College Being An Alternate

[emelina1005]

I made my university's cheer team as an alternate, I'm very proud of this since I have almost no cheer experience and no tumbling. I'm just confused about what exactly an alternate is? Can I tell people I'm on the team? It's a competition only team so kind of like All-Star.

 

[Lisa Seye]

I made my university's cheer team as an alternate, I'm very proud of this since I have almost no cheer experience and no tumbling. I'm just confused about what exactly an alternate is? Can I tell people I'm on the team? It's a competition only team so kind of like All-Star.

Congratulations and yes you are part of the team. Tell folks that you are. You will attend practices and most likely comps too. You will learn the routine to be able to step in if someone else is unable.

 

[Keep_Believing]

@emelina1005 are you comfortable sharing which College Cheer team? Most College Cheer teams only attend one cheer competition a year NCA or UCA Nationals.

* Editing to add that Acro & Tumbling and Stunt attend many competitions.

 

[emelina1005]

@emelina1005 are you comfortable sharing which College Cheer team? Most College Cheer teams only attend one cheer competition a year NCA or UCA Nationals.

* Editing to add that Acro & Tumbling and Stunt attend many competitions.

It's a Canadian Uni! Carleton University, I think the coaches said they attend around 3-4 comps a year

 

[Keep_Believing]

It's a Canadian Uni! Carleton University, I think the coaches said they attend around 3-4 comps a year

That is awesome. The way alternate positions work varies based on the team and program. I would talk to your Coaches and teammates about it.

 

[emelina1005]

That is awesome. The way alternate positions work varies based on the team and program. I would talk to your Coaches and teammates about it.

Yeah, they said alternates attend every practice and none that nobody except the coaches know who the alternates are. I guess I'm just worried people will be like "Well you won't be preforming at every comp so you're not actually on the team"

 

[Keep_Believing]

Congrats! Be proud you made the team and enjoy it!

 

[Sterling von Shimmer]

Yeah, they said alternates attend every practice and none that nobody except the coaches know who the alternates are. I guess I'm just worried people will be like "Well you won't be preforming at every comp so you're not actually on the team"

No man alternates are EVERYTHING. I’m sure you’ll compete at least once. People get hurt/get cut/quit cheer teams all the time mid-season. In my experience it’s very rare that the roster at the start of the season is the exact same one at the end of the season. There’s always at least one person whose spot needs to be filled in. You’ll most likely get called up.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Alternates in my HS program when I coached were certainly on the team. They cheered all games, attended all practices, and learned the comp routines even though they only competed if needed.

What's funny is that I'd always have one alternate or alternate parent complain re: being an alternate at start of season because "omg my Suzy won't compete what's the point of even cheering?"

What they don't know in May but come to realize is:

1. They probably will compete. Every year I coached, every single one of my alternates competed at least once.

2. I NEED them to function. Really. My worst season coaching was one in which there was a bad stomach bug before a Homecoming performance. 4 athletes were out and very sick. I used every alternate I had for that performance. They stepped up big timetime and everything went great. If I didn't have them, I would have had to pull us from the rally entirely. Or pull a few from JV sudeline (which is less than ideal because they would be learning new material on short notice and are generally newer to cheer.)

 

[Kentucky Girl]

@emelina1005 are you comfortable sharing which College Cheer team? Most College Cheer teams only attend one cheer competition a year NCA or UCA Nationals.

* Editing to add that Acro & Tumbling and Stunt attend many competitions.

Actually, competition-only college teams are not allowed to compete at the UCA College Nationals since the competition is open only to official spirit squads (AKA teams who also cheer for sports such as football and basketball) but the NCA College Nationals is open to competition-only teams as well as official spirit squads.

 

[Keep_Believing]

Actually, competition-only college teams are not allowed to compete at the UCA College Nationals since the competition is open only to official spirit squads (AKA teams who also cheer for sports such as football and basketball) but the NCA College Nationals is open to competition-only teams as well as official spirit squads.

I didn't say they were.