When Iida Kanto began coaching cheerleading in 2013 with Oulu’s Northern Lights, she didn’t yet realize how central coaching would become to her life. Today, Kanto coaches Helmi, the club’s junior representative team, and has influenced the journeys of many young athletes.
“I coach Helmi, our junior representative team. I first joined the club as an elementary school student through friends. I started coaching in 2013, and since then I’ve been involved at various levels — first with the mini team, then juniors, and now the women’s team,” Kanto shares.
Northern Lights’ junior representative athletes are aged 14 to 19 — a stage full of growth both athletically and personally. This is precisely where a good coach makes a lasting difference.
Cheerleading is not a simple sport; it combines acrobatics, lifts, tosses, dance, and team dynamics in a challenging yet exciting way.
“Cheerleading is diverse and captivating. We have many components — ground and aerial acrobatics, lifts, tosses. Our teams are large, usually 28 to 32 athletes, which makes coaching challenging but also very rewarding,” Kanto explains.
Due to large team sizes, individual coaching requires special attention. While daily practices often focus on the whole group, individual feedback and monitoring are vital for athlete development. Digital coaching tools can support this process effectively.
Northern Lights has adopted the Qridi Sport app to aid coaching. The app helps collect feedback both individually and as a group.
“Practice time often goes to refining group routines. Qridi Sport has helped us provide individual feedback more easily. We use it for tracking training feelings and documenting independent exercises,” Kanto notes.
Small group training, like stunt groups, especially benefits from this, as coaches can give targeted feedback to specific groups or athletes.
“Each stunt group has its own Qridi channel now, where training videos can be shared easily. Feedback is timely and relevant. If someone wants to share a skill they’re still working on and ask for advice, it’s straightforward,” Kanto adds.
Cheerleading training seasons are divided into phases, each with its focus. The base fitness period emphasizes physical readiness and individual skills, while the competition season focuses on polishing routines and overall performance.
“A good practice starts with a varied warm-up, followed by building more challenging skills to keep motivation high. Safety is fundamental — everyone must know their role and be able to perform safely,” Kanto stresses.
The club’s strength coach plans physical training according to the season. Self-directed workouts complement this, especially during breaks without team practices.
“We always have a fitness program for holiday periods. This ensures no one falls out of rhythm even during weeks without team training,” Kanto explains.
Qridi Sport is still in its initial phase at Northern Lights, but the goal is to expand its use throughout the club. Season surveys, load monitoring, and testing protocols are of particular interest.
“We’re in competition season now, so not all features are in use yet. But once the season restarts from base fitness, we’ll utilize the tools more systematically,” Kanto envisions.
Qridi Sport offers ready-made tools that simplify season planning and can support new or less experienced coaches with ready content and surveys, reducing the need for extensive training.
“After one full season using Qridi, we’ll have a solid foundation for the future. No need to reinvent the wheel. This creates routines and frees up time for actual coaching,” Kanto says.
A unique aspect of cheerleading is its heavy reliance on teammates. One mistake can impact the entire performance, making mutual trust and communication essential.
“Trust is absolutely critical in cheerleading. You need to work together and trust that everyone does their part. Interaction is the core — a good team functions as one,” Kanto highlights.
Different roles — bases, flyers, and spotters — naturally bring diversity to the team. Every role matters and everyone has their place.
“The best part is that everyone can be themselves. In our sport, every role is important, and that creates the feeling of belonging,” she adds.
I asked Kanto about her personal experiences — what’s been the hardest and most rewarding part of coaching?
“The toughest part is definitely selecting competition teams. We have many motivated athletes but limited spots, making decisions very difficult. And of course, when you see someone struggling, you want to be there to support them,” Kanto shares.
“But the most rewarding part is seeing the athletes’ growth and successes. Watching them enjoy what they do, progress toward their goals, and thrive — that’s why we do this,” she concludes.
Learn More About Northern Lights:
https://cheer.northernlights.fi/