to being hurt, to getting even, to paying someone back, God actually
wants us to do the opposite. What’s the opposite of getting even? Offering forgiveness.
What’s the opposite of paying back someone who hurt you? Letting them off the hook.
But wait a second. I know what you’re thinking. Let someone off the hook? Just like
that? Isn’t that sort of lame? What about standing up for yourself?
Get this. Jesus said, “Do not fight against an evil person. Suppose someone hits you
on your right cheek. Turn your other cheek to him also.” Time out. What? You mean
we’re not supposed to defend ourselves? Jesus had a way of turning things around to
make us think about them in a different way. Instead of paying back wrong for wrong,
Jesus said to turn the other cheek. When you want to get even, do the opposite.
Prayer:
1. Thank God for reminding us how important it is to forgive.
2. Tell God we are thankful that he forgives us when we mess up.
3. Ask God to help us remember that when someone hurts us and we want to get
even, that we need to do the opposite.
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Mid-Practice Huddle - Devotion 10
If this is your last practice, skip to page 70 for the last devotion
COACH: DO NOT DISTRIBUTE PRACTICE CARDS AT THIS PRACTICE.
Virtue and Definition:
Forgiveness is deciding that someone who has wronged you doesn’t have
to pay.
Bottom Line:
Don’t wait to start making things right with others.
Scripture Verse - Coach, review the verse together as a team
Forgive the things you are holding against one another. Forgive, just as the Lord
forgave you. Colossians 3:13 (NIrV)
Introduction:
Let me ask you a question. How many of you like to wait for something? (pause for
responses) Who likes to wait for their birthday, or Christmas morning or the first day
of summer break? I know I don’t like to wait. I can be pretty impatient sometimes.
Waiting isn’t necessarily something that comes easily to us. Just think about a long
line at the grocery store. Have you ever noticed how after just a few minutes, people in
line start to get a little annoyed? They might start tapping their feet, or looking around
to see if another lane has opened up. Sometimes people can be downright rude when
they have to wait. But I have good news: this week, we are talking about something
you never have to wait for!
Activity:
1. Divide the squad into two or more groups.
2. Determine a start line and a finish line.
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3. Pick one person on each squad to be the “farmer.” The farmer has to get all
of his wheelbarrows (teammates) to the other side of the gym/field before any
other farmer. The farmer can only transfer cheerleaders “wheelbarrow” style.
4. Ready? Set? Go!
Whew! That was exhausting but everyone did a great job rushing to get the
wheelbarrows to the finish line. Definitely no waiting around there! Actually, there’s
another time that God tells us to not wait around.
3RD - 6TH GRADERS ONLY
Interaction Questions:
1. Why do you think God wants you to make things right with others before you
can worship him? (God made the person you are fighting with and he wants
you to love his creation just as much as you love him. If you are fighting
with someone, you cannot worship God with your whole heart.)
2. Why is it important to be the first one to forgive? (We always want to try to fix
broken relationships.)
3. Is there someone in your life that you need to forgive this week?
Application:
Have you ever gotten really mad at someone and done something you shouldn’t
have? Let’s say you and friend got into a big fight and you both said some pretty
hurtful things. You might be thinking, “Why should I say I’m sorry? She needs to say
she’s sorry first!” Fast forward to the weekend. It’s Sunday and as usual, you and
your family are heading to church. You love your church because you learn all kinds
of things about God and you get a chance to sing praises to him with all your friends.
Only today, you can’t really sing. Something’s just not right.
Jesus knew this feeling. That’s why he tells you that before you can praise him, you
must “first go and make peace with your brother.” In this case, you shouldn’t wait.
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You should always go first. Broken friendships hurt our relationship with God. We can’t
claim that we love God and not get along with others around us. That’s why it’s really
important for us to say, “I’m sorry.” So don’t wait to start making things right with
others. Be the first one to offer forgiveness. You won’t be sorry.
Prayer:
1. Tell God we admit it’s hard to be first to forgive.
2. Thank God for showing us how to forgive.
3. Ask God to help us be the first to say “sorry” this week.
Mid-Practice Huddle –
Last Practice of the Season
Practice Card Reminder:
At the end of this practice, remember to distribute the last practice card to your
cheerleaders. These cards contain the verse below and also include a final code for
TeamUpward.com that will unlock all games and videos for the entire season.
Virtue and Definition:
You are part of God’s Big Story!
Bottom Line:
God sent Jesus to forgive us of our sins.
Scripture Verse - Coach, review the verse together as a team
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes
in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NIV)
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Introduction:
We’ve had a GREAT season! It’s been so much fun watching each of you become
better cheerleaders and better friends with each other! We’ve learned a lot about
cheerleading…but we’ve also learned a lot about ourselves and about others.
Think about the things that we’ve learned during our huddle time this year. Do you
remember the three virtues we’ve discussed? What were they?
(Allow cheerleaders to answer the question.)
1. First we learned about Uniqueness. We learned that uniqueness is learning
more about others so you can know more about yourself. God made each and
every one of us just perfectly…just the way he wanted us to be. Isn’t it cool to
be made perfectly by our BIG and AWESOME God?!
2. Then we learned about Joy. We learned that joy is finding a way to be happy,
even when things don’t go your way. That’s not always easy to do, but we
know that God has a PERFECT plan for each one of us and he is ALWAYS in
control…even when we don’t realize it.
3. We also learned about Forgiveness. Forgiveness is deciding that someone
who has wronged you doesn’t have to pay. Now that may be the most difficult
one of all! We learned that when you decide that someone who has wronged
you doesn’t have to pay, it can draw that person closer to you. In fact, the Bible
says that you should forgive as the Lord forgives you. Today’s verse tells us
that God loved us so much that he sent Jesus to forgive us of our wrong doing
so we can live forever with him in heaven!
Listen to this week’s verse, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only
Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
We have all made mistakes. The Bible tells us that because of sin, we are separated
from God. But because God loves us so much, he provides a way back to him. Our
verse teaches us that this way is through his son, Jesus. He sent his only Son, Jesus,
to live a perfect life on earth and then pay the price for all of our sins on the cross.
And because of that act of forgiveness, we can be with God forever.
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I’ve got something else to tell you. Did you know that you are part of God’s BIG
STORY? That’s right…he has a BIG STORY and each one of you are in it! You will learn
more about that BIG STORY at the award’s celebration. It’s gonna be great!
Let’s pray to God and thank him for all he’s done for us.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for an awesome season! Thank you for teaching us about
Uniqueness, Joy, and Forgiveness. Thank you for sending your Son Jesus for each
one of us. And thank you for reminding us today that You will always forgive us when
we mess up. You are incredible! In Jesus’ name, we pray, amen.
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Section 2:
Games
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Games
Game Day
Game day for Upward Cheerleaders is an exciting time. They have learned and
practiced their fundamentals and are now ready to put on their uniforms to cheer in
front of all the spectators, players and coaches. As a coach, you should be ready as
well. Here are a few key points to remember on game day:
·Include your squad in the pre-game prayer huddle with players, coaches and
referees.
·Cheerleaders are allowed to perform during timeouts and at halftimes. Games
consist of four nine-minute quarters with an eight-minute halftime period. The
clock stops briefly at the end of each quarter. This can be a great time for
cheerleaders to do a quick chant, a cheer or a jump.
·Cheerleaders need to be alert to the action on the field to protect themselves
from an out-of-bounds ball or player.
·If cheerleaders will be standing on the sidelines during games, instruct them to
place their poms on the ground as a marker for their position in the lineup.
·If you have only one cheerleading squad per hour when two games are
being played, have cheerleaders switch fields at halftime. This allows your
cheerleaders to cheer for all teams on the field.
·Be prepared each game with a list of all cheers and chants that have been
learned. You can also make a poster with all the cheers, chants, timeout
routines and your halftime routine as a visual reminder to all cheerleaders.
Use signs and posters to get the crowd involved
with your cheerleaders when performing cheers and
chants or a halftime routine.
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Section 3:
Forms
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Forms
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Game-Day Cheer List
Use the following pages on game day to make a list of the cheers your squad knows
and can perform during the game. You may also want to use this form to keep track
of what cheers have been done so you do not often repeat the same cheers
Game 1
1.
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Game 2
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Forms
Game 3
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Game 4
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Game 5
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Game 6
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Forms
Game 7
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Game 8
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