High School Advice.

[Cheermom1979]

Daughter is a 1st year HS football cheerleader and enjoying it. We as a family discussed that this would be her last year of AllStar and she would cheer HS football and join the competitive team next year. More flexible and we could finally take a vacation!!

Fast forward- it is October and 13 girls are on concussion protocol. This obviously changes our decision. At what point should the coaching be evaluated? What can I do as a parent- is there someone I can tell my concerns?

 

[NJ Coach]

I'd have a talk with the Athletic Director. 13 kids in concussion protocol is a lot.

 

[cheermomforever]

Daughter is a 1st year HS football cheerleader and enjoying it. We as a family discussed that this would be her last year of AllStar and she would cheer HS football and join the competitive team next year. More flexible and we could finally take a vacation!!

Fast forward- it is October and 13 girls are on concussion protocol. This obviously changes our decision. At what point should the coaching be evaluated? What can I do as a parent- is there someone I can tell my concerns?

Wow what is happening to these girls? I would definitely be concerned about coaches ability!

 

[Caesarea]

How did they get their concussions? All at practice? From unsupervised stunting/tumbling before practice? (That was an issue with our team for a while until we cracked down on it and said that feet stay on the floor until practice starts.) From other events?

 

[quitthedrama]

If these injuries are happening at practice, then there is a safety issue and it needs to be addressed. A conversation with the athletic director is warranted but things may not improve. We had a similar situation and my youngest quit her high school team her sophomore year due to safety concerns. The coaches were requiring double downs and baskets on the basketball floor for a pep rally and when it was brought to their attention that these were against the rules it was ignored by both the coaches and the athletic director. It wasn't worth the risk of her being seriously injured. They consistently had kids out with concussions and broken bones. Good luck - it's a frustrating situation to deal with. Maybe she can just tumble with the skills she is comfortable with and do the sideline cheers and not stunt?

 

[Momager]

Similar issue with HS cheer- all of the cheerleaders were not as well trained as all star cheerleaders and there were some janky skills- flyers with elbows out, bases not all of the same ability to lift and catch. It took awhile for the coach to get them in sync. There were many more injuries than we saw in all star. (but 13 concussions is quite excessive!)

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Just commenting to say wow - 13 on a concussion protocol is crazy.

The tells me that either in tumbling or stunting, someone is not following proper progressions and your coaching style is probably “I’ll allow it.” And “just throw it.”

For example, if you have a team of mostly non-tumblers, you will end up with 13 people on a concussion protocol if you jump straight to standing BHS the first week of practice.

Or non-stunters going straight to lib the first day and skipping over thigh stands/preps/extensions. That’s actually the best way to get everyone concussed.

I can also almost guarantee that if they’re rushing tumbling like this, they probably aren’t spotting people correctly, either, if at all.

 

[Cheermom1979]

Thanks for your feedback all. We finished out football season and have made our concerns know regarding the comp team.
All injury’s were sustained at practice with coaches. Most were stunting. Honestly I am disappointed by the schools response and we have decided to continue Allstar but we are also looking into a switch to HS Gymnastics.