From the minute the last competition or game ends, the first word out of every cheerleader’s mouth is “I can’t wait for next season.” One of the greatest things about cheerleading is that we don’t have to wait for the next year to start training. As soon as one season ends, the next one begins; whether you’re working out in tumbling classes, conditioning, or full team practices, cheerleading is a year-round sport. 

I spend my summers teaching camps for UCA, and I love working with squads one-on-one, helping them reach their full potential. One thing I always notice is most squads are already in shape and could compete at nationals that day if they had to. Summer is time to take a break from school, not from cheerleading. Use your extra time to get in shape, get a new tumbling pass, or meet up with your stunt group to master the latest elite stunt. One way to stay in shape is to keep a calendar that you use to set goals and update as needed. Try to set daily, weekly and monthly goals to get yourself ready to conquer camp, cheer games, and compete!

Even if you are on vacation, use your resources to make your workouts even more fun. The harder you train now, the easier it will be when you are trying to run that routine full out down the road. Your success throughout the season could be determined by how hard you train during the summer, so it’s time to get up and get moving!

-Tayler Easton