USA Cheer is thrilled to announce its collaboration with the National Council of Youth Sports (NCYS) in commemorating National Youth Sports Week 2024. Together we celebrate the transformative power of youth sports. This week is dedicated to highlighting sports' positive impact on young people, advocating for their importance, and providing valuable resources to strengthen [...]
Nashville, TN – 9/17/2024 — The 2025 College STUNT National Championship, now in its 14th edition, will take place from April 24-27 at two prestigious Nashville institutions: Lipscomb University and Trevecca Nazarene University. The championship will feature five divisions: Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA, and Club, bringing together the nation’s top collegiate [...]
DALLAS, TX. (Jun 26, 2024) – We are excited to announce our official partnership with Varsity Spirit – a division of Varsity Brands and a global leader in cheerleading, dance team, and band apparel, camps, competitions, and yearbook – as the "Official Partner of the US National Teams." This collaboration solidifies Varsity Spirit as the [...]
Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport—better known as REDs or RED-S—can be hard to diagnose, but essentially, it happens to athletes when they’re consistently expending more energy than they’re taking in. For both boys and girls, this can take a serious physical toll on their bodies, resulting in decreased performance and an increased [...]
TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer Tired of trying to reinvent your menu every night at dinnertime? You may be overthinking the types of meals that your athlete needs, which could cost you time and money along the way. The good news is that you can simplify your mealtime strategy and you [...]
Deborah Gilboa, MD As a coach, you’re often faced with implementing strategic decisions and making tough calls. And just as often, the athletes on your team may resist those decisions or the changes that you’re trying to make. Getting buy-in from athletes isn’t always easy, but it is often critical [...]
Deborah Gilboa, MD Dealing with a resistant athlete—whether they don’t want to go to their practice or they are skipping homework for an extra workout —can be frustrating for any caregiver. But often, the reason for an athlete’s resistance may be more nuanced or valid than we realize, says board-certified [...]
Deborah Gilboa, MD Student leadership is difficult. If you’re the captain of a team or in another leadership role, you’re probably tasked with making unpopular decisions, which can lead to resistance from your teammates or your coach. Experiencing resistance as a leader is inevitable and it can actually be an [...]
DALLAS (February 1, 2024) – USA Cheer, the governing body for cheerleading in the United States, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Kaitlyn Lyday as its new Marketing & Social Media Director. With an impressive background in both the cheerleading and marketing worlds, Kaitlyn brings a wealth of experience and a passion for the [...]
Dr. Jennifer Royer, Senior Director of TrueSport and Awareness, USADA You may have heard the term ‘clean sport’ used in conversations about anti-doping, or around the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). But do you really understand what clean sport means? It’s about so much more than just peeing in a [...]
Tammy Hanson, Director of Elite Education, USADA Most sport parents have heard their athletes talk about how much they need this or that supplement to perform better, stay healthier, or train harder. If your athlete is set on supplements, you can help them minimize the risks from those products by [...]
Tammy Hanson, Director of Elite Education, USADA Athletes often assume that anti-doping only becomes relevant to them once they’re over 18 or start playing at the professional level. The reality is that any athlete who is a member of a National Governing Body (NGB), such as USA Swimming or USA [...]
TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer You may have noticed electrolyte drinks and drink mixes popping up on social media, in articles, on podcasts, and in grocery stores in recent years. But does a young athlete really need to supplement their hydration with electrolytes? Here, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian [...]
While sport should be a safe place for athletes to grow and thrive, the devastating reality is that there are times when that’s not true. That is why it’s so important for the many adults who surround young athletes to understand what qualifies as misconduct, intervene when necessary, and report information to [...]
TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer If your athlete is struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep through the night, or is dealing with some mild feelings of anxiety, tweaking their nutrition habits can help. Here, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, offers a few simple [...]
Jennifer Royer, PhD Youth sport has many stakeholders, ranging from the athletes themselves to their caregivers, coaches, sports organizers, and communities. While all those roles come with their own challenges, the role of schools or communities in helping to develop healthy youth sports can be especially complex. A recent recommendations [...]
Athletes today have more inputs and reasons for being overwhelmed than ever before. Even in youth sport, the demands on their time are plentiful: travel teams, school teams, tournaments, required time in the gym for strength training, expectations of extra coaching in the offseason, and often, year-round play. Then, there are school [...]
As a coach, you play a large role in your athletes’ lives, and helping them set realistic, meaningful goals as a team and as individuals is one of the most important parts of a successful season. While athletes should feel ownership over both individual and team goals, you can help them optimize [...]
While it’s tempting to set all your goals for the season around specific athletic performances, goals that are oriented around wellness can make you both a stronger athlete and a healthier human. Simple changes to your daily routine, like making more time for sleep or eating the right snack after practice, can [...]
As national statistics and stories continue to unveil, young athletes are in crisis in the U.S. right now, thanks in large part to a plethora of pressures placed on them. With this in mind, how can you best support their mental wellness while helping them grow as people and athletes? Here, one [...]
TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer The holidays can be a dietary minefield, especially for student-athletes who are focused on eating a healthy diet. Here, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, shares some tips on how to approach holidays and vacations mindfully so that athletes [...]
Deborah Gilboa, MD Parents have the tendency to want to ‘fix’ things for their athletes by offering their help or their opinion on challenging situations. But while that may feel necessary and satisfying, it’s rarely the best way to improve your athlete’s ability to be resilient. Board-certified family physician and [...]
Deborah Gilboa, MD As a coach, your goals probably extend beyond getting your team to win games. Most coaches are also trying to teach athletes how to think for themselves, navigate challenging situations, and take on positions of leadership. All those life skills require athletes to develop resilience, both as [...]
Deborah Gilboa, MD Building your resilience in the face of adversity is an important part of developing as an athlete and as a human. Passing that knowledge and these practices on to your teammates can also help the team navigate tough moments and get through challenging situations! Here, board-certified family [...]
The Partnership Marks the 13th Governing Body Partnership for NCSA and will Include Recruiting Initiatives, Visibility to Expansive Network of College Coaches BRADENTON, Fla. (October 9, 2023) – NCSA College Recruiting and USA Cheer have joined together for an official partnership that will provide more recruiting opportunities and increased visibility to a network of over [...]