Banish Your Nerves Before Cheering

Whether you are getting ready to go out and compete in a national competition or simply cheering in front of the fans at your high school football game, it's only natural to be nervous. When you're a cheerleader, most of your role is putting yourself out on display, which comes more naturally for some people than others. If you've got a case of the pre-game jitters, you shouldn't feel ashamed—everyone feels that way sometimes. Here are a few ways that you can try to fight the feelings of nervousness so that you are ready to cheer your heart out when the big moment arrives.

• Prepare - Often, at the heart of all "stage fright" is the feeling that you haven't prepared enough. Usually when you get to the point of performing in front of people, this fear is unwarranted, but you should still do all you can to make sure you are comfortable in your routine. The more you commit fully in practice and brush up on anything you don't feel great about on your own time, the less likely you are to feel nervous when it is time to perform in front of an audience. You can also help prepare by making sure you are in the best mental state possible before your big game or competition. Get plenty of rest the night before, eat a good dinner, and spend your pre-game time stretching and loosening up. When your body is in its best possible condition, you are more likely to perform at your best.

• Breathe - When you start to get nervous, one of the first things that happens is that your breathing gets quicker and shallower. To calm yourself down and allow the oxygen to flow through your body better, take some deep breaths. Simply remembering to breathe can work wonders on your jittery feeling as it calms you down and allows you to think more clearly.

• Mentally Run Through Your Routine - You have probably been practicing the same routine for months, and you know it like the back of your hand. Prove it to yourself by closing your eyes and thinking through the routine from start to finish. Do it perfectly in your head several times before you go out onto the floor, and you will have a great chance of doing it perfectly in performance.

• Get Fired Up - Though it may seem like the opposite of doing deep-breathing, right before you go out onto the floor or the field, you should try to get fired up. Jump around with your teammates. Hoot and holler (if you're in a private area), and simply go a little crazy. Much like screaming into a pillow sometimes helps you release your tension at home, turning your nervous energy into action helps burn some of the adrenaline that is making you nervous. Another plus side of this exercise is that it helps you connect with your teammates.

• Listen to Music - If you've ever watched athletes getting ready to compete in the Olympics, you will notice that most of them have their headphones firmly in their ears until moments before their event starts. Find some music that helps get you in the zone before you go out and cheer, and make a routine out of listening to it every time you start to feel jittery.

• Give Yourself a Pep Talk - You know you can do your routine. You've successfully completed everything you need to do in practice many times before. Now the only difference is that you're doing what you've practiced in front of people. Remind yourself that you are prepared. Remember that you were good enough to make the team and good enough for the coach to entrust you to do the moves you've been assigned. Silence the voice in the back of your head that says you can't do it, and you will be ready to do a great job. The nerves will probably never fully go away, but if you have confidence in yourself, you can harness those nerves and turn them into excitement.