A cheerleading sponsorship came with my teaching job. HELP!?

I feel your pain 🙂 Most of us have been there/done that during our teaching careers. My district (in Florida) has recently ended this policy for paid/supplement positions (coaching, etc.) but it still goes on with some clubs and activities.

A lot depends on the LEVEL of this cheerleading job. Is it a simple middle school team, that is more a fun activity? Or is it a competitive high school team? If it is as simple as teaching 11-year old girls to do simple cheers, you might have fun with it. If you are expected to choreograph a Vegas show for half-time, it might not be too much fun.

Either way, don’t let cheerleading “eat” your teaching job. It will not “ruin” you – that’s more of a reflection of attitude than ability. It is the principal’s responsibility to hire competent sponsors and coaches. If you’re truly doing your best, then parents don’t have a right to complain. You’re new, and you don’t have any experience! Keep smiling, and don’t vent your frustrations on parents or students.

If the previous sponsor at your school won’t help, then contact the cheerleading sponsors at neighboring schools. Read the district policy manual, and keep a log of your collegial conversations, practices, games, etc that you attend. This might seem tedious, but it will show that you are trying.

At the end of your first year, schedule a meeting with your principal and request to withdraw from this duty. You might want to suggest another sponsorship that would better fit your personality. If they refuse to release you from cheerleading, then it is probably time to look for another school/job. However, this time when you interview, you will have a years-worth of lesson plans to show, excellent performance evaluations, and experience sponsoring a student activity.

As I wrote earlier, most of us have been in this situation. A couple of years ago, I took a new teaching job, and was asked to be the “volunteer coordinator.” I agreed, and researched the duties in the county manual. Basically, I was supposed to provide nametags, file the affadavits, and report the volunteer hours monthly. Sounds easy, right?

About 2 months into the school year, many of our volunteers had stopped coming. Finally, word got back to me that the volunteers didn’t feel appreciated. You see, the previous coordinator made or bought little gifts (with her own money), made cookies, hosted luncheons, sat and talked with the volunteers, etc.

Long-story short – after a year I traded that task, and took-on (elementary school) yearbook and school store, and I enjoy both of those.

Is this a high school position? Why don’t you see if you can get either a cheerleader that graduated last year (ask around) or a senior that has been cheering all 4 years to help you with coaching. I imagine there would be someone who was on the team or currently is on the team that would feel honored to help plan practices and drills and whatever else goes into it. If this is a younger level team that is just sponsored by the school then see if you can get a highschooler to come help. Don’t be afraid to find help. Try to do at least a step up from bare minimum on the cheerleading, and definitely put more effort into the teaching. You’ll be fine! Good luck!

In your question you say that you are the cheerleading “sponser.” This is different from “coach.” Are you expected to do both? When I was in high school my cheerleading squad had a teacher sponser (who did nothing but show up to the first couple of practices and games) and a non-teacher coach (who led the practices, came up with the routines, handled try-outs and all that stuff). Do you have the option of finding a coach to come on board. If you do maybe you could advertise on Craig’s List or something for a volunteer coach. Then you could just handle coordinating things between the squad and the school and the coach can do all the actual cheerleading stuff.

If you don’t have this option then I would say make your teaching job your priority. After you have a squad assembled maybe you could appoint a captain or two and those girls can take on the responsibilities of teaching the rest of the squad cheers and routines.

Also, maybe you could talk to other sports team sponsers (since the past sponser seems to be so nasty). You could just ask what your responsibilities will be and for any advice.

Good Luck…this is tough!

Are they very competitive? ESPN has all kinds of cheerleading competitions from time to time. You might check them out if you have the means to do so. Also see if there is a local dance teacher that might be willing to help with routines. Or see if a near by college/university has a cheerleading squad. Might ask for help from them. Also search the internet for ideas and how to’s.

I hope this helps!