IGNITE Your Cheers, Chants, and Celebrations
By Shayla A
Our coach purpose is to help our girls develop a strong sense of self. We do this through the Core Values of Girls on the Run. Our emotional health is important. The girls’ emotional health is important. We nurture our physical, emotional, and spiritual health through celebrating. Celebrating each other empowers our self-confidence and self-image. In this episode of IGNITE we are discussing the importance of cheering and celebrating at every practice to build connection and empower our girls.
There are some common developmental traits of girls ages 8-18 years of age. They are energetic and also tire easily. The are restless and need outdoor play. They are experiencing growth spurts and requiring lots of snacks and rest. They love to talk and are beginning to understand sportsmanship. As coaches, we are privileged to be a chapter in their story during this time of their life. We empower them as they develop a strong sense of who they are and who they want to be as they continue to grow their brains and bodies. We empower them as they develop their ideology around being a teammate. How do we show up for the big, restless ball of energy that requires opportunities to speak her thoughts and express her feelings? You show up, ready to celebrate and cheer for your girls who are climbing BIG mountains every single day!
Research tells us celebrating can reduce stress and improve our mental health. When we celebrate something- anything- our brain takes a little break from worrying or thinking about our struggles. A little seed of joy is planted every time someone is celebrated. We are going to use the natural energy that is emanating from the team and their strong desire to talk with loudness, to bring stress levels down and empowerment up! It has to get loud and a bit rowdy to match the girls’ physical, mental, and emotional energy coursing through them. Teach the team chants and cheers to keep the rowdiness controlled and the loudness acceptable.
When celebrating, it is important to focus on effort rather than outcome. Focus on the effort to bring joy to the process of achieving goals. Create a healthy mindset around climbing hard mountains and reaching challenging goals. Celebrate their personal growth and achievement. Insecurities get covered when strengths are celebrated. It is important to remember the journey is to be celebrated. The journey made the muscles stronger. The journey made the mind sharper. The journey healed the wounds.
Celebrating brings communities together. Celebrating bonds teams together. Celebrating creates teams of winners! Celebrate the team energy. Celebrate the team effort. It’s not about how fast. Life challenges will bring them enough pressure for speed and quickness. It is about the progress, achievement, and celebration. Keep celebrating coaches! Celebrate yourself for completing these first few weeks! Celebrate your girls for allowing you into their stories!
Here is a short list of cheers and chants that are simple enough to learn and teach in just a few minutes. You activate them as you are filling up water bottles, transitioning between activities, as you are running laps, after a lap is run, during any time of the practice! Remember, mini celebrations boosts confidence, sparks brain activity, relieves stress, and makes the world a better place!
CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG
WATCH _______ DO HER THING
UH HUH UH HUH
SHE’S DOING HER THING
WOO!
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HUMP-DE-DUMP
HUMP-HUMP-DE-DUMP
I SAID ______ IS MY NAME
AND ______ IS MY GAME
WOO! HOO!
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P, P-O, P-O-W-E-R
WE’VE GOT POWER
WOO!, GOTR POWER!
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WE. ARE. GOTR GIRLS!
COULDN’T BE PROUDER
IF YOU CAN’T HEAR US
WE’LL YELL A LITTLE LOUDER!
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(Repeat each chant as many times as you want)
Shayla A is the Coach Mentor for Girls on the Run Greater Kansas City. Her background comes from the classroom, coaching, day treatment schools, wellness, and advocating for children with special needs. She enjoys empowering and advocating for girls and coaches
in every challenge and celebration. Connect with her for support and assistance this season via call, text, or email. shaylaaranda@gmail.com | 816-284-9770
RESOURCE LIST TO IGNITE YOUR CHEERS, CHANTS, AND CELEBRATIONS:
I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont
Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
Self Celebration: Celebrate Yourself by Olly Sanya
You Are A Badass Every Day by Jen Sincero
TO WATCH A VIDEO ON HOW TO IGNITE YOUR CHEERS, CHANTS, AND CELEBRATIONS: https://youtu.be/XJAwFwILoag