Cheerleading requires a ton of hard work, dedication, and practice to pull off all those daring stunts, tumbles, and choreographed routines. But no matter how prepared you are, it’s totally normal to feel some nerves creeping in before a big performance. The pressure is on to nail every move and put on a great show in front of lots of people.
Tips for handling pre-performance anxiety
Practice, Practice, Practice
The best way to ease nerves is to be over-prepared. If you’ve put in the hours upon hours of practice, you’ll feel way more confident in your abilities when it’s showtime. Drill every section until you can do it perfectly and easily, even if your eyes are closed. The more you’ve practiced, the less you’ll be relying purely on memory and the more it will be muscle memory taking over. That makes everything feel automatic instead of something you’re straining to remember.
Visualization
Sports psychologists talk a lot about the power of visualization, and it can be a great tool for cheerleaders too. Take some quiet time before the performance and vividly picture yourself and your teammates nailing every part of the routine from start to finish. Visualize the stunts hitting perfectly, the tumbling looking awesome, and sticking every landing. See it all unfolding smoothly and successfully in your mind’s eye. This visualization can program your brain for success and calm those nagging voices of doubt.
Stay Positive
It’s easy to let negative thoughts start creeping in before a big performance. “What if I blank on the choreography? What if I fall out of a stunt? What if I faceplant during my tumbling pass?” But entertaining those thoughts is self-defeating and counterproductive. They’ll just seed doubts and make you more anxious. Instead, keep your self-talk positive and reassuring. Remind yourself of how hard you’ve worked and prepared. Tell yourself you’ve got this! Stay confident in your skills and abilities.
Breathe and Meditate
When you start feeling those nerves kick in, pause for a minute to do some deep breathing exercises. Taking several slow, controlled breaths can help relax your mind and body. Pair that deep breathing with a mini-meditation where you clear your mind of distracting thoughts and anxieties. Just focus purely on your inhales and exhales. You can also do a quick body scan to spot any areas where you’re holding tension and consciously relax those muscles. A short meditation break can hit the reset button on your mindset.
Embrace the Nerves
A little bit of anxiety before a big performance is completely normal – it just means you care and want to do well. Don’t try to eliminate those nerves completely, as a little adrenaline rush can help sharpen your focus and energize you. The goal isn’t to get rid of butterflies entirely, but to keep them at a manageable level. Recognize it’s OK to have some nerves, then redirect that slightly amped up energy in a positive way toward your performance.
Pump Up with Music
Make a playlist of your favourite, most high-energy songs and get into a grooving, positive headspace by listening to them before showtime. Sing and dance along as you’re getting ready and letting that motivating music fill you up. The right music can energize you, relax you, inspire you, or simply get you totally pumped for what’s to come. Find what works for your mentality and vibe out to those tunes beforehand.
Bond with Your Team
You’re all in this together, so draw strength from your teammates. Have a group huddle to re-centre and reconnect before the performance starts. Share motivating words, fist bump each other, or do your special team chant. Whatever amps up your sense of unity. Knowing you’ve got your teammates’ backs, and they’ve got yours, can steady your nerves and remind you that you’re not alone in this.
Stay Fueled and Hydrated
It’s easy to get so hyped up that you forget to take care of basic needs, but being dehydrated or running on empty can absolutely drain your energy levels and composure. Drink plenty of water and eat a nutritious, protein-packed snack a few hours before go-time. Having your physical needs met means your body will be firing on all cylinders just when you need it most.
Focus on the Moment
When you finally take the stage, forget about everything else and simply focus on being in the current moment. Don’t think about the umpteen practice hours that led here, the people watching, or what happens after. Just be fully present for each eight-count, each transition, each stunt as it happens. Narrow in your concentration and give every ounce of energy to nailing each second of the routine. You’ve got this!
Nerves happen to every cheerleader, no matter how seasoned. It’s perfectly natural to feel some performance butterflies, even after doing it tons of times before. The key is having strategies to keep those nerves from overwhelming you. With the right preparation, mindset, and energy management, you can ensure those nerves don’t get in the way of exhibiting your hard-earned skills to the fullest!