CHEER TECHNIQUE AROUND THE WORLD
CHEERLEADING IN NEW ZEALAND
August 2003
Jean Eve with demonstrator, Lauren Eve
Cheerleading has, for a long time, suffered an image problem! There is too much hype about cheerleading bimbos from American sitcoms that are viewed around the world. Too many adult professional squads try to sell a sexy image to invite sponsorship and promotional incomes. But the real image of a well-trained and athletic cheerleader is starting to get through to the general public. Fortunately, the IDTA/BCA Cheer Technique syllabus is helping teachers and coaches to understand the technical side of the discipline.
New Zealand has several established cheerleading teams. One or two have had the advantage of Americans coming in to assist in the training. Others have used the extensive materials gained from the Internet to set up their programmes. It was my pleasure to meet most of these squads from Auckland, Wellington and beyond and to acknowledge their fabulous efforts. One thing we have already seen in this amazing country is the spirit of cheerleaders wishing to meet each other, join together in performing events and exchange ideas and information. Cheerleading camaraderie is well underway in New Zealand!
Our visit to New Zealand was a whirlwind of events over two full weeks. The
first was the Auckland ‘Give It A GO' day. Teams from far and wide
showed quite diverse styles including the Sky City Cheerleaders, the professional
team who cheer for the ALL BLACKS. Their style was very much dance based, although
they incorporated talented gymnastic runs throughout their routines! The Rutherford
High School squad had a very American look and style. Several teams showed exciting
pom routines. And the final treat of the performances was the introduction of
the IDTA STUNT DIPLOMA by quite young but very competent members of the Auckland
Academy of Cheer Teams! Organised by Debra Wilsher, hosted by broadcasting personality
Bill Mudgway, the day was covered by a National TV network, Channel 3. The event
was deemed a fabulous success when nearly everyone in the room joined in to
fill the hall with a round of new cheers and chants we had brought with us.
We were delighted to see the TV coverage aired that evening in the Sports bulletin,
which included the interview of myself as author of the technical syllabus while
showing Lauren demonstrating her favourite routines!
Imagine our delight when, in the lead-in to the news we watched a Quantas Airlines
advert with air traffic controllers using pom pons!!
Two cheer coaches, Dale Leyland in Auckland and Karen Filipovich in Wellington, were brave enough to take their Associate Cheerleading qualifications without any previous tutoring. I am very pleased to say that both coaches have set up successful and technically correct cheer teams and had thoroughly adopted the Cheer Technique syllabus with aplomb! Their cheerleaders demonstrated delightful Rosettes and Bronze medal tests and their smiles and their spirit were testament to their coaches' enthusiasm and hard work.
The Wellington-based Cheer Technique launch covered two days. Day One was a full day of training with cheerleaders. The workshop covered warm-up, strength and flexibility training, jump technique, dances, cheers and chants with constant ideas for promoting spirit and support for each other. Several hours were spent on the Stunt Diploma with the surprise of new teachers/coaches joining in and getting hands on practice and experience! Day Two was a more intimate circle of teachers and coaches discussing the technical content of the syllabus, exchanging ideas, drawing comparisons to other forms of dance and marching common in New Zealand, and becoming aware of the possibilities that cheerleading can open up within their current programmes. Penny O'Brien from the Rata Street School sent this email, “Thanks so much for an amazing weekend. It was great and the kids had a really awesome time.”
A full day was set aside to meet once more with the NZ based examiners, giving them the expertise to carry out cheerleading exams throughout the country. Several other meetings with many interesting people established that the cheerleading community is poised to explode and there was a desire and a need to set out goals and directions for this new group of cheer coaches. There were also several squad workshops, which gave us the opportunity to get to know each group better and to advance their skills. Dale Leyland writes, “I can't thank you enough for your time spent here - it was wonderful and really inspiring….Thanks to Lauren, I have lots of little girls wandering around shouting “Hit It” at all sorts of odd times!”
Following publicity of the Cheer Technique tour, there has been much interest in schools throughout the country, and Eileen Frost, IDTA NZ coordinator is already busy organising top NZ coaches to assist in the promotion of the CT syllabus in other regions of the country. We are grateful to Karen Filipovich, recently qualified and new IDTA member, who has agreed to travel to meet many of these requests for seminars and workshops. The unique aspect of this IDTA tour is that as well as reaching IDTA teachers with a new discipline, many new coaches and teachers are being brought into the Association due to the esteemed endorsement of the syllabus and qualification.
My thanks to Jacqueline Roberts and the IDTA Directors for their vision of
advancing this popular technique and therefore promoting the positive, reputable
and thorough understanding of cheerleading. My thanks to Eileen Frost for a
wonderful time in New Zealand and for all her efforts in coordinating and promoting
such a tight schedule of varied events.
Dales Babes, Auckland
Give It A Go Day, Auckland
(With Televised News Coverage!)
Coaches Stunt Diploma Course
Coaches Stunt Diploma Course
Lauren Eve, Demonstrating
New Zealand Cheerleading Academy Squad
Wellington
CHEER TECHNIQUE IN BELFAST
Over the May Day bank holiday weekend, Cheer Technique had the pleasure of conducting workshop's and examinations for Kelly-Anne Glass and her "Footloose Cheer" squad in Belfast. We arrived on the Saturday evening and had a free day on the Sunday, which meant time for a little sight seeing. For those who have never been to Belfast, I recommend that you do - it is a beautiful area. On the Monday our work began with examinations in the morning. As these were the first cheer exams to be taken in Belfast the media coverage was unbelievable. We had no less that five newspapers, including the Belfast Telegraph reporting articles and also extensive interviews with Radio Ulster.
After lunch we commenced with our workshop, taking the cheerleaders through basic motion and jump techniques and then moving on to the stunts and pyramids. All the cheerleaders showed great enthusiasm and spirit throughout the day, which helped when GMTV news arrived to do even more interviews and filming.
We were quite sad when the time came for us to leave. Kelly-Anne and her family's hospitality were second to none and the cheerleaders were just lovely.
Kelly-Anne was first interested in cheerleading a year ago. She had worked as a dance coach in America during the summer, on one of the many Camp America's they offer to their children. She will return to the States again this year with her Cheer Technique Cheerleading Associate Qualification and hopes to be coaching cheer and dance.
What fantastic opportunities there are for our young teachers and coach's - it makes you wish you were just those fifteen years younger!
Lynda Blyth-Phillips.
Jean and Lynda at Stormont, Belfast