Blog 5b: Science Fair Proposal

1. My topic is All-Star Cheerleading.

2. Problem: Kids will not be able to make a Level 2 All - Star Cheerleading team unless they either have Level 2 tumbling skills or are very close to achieving them.
Quote: "If you guys want to progress to a higher level team next year, you need to show us that you have the next level skills or are close to getting them. Since we've coached you, we know your guys' abilities, your strengths and weaknesses, and what skills you're capable of obtaining in a certain amount of time. Other coaches won't, and if you try out for another team next season, if you don't have a back handspring you're not going to be put on a Level 2 team."
Gonzalez, Rene. Allstar Cheer Practice. Starlite Allstars Gym, City of Industry, CA. August 2012. Lecture.

3. Hypothesis: If an All - Star Cheerleader follows a specific conditioning and stretching process, they will be able to obtain a back handspring within a month of starting training for it.

4. I am going to get 22 kids from my gym who don't have back handsprings and track their progress on a spreadsheet of specific exercises they should do to help them get their back handspring. For example, you should be able to do a handstand snap down before you learn how to do a back handspring because a handstand snap down is a skill needed to perform a back handspring. So, I will track how long it takes for each of them to obtain the skills, such as a handstand snap down, needed for a back handspring, and what they did during each practice period. In addition to tracking the progress of the kids, I'm going to be tracking my progress, as my Independent Component 2 is getting a back handspring myself. The tools I'm going to use are Excel for my spreadsheets, a calendar (days) to measure progress, a spring floor, mats, and my coach/mentor to help guide me and the rest of the kids.

5. Anatomy and Physiology