Anyone who knows me can tell you that I always have my nose buried in a book, and usually it’s a non-fiction book. I am one of those people who could go to college for the rest of my life simply because I love to learn. Today I want to share this love of learning with all of you and provide some excellent resources that are available for anyone involved in the cheer industry, and better yet- everything I share with you today is FREE.

The first one I would like to share is my personal favorite, https://nfhslearn.com/courses

NFHSlearningcenter2
The material is delivered in an understandable and engaging format and you receive a completion certificate at the end.
NFHS offers the following courses for free:
Concussion in Sports
This course highlights the impact of sports-related concussion on athletes, teaches how to recognize a suspected concussion, and provides protocols to manage a suspected concussion with steps to help players return to play safely after a concussion.
Recommended for: Student, Coach, Parent
Creating a Safe and Respectful Environment
Creating a Safe and Respectful Environment defines and provides recommendations for coaches in three specific areas; inappropriate relationships and behaviors, hazing, and bullying (including cyberbullying). This course educates coaches about their legal responsibility to provide a safe and respectful environment for the students in their care.
Recommended for: Student, Coach, Parent
Heat Illness Prevention
nfhs-learning-center1This free course, brought to you by EAS Sports Nutrition, a division of Abbott Labs, is designed to give you the critical information you need to minimize the risk of exertional heat stroke among your athletes.  The course presents seven fundamentals, which when followed, will minimize heat related illnesses of the students who participate.
Recommended for: Student, Coach, Parent
Positive Sport Parenting
As a cheer coach and former gym owner, I thought I would be the perfect cheer mom when my daughter decided to cheer. Boy was I wrong! This course really opened my eyes and made me a much better ‘cheer mom’ for my daughter. I highly recommend this for all sports parents- even if you feel you are ‘doing the job right’. There are so many valuable communication tips and tools and it’s worth the time spent, every minute. Positive Sport Parenting provides information and resources to help educate you on the importance of proper behavior by parents in school sports and the role you must play to ensure your child has a positive sport experience.
Recommended for: Parent
Sportsmanship
The NFHS developed this free course to give you a better understanding of sportsmanship, how it impacts the educational process and identifies your specific role in modeling it at all interscholastic athletic events. Insight is shared throughout the course from fans, players, parents, teacher-coaches and officials. This course will help provide schools a more positive game environment.
Recommended for: Student, Coach, Parent
Engaging Effectively with Parents
This course features specific guidance for speaking, listening, and implementing a communication system, and provides strategies for dealing with problematic parents and guardians.
Recommended for: Coach
Sports Nutrition
Proper nutrition can optimize athletic performance. This course hosted by sports medicine specialist Dr. Mick Koester, can help your students be performing at their peak. As a coach, this course contains practical tips on how you can model and teach proper nutrition to your athletes.
Recommended for: Student, Parent, Coach

 

headsup1

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention is currently offering the Heads Up online training course: http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/headsup/online_training.html
Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports is a free, online course available to coaches, parents, and others helping to keep athletes safe from concussion. It features interviews with leading experts, dynamic graphics and interactive exercises, and compelling storytelling to help you recognize a concussion and know how to respond if you think that your athlete might have a concussion.
Recommended for: Student, Coach, Parent

cheerleadingU

The Cheerleading Blog University library launched in 2011 and features guides with tips, instruction and answers for everything cheer. Check out the full library of FREE guides below and download all your favorites! http://www.cheerleadingblog.com/cheerleading-university/
I can’t say enough about this website! There are so many free e-books to address many different aspects of cheerleading for students, coaches, and parents.
Most recently, this same organization developed a free online stunt school for Coaches. Check out right here: http://www.cheerleadingstuntschool.com/

forthelove

This website by Debbie Love, who has been involved in cheerleading, dance, and gymnastics for over 40 years, is a valuable resource that is broken down into categories to use based on your needs as an athlete or coach.
Conditioning
http://fortheloveoftumbling.com/conditioning/
Drills
http://fortheloveoftumbling.com/drills/
Skills
http://fortheloveoftumbling.com/skills/
Stretching
http://fortheloveoftumbling.com/stretching/
Technique
http://fortheloveoftumbling.com/technique/

 

 

usasf

The USASF Parent Action Committee has developed a guide for new all star cheer parents to help them better understand the sport of all star cheerleading and a general idea of what to expect the first year and beyond.

http://usasf.net.ismmedia.com/ISM2//ParentsActionCommittee/Cheer_Parents_101.pdf

Some of my favorite YouTube Channels are below.

Cheer Extreme has an instructional series on their channel including tips and exercises for heel stretches, scorpions, conditioning, strength training, dance and more.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cheer+extreme+instructional+series

Joe Langley- This channel addresses drills and techniques for a variety of skills along with examples of common mistakes and spotting approaches.
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL320668CD1FD4F706

The Gymnastics Minute
http://www.youtube.com/user/thegymnasticminute/videos

Facebook videos- The University of Kentucky has some excellent video drills posted for tumbling skills.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=vb.117502304939641&type=2

Leslie

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources
www.nfhslearn.com
www.cdc.gov
www.cheerleadingblog.com
www.cheerleadingstuntschool.com
www.fortheloveoftumbling.com
www.usasf.net
www.youtube.com
www.facebook.com
www.oakharborcheer.com

 

 

 

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Anyone who knows me can tell you that I always have my nose buried in a book, and usually it's a non-fiction book. I am one of those people who could go to college for the rest of my life simply because I love to learn. Today I want...