Olivia accepts her position as the head coach of the Cheerleading program and has her first session with the squad.
Olivia was now the head coach of the cheerleading squads. She had finished her first two morning classes and had a meeting with the assistant coach Lynn for lunch. She had Lynn get her lunch so they could sit in her office and discuss the issues that would be involved with her being the head coach.
Olivia still felt the entire thing was stupid. Why not simply make Lynn the head coach? Why did they want her as the head coach? The reason the Principal gave her was in the budget. They couldn't afford to hire another head coach, and if she didn't accept the position, the school would shut the entire cheerleading program down.
Olivia had to accept the position of the head coach, and she did. So she was now sitting in her office wearing a coaches blazer with an adult ten years older than she was working under her, and ready to accept her instructions on how to proceed.
Olivia was clueless. Olivia looked across at Lynn and said, “Lynn, this entire thing is stupid. You should be the head coach instead of me. But since you are not , then we have to deal with this. You have been the assistant coach for over five years of training girls here. I just came here about two months ago as a student. I joined the cheerleading squad a few weeks ago. You have much more experience than I do. I have watched you train the girls, and I have read the reports and studied the Program. I will stay with the program. But there's a few improvements to the routine I would like to start making to the Varsity squad starting this afternoon. And We need to really step up the physical fitness if we are to have a chance at Regionals in the fall?”
Lynn said, “I understand. I cant wait to see what you have planned.”
“Okay, I will show you have I have planned, and I hope we can do it. Then you need to get the forms ready to enter our squad and its roster to the National Cheerleaders Association for the fall. We at least need to get the forms ready to we are official members of their association. Then we can work on who will be members of the squad that will compete. I will be looking up how we can proceed in that area.”
“So you are serious about that,” Lynn looked across and raised her eyebrow.
“Yes, I always have been,” Olivia replied. “Why is this news to you?”
“All of the trouble we had, including budget concerns that we can't even hire a head coach now. How can we afford a competition squad?”
“I know a few people who will help us sponsor it. They can make new uniforms for us, and packages for the cheerleaders. And help us with the transportation and the fees for the association membership.”
Then Lynn stood up, “your next class is in twenty minutes. Oh, Crystal dropped this off for you. It's her old uniform and a videotape of her final training session with her squad in college. It's her routine she performed for nationals. She said you wanted it.”
Olivia accepted and said, “Thanks. Her outfit is beautiful.”
Lynn stood up to walk out when Olivia said, “Lynn, do you really think I can do this?”
Lyn smiled, “Yes, I do. Crystal looked into your skills when you first brought up the subject. She was amazed at what you could do by fourteen. You were one of the head instructors for your martial arts classes. You taught classes full of adults, and she watched a few of them. It was amazing, she told me. How every adult respected you and hung onto every your every word. Those kinds of skills are so rare. None of us have any doubt you can do it. It was I who suggested making you the head coach. They were going to shut it down until next year when we could hire new staff. I told them to give you a chance.”
“It looks like I have a lot to learn. I am so glad you are here to help me. I have my afternoon classes, and then I must lead the first cheer practice with the Varsity squad. I wonder how I will lead the Junior squad and be a member.”
“You can do it, Olivia. And remember, two of the Seniors have offered to help you, and you will have me overseeing it all.” Lynn offered.
Then Olivia said, “Lynn, I have one request.”
Lynn looked at Owen, waiting.
“If you see me doing something stupid or unsafe, make me stop. Step in and tell us to stop immediately. I don't want to put anyone in danger.” Olivia stated.
“I don't think you will ever do that. Crystal said in your classes that the student's safety was your top priority. You went to extremes to make sure your students could do it safely before you ever let them try. It will be the same here, but I will an eye out. But you are the head coach, I am under you. You need to remember that.”
Olivia stood up to go to her next class and muttered, “This is so stupid.” walked out to meet Holly. They everything together and walked to their first afternoon class together.
She asked cheerfully, “So how are you dealing with being the coach now?”
Olivia shook her head in frustration. “I’m not.” She replied. “How am I supposed to coach two squads of cheerleaders and handle my classes on top of it all?”
“Many women handle their daily classes, work, and their families. “Holly pointed out to Olivia. “You are strong, and this is what you wanted.” Holly smiled at Olivia. “You set this up, and you can do this. Please don't let us down.” Holly pleaded, pulling Olivia into a tight embrace. She wrapped her arms around Olivia. “You can do this.
Holly and Olivia sat with Katherine in Algebra. Their teacher was showing them how to solve simple variable equations. This bored Olivia because she was already solving exponential variable equations. Not everyone was at her level, and she saw Holly solving them. Their friend Katherine was having more difficulty with it. Olivia whispered to her friend Holly that they were going to have to set up a study session to help Katherine with this.
It was just about time to confront her first coaching session with the Varsity squad. Olivia privately wondered how in hell she was going to coach these girls that have been cheerleaders longer than she was, and older. She learned the cheers from them last week and was lucky enough to have gone to a game cheering with them.
Olivia left class and ducked into the girl's locker room to put her training outfit on. She went into one of the dressing cubicles in the back to replace her panties and put on a protective layer of cheerleading spankies on and replace her bra with a more supportive Victoria Secret Pink Sports bra, then she walked out to put on her gold cheer shorts and the schools sleeveless top. Her hair was secured with a pink scrunchy, and the other girls came in to get themselves ready for the first training session.
Olivia stood in the front of the locker room and said to them all. “I want to have a brief talk with everyone on the gym once you all get ready.”
Olivia walked out to the gym and read through the varsity squads cheerleaders and just waited.
All of the girls came out of the Locker room wearing the gold cheerleading shorts and blue and gold top with the school's logo on it. Many of them were wearing pink ribbons in their hair. The squad had agreed to wear the exact same thing. Even their nails were polished in the same blue color. They looked like a squad, and Olivia wished she had that look.
The girls sat on the bleachers waiting for whatever Olivia had to say. She was standing in front of the squad. “I know many of you are juniors or seniors, and you have been cheering much longer than I have. I know many of you are much older than I am, so I want to know If this will cause any problems with our relationship. I need to know if any of you will have problems taking direction from me.”
Karen stood up and told Olivia, “We have discussed this together, and some of the girls are waiting to see how you do first before they decide if it's going to be an issue. I and most of us know you will be great. Jennifer has attended your Jujitsu classes, and she knows your skills. So most of us have no doubt about you, and we are willing to follow you, Olivia. I have seen you train with us that first week. Olivia you were awesome.”
Then she turned to her squad and asked loudly, “Are we ready to follow Olivia!” The girls jumped up and squealed and clapped. Olivia smiled back
Then she said, “Okay, now that we have that out of the way. I have some ideas. I studied all of the cheers, and I loved them. I have some ideas on minor changes that won't make that much of a difference. But I have reviewed the halftime show you all put on, and I have an excellent idea on how to make that better. Jennifer, Karen, Allie, and Elisabeth. You and the other stunt squad do the drop. But can you drop into a handstand and do a walkover followed by a fast cartwheel?”
The girls looked at each other, wondering what Olivia meant. Then he asked, “Karen and Jennifer, lift me up, Elisabeth and Allie, you will be spotting, and I will show you what I mean. You hold me like this,”
Olivia held out her hands so at not to stop herself from falling but to help lower her down onto her hands for a walkover. Olivia stood and told Karen she was ready. Karen and Jennifer lifted Olivia up into the air, and she spread her arms out and shouted. She looked down to see if her spotters were ready. Karen and Jennifer lowered Olivia down head. First, her spotters were ready and helped her lower onto her hands. Olivia landed on one hand and threw herself over into a walkover followed by an extremely rapid cartwheel and a flying somersault and landed facing them.
Olivia asked, “Do you think we could have three lift teams doing that in synchronization?”
Karen spoke up when none of the others would,” That's a big change in our halftime show. This will take a lot of training, Olivia, but I like it.”
Olivia smiled softly, “Excellent. And I have a few other ideas for the halftime show I want us to work on. “
Karen grinned knowingly, “This isn't for any halftime show, is it? These are much more advanced routines than any squad does for any football halftime show. You are preparing us for regionals, arent you?”
Olivia flashed a wide knowing grin and said, “OHYA. Whose for it?”
All of the girls leaped up and screamed, and they began working on the various aspects of the routine that Olivia had in mind. Olivia put them through a grueling two-hour session that had every girl exhausted by the end. They ended it with some stretches and cooldowns. “I will do a two-mile run in the morning, and I hope you all can join me for it. We need to build up our stamina for competition. I want to build us up to five miles by the fall.”
The session let out, and Olivia approached Elizabeth and Karen and asked the two seniors, “Can you two help me with the juniors tomorrow afternoon. I think the gym will be occupied so we will train on the field in the back. Can you two be there for me?”
Karen said yes as they watched another girl walk in from the bleachers and approach Jennifer, and they intimately hugged. The girl said, “You did great, Liz.”
Olivia looked at the couple and asked, “Jennnifer is this, your girlfriend?”
“NO,” Jennifer said. “This is my boyfriend, Adam. He likes presenting himself as a girl. I think it's adorable, and there aren't any rules that say a boy can't wear a dress here.”
Olivia smiled, slyly. “Well, hello, Adam, unless you prefer another name.”
“Adam is fine,” Adam quipped. “I don't need a girl's name. I am a boy.”
The two girls agreed, and they needed to wash their training outfit. Adam walked away, and Olivia swore Adam had some blush and eyeliner on. There wasn't anything wrong with that. Olivia knew Karen and Elizabeth were intimate with each other. They tried to hide it, but Olivia saw the looks they gave each-other. It was clear they were involved.
As Olivia returned to her office, Lynn approached and told her, “You were great. Crystal was never that tough on them, and she didn't think she could have got away with extending it another hour. You exhausted them, do you think they will be ready for another one in two days, especially with the running you assigned them?”
“I think so, do you think I did okay?” Olivia asked, worried.
“You were great. But you didn't pull anything over the girls. Karen knew exactly what you were doing, but you had them all following your instructions.” Lynn said. “I was ready to step in if I was needed to reassert control. But you had them following you, and that was great. I figured you wouldn't need me to help you.”
“I am going back to the office to do some research on the NCA and how we can join their organization. Then I will look into where the regionals will be held this year. Can you help me, Lynn?”
Lynn agreed, “Sure, my high school squad was a member, but I was never on the administration side of it. This will be an experience.” And they went into Olivia's new office and sat down to look at the National Cheerleading Association site on how new schools join and the fees required.
Lynn knew this would be it. She was impressed with the attention to detail that Olivia put in and how she researched everything involved with the Organization. But Lynn also saw the increasing frustration within Olivia the more she looked at the forms and the rules involved.
Then it suddenly stopped. Olivia narrowed her eyes and glared at Lynn in frustration and anger. Olivia nearly shouted, “Please tell me what the hell is going on here? How can I possibly be the head coach here, and what does that make you? I am looking at the rules and these forms. Am I really supposed to put my name and my identification in as the head coach for our squad for the National cheerleading Association? Seriously? We all know they will never accept a fourteen-year-old student as the squads head coach. Never, we would be disqualified. And what about the School board, is my name on the position of the Cheerleading head coach, I doubt it? The school would be in such a shit form of trouble if they dared. So please, Lynn, explain what is going on?”
“There is no official head coach. That position is empty. They can't afford it, I am the assistant coach, and for all intents and purposes, you are the head cheer coach even if there is no official documentation of it. We have been instructed by the school to respect you in that role. And since I know your ambition and your talent, I have no problem with it.” Lynn explained.
“That's the stupidest thing I ever heard,” Olivia admitted rudely. “Lynn, you are the head coach as of now. My name can't be on these forms. We must fill your name in, and your identification. We must get the school to assign you to the role of the head coach. This should be your office, not mine.”
“But you are qualified regardless of your age and status, You have trained students for many more years than I have. You have led classes at the school you teach at. I know you can do this.” Lynn told him.
“Yes, in some ways,” Olivia replied. “But you are the adult, and the responsibility must fall to you. I have many of the skills and the drive. But I can't put my name on these forms except as a competitor, and possibly the assistant coach and choreographer, but I can't be the leading coach for the squad. You must be, even if you defer to me in many things. I still can't be the head coach. And if they don't want to pay you the salary, we must make them, or I will do it in my settlement. But you need to be our leader. You have the skills to step in and do it, Lynn.”
They linked arms, and Olivia looked into Lynn's eyes with the determination and pleaded, “You need to take charge and lead us. Please. We need you.”
Then the two embraced each other, and Lynn agreed, “I will.”
“I think that Megan is ready to take me home now. Is there anything else you need Lynn,” Olivia asked.
Lynn shook her head, “NO, we are about done here. I need to get back too. I will see you tomorrow.” Lynn walked out as Olivia went out to meet her sister.
Megan was a little flustered when Olivia met her at the front doors waiting. “I just can't believe it,” Megan sighed. “They made you the cheerleaders head coach. I watched the practice, and you were awesome. And those older girls followed you all on their own. I liked the changes you made to the routine.”
Yeah,” Olivia replied. “I can't believe they made me the coach either. It was really stupid of them.”
Olivia held Megan's hand as they walked out. “You are just the girl for the job,” Megan replied. “Why do you think it was stupid?”
“Because,” Olivia said, looking at Megan. “I am fourteen. I can't be employed at the school. I can't be registered as the head coach when we compete. There's no way. They need an adult for the job but the schools being cheap. They want to put a kid in the position and make everyone call her the coach. It's going to bite them in the ass. I told Lynn she is the head coach, and she will sign the forms for our squad to compete.”
Question from the Author
I had some questions about making a kid the head coach and it was one that I seen the problem with. I want to ask if you all thought I handled it well enough and if you see any other problems
Comments
Cheerleading Association rules
While I'm not at all familiar with cheerleading association and competition rules, I agree that it is unlikely that they would allow a minor, yet alone a fourteen-year-old, to have the responsibility of head coach. Olivia's solution of having Lynn be head coach on paper, at least, should work.
As for the school administration and board
I have seen way too many real life examples to say that a school administration wouldn't appoint a student as an unofficial head coach. After all, if it's not put down on paper then the idiots in administration may think they can get away with this cost saving measure. For liability purposes the assistant coach is the responsible adult in charge. Even though she's not actually in charge. Sheer stupidity. But, yup, this type of idiocy happens way to often in real life.
And given what happened with the changes to records regarding gender, this is a pretty minor piece of stupidity.
Well done
I had a feeling this would pop its ugly head with the NCA. So the way you handled it was PERFECT. Yes Olivia can do it on a local level, but to be part of the National Cheer Association yeah there has to be an adult that is head cheer coach.
Love Samantha Renée Heart.
Insurance
I should imagine that any insurance would be invalid whether an accient happened during practice sessions on the school premises as well as an incident occurring at any competition..