Today we have the honor of conversing with, Isiah Ali. Isiah comes from an extensive background in cheerleading, both Allstar and Scholastic. Ali’s humbleness, athleticism, and hard work have gotten him to where he is today. In todays exclusive interview “Being Successful in the Competitive Circuit” you will have the opportunity to read on Isiah’s personal and successful experiences/ suggestions for your program.Isiah you have such an extensive background in Allstar, High School and Collegiate Cheerleading. Can you tell us a little bit about some of the programs you’ve worked with?
In the all-star cheerleading world I’ve worked with programs like GymTyme All-Stars, ICE All-Stars, and Premier Athletics. When I think of School Cheerleading I’d definitely say I’ve spent some extensive time with The University of Michigan as well as Alma College.
In regards to school cheer, what are some things you’ve seen that schools you’ve worked with did to achieve that competitive edge?
Specifically, Ive noticed the amount of effort they put into involving their schools culture in everything they do. Schools have a different outlook on what they consider their “school culture”. Typically this is an easy thing to identify and implement on your program.
My school does not have much tumbling or stunting experience”. What do you suggest some of our high school program directors do to get started on building the athleticism within their program?
EDUCATE YOURSELF! Every day, I learn something new about cheerleading. Use your resources, talk to friends and work with an Allstar program if you can. It is truly insane to think about the amount of teachings and techniques out there. There are times I stop myself mid conversation and evaluate if my thought process on a skill is the same as the person I’m working with. If that person is executing a skill differently than I am used to I like to ask what their approach is. Getting as much knowledge on our sport as possible will definitely give noticeable results.
“My program is on a tight budget!”. What do you suggest a program who would like to seek out local help should do if they are limited in funding?
Being limited in funding is a hard thing to speak on. I only say that because Cheerleading whether it is School or All-Star can become a very expensive sport for the families involved. Truly your expectations have to align with a budget and fundraising schedule you can maintain. I would seek out volunteers from the industry in my area who may just want to give back and nurture those relationships. It’s also good to ask alumni if they are willing to volunteer with the younger athletes.
You’ve won some prestigious titles as a coach, like NCA Collegiate Nationals in Daytona Florida. Having been in that circuit what are some do’s and don’ts that you might have for beginners?
I think the biggest do is… TAKE CHANCES! If there is an idea you feel passionately about, or a moment you want to incorporate; push to make it happen for your team. Make sure to put perfection before progression. Go with what you can execute the best and cleanest. What you can execute could very well not be the most difficult, but cleanliness and execution is key in any competitive routine.
Thank you for your time! Do you have any final suggestions for those of us who are interested in building a competitive program?
Remember that it is a process to gain extensive skill in this sport. Be wiling to put in the time in laying the foundation of your program before focusing on winning competitions. You don’t have to win 1st place or get a bunch of trophies in order to grow.