The truth about being a committee member

I was the coach/captain of my cheerleading committee for 2 years whilst I was at University so I know the highs and lows that come along with having such an important role. It can be incredibly stressful but also incredibly rewarding, however I don’t think it’s a role you should take on half heartedly, make sure it’s something you are ready to commit too and have time for, because it’s not an easy job.

I can’t say things will be run exactly the same at every University but I imagine things are pretty similar. My suggestions and experiences are all things that have come from my own experience, so please do take them and adapt them to best suit how your University may run things.

Sport committee training

At the start of the year my University offered sports committee training, and if your University does the same I do really recommend going. It is a chance to meet and get to know Student Union staff members who are going to help you run things throughout your time on the committee. It can be slightly frustrating as University Cheerleading isn’t a BUCS sport, therefore it is run very differently to the majority of other sports committees and some of the information they tell you is the most important, is not actually relevant to you. You should however take notice of things like booking transport, social rules, booking facilities within the university, and budget.

Sorting out Kit should be at the top of your to-do list

One of the main things that me and my committee struggled with during our time was kit. Cheerleading uniform is obviously very different to a football/rugby kit and therefore needs a specific provider. Originally our student union wanted us to stick with the official sports kit provider for our University, however I had to explain this was not going to be possible as a cheerleading uniform is very different. I would say try to be as understanding and helpful as possible during meetings with your committee and student union as it is going to make everyone’s lives easier. I sent pictures of different cheer uniforms to the kit provider and student union to show them the kind of thing we were looking for and they agreed it would not be possible for them to make it. This means you are going to have to look elsewhere and do a lot of work yourself. Pink Fudge is a good cheer uniform provider for Universities as they produce good uniforms at good prices. Also don’t be afraid to message other teams to ask where they got their kit from and how they did it, as I’m sure they will be happy to give you some advice.

Team Socials shouldn’t just be about drinking

Socials are obviously another major part of being on a sports team at University. The classic social is going out on a Wednesday night with your sports team to specially discounted places and consuming alcohol. This makes sense for BUCS teams as typically they have their games on a Wednesday afternoon so they want to celebrate on a Wednesday evening. Cheerleading teams will be the same as this if they are a match day team but different if they are a competitive team. Our competitive team had training on a Thursday which meant there were more than a few sore heads at training after a social. You need to initially discuss as a committee your rules on attendance to training and make your rules clear to the team. We made it clear that a hangover is  not an excuse to miss training. Also be sure not just to do alcohol fuelled socials. There may be people on your team that don’t like drinking or just the club environment in general. You do not want these members to feel left out. Plan things like pizza nights, trampolining park days, film nights, anything you think would be fun. This can also be an opportunity for you all to bond even further. The better the bond the better the team.

Attendance and why you need to value your reserves

I think discussing attendance rules is one of the first jobs you should do as a committee. Attendance at practise is one of the most important things. One person missing could mean a whole group of people cannot practise properly for a whole session, which is unfair on them. We decided on a 3 strike policy unless there was obviously a very legitimate reason they could not attend. You need to make whatever you decide very clear even at tryouts I would say. Stress the importance and impact of attendance on the whole team right from the get go and make sure you enforce it. 

Linking on from that, I would say when you are selecting the team, make sure you select reserves and make sure they know that they are valued as an extremely important part of the team. Every year I was on my university team we had people that dropped out, people that got injured and even people that we had to remove due to the 3 strike policy we put in place. This meant our reserves almost always ended up competing with us. They attended every practise and made sure they knew the counts and learnt technique along with everyone else. They filled in for people if they missed practise so that everyone could still train. This meant they were ready to jump in whenever we needed them, they are a bit of a lifeline for you. 

Clarify each committee members duties and role

In terms of your actual roles on the committee, make sure that everybody knows exactly what they are doing. This does not however mean that you each get assigned jobs and then don’t speak about it again. For the majority of things you are all going to have to work together and help each other out. For example the president may book transport but the treasurer will have to sign off on the payment. Communication is key. If you don’t communicate effectively with each other, this is when things start to go wrong and get complicated. I would say make a whatsapp group and keep each other as up to date with everything as you can. 

In terms of your individual roles though, I think sitting down together and making a list of the important things you each need to tackle is a really good idea. For example as the coach I had to book training facilities and times, organise practise and organise music amongst other things. If you have a list of everything, then you can tick them off as you go. Again, this doesn’t mean you can’t all help each other out, it’s just a great way to stay organised and keep on top of everything.

You need to sort out where you’re going to train asap

Facilities are also a big issue when it comes to University Cheerleading teams. We only had access to the sports hall and a few of those blue mats you do PE on in primary school. (If you know, you know) This meant for the people that had never done cheerleading before it was virtually impossible to visualise formations and transitions effectively. I would suggest trying to make friends with your nearest cheerleading team which has a full sized floor. I know they can be expensive to hire out but even if you use it maybe 2 times in the close lead up to competition it will make the world of difference and ensure that your team understands spacing and formations. 

Work out your team budget asap

Budget can be very stressful as competition entry fees, training facilities, transport, music and kit all add up. I would say do as much fundraising as you possibly can. Make sure the treasurer knows exactly how much money is going where and how much you need to raise for certain things. It is always nice if you’ve got a bit extra for things like spirit jerseys and custom bows and even little keepsakes for your team. Discuss with your committee and team what you’d all be happy doing as a fundraiser and pitch it to your student union, then get to work! Trust me, it’s worth it.

Competition

When the time finally comes to the competition you’ve been training for all year it is going to be exciting, nerve wracking and stressful. I would advise that as a committee you send out a list of everything that everyone needs to know and remember, this way you will not be bombarded with questions 24/7. This was something I picked up from my first All Star team. Our coach would post a list of details in our facebook group, maybe the week before the competition. Make sure to list as many things as possible, you may think there is no way someone would forget certain things but trust me it happens. For example include very specific transport/arrival times for the day, specific hairstyles, wristbands and ID cards, hair bows, uniform, socks in a specific style and colour, cheer shoes…. The list can go on and on. 

How to stay professional when working with friends

Last but not least you need to think carefully about working with friends and housemates. It may seem super exciting to be on a committee with someone you live with or your best friend, but sometimes it can be a disaster waiting to happen. Make sure you will be able to continue your role professionally if something were to go south with a friendship, as quitting your role half way through the year can make it really stressful for your whole team. It may lead to poor communication within the committee or someone just deciding to quit all together, neither of which you want to happen. 

Its worth it

When it comes down to it all the stress and hard work is worth it. The feeling when you come off the mat at competition (for many of the people on your team it may be their first time ever competing) is just amazing. Knowing that all your hard work together as a committee got all these people here is indescribable. The more time and effort you put in, the more you will get out. There is nothing better than seeing a team of smiling faces walking off the mat. It might be stressful and you might want to tear your hair out at times, but stick it out and stick together and you’ll never forget your experience. 

What’s your opinion on running a committee effectively do you think

What’s your opinion on running a committee effectively do you think we miss anything out if so comment below?

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