College Advice For Newbie

[mstric1]

We are looking for any advice that people are willing to share that have been through the process of selecting a college cheer program. CP is going to be a sophomore in HS. While we have had other kids go through the college selection process, this is our first time with the college competitive cheer process. CP really wants to go to a competitive school. We are also looking to understand the pros/cons of STUNT, NCATA and regular competitive college cheer. CP is starting her 4th year on senior level 5 and by the time she graduates HS will have 7 years of senior 5. She already has a double and is working on a standing full and Arabian to double. We are curious to know if there are college clinics, if there are recruiting forms you have to fill out, if there are NCAA guidelines you have to follow for NCATA or STUNT, and generally what the process is that you have to go through. Ultimately the college selection will be determined by the overall fit with the school, but we would like any advice on how to navigate the cheer "waters".

 

[ScottyB]

When it comes to collegiate recruiting for cheer, you have to get yourself out there. College coaches don't get paid enough to recruit year round. Check out their websites and social media accounts. Then have her email the coaches. She should introduce herself and tell her story so the coach will know a little about her. Also ask if they have any recruit weekends or clinics in the coming months. When she is getting to the end of her jr year and during her senior year, go visit the schools and see if you can meet the coach or visit a practice. Get a feel for the team and how it functions before making a decision.

Also, tell her to pick a school she will enjoy based on the school alone.. too many friends of mine have had to transfer from schools they thought were awesome to cheer at but terrible to go to school at.

Happy hunting!

 

[MissBee]

Everything ScottyB said! Remember that academics is #1, then if you like the school, and THEN cheer. Putting together a highlight video is a good idea as well. If your daughter is looking at an NCA or UCA style school with a sideline team, make sure that the video includes her cheering a high school game (if she cheers at her school). The most common thing at college tryouts now is that kids come in with doubles and lots of all star experience, but can't sideline cheer and they get cut-or they make the sideline team and hate it. Make sure your daughter knows which style would be a better fit for her.

 

[retiredl5cheer]

Where are you located? There's a college clinic/EXPO coming up in September at our gym. A bunch of schools from the east coast will be present.

 

[mstric1]

Where are you located? There's a college clinic/EXPO coming up in September at our gym. A bunch of schools from the east coast will be present.

We live in Kansas, so the east coast might be hard this September with the football schedule. She also cheers for her high school team. It is helpful though to always have a list of when these clinics are.

 

[BuegeSmalls]

Everything ScottyB said! Remember that academics is #1, then if you like the school, and THEN cheer.

Yes! And take costs into account: will she have to fly/drive multiple times throughout the summer to practices, camps and events? What uniform pieces/practice clothes do they have to buy? Does the school give any sort of scholarship, even if it's just for books? If your daughter is going far away are you okay with her not being able to come home for full holidays breaks because of practices/games?

 

[ScottyB]

We live in Kansas, so the east coast might be hard this September with the football schedule. She also cheers for her high school team. It is helpful though to always have a list of when these clinics are.

Kansas you say? :-)

 

[gymcatmomx2]

Yes! And take costs into account: will she have to fly/drive multiple times throughout the summer to practices, camps and events? What uniform pieces/practice clothes do they have to buy? Does the school give any sort of scholarship, even if it's just for books? If your daughter is going far away are you okay with her not being able to come home for full holidays breaks because of practices/games?

Not being able to see my daughter cheer at her college games would make me very sad. I don't want either of my daughters going to a college that is more than a few hours drive away. Luckily we live in Texas where there are tons of schools that are within a 5 hours drive or less.

 

[ChaminadeCheerMom]

My daughter is a rising senior and we are going through the process right now. While my daughter has level 5 skills (specialty passes thru to full and standing 2 to a full) she competes with her school rather than with an all star gym. In my opinion that has really hurt her in the recruiting department. We have just had to try to figure the whole thing out for ourselves. She is talking to some Acro (NCATA) coaches now that seem interested, but is also looking at some competitive cheer schools as well. In general she has just had to do research online, fill out interest forms for each individual program and is now working to put together video of her skills (once again without help from an all star gym, or her high school for that matter.) Of course flying out to visit all the programs she is interested in just isn't financially very feasible. I find the whole thing pretty frustrating. Our kids are nationally competitive athletes, yet they aren't treated as such. I look forward to the day when they will be recruited out of high school just like any other kind of athlete. But that will be too late for us.

As for your other questions, I don't know anything about Stunt, but Acro schools say they follow NCAA guidelines. The students can't register with the NCAA though because Acro hasn't been accepted as a sport yet. My daughter initially turned up her nose at Acro due to the fact that it was all girl and not as flashy, but after a couple of days at an U of Oregon camp she is coming around. I like it because they give significant scholarships, treat and accept the girls as the athletes they are, and are super safety conscience.

Another bit of advice is that every school and different kind of program is looking for different types of video. Programs that cheer games want to make sure you include footage of that and care about your "look" and personality, and Acro programs want to see tumbling on a non-spring floor (not that easy to come by for specialty passes.)

My daughter has just a few months left to decide on a final list of where to apply, and then she will have a final decision by next May. If you are interested in an update after we finish the process, message me and I will let you know.

 

[mstric1]

Kansas you say? :-)

Yes Kansas. CP has already sent an email to the KU coach and will go to their clinic if the times work out.


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[mstric1]

My daughter is a rising senior and we are going through the process right now. While my daughter has level 5 skills (specialty passes thru to full and standing 2 to a full) she competes with her school rather than with an all star gym. In my opinion that has really hurt her in the recruiting department. We have just had to try to figure the whole thing out for ourselves. She is talking to some Acro (NCATA) coaches now that seem interested, but is also looking at some competitive cheer schools as well. In general she has just had to do research online, fill out interest forms for each individual program and is now working to put together video of her skills (once again without help from an all star gym, or her high school for that matter.) Of course flying out to visit all the programs she is interested in just isn't financially very feasible. I find the whole thing pretty frustrating. Our kids are nationally competitive athletes, yet they aren't treated as such. I look forward to the day when they will be recruited out of high school just like any other kind of athlete. But that will be too late for us.

As for your other questions, I don't know anything about Stunt, but Acro schools say they follow NCAA guidelines. The students can't register with the NCAA though because Acro hasn't been accepted as a sport yet. My daughter initially turned up her nose at Acro due to the fact that it was all girl and not as flashy, but after a couple of days at an U of Oregon camp she is coming around. I like it because they give significant scholarships, treat and accept the girls as the athletes they are, and are super safety conscience.

Another bit of advice is that every school and different kind of program is looking for different types of video. Programs that cheer games want to make sure you include footage of that and care about your "look" and personality, and Acro programs want to see tumbling on a non-spring floor (not that easy to come by for specialty passes.)

My daughter has just a few months left to decide on a final list of where to apply, and then she will have a final decision by next May. If you are interested in an update after we finish the process, message me and I will let you know.

Thanks very much for all the advice. Our daughter has expressed some interest in the Baylor Acro program. I know we have a few years before her senior year so we are trying to learn as much as possible from those that are in the process now.


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[gymcatmomx2]

My daughter is a rising senior and we are going through the process right now. While my daughter has level 5 skills (specialty passes thru to full and standing 2 to a full) she competes with her school rather than with an all star gym. In my opinion that has really hurt her in the recruiting department.

I am not sure that being on an all-star team benefits anyone when it comes to college recruitment. I asked about that in another thread and an all-star coach responded that it isn't their responsibility to help anyone with college recruitments. Now having said that, I don't know if some of the larger programs assist their athletes or not. Does anyone know this? Also, I am seeing more and more colleges follow the same requirements that University of Texas has implemented where you have to apply for a waiver to tryout if you didn't cheer on your high school squad your senior year.

 

[WhoKnows]

If you want to be recruited, then you have to put yourself out there. Wether that be sending videos to schools or showing up for clinics. You have to do something or else they won't know who you are to recruit you in the first place.