Coaches

Try-Out Season   Link to Tryouts for Coaches and Cheerleaders - All Levels

Prepare your Policies, Procedures, Parent Committee Responsibilities and Meeting Agendas now.

Making Your Team Work: How Coaches Can Transform Groups into Teams

Ryan Hedstrom, Manchester College

Good coaching is more than having a winning season.

The biggest legacy a coach can leave is the life lessons he or she imparts.

  Pre-made Mixes from one of the best in the industry - Available to download now!

1. Everything you say or do makes an impression on kids. What they don’t see, they often sense.

2. The measure of character is how you act when you think no one’s looking. You’d be surprised at what kids know, hear about, and discover by accident. Behavior speaks louder and more persuasively than anything you can say.

3. Only a fraction of young people will play sports beyond high school, but most will become parents, employees, and citizens. By building their character, you’ll give them and the rest of society a permanent gift.

4. Setting rules is important because young people are especially vigilant for unfairness and hypocrisy. Too many adults (and pro athletes) are selfish and undisciplined because rules weren’t enforced or didn’t apply to them when they were young.

5. When the game’s on the line, so is integrity.

6. If you’re not sure how to handle a situation, ask yourself:

    • What would I tell my child to do?
    • What would I do if my child was looking over my shoulder?
    • Do I want my character judged on this decision?
    • How would I feel if my decision was reported on the 6 o’clock news?
    • If everybody did it, would it be a good thing?
    • What would my role model do?                                  From Our Friends at:    Pursuing Victory With Honor

Who choses the Captain?  What is the role of the Captain?  What are the responsibilities of the Captain?  Do I need a Vice-Captain or Co-Captains?      Captain

Your cheerleaders don't earn Varsity letters? The  Megaphone  Newsletter Archives guides you in setting your standards and policies for lettering for an athletic activity. Members may request back issues, at no charge. Find out how to award your cheerleaders their letters, numbers, pins and jackets. For gyms, schools and leagues who need additional assistance, call the OACC office.

Gone are the days of limiting the number of cheerleaders that can be on the sidelines. The allstar gyms are also filling teams at maximum capacities. If you are in need of quick uniforms, inexpensive, good uniforms, contact Jack at GTM Sportswear.  Jack is committed to having uniforms pieces to you quickly. You can be ready for Parades, Special performances and Season start!

A Certified Judges list is available to you. However-- we are still in need of VOLUNTEERS to help other coaches judge their tryouts. Please contact the OACC if you need a volunteer, unbiased judge or judging panel -OR- if you are available to help judge others.

As banquet time rolls around coaches are always comparing their team of athletes against other athletes and their awards. Some awards are easy to select the recipient ie - Varsity letters, Participation numerals, Brass bar pins, Perfect attendance award, Scholar-athlete, MVP, Most Spirited, and Community Leader, etc. 

These awards are generally in the form of paper certificates, brass pins, chenile numerals, letters and patches, plaques or trophies.  Seniors or outstanding team members may even receive special awards like rings, pen/pencil sets, engraved clocks and scholarship monies.

Generally, Cheer awards are sponsored by the school board or organization, the athletic department, the Booster association and/or the cheer parent committee.

The fun, crazy and zany awards are usually presented or sponsored by the immediate coach:  Unsung Hero, Heart of the team, Drama Queen, Best Jumper, Messy gym bag award, random act of kindness, Got dressed in the dark award, The hot ear award (for the biggest cell phone user), The sore thumb award (for the biggest texter), etc.

Apart from the humor and fun, the icing on the cake to team bonding, there is often something to be gained from exploring crazy ideas. The more obvious examples are ideas that eventually lead to practical solutions or bring awareness to self and team. 

Character development,Team Building,Time management, Working with the Administration, Making Use of Parents,Tryout Judges,Forms

Certification and trainings are ongoing.  See you at the Conference

Some NFHS Rules DO apply to Middle/Jr High as well as some of our Elementary School Teams

See News & Events Page  for  Sprit Rule Revisions and Rule Changes.

Also See NFHS Coach's Responsibility Release

    First Aid for Coaches                  Required
First Aid for Coaches, a component of Sports Safety Training, is a Web-based course developed by the American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis and supported by the United States Olympic Committee.

The course teaches American Red Cross first aid in the context of sport and the prevention of sport-related injury.

A few years ago, the OACC Megaphone, Newletter shared the pros and cons of sharing your athletes with other sports teams.  Can your cheerleader also be a volleyball player, a choir member, a member of the gymnastics team? How does it work for you, for the other coach and for the athlete?  For Scholastic Coaches, your Athletic Directors were advised of just that.  The NFHS December 2008 Conference for Athletic Directors held a seminar on Multiple Sports Participation. See an overview of their seminar.                                                         01/09

   Rules and Glosary with changes highlighted(click logo)

Two of OHSAA's Amendments can be viewed on the Director's Page.   If you have concerns about the eligibility of cheerleaders who have transfered to your school during the school year, further amendments are available. 

Each year the Ohio Department of Education co-sponsors a writing contest for eighth grade students. Through the Women Making History Eighth-Grade Essay Contest, students can practice literacy skills and expand their knowledge of significant women in today’s news and in Ohio and U.S. history. The Governor’s Office for Women’s Initiatives and Outreach (GOWIO), together with the Ohio Interagency Council on Women and Girls and the Ohio Department of Education conduct this annual contest. Share your role models, encourage them to research women leaders and those who make a difference. 
Topics to choose from: Health and athletics, Arts and education,  Math, science and technology, and  Leadership and community service. Women Making History

Each month, Positive Coaching Alliance serves as National Conversation co-conveners and will distribute "Good Coaching Case Studies" amongst youth and high school sports parents, coaches and leaders/administrators.

If your cheerleaders are interested in progressing their skills and seeing what Ohio State Cheerleading is all about, send them to one of Ohio State Cheerleading Prep Clinics    see College Cheer page

   Competitive Division 4.2 is here!  A beautiful blend of 2 divisions.  Details .  Thank you USASF. 

You spend tireless hours... Coaching is a very time consuming and sometimes overwhelming job.

Disruptive behavior, violence, vandalism, harassment, and  are serious problems for us.

From years gone by the Cheerleading Advisor has truly been the coach. A Cheerleading Advisor plays a very different role from a coach. If your role and duties are both, talk to the administration about correcting your title. In larger organizations there will be two positions separately, an advisor and a coach.

This summer volumes of research and information is at your fingertips.... 

All training and certification courses come to you! Your time is valuable. In addition to scheduled Regional Clinics, OACC and our Network of Affiliates comes to you. Workshops are tailored to your group and your needs.

Self Improvement and Certifications. Coaching Principals & Ethics, Double Goal Coach I,II & III, Six Pillars of Character, Sport First Aid, CPR, Safety, Coaching Cheer Fundamentals,Motions/Jumps/Tumbling,Stunts & Tumbling I & II, Partner Stunt Progressions and more

Create a Code of Conduct that is expected of a cheerleader and that you expect as a team member and future leader. This is a tool that you may want to use with your team members to review behavior expectations regularly and/or to address specific behavior or conduct issues.

Tumbling - Mount/Pyramid - Stunting. The OACC advises all coaches and cheerleaders to learn spotting techniques during preseason.

Productive vs. Unproductive Practices.  Practice isn't just practice anymore...

You've got to have a system and a philosophy.

It's the necessary ingredient for building successful athletes.

And the missing ingredient for so many Trainers and Coaches.

It's just not enough to decide on the spot or in the moment what
you want to do with your young athletes just before the training
session starts.

Coaching Beyond the Clipboard - below..

 The Business of Cheerleading for coaches, directors, advisors, gym owners, principals, athletic directors ....  Your Subscrition is included FREE with your OACC Membership.

.  Contact Jack at GTM for Samples.

Scholastic

All-Star

Nat'l Collegiate Athletic Association NCAA

City Teams, Rec Leagues, Church Leagues, Independent Youth Leagues, Franchise Leagues, Ohio covers the gammut.

- Molly Hemmelgarn,  founder UCE-Ultimate Cheer Experience

  Resistant To Change  Stressed Out   Not Communicating   Overwhelmed   Complainers   Not Working Together Whiners   Rumor Spreaders    Blamers   Stubborn Hard-heads   BackStabbers   Unmotivated   Negative Nellies 

. See News for Latest update - New Rules

Spirit Ideas, Banquet Gifts, Mascots, Trophies, Uniforms, Footwear, Captains Gifts, Books, Jewelry, Hair, Make-up, Videos & More!  

                                Competitions 

How do you know if you can stunt, build pyramids, tumble?   When are you allowed to start practices? Do you know what camp guidelines you must follow? How do you know which OHSAA rules apply to you?  Can you mount? Contact the oacc for membership and rules interpretations.  Benefits of Membership

For the Coaches entering the All-Star Competition arena   Watch & Learn Program

In sport, is research confirming what is already known elsewhere.   Coaching/Situational Leadership

Help yourself, help your athlete. See full articles from Doc Alison at Head Games,Inc on the All Star page "Battling the Block"

Certification and Training for New Coaches and Veterans.

You'll need your forms oganized and readily available.       

Articles coming soon  ...  info for you on dealing with

A high school football coach wrote to tell me his team was going to the state finals, but he was troubled. An English teacher had caught three of his players cheating on an exam they had to pass to remain eligible. He told the coach he passed them anyway "for the good of the school."  

• PeeWee Youth Teams
• Jr High/Middle School
• High School
• Collegiate
• AllStar

Your team identity is your tone and style.  If you are an all-star team a name like "High Fliers" or "Rough and Timble" may give us a clue.  If you are a School team or rec league, your name is set for you. It is your behavior and image that helps to set the identity for your team(s).  Read the 2007/2008 Megaphone for tips and ideas to identify and strengthen your identity.

Homecoming shows off our spirit leaders, activites and events at its best! They key for a successful spirit week is to DELEGATE. Delegate to your cheerleaders, your parents, the community and alumni.  Your coaching assistants may also help bring overload relief. Let the community and your team have fun..let go a little and enjoy the week! See the Cheerleaders page  and the OACC Spirit ideas  for help.

Cheerleaders play a leading role in the spirit of Homecoming

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November starts season play… hoop it up cheerleaders!

The cheerleaders have a big responsibility in arousing school spirit and good sportsmanship in their school's athletic contests. It is their responsibility to instill in the students a strong sense of loyalty and devotion to their school; to increase the attendance at the school athletic contests and obtain the School Spirit. Homecoming is one of your biggest events.  It is a big week for you. Delegate and join forces with other school clubs, athletes and community members in making your tasks less daunting while making the homecoming activities  their best!           

Spirit Ideas, Pep Rallies, Homecoming Events and Activities  see OACC homecoming ideas on the Cheerleaders! page

For Immediate Release:

Tony Reynolds  says…