How these groups are uniting the all-star world while giving your gym some needed support.
by Greg Michaels
Are you involved in your state’s cheerleading association? If not, it may be because you don’t grasp the full extent of how it can help to enrich your all-star program. But the truth is that many of these organizations can give your gym legs to stand on. Your state association can offer your program a voice in pertinent cheer issues at the state level while playing an important role in it’s connections, promotion and legitimacy. In speaking with members of state associations across the country, it’s clear that these groups are tireless in their commitment to the sport.
Increase Cheer’s Legitimacy
State associations are essential to the growth of all-star cheer as a legitimate sport nationwide. The Washington State Cheer Coaches Association (WSCCA) president, Stephania Lemeshko, believes that state associations can be used to strengthen the support for all-stars on every level. “[All-star gyms] want to unify, especially here in the northwest where they’re less represented on the national level,” she says. “They want to gather strength in numbers, and we can be supportive and make our presence felt.”
To achieve this, Lemeshko is embarking on her own “town hall” tour. “This summer I’m going to every all-star gym in the state to talk to them about what their needs are and how they can improve.” By uniting programs across the state, the WSCCA is working to standardize cheerleading in Washington, and thus further legitimize the sport.
In addition to promoting the sport within their state’s own network and offering support to their own athletes, Lemeshko explains that a state association can also help market across the country. “We’ve won the Spirit Industry Trade Association (SITA) award for our promotion of cheer on both the state and national levels,” she says. “We have many award-winning coaches and a lot of people are being recognized nationally because of our involvement.”
The Long Island Cheerleading Coaches Association (LICCA) also plays an important role in promoting cheer as a serious sport. “We’ve spent a lot of energy the last couple of years helping [cheer] to become recognized as a sport in New York,” says President Gail Verne. By getting involved and remaining active within your state association, you can create a support system to look out for your best interests.
Give All-Star a Voice
In addition to bolstering cheer’s legitimacy, state associations give the all-star world a platform on which to discuss issues important to their side of the sport. This is especially helpful considering that many state associations have only recently included all-star cheer. The WSCCA is making great strides to increase representation by providing substantial ways for all-star coaches and gym owners to have a voice. “It’s one of our focuses this year, so we had a summit last weekend that was put on by All Things Cheer, and I attended as WSCCA president,” says Lemeshko. “We met with all-stars from the community and talked about their issues and desires.” The WSCCA also has an all-star representative who acts as their liaison when others can’t be present.
Network with Other Coaches
According to Lemeshko, a state association can give all-star gyms an even greater advantage by allowing them to network with more experienced cheerleaders, coaches and industry leaders. “I think we have some great coaches in our state and in our industry who’ve been involved for quite some time,” she says. “These more experienced coaches have a wealth of knowledge. We always share their contacts, ask them questions and have them mentor and help each other even though they’re technically competing businesses.”
Your state association is a place where all-star programs can unite around a common cause. Verne agrees, pointing out that “[The LICCA] has a handbook, and coaches are all members of different committees. Within this network, we’re able to operate on a larger, national scale, which is important for gathering respect for the sport.”
Standardize Safety
While all-star programs utilize their state associations for state-wide competitions, scholarships and networking opportunities, Verne believes state associations are as vital as ever to standardizing gym safety. “We want to make sure coaches receive the proper courses and safety certifications,” she says. “We have four coaches meetings per year that allow us to make changes to our competitions and safety clinics, which are free and run by our more experienced coaches. We also send these coaches to each gym in Long Island.”
Standardizing safety is also an important goal of the WSCCA, who’s mission statement includes “to set standards of cheerleading activities that are in accordance with educational and safety objectives.”
Reward Athletes Through Scholarships
The WSCCA is directly involved with their area’s all-star programs through offering scholarships to deserving athletes. Lemeshko detailed the services and benefits her organization provides for various gyms in the state of Washington. “We give out about $20,000 a year in scholarships, and anyone can apply—not just high school or rec teams, but all-stars as well,” she says. Her organization takes it a step farther by offering an all-star assistance program where programs can apply for funds for gym families who are struggling financially.
The Oklahoma Cheer Coaches Association (OCCA) makes offering financial assistants to its participants one of its missions, as well. “We host a local competition and a fundraiser to fund our scholarships,” says Jeff LeForce, past president of the OCCA and owner of Oklahoma Twisters in Norman, OK. “We give about eight to ten thousand dollars in scholarships to seniors who are graduating. Our all-star gyms are close with our schools, so it makes it possible to offer a lot of these opportunities.”
The state organization is an essential addition to any network of all-star gyms, and one that should not be taken for granted if yours represents all-star. The unwavering support of state organizations is a resource through which any all-star agenda can do well.
State Associations:
Arizona
Arizona Cheer Coaches Assoc.
PO Box 3577
Scottsdale, AZ 85271
602-762-4337
www.azcheerevents.com
Connecticut
New England Cheerleaders Assoc., Inc.
PO Box 124
Uncasville, CT 06382
860-848-0040
www.cheerneca.com
Delaware
Delaware Cheerleading Coaches Assoc.
PO Box 627
Milford, DE 19963
www.decheercoaches.com
FLorida
Florida Cheer & Dance Assoc., Inc
PO Box 151253
Cape Coral, FL 33915
888-GOT-FCDA
www.floridacheer.com
New jersey
New Jersey Cheerleading & Dance Coaches Assoc.
732-969-2035
www.njcheerleading.com
New York
Long Island Cheerleading coaches assoc.
5 Audubon Pl
Huntington, NY 11743
631-692-6206
www.eteamz.active.com/licca
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Cheerleading Coaches Assoc.
1905 Fox Ave
Moore, OK 73160
405-659-8405
www.oklahomacheercoaches.com
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Association of Cheer Coaches and Advisors
PO Box 183
Bumham, PA 17009
814-837-6073
www.pennacca.org
South Dakota
South Dakota Cheer Coaches Assoc.
PO Box 308
Faulkton, SD 57438
www.sdcca.k12.sd.us
Washington
Washington State Cheer Coaches Assoc.
437 Hazelwood Dr
Oak Harbor, WA 98277
360-675-6541
www.wscca.com
Washington State Cheer
Judges Assoc.
PO Box 1336
Brush Prairie, WA 98606
www.wscca.com
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Assoc. of Cheer/Pom
Coaches (WACPC)
1601 Oriole Street St
New London, WI 54961
920-982-6244
www.wacpc.com
National
Organization of Spirit Industry Providers (OSIP)
6745 Lenox Center Ct, Ste 300
Memphis, TN 38115
800-238-0286
www.osiponline.org
Spirit Industry Trade Assoc. (SITA)
6992 Dublin Rd
Dublin, OH 43017
www.spiritindustrytrade.com
United States All Star Federation
(USASF)/Cheerleading Worlds
6745 Lenox Center Ct, Ste 300
Memphis, TN 38115
800-829-6237
www.usasf.net
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