How Do You Practice A Team Spirit Cheer?
Cheerleaders have an important job: inspiring team spirit. This involves not only getting the words and moves right, but maintaining energy and enthusiasm in the crowd. Performing a team spirit cheer that invites the audience to join in is one of the best ways to do this. If the cheer squad is well-practiced and full of life, the fans will follow. Pick out a cheer the crowd can join in on. Keep in mind what your crowd is like (eager or reluctant, quick to catch on or not) as you choose. You can find cheers at Ms. Pineapple’s Cheer Page (see Resources below). Introduce the new cheers to your squad. If they are experienced, carefully rehearse the words and any moves or hand gestures with them until they feel more confident. Train young or inexperienced girls (and boys, if you have them), by starting with the words. If the cheer is longer than a few phrases, hand out printed copies. Read and repeat together until they can do it without the paper. Add the movement. Provide an illustration
