Cheerleading games can strengthen a squad by building trust and enhancing skills. There are many different games squads can play, whether they are played during practice or at retreats and cheer camps.
Trust Building Cheerleading Games
Many squads like to begin the year with a retreat or cheer camp before the cheer season even begins. As a squad, the girls use this time to learn new routines, learn stunts, and bond. In order to fly, one must trust their spotters to catch them every time, and in order to spot, one must learn to trust the flyer to follow the same routine every time.
Building trust can also prevent emotional flare-ups and misunderstandings among squad members, which can be distracting.
Fall Back
It’s probably one of the best trust-building games to have one person fall backwards and two people catch that person to keep them from hitting the ground. Make sure this game is always supervised, so there are no mishaps! If a cheerleader is allowed to hit the ground, it will hardly build trust.
No special equipment is needed for this game, which can be played at any time.
Blind Trust
Members of the squad should be divided into two teams. When you pair up members who may not know one another well or even have some underlying conflict, this may work well. Team members can bond through the game, which can help in competitions.
Blindfold one team member with a scarf or other scrap material. Another team member should then guide the person around, helping them navigate objects.
The game works best in a room with a lot of furniture, such as an empty classroom, or outdoors, where there are plants and even playground equipment.
Have you Ever?
In some cases, getting to know one another is the most important part of bonding a new squad. It’s one of those cheerleading games that can help team members get to know one another better. Similar to musical chairs, this game is played with chairs. There is one person without a chair standing in the center of the chair circle.
Each player starts with a chair. Someone in the center of the circle asks a question starting with “have you ever?” For example: Have you ever been to New York? If you answer yes to the question, you must get up and move to another chair.
A chair is also found by the person in the center of the circle who asked the question. It will now be up to one person to ask the question.
Skill Building Cheer Games
Games can also be used to help improve overall cheer abilities through the development of certain skills. Squad members can learn how to jump higher, become more flexible, or become more graceful by playing games. In this category, the sky truly is the limit, but here are just a few examples:
Jump Rope Marathon
It is possible to build valuable skills by jumping rope, such as making jumps higher and throwing stunts harder, leading to cleaner, stronger back handsprings or tucks in cheerleading. Organize a jump off with enough ropes for every member of the squad.
The person who jumps the longest without stopping should receive a gift certificate or prize. It is also possible to combine this game with a fundraiser, asking sponsors to donate money for each jump the cheerleaders make.
Leap Frog with a Stretch
Through leap frog, you can actually develop jumping skills. In addition to jumping awkwardly over the other cheerleader’s back, the cheerleader should also do a strong cheer jump at the same time. It is important to play this game on a soft surface and on a mat to avoid injuries.
There are a variety of teambuilding games and activities at LoveToKnow Business that cheerleaders might also find useful for building trust and team spirit. For better cheering, there are many exercises that can improve endurance and flexibility.