Announcing the U.S. Finals
	See the News & Events page  for the Latest info on the fastest growing Year End, World's Best, Final Destination at The U.S. Finals

Hosting Camp at Your Facility

Summer brings fun, sun… and Camp. Camp is the perfect opportunity for you to promote your gym and hopefully gain more potential cheerleaders for next season. But it is not a give-away, it must be approached as a business in order to achieve your goals and the goals of the cheerleaders and their families. Cheer camp requires a business plan--a written document that outlines the who, where, how, and why of the camp. Are there too many camps? No- parents send their children to cheer camp for a number of reasons. If your offering is right for your market, including price, product and presentation you will have a successful event. Your "Open to the Public" Cheer Campers are usually familiar with the way that camps operate, via their experience as campers, counselors, volunteers or parents. Hosting Cheer Camp

Directors
	As business owner or director, take a look at the Athletic Director's Page . It is filled with info for use in your gym or studio.  Insurance, skills & drills, athletes, standards, tips, management info and more.  You will also stay abreast of what's happening in the cheer segments around you.  Be in the Know!

Attendance down? The Spring '08 Megaphone Edition gives insight as to where your cheerleaders have gone and what they are looking for.

Recruiting

The end of competition season … the final battles were played…or were they? There is another season that is being played at this same time, an underground war being waged with possibly more intensity, determination, and relentlessness than any actual cheer competition season. It is the season of recruiting. Recruiting is a crucial aspect of all-star cheerleading, especially to the Elite All-Star Teams. It is directly responsible for the success or failure of teams, maybe more so than practicing, training, or coaching. Many coaches spend more time trying to get the next crop of prized athletes than they do with their actual players. The high stakes of recruiting

Special Needs Teams Please share your special needs team with us.  oacc@ohiooacc.com   A listing of Special Needs Teams, Camps and Programs will be published in early 2008.  More info for special needs athletes can also be viewed on the OACC Parent's Page MidwestCheerExpo  comments from their Winter Cheer & Dance Classic competition hosted 12/2/08:    "I believe it is an experience that is very profound.  It seems to have an effect on the spectators, the event staff and the other competitors.  It is as if everyone becomes one for that moment in time; to share the excitement that the special needs team emits from the floor from the time they enter the arena.  They contain an energy and love of the sport  that is evident throughout their routines.  They love being out there,they share it and everyone shares it.  There is no pity for them, just admiration, respect and love that produces a standing ovation each and every time.  They touch your heart.  There is no other way to put it."    to Teresa and the staff at The Greater Midwest Cheer Expo and the Competition Hosts who promote a special needs division for competition and exhibition performances! See MORE on Special Needs Athletes, Teams and Competition on the Parents page

Revamp and Modernize for more sales

In successful gyms today, the interior display is recognized as an important component in the sales promotion program. Interior display was once the retail industry's stepchild. No longer.  You can spend thousands of dollars advertising for more students, but have you thought of adding on sales to your existing customers?  Your interior should look less like a stockroom and more like a showroom. They should be designed to sell and display goods instead of a place to store them.   The display of your add-on services and merchandise lining your traffic aisles is the same as window merchants on a sidewalk. Let the OACC show you how to expose your potential to your customers.

Get Ready to Compete

Competition preparedness PreCompetition jitters. Almost every competitive athlete experiences them. It could be a restless night before or as extreme as throwing up right up until the time you hit the floor. If really bad, anxiety can destroy performance. Some anxiety is healthy – it’s how you manage their jitters that is the critical factor. Before the event:  Prepare both mentally and physically. Preparing for the unexpected Pump it up! Pre-Competition Rituals     Competition Preparedness & PreCompetition jitters

Ohio Cheer Force merger
	04/02/08   Ohio Cheer Force has been very successful over the past seven years, and they are always looking for ways to enhance the experience they offer to their team members. They are excited and proud to announce that Ohio Cheer Force is merging with Premier Athletics.  full merger announcement

All-Star vs. Elite vs. Competition Cheerleader

As recent as 7 or so years ago you could see cheerleaders classified as Elite and All-Star, which included our Novice and PeeWee Divisions. Yes, there are differences between the Elite teams and the AllStar teams. Today, with the popularity and explosion of the sporting activity of cheering, a new label or term has been added "Competition Cheerleader" or "Competition Teams". The 2 categories most often used in Ohio Cheerleading today are... Elite vs AllStar vs Competition

Strategic business development for

New start up cheer facilities Diversity in services-expansion for dance or gymnastics facilities Growth and health of your existing cheer business The Megaphone newsletter will give you tips, hints, advice, trends and articles for Managing your AllStar business Building your AllStar business The Ohio Association of Cheerleading coaches recognizes that coaches cannot merely react to issues as they emerge. To continue as a leader, improving the profession, you must anticipate future change.

Moving up from All-Star to Elite

As promised the OACC is interviewing and researching methods and practices for you to move your cheerleaders from All-Star to Elite . You'll be getting information from Exercise Physiologists, Athletic Trainers, Children's Hospitals Associates and World Olympic Coaches.  Always keep caution at your side.  You may be ready to move to the Elite level, that doesn't mean your cheerleaders are.  Keep safety first and always follow AACCA's rules of skill progression and NCSSE's premise of coaching principles. High Level Athletes

Elite Training
	Moving your team from all star to elite... Coach Brian Grasso shares his philosophies and training techniques as he builds elite athletes.  See the coaches page

Competition Divisions

As you've scheduled your teams to compete, you've noticed more of a consistency in the rules and regulations. Each Event Coordinator/Competition Host may set their own requirements for safety, divisions and routine elements.  This is ok and regional factors may come in to play.  As you progress into State Championships and Open Classics hosted by the National Event Coordinators, you will see much more consistency thanks to the NACCC and the USASF. Two of the All-Star Cheerleading National Organizations have teamed up reaching an agreement that will help to unify the all-star cheerleading community.   The NACC will become a part of the USASF as the Official Coaches Rules Committee. NACCC   National All-star Cheerleading Coaches Congress         NACCC This national leading platform was created for a unified voice of the coaches, by the coaches, for the coaches.  The NACC is working to become a national, central authority for the sport of all-star cheerleading.   They work within the membership to streamline rules, to provide a safety certification process, and to serve as a liaison between the all-star coaching community and cheerleading companies.  Because of the rapid growth of our sport, we need unity and consistency rather than constant change and fragmentation. USASF   The United States All-Star Federation             USASF They are helping to set standardization.  Standards in Safety, Standards in Coaches Education, and promoting safe environments for all cheerleading and dance across the country. The U.S. All Star Federation is officially organized as a not for profit corporation governed by a Board of Directors. The Board consists of industry leaders from major competition companies and nationally recognized all star program owners. The organization is also comprised of a number of committees, such as Rules; Selection; Membership; and Safety, Education and Ethics, that advise the Board on pertinent issues.

Keeping your program stable and healthy
	Growing the Economic Health of Your Program Economic Health of Your Program

New Start Manual

A NEW START MANUAL This comprehensive manual contains important business growth strategies to establish or improve the components of a successful cheer program. Marketing Strategies, Organization Strategies, Service Strategies, Product Strategies, People Strategies and Financial Strategies. The manual is filled with Forms,Templates and Ideas ready for you to use. This manual is for anyone serious about creating a profitable business around their passion for coaching. To succeed you not only need to be a good coach but you also need to understand how to run a good business. This guide helps you to achieve both! Cheerleading has experienced phenomenal growth in membership and influence. The past ten years has been particularly significant. Changes in the field have been dramatic. Draw on your resources if you want to continue to grow. The OACC has the gift of a great deal of diversity amongst membership. The Association draws its strength from this diversity. Whether starting a new team or starting a new season, this manual will help you identify your goals and pursue them.

Start Your own Gym

NEW GYM Take your dream and make it reality. But where do you start? You are developing your own great business idea. You may be starting from scratch or maybe looking at a merger with another facility. Franchise opportunities are available and acquisitions or buying an existing cheer, gymnastics, dance, or fitness facility is an option. Each carries their own start up set of logistics, the OACC is here to help you make your best decisions in all aspects of business startup. Grab the Opportunity Start your own Gym

Your Gym, Your Teams & You
	Existing Gym  Mid-Season Mid Season

New Business failure
	Not all cheer businesses stay so cheerful. Poor management practices, too little structure, inadequate financing and/or, ineffective marketing techniques are the leading causes of business failures. New Business Failure

What does Growth Mean to You

The Number of Participants, Prestige-Clout, Fame or does Growth mean Money? COMPANY GROWTH As on organization grows in complexity, so does its organizational chart. Remember when you first started? You didn’t need an organizational chart. Now that you are growing that organizational chart is important. Truly put it in writing. What was once a few trees becomes a forest that can block your effectiveness (can’t see the forest for the trees). Don’t let the forest block your view from your clients (cheerleaders and parents) or from your coaches, staff, leaders and personnel. You need to solve and resolve issues on all fronts by knowing what’s going on and communicating freely. Unfortunately, when owners need to look at finances and capital, focus on reducing costs can bring out the axe and start chopping down your trees. Instead, try to streamline your people to become more efficient. Prepare them for the growth, communicate to them what to expect during your growth process. Increase your efficiency, productivity and your communications – verbal, written and listening. Connect to their needs and desires. Bring your dreams to the team level. Translate your visions into results. Great team leaders spend time clarifying goals, cultivating their own leadership skills and identifying new ways to achieve great results. Don’t get confused or bogged down by micromanaging, an effective leader will check in to make sure the organization's goals and strategies remain clear. At the same time, they help build capability of individual team members versus taking on the work of the team themselves. It’s o.k. to let go. By delegating your duties, your leadership people will feel responsible for their work and your success. Simply opening productive and constructive communication to a greater degree will help leaders increase their effectiveness and their teams function most effectively. Leaders often feel unnecessary pressure to tell everyone on the team what to do. Focus on influencing versus doing. Quality control: of your set policies, procedures and outcomes. You didn’t win that 1st place trophy? Evaluate. Think of your quality control as the same or similar duty in a scholastic setting. You would expect to turn in your evaluations to the Athletic Director or Principal, why is it different. Set yourself intervals for evaluation (end of each month, end of calendar year, end of cheer season). Always, always evaluate yourselves before and after a competition or show. Everyone in your organization should have an evaluation form geared at their position. Cheerleaders should evaluate the program, your staff should evaluate your program, you should evaluate yourself, and yes even the parents can submit evaluations. You may hear complaints – that’s ok – use them to your advantage. Don’t take them personally. Use the concerns of others to make your program better.

Choreography
	Your choreography could make or break you. Choreography

Who choreographs?
	Who does the choreography?

Choreography - Do we need to copyright our work?
	DO YOU NEED TO COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK?

The Excitement of Open Teams
	Learn more about joining an Open Team on the College Cheer page. A Direct listing for a team near you .

BREAKING DOWN THE BLOCK!

Getting it, losing it, and getting it back again in gymnastics (cheerleading)  Alison Arnold Ph.D.    docalison@aol.com It's so frustrating. One minute they can do the skill the next minute they can't. So many gymnasts (Cheerleaders) can do a skill perfectly one day, only to find themselves losing it, or worse yet, not even being able to go for it at all. Take the story of Camille for example, "One day I was doing my back handsprings perfectly. It had taken years to learn it and finally I got it! I was so happy. The next day I came into the gym and would not even throw one! It wasn't like I was scared, it was like I had a block inside my body that said "don't go". My coaches were frustrated, and I was frustrated. I wasn't sure what was going on." This happens to every gymnast at one time or another. A block so strong it shakes their confidence down to the very core. Dealing with an athletes all of a sudden won't do a skill they are perfectly capable of doing is one of the most frustrating situations for coaches. You know they can do it perfectly, you know there is nothing to be afraid of, you know you are SPOTTING them, and still they won't go. This article will give you some tools to help you break down the block before the block breaks you down.  ....   (read full article) Battling the Block: 3 Keys to Breakthrough

More Information
	Training and workshops at your facility Parent training Coaches training            Cheerleader training

Fun Stuff for your gym and for your competitions
	Promote your Gym n Promote your Fun!  AndersonsSpirit.com

Cheer Dance Pom Teams
	. Contact JACK at GTM  Fast Delivery, Specialization for you, Great prices on a full line up of Cheer gear!

From the Coach page..
	Coaching/Situational Styles in Leadership  click here

CCE Choreography Services & Choreography Camp

This Month's Organizational Tip

Create a Workspace for Handling Mail First point of enforcing order: Manage what you fear. Start by setting the stage. Designate something as an in-box. It can be a basket, a storage box, a drawer — anything big enough to hold a week’s worth of mail and no more. Find a place for it that’s convenient and not so out of the way that it’s out of sight and mind. Post a large trash can or recycling bin near the in-box to hold all the junk mail that you’ll be purging. Helpful hint: Pitch junk mail the second you reach your in-box each day. Your ruthlessness will be rewarded with a significantly smaller pile of mail to contend with when you sit down to sift through it. Decide on a regular time to sort through your in-box. Distribute its contents to the organizational systems you’re about to create…. You might allot a few minutes each day or an hour once a week to handle your mail, whatever works for you. What’s important is that you make it a habit. National Spirit Expo

Cheer Expo Shares Tips on Facials
	The Importance of Facial Expressions - Does Enthusiasm and Confidence Projection Really Matter? - Facial Expressions That Fit You 7 Articles to help your team    Cheer Expo's Tips on Facials

Splits, Kicks & Flexibility
	Improve your balance while developing flexibility and strength! ">

Coach Michael Taylor
	From gym.net, the gymnastics professional's network.  Consulting and business services. Great articles and tips.

What is USASF?

What's the USASF? USASF is the U.S. All Star Federation. It's about safety standards. It's about coaches' education. It's about providing a safe environment to allow for the continued growth of all star cheerleading and dance across the country. It's about parents knowing their children are being taught using safe methods that are in accordance with the standard of care. It's about standardization of rules from one competition to the next. It's about time. The U.S. All Star Federation is officially organized as a not for profit corporation governed by a Board of Directors. The Board consists of industry leaders from major competition companies and nationally recognized all star program owners. The organization is also comprised of a number of committees, such as Rules; Selection; Membership; and Safety, Education and Ethics, that advise the Board on pertinent issues.

NLCC Nation's Leading Cheer Companies
	The NLCC is an organization comprised of the Nation's Leading Cheer Companies.  They are the originators that bring you the FINAL DESTINATION - "The World Best"! The NLCC FINAL DESTINATION was established to recognize teams of all ability levels that have excelled in cheerleading and dance and provide a finale in achieving top honors.

Cheerleading Worlds
	United States All Star Federation

Merging with another gym

When two companies come together through a merger, they enter a new world. Every year hundreds of cheer gyms, dance studios and fitness centers, large and small join forces either by merger or acquisition, hoping for greater accomplishments. Here are just 5 questions that an OACC Consultant may ask you during the pre-merger, merger and post-merger process: Does the other party bring something unique to the deal? Is there good operating synergy between the parties? Are you committed to sharing capital, personnel, markets and technologies? Do you each have a clear vision of the newly formed organization? Can senior managers subordinate their egos for the good of the company? Other starting considerations: The challenge of company name changes Preserving Brand identity after a merger Valuing and combining your intangible assets Retaining your human resources Merging management teams Financial consolidation

Team Identity
	Personalized Accessories that Shine!

Helicopter Parents
	Six months in the works and still not complete. Our article on HELICOPTER PARENTS needs your help. The completed article will publish on the Coaches Page.  If you would like to contribute to this article, help others deal with these parents, bring realization to some of our parents (and we all have them), or if you would like to write this article, please email the office.  Confidential.

Libel vs. Slander

Gossip or Slander? Slander or Libel? It's dangerous, to you, to your team and to your organization.  With the advent of multiple copy emails, social networking sites like facebook, myspace and personal websites, you need to direct your coaches, your employees and your cheerleaders about the legal ramifications of talking about others. You are the leader. You must direct the behavior and set the standards of conflict resolutions, grudges and disputes amongst your organization. Follow the link to find out more. Slander or Libel

You write the article ...
	The Megaphone Newsletter will be featuring articles Coaching with your Spouse Coaching Your own Child What was your competition year like? If you would like to write an article for the newsletter or the website, please contact the OACC office