MOTIVATION INTO THE WINTER SEASON  
     
  November is a transitional month where cheerleading teams move from football to basketball season.Often cheerleaders are a little worn out and their motivation is low. As a coach, you can help by adding these fun ideas to proactice and games  
  November is all about thanks and gratitude  
 
  • GRATITUDE WREATH
    Have the cheerleaders cut leaves out of colored paper. One for each day of practice in November for each cheerleader. Give each cheerleader a wire coat hanger and clothes pins. Each day they write on the leaves something they are thankful for that day. They clip the leaves to the hanger shaped into a circle. At the end of the month they will have a visual reminder of all the wonderful things they have in their life. One of those days could also be about writing a leaf to another cheerleader. They can pick a name out of a hat so that everyone get a note of thanks.
    NOTE - It is important that you teach the lesson of gratitude having them focus on the good things in their life and not getting so wrapped up in the negatives of each day.

  • FOOD DRIVE
    Collect food tfor the local food bank. Doing something for the community is not only beneficial for the community but makes the cheerleader feel good abouth themselves
 
 
 
     
 
  • HOLIDAY DRESS-UP
    For December basketball games, have the cheerleaders get in the holiday mood by wearing candy cane strip socks, Santa hats, or red or green bows in their hair. Adding a touch of the holiday also adds excitement to their cheering.     CLICK HERE to order Santa hats in your school colors
 
     
     
 

Here are some other great ideas from Laura Nation, co-head coach at Central Kitsap HS, Bremerton WA

HOLIDAY IDEAS FOR CHEERLEADERS
The holidays are just around the corner! After one or more seasons it becomes harder to think of refreshing gift and celebration ideas for your cheerleaders. This year try something new or ask cheer parents for help if you aren't the crafty type. Branch out into the community and make the holidays a season for giving back! Below are some ideas that you can use for your team, enjoy!

Community
The holidays are a great time to give back to the community. It is important remind ourselves and our cheerleaders that giving means more than receiving. Below are ideas for giving back to any community.

  • Litter Crew - Talk with the chamber or city office to volunteer your team to clean up a park or road.
  • Team Charity - Find a local charity (food bank, Christmas Angels, Toys for Tots, etc.) and collect goods throughout the month of November (for Thanksgiving) and December. Make donation sites at school and collect during games for more visibility. Every little bit helps!
  • Visit a Nursing or Group Home - The holidays are tough for those who can't travel. So take your team and spend some time visiting a local nursing home. Talking and interacting with them will raise their spirits and warm up their holiday. Plus you never know what kind of interesting stories you will hear about the past!
  
     
 

Celebrations
As a team, it is great to get together outside of practice to bond in a fun and relaxed environment. Here are a few ideas that can get your team in the holiday spirit!

  • Decorate and share - Gather and make gingerbread or sugar cookies and have the team tastefully decorate them. They can be whimsical, holiday oriented, the sky's the limit! The cookies can be donated to hospitals, firehouses, family shelters, senior centers and lots of other organizations. Deliver the cookies and offer to pass them out. Note: do not use nuts or nut based products due to allergies.
  • Secret Santa - Have each team member write their name and three of their favorite things on a piece of paper. Then have each cheerleader pull a name out of a hat, but keep it a secret! Set a monetary limit on the gifts ($10-$15 is good) then let the guessing game begin at the holiday party.
  • Cookie Sharing - Like a potluck where everyone brings a dish, a cookie sharing is where each cheerleader creates their favorite cookie to share (a bakers dozen is plenty). Then everyone takes home a collection holiday treats! Note: remember to announce if there are any food allergies.
  • What's that song? - Divide into teams. The player draws a slip of paper from the stocking, reads it silently and hands to coach. The player must act out the clues to what their song is to get their team to say the name of the song. If the playing team guesses correctly, before the timer runs out, they get two points. If the playing team cannot guess correctly, before the timer runs out, the opposing team may take one guess. If the opposing team guesses correctly they get a point and the playing team loses a point. Most points wins.
 
     
 

Gifts
As a cheer coach you want to make the holidays special for your cheerleaders but you also have to stay on a budget. So here are some ideas that your team can use this year. They are simple, inexpensive and the team will love them!

  • Take old or scratched CD/DVD and create a collage sticker to cover the CD/DVD. Use photos from the summer and fall to decorate. To finish, loop then tie a ribbon through the middle to for hanging.
  • Visit a local craft store where you can pick up plastic/glass round ornaments. Personalize for your cheerleaders by decorating the inside with glitter or tinsel in your school colors. Then write their name and year on the outside for a great gift and cheer memory.
  • Also at the craft store, you can find wooden snowflakes that are easy to paint and decorate. Personalize for each team member by writing their name, year and hanging the ornament with ribbon in your school colors.
  • The Dollar Tree is a great place to find inexpensive picture frames. Pick a basic frame that is easy to decorate. Take decorative pens (with glitter or metallic's) and write the cheerleaders name, year and motto around the frame. Then add a photo of the team or cheerleader to really make it special.