How to Mentally Prepare for Your FIRST Pro Cheer Audition

Audition days for an NBA or NFL pro cheer team can be stressful. You need to do tons of preparation and you’ll feel a rollercoaster of emotions. It’s a mixture of excitement and anxieties. For first-time candidates, the pressure is much more intense because the experience is unfamiliar.

Some back out due to self-doubt and others out of extreme irrational fear. However, there is one way to counter these problems. It’s through mental preparation. In this article, we’ll show you what you need to do in order to have a mind of steel that enables you to ace the big day.

1. Ditch naysayers

You want encouragement, not discouragement. If you encounter anyone who says you won’t make the squad, lack experience, don’t have a pro cheerleader’s vibe, or anything negative, ignore them. In fact, ignore your own negativity and listen to those who tell you that you’re deserving and have what it takes.

2. Treat the auditions like any other ordinary day

The audition day is truly a special day. But thinking about it that way puts more pressure on your mind. Instead, think of it just like your typical weekday at work or school. You clock in, do your thing according to plan, and then clock out.

3. Focus on scoring not what other people would think

Judges have qualifications. Knowing what they are is essential to making your dream pro cheer squad. However, you’ll find yourself paranoid by thinking that what if you’re not enough or you make a mistake. You’re scared people will laugh at you.

Honestly, nobody cares if you err. Those who do are just people who have nothing to do better and it would do you more good if you don’t concern yourself with them.

4. Plan and stick to it

Self-doubt is either a product of a lack of preparation or irrational fear. You fear that you’ll botch the auditions because you haven’t prepared enough. Sometimes it’s due to you being too lax or overcautious. If you face the former, discipline yourself to follow the plan. If you face the latter, do what alumni and current pro cheerleaders did during their auditions to be safe.

5. Keep on doing what makes you happy

As you near audition day, you’ll feel that there’s a kind of pressure building up from your gut. That’s normal. However, you should not let it stress you out. Don’t overthink and change your preparation routine. Be yourself. Get excited, relax, or treat yourself if you have to.

6. Eat healthily and sleep properly

Eating your favorite unhealthy food as a treat is okay if it’s your cheat meal. So don’t overindulge. Another thing, you might feel restless due to over excitement. But just as I said, treat the auditions as an ordinary day. Mental preparation is also about keeping your thoughts clear and healthy. Sleeping 7 to 9 hours every night by schedule is one effective way to do that.

7. Take breaks if needed

If you feel tired due to audition prep plus personal responsibilities, by all means, take a nap. Or if you need to have an entire day all to yourself without doing anything audition-related, take it. Overworking yourself causes stress which in turn affects your mental state for the auditions.

8. Work at your own pace

Don’t rush, don’t be too slow, and certainly don’t let others tell you how you should do your audition prep - unless you’re asking for advice. As I said, be yourself. Focus on doing what you think is right and best for you.

9. Trust yourself and your plans

When audition day comes, your performance will be determined by how much you’ve prepared and the trust you have in yourself. The latter is much more crucial. You should let go of any self-doubt by acknowledging your hard work and be at rest knowing that you did everything your way.

On the audition day, know that anything can happen. You might lack a specific item of need, miss an important point, or face a sudden change in the judging criteria. You should be ready for them and strive to not panic in case they happen. It’s also important to keep an optimistic mind by enjoying the moment and not giving up no matter what.

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