How to Talk to the Media

With the popularity of cheerleading in the media, it isn’t too far-fetched to think that at some point, you might find yourself in front of a camera or microphone. While this might seem scary, with a few tips and some practice, you’ll be a great hit and potentially a reliable resource for the future.

Before being put in this situation, find out what your school or gym’s media policy is. Understand that while many stories may be nice pieces about your program, it’s also possible that a reporter will be trying to do a “hit piece” on cheerleading and just wants you to say a specific line that will support his/her story. Never accept an on-the-spot interview. If you get a call from a reporter or cameras show up at your gym and want to fi lm, let them know that this is not a good time. Find out what their story is about and schedule a time for them to call back or return. This will give you time to prepare and gather any relevant information.

As with any interview, it’s a good idea to write down some bullet points that you’d like to include in your responses. You can even do a mock interview so that you can practice replying with short, concise answers.

Once an interview has been scheduled, remember these tips:

• Always be professional. You are representing yourself, your team and your school or gym.

• The media outlet gets to cut and edit your words any way they want to. A remark like “We have a lot of injuries” might just mean nagging strains to you, but that one line edited into a story about catastrophic injuries could show your program in a negative light.

• If asked to demonstrate skills or record a practice, only work on skills that have been mastered. We all know that falls happen while learning new things, but when shown on camera, it may appear that falling is the norm on your squad.

• If asked about the dangers of cheerleading, speak about what you know – your program. You may be asked about specific statistics that are phrased to sound alarming or over-the-top. If you aren’t familiar with the studies, don’t feel like you need to discuss them. A good approach is to say, “I can’t really speak to that on a national level, but I can tell you about our program.” Go on to explain your training and certifications and what you do to promote safety.

• Take every opportunity to promote your program and the positive outcomes it has on your cheerleaders. Go through the community projects you’re involved in and rave about leadership and good grades.

• Finally, if you are a coach, be wary of giving media outlets access to your cheerleaders. You don’t want your athletes to later regret their comments. If you have captains or mature representatives that you feel comfortable putting on camera, go over these media training points with them first.

As seen in American Cheerleader Magazine.