All-Star 21-22 Teams & Divisions

[cac4life]

I see a lot of gyms using the level workout groups format.

Ex: After your tryout you do not make a TEAM but a LEVEL and you stick with that level for practices until sorted into a team. So rather than making J3, you make the Level 3 workout group.

Questions:

Do you feel like parents respond better to this and are better prepared for tryout results/teams?

Do you get a lot of "We quit because she made the Level 4 group and we wanted her on 5?"

As a parent how did this work for you? Better or worse than knowing a team?

I feel like it would cause more unnecessary panic in a sense that a parent is now pre-anxious re: what team their kid could make based on who is in the group like "OMG LOOK AT THAT LEVEL 2 WORKOUT GROUP LIST I KNOW THEY ARE ABOUT TO PUT HER ON Y2 AGAIN OH NO."

Or "She made the Level 3 group but they've beeb having her stunt with the youngest kids instead of everyone from S3 what if she gets put on J3? She's 16!"

My frame of reference is high school cheer and all I know is if we presorted kids by skill into a Varsity/Gold and JV/Blue workout group, there would likely be a riot or mass exodus. In theory you know your kid and know what group she is likely to fall into, but people aren't always realistic.

This is what my gym does.
After tryout you get but in groups, they don't stick a level to it though. But we are not dumb, we know what group is what lol. The groups then practice for 2 weeks, the coaches have always said it is to see how consistent kids' skills are, see how the new kids receive coaching and corrections, see us conditioning, and get more abt our skill level than any 1 hr tryout can give.
From a coaching perspective, it makes sense.
From an athlete's perceptive, it causes weeks of stress and anxious feelings about what team you will get.

 

[Knowcheering]

From an athlete's perceptive, it causes weeks of stress and anxious feelings about what team you will get.

Yes. A few gyms wait an entire month before finalizing teams, and it makes the tryout process seem never-ending, where you're on edge for weeks trying to "prove" yourself worthy on being on a certain team and you're more fearful of making mistakes than you would be during a normal practice. Plenty of kids handle this process fine, but I'm sure it causes others some real anxiety (especially if they're on the bubble between teams).

Coaches already know what team the vast majority of kids will be on, so the long drawn-out process isn't really necessary in most cases. I understand why some coaches do it, but I prefer announcing teams after tryouts. You can always shuffle a few kids around later on if they end up seeming better suited for a different team. A 2-day tryout is nerve-wracking enough, and I feel like that first month of practices should be fun and exciting for the kids to meet their new team and learn new things, rather than a continuation of the stressful tryout process.

On another note, why is the Junior max age still at 16? And why not 15. Why the jump from 14 to 16. What was the reasoning behind this, I wonder. Most kids leave this sport after high school, so why is the push to keep them on Jr teams until they practically graduate?

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Yes. A few gyms wait an entire month before finalizing teams, and it makes the tryout process seem never-ending, where you're on edge for weeks trying to "prove" yourself worthy on being on a certain team and you're more fearful of making mistakes than you would be during a normal practice. Some kids handle this process fine, but I'm sure it causes others some real anxiety (especially if they're on the bubble between teams).

Coaches already know what team the vast majority of kids will be placed on, so the long drawn-out process isn't all that necessary in most cases. I understand why coaches do it, but I prefer announcing teams early on and then shuffling a few kids around if they end up seeming better suited for a different team. A 2-day tryout is nerve-wracking enough, and I feel like that first month of practices should be fun and exciting for the kids to meet their new team and learn new things, rather than a continuation of the stressful tryout process.

On another note, why is the Junior max age still at 16? And why not 15. Why the jump from 14 to 16. What was the reasoning behind this, I wonder. Most kids leave this sport after high school, so why is the push to keep them on Jr teams until they practically graduate?

I feel like workout groups, even if not leveled, would cause anxiety and potential parental kerfluffle.

Example: Your group may not be leveled, but I am sure you can tell when you look at the list that all your friends are in the workout group with everyone from Senior 4 and yours is the one with Youth and Junior 3 kids in it.

Or littles may be little but they can tell when they show up if they are in the Mini 1 group and not Youth. Or Tiny instead of Mini. Cue "I don't want to cheer this year because I am already in the baby group."

Which leads to my next question: Can you be moved to another group at some point? Ex: can you start in the Level 5 group and get moved to Worlds/Level 6 if you gain new skills?

 

[cheerbowgirl101]

I see a lot of gyms using the level workout groups format.

Ex: After your tryout you do not make a TEAM but a LEVEL and you stick with that level for practices until sorted into a team. So rather than making J3, you make the Level 3 workout group.

Questions:

Do you feel like parents respond better to this and are better prepared for tryout results/teams?

Do you get a lot of "We quit because she made the Level 4 group and we wanted her on 5?"

As a parent how did this work for you? Better or worse than knowing a team?

I feel like it would cause more unnecessary panic in a sense that a parent is now pre-anxious re: what team their kid could make based on who is in the group like "OMG LOOK AT THAT LEVEL 2 WORKOUT GROUP LIST I KNOW THEY ARE ABOUT TO PUT HER ON Y2 AGAIN OH NO."

Or "She made the Level 3 group but they've beeb having her stunt with the youngest kids instead of everyone from S3 what if she gets put on J3? She's 16!"

My frame of reference is high school cheer and all I know is if we presorted kids by skill into a Varsity/Gold and JV/Blue workout group, there would likely be a riot or mass exodus. In theory you know your kid and know what group she is likely to fall into, but people aren't always realistic.

My high school did/does do this... what a nightmare. I think it’s the worst idea ever— parents and athletes were constantly complaining. All one upset parent has to say is that they want CP on varsity, and suddenly they were in the “Gold”(Varsity) workout group like you said. I really don’t agree with that philosophy of training, as I feel it holds athletes back as individuals, and creates a predetermined team feeling, before there’s even a team.

 

[CLynn]

Which leads to my next question: Can you be moved to another group at some point? Ex: can you start in the Level 5 group and get moved to Worlds/Level 6 if you gain new skills?

At our gym, yes! It always appeared to me that tryouts put you in a well rounded level group but after that coaches find other teams have a specific need ( beast base, tall backspot, little flyer etc) and athletes get moved around based on that area of skill/need. And the opposite happens too of course and people do get moved down. Generally most is settled before choreography.

 

[cac4life]

My high school did/does do this... what a nightmare. I think it’s the worst idea ever— parents and athletes were constantly complaining. All one upset parent has to say is that they want CP on varsity, and suddenly they were in the “Gold”(Varsity) workout group like you said. I really don’t agree with that philosophy of training, as I feel it holds athletes back as individuals, and creates a predetermined team feeling, before there’s even a team.

i am so lucky that my gym has pretty much no bad parent drama! Of course we have our 'cheer moms', but all in all it is very drama free, and I thank god every day for that

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Stingrays Marietta 21-22 teams:

Berry (Tiny Prep 1)
Mint (Medium Mini 1)
Kiwi (Med Y1)
Red (Med Y2)
Black (Med Y3)
Mango (Med J1)
Gray (Med J2)
Silver (U17 Level 2)
Scarlet (Med J3)
Fire (U17 Level 3)
Platinum (Med J4)
Chrome (Small J4)
Shadow (U17 Level 4)
Royal (Med J5)
Green (JC6)
Blush (U19 Level 1)
Lime (Med S3)
Sugar (Senior 4)
UV (Med Sr 4.2)
Moonlight (Med Sr Coed 4.2)
Spice (Large Senior 5)

Worlds teams:
Peach (MAG6)
Orange (LAG6)
Steel (LgCoed 6)
Electric (Global Coed 6)
Apple (Senior Open 6)
Cobalt (Global 6)
Lavender (IO6)
Rust (IOC7)

 

[dmouth11]

Stingrays Marietta 21-22 teams:

Berry (Tiny Prep 1)
Mint (Medium Mini 1)
Kiwi (Med Y1)
Red (Med Y2)
Black (Med Y3)
Mango (Med J1)
Gray (Med J2)
Silver (U17 Level 2)
Scarlet (Med J3)
Fire (U17 Level 3)
Platinum (Med J4)
Chrome (Small J4)
Shadow (U17 Level 4)
Royal (Med J5)
Green (JC6)
Blush (U19 Level 1)
Lime (Med S3)
UV (Med Sr 4.2)
Moonlight (Med Sr Coed 4.2)

Worlds teams:
Orange (LAG6)
Steel (LgCoed 6)
Electric (Global Coed 6)
Apple (Senior Open 6)
Cobalt (Global 6)
Lavender (IO6)
Rust (IOC7)

Did they get rid of their senior level 4 and 5 teams? Sugar just win Summit!

Also- old head here and barely just accepting the Level 5--> Level 6 mainstream switch and the Senior Open vs. International Open. vs. blah blah nightmare. I've seen them, but WHAT are these U17/U19 Alien divisions? Can someone link me to the proper resource or explain?

 

[123jump4!]

Stingrays Marietta 21-22 teams:

Berry (Tiny Prep 1)
Mint (Medium Mini 1)
Kiwi (Med Y1)
Red (Med Y2)
Black (Med Y3)
Mango (Med J1)
Gray (Med J2)
Silver (U17 Level 2)
Scarlet (Med J3)
Fire (U17 Level 3)
Platinum (Med J4)
Chrome (Small J4)
Shadow (U17 Level 4)
Royal (Med J5)
Green (JC6)
Blush (U19 Level 1)
Lime (Med S3)
UV (Med Sr 4.2)
Moonlight (Med Sr Coed 4.2)

Worlds teams:
Orange (LAG6)
Steel (LgCoed 6)
Electric (Global Coed 6)
Apple (Senior Open 6)
Cobalt (Global 6)
Lavender (IO6)
Rust (IOC7)

Wow almost no senior teams. The higher junior age plus international even higher by 1 year) really killed the senior divisions. I really wish the junior max age could be lowered back down and international could be got rid of.

 

[CLynn]

I've seen them, but WHAT are these U17/U19 Alien divisions?

My thought too! and with the age gride MJ4 and U17 4 are almost same ages. I really wish they would lower junior back to 13/14/ middle school age.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Did they get rid of their senior level 4 and 5 teams? Sugar just win Summit!

Also- old head here and barely just accepting the Level 5--> Level 6 mainstream switch and the Senior Open vs. International Open. vs. blah blah nightmare. I've seen them, but WHAT are these U17/U19 Alien divisions? Can someone link me to the proper resource or explain?

Short answer: The U17 and U19 teams are in the international division so they use the IASF age grid. It designates teams as 17 and under or 19 and Under instead of Junior and Senior. But U17 is equivalent to Junior and U19 is Senior.

Also I missed those 2. Sugar Senior 4 and Spice Senior 5 are still teams! I edited my post.

 

[wishfulthinking]

Stingrays Marietta 21-22 teams:

Berry (Tiny Prep 1)
Mint (Medium Mini 1)
Kiwi (Med Y1)
Red (Med Y2)
Black (Med Y3)
Mango (Med J1)
Gray (Med J2)
Silver (U17 Level 2)
Scarlet (Med J3)
Fire (U17 Level 3)
Platinum (Med J4)
Chrome (Small J4)
Shadow (U17 Level 4)
Royal (Med J5)
Green (JC6)
Blush (U19 Level 1)
Lime (Med S3)
Sugar (Senior 4)
UV (Med Sr 4.2)
Moonlight (Med Sr Coed 4.2)
Spice (Large Senior 5)

Worlds teams:
Orange (LAG6)
Steel (LgCoed 6)
Electric (Global Coed 6)
Apple (Senior Open 6)
Cobalt (Global 6)
Lavender (IO6)
Rust (IOC7)

Wait. Where's Peach??

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Wait. Where's Peach??

I missed this one too! Trying to type fast.

 

[emo_wifey]

I feel like workout groups, even if not leveled, would cause anxiety and potential parental kerfluffle.

Example: Your group may not be leveled, but I am sure you can tell when you look at the list that all your friends are in the workout group with everyone from Senior 4 and yours is the one with Youth and Junior 3 kids in it.

Or littles may be little but they can tell when they show up if they are in the Mini 1 group and not Youth. Or Tiny instead of Mini. Cue "I don't want to cheer this year because I am already in the baby group."

Which leads to my next question: Can you be moved to another group at some point? Ex: can you start in the Level 5 group and get moved to Worlds/Level 6 if you gain new skills?

CP's gym does it by age and level, and I've seen a group as small as 8 (last year, mini 2, did not end up having a mini 2 team). Some kids might be asked to work out with two groups, sometimes groups work together. It is fluid and kids can be moved around.

Twice CP was in the mini 1 elite group and moved back to tiny prep. It was definitely stressful those years trying to get out of prep. Now she still doesn't quite have her BHS and agewise can only be a youth or junior. Low stress this year.

I agree though with @cac4life, it is good from a coaching standpoint. It helps them get stunt groups figured out and see how consistent new kids are with what they threw at tryouts.

 

[california cheer mom]

How big is Stingrays Marietta? The logistics of scheduling those teams gives me a headache! They must have a huge facility!