Cheer Sport Sharks of all levels have the opportunity to perform in front of an audience, whether it’s in local competition, national, international, or for our family and friends. It’s such a blast to get up in front of a crowd and show everyone how much fun cheer sport is! The best way to have your best performance is to have fun.
But you have to set yourself up to succeed. You’ll do your best by investing in your performance every day and not just the week (or day!) before. Here is how our athletes, and families of Cheer Sport Sharks can help them, get ready to shine on the mat.
Positive thinking is a huge part of being a successful athlete. Believing in yourself and focusing on your strategy for a safe and fun routine can really help you focus and practice well. And positive thinking can influence those around you, which is important in a team environment like cheer sport! Talking also helps, which is where our families and friends come in as well. Talk about how to stay positive, talk about how to get back into the routine if you get distracted (hint: look at your coach!), and talk about nerves and frustration so that the athlete can find ways before the performance day to strengthen their mind and body, be that with extra tumbling classes or one-on-one sessions with the coach.
Fuel the body with good food. What we put in our body is important. In order to have enough energy to practice and perform Cheer Sport moves effectively and safely, our bodies and brains need proper fuel. The food we eat affects our 
bones, muscles, even our focus. Have you ever noticed that when you dive into the Halloween candy that you feel totally energized, but then feel tired and lazy soon after and have trouble finding the energy to even throw out the wrappers? It’s important to notice that what we put in our bodies affects how we feel. In terms of an athlete’s diet, we talk a lot about low-fat proteins like chicken and beans, whole grains like quinoa and oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, and nuts because these are good fuel for your body, particularly an athlete. Food for fuel is so important that we dedicated 2 blog posts about it, check them out here and here.
Sleep can also have a huge impact on performance. While you sleep, your body takes this downtime to heal injuries, and store memories, as well as regulate hormones which, of all things, includes hunger. Oh, and, the amount of sleep you have can improve or interfere with your mood! Consider that when you’re gearing up for a performance, you need your memory sharp, your body strong, and your mind thinking positively, all of which can be supported with quality sleep. Aim to have a good night’s sleep every night and not just before the big day to get all the benefits.
Last but not least, take advice from your coaches! This goes for the whole team and athlete’s families. Coaches can offer solid advice about everything you need to do to have the most fun ever at your next performance. Come to our coaches with your worries and frustration so that we can help every step, jump, and flip of the way.
