
Coaching Youth Cheerleading-2nd Edition: The AYC Way
Author:
Online Course
Whether you are new to coaching cheerleading or just want to improve on last year, the second edition Coaching Youth Cheerleading: The AYC Way online course will provide you with the know-how for coaching success.Due to safety concerns for our participants, all AYF/AYC coaches are strongly advised to complete the online course for the sport they coach. All tournament team coaches should be aware that a course completion certificate will be one of the items on the registration checklist for the AYF/AYC National Championships.
Developed by Human Kinetics Coach Education in conjunction with American Youth Cheer, the course kicks off by examining coaching principles designed to improve your skills in the areas of practice and competition-day planning, communication with squad members and parents, safety and first aid, and training that will promote lifelong fitness among the squad members.
In the second half of the course, you’ll learn the basic cheer techniques and how to teach them effectively. In an interactive format, you’ll see proper ways to perform various maneuvers and how they’re employed in routines.
Upon completing this course, you should be able to
- better understand your role as a coach (unit 1);
- communicate effectively with squad members and others in the cheerleading community (unit 2);
- understand the importance of rules and equipment (unit 3);
- provide a safe environment for your cheerleaders (unit 4);
- teach and shape cheerleading skills (unit 5);
- teach and shape cheer, sideline, and dance skills (unit 6);
- teach and shape partner stunt and pyramid skills (unit 7);
- teach and shape jump and stunt skills (unit 8);
- prepare season and practice plans (unit 9); and
- make the most of game day (unit 10).
As we continue to learn more about the cumulative effects of head injuries, it’s of utmost importance that we properly prepare, protect, and instruct our youth participants to minimize their risk of injury. We’ve turned to the leading authority on concussions—the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—for course content dedicated to the prevention, management, and treatment of concussions. As part of the final unit of the course, you’ll take the CDC’s Head’s Up: Concussion in Youth Sports course, used as a training resource for thousands of sport organizations across the country.
Another area in which our kids need absolute protection is against sexual abuse. The final course unit includes information from the AYF risk management policy encompassing criminal background checks, warning signs of molestation, policies for addressing abuse, required procedures to follow in the event of an allegation, and advice regarding communication about these topics.
After completing the course activities, you’ll take the 30-question online test, which covers material from the book excerpts and the online course.
Audience
An online resource for American Youth Cheer coaches of participants ages 8 to 14. This course is required of cheer coaches new to AYC this year.Table of Contents
Introduction and WelcomeUnit 1. Stepping Into Coaching
Unit 2. Communicating as a Coach
Unit 3. Understanding Rules and Equipment
Unit 4. Squad Members' Safety
Unit 5. Teaching and Shaping Skills
Unit 6. Cheers, Sidelines, and Dances
Unit 7. Partner Stunts and Pyramids
Unit 8. Jumps and Tumbling
Unit 9. Preparing for the Season
Unit 10. Coaching on Game Day
Unit 11. Safe Environment Training