How to Create Effective Personal Goals

With a new season quickly approaching your head is filled with big hopes and dreams of what you want to personally accomplish. The skies the limit for your goals and you are giddy with the idea of being the best you have ever been. This excitement of all the possibilities that could be is great, however if you do not follow a few simple steps for setting goals you may find yourself loosing steam mid-season.  Here are Coach Kristen’s suggestions to help keep your eye on the prize throughout the entire season.

1. Break your goals down into three categories:
1. Dream Goals: long term goal, 2-4 years from now.
2. Individual Season Goals: personal goals to accomplish by the end of the season.
3. Short Term Goals: something you want to accomplish within the next few weeks.

2. When you write down your goals answer the following questions:
1. How long will it take to reach this goal?
2. What is my first step in achieving this goal?
3. What results may or may not occur due to this goal?
4. What are the steps that are required to meet this goal?

3. Your goals should be “SMART”:
1. S- Specific
2. M- Meaningful
3. A- Attainable
4. R- Rewarding
5. T- Trackable

4. Evaluate your goals often: goal setting is only effective if you constantly evaluate where you are in relation to achieving your goal. Setting goals at the beginning of the season and then never looking at them again is as ineffective as never creating goals in the first place. Every week you should go over your goals, what you are doing to achieve your goals and altering your plan of action to achieve your goals as necessary.

Kristen Perri is Cheer360’s Co-Founder and Director of Mental Fitness.  She holds a masters degree in Sport Psychology, is a certified Mental Game Coach, Sport Hypnotist and Personal Trainer.  With over 8 years of cheer coaching experience, Kristen has coached all skill levels including middle school and junior varsity. Currently, Kristen is the Head Varsity Coach of a major Long Island Cheerleading Program. 

You Know You're A Cheerleader When

1.     You have more cheerleading shirts than regular clothes.

2.    You’ve said, “I can’t. I have cheerleading."

3.    You hear a song that reminds you of an old routine and instantly you start performing it.

4.    Counting to 9 seems weird to you.

5.    You can do more push-ups than most guys in your Physical Education class.

6.    You’re ready at any moment to defend cheerleading when someone says it’s not a sport.

7.    You have a pair of soffee shorts in every color.

8.    You feel the need to stunt anytime, anyplace (pool, hotel lobby, kitchen, classroom).

9.    You pray for a snow day from school but hate when you realize that means practice is canceled.

10.  You have more bows than a five year old.

Shari Tarburton is Cheer360’s Co-Founder and Director of Educational Programming.  She is a New York State Certified Health and Physical Education Teacher, a certified Personal Trainer and Mental Game Coach, and a Varsity cheerleading coach.

Things Cheerleaders Say That Drive Your Coach Crazy

Admit it; you are all guilty of saying at least one of these phrases before.  So the next time these sayings come rolling off your tongue, watch your coach’s reaction…we guarantee you’ll see them cringe!

1.    “I can’t.” 

2.    “Are we doing this full out?”

3.    “Do we have to tumble?”

4.    “Can we get a drink?”

5.    “I forgot my sneakers.”

6.    “Does anyone have extra briefs?”

7.    “Wait! Which side of the mat do I put my sign on?”

8.    “Do we have to roll out the mats today?”

9.    “What are the counts?”

10.  “I can't find my bow.”

Shari Tarburton is Cheer360’s Co-Founder and Director of Educational Programming.  She is a New York State Certified Health and Physical Education Teacher, a certified Personal Trainer and Mental Game Coach, and a Varsity cheerleading coach.