Kimmy’s Garden

Getting ready to cheer on a dear friend of mine and her group of running buddies while they do the Eikden relay race in Banff on the weekend of Oct 15-17, I have taken the opportunity to read up on Cheerleading.

I will prepare the Cheer group to sing cheers, of course, but finding ones - or creating ones - about running will be challenging. If you know of any running cheers, let me know.

The books that I borrowed from the NEOS Consortium and the Edmonton Public Library are as follows:

Bibligraphy of Resources on Cheerleading

Kim’s #1: The Cheerleader’s Guide to Life: everything you need to know to be a success in cheerleading and beyond by Cindy Villarreal. Harper Collins Publishing: New York, NY. 1994. Summary: A book written by a woman who had been cheerleading since grade four, and who has been dancing since the age of four, this book is really well written. About confidence, motivation, and commitment. She has even included sports rules for 5 major sports, including wrestling! to encourage cheerleaders to learn the sport so they can cheer better & at more appropriate times. Has a section on public speaking & interviews, as well as eating disorders and how young women fall into the thin trap.

Great over all book with routines & cheers too!

Kim’s #2: Cheerleading & Song Leading by Marion and Ron Humphrey. Charles E. Tuttle Co.: Rutland, UT. 1970. Summary: An oldie, but a goodie. Really what I was looking for - cheers, chants and songs to alter for running. Has sections on confidence, crowd psychology, and how to plan pep rallies.

Kim’s #3: Cheerleading in Action by John Crossingham. Crabtree Publishing: Oxford, UK. 2003. Summary: A little light. Good for basic positions and stunt ideas, cheerleading more as a sport. Not a lot of real cheering ideas and songs.