All-Star Cheer Extreme Questions And Answers From Courtney

[AllstarObsession]

NO! see my post above.

oh i saw that (:
i was replying to @Num1Stunta

 

[StarshipTrooper]

so its wrong for me to cheer just because im stuck at a standing backhandspring?

Not from my pov. I think for me, my child and our family, we have been happy with the philosophy she described in detail. That is why we are there. I have no prolem with you, your family and your coach not agreeing with that philosophy being right for you and doing it the way you want. Read my posts, I'm just asking questions. I think what she says is bold and true for her Kernersville gym. It is who she is in many ways, but it may not be for everyone.

 

[cljacks99]

Courtney's method is something you would just have to see to understand. Im going to use my cp as an example. Madison tried out last year with a standing tuck that she could land 75% of the time and a full. No jumps to back. Most gyms would have deemed her a level 4 athlete. Courtney took a leap of faith hoping that she would rise to the challenges of level 5 and be motivated by the veteran kids on that team.She was placed on a youth level 5 team. It must have worked. Madison tried out this season with a double full, 2 to full, jumps to back, ect...

 

[AllstarObsession]

Not from my pov. I think for me, my child and our family, we have been happy with the philosophy she described in detail. That is why we are there. I have no prolem with you, your family and your coach not agreeing with that philosophy being right for you and doing it the way you want. Read my posts, I'm just asking questions. I think what she says is bold and true for her Kernersville gym. It is who she is in many ways, but it may not be for everyone.

i just think that it would not be beneficial to an athlete that might not have the natural talent and ability to progress every year, like me.

 

[NJ Coach]

oh i saw that :)
i was replying to @Num1Stunta

I'm going to reply, but I'm sure @Num1Stunta will too. Maybe you've only progressed to a standing bhs in your tumbling skills. But, what to your other skill look like. If you haven't progressed in ANY skill, then it's a hard sell to spend all that money every year.

I don't find @Ceacoach 's comment controversial. It's working for her. It's not just about tumbling skills. I'm sure she has kids on level 5 who don't necessarily have that tumbling ability, but they have the skills for the other parts of a routine. I've never had a kid that at year end, couldn't handle some part of a higher level routine.

 

[AllstarObsession]

I'm going to reply, but I'm sure @Num1Stunta will too. Maybe you've only progressed to a standing bhs in your tumbling skills. But, what to your other skill look like. If you haven't progressed in ANY skill, then it's a hard sell to spend all that money every year.

I don't find @Ceacoach 's comment controversial. It's working for her. It's not just about tumbling skills. I'm sure she has kids on level 5 who don't necessarily have that tumbling ability, but they have the skills for the other parts of a routine. I've never had a kid that at year end, couldn't handle some part of a higher level routine.

its absolutely working for her.

in response- my money is my problem, if i want to spend thousands on my level three team because i'm having the time of my life, its my decision. i dont want to be told to quit or not come back because im not progressing.

 

[CharlotteASMom]

My CP cheered on a level 2 team for 4 years. She loved every minute of it and learned something new every year. She will most likely never be a level 5 athlete. Are you impying we are wasting time and money?

 

[NJ Coach]

its absolutely working for her.

in response- my money is my problem, if i want to spend thousands on my level three team because i'm having the time of my life, its my decision. i dont want to be told to quit or not come back because im not progressing.

I don't think her point was don't bother or quit. It is your money. However, if you can get the same product, for significantly less, that's a choice a lot would make. Like I said before, most kids progress at something. If you aren't, you are spending a lot of money without a return on investment (besides having a good time :))

 

[CharlotteASMom]

If you aren't, you are spending a lot of money without a return on investment (besides having a good time :))

What is thr ROI then if it's not having a good time?

Added: How about we take this conversation to a new thread? I don't want to hijack Courtney's.

 

[StarshipTrooper]

i just think that it would not be beneficial to an athlete that might not have the natural talent and ability to progress every year, like me.

I think that is a fair and valid opinion. But she would keep you on the team you were comfortable with, know you and your family and do whatever she could to make you happy. That may be my point, it sounds like she would exclude someone not progressing, she does not from what I see. But there is an underlying current to progress that permeates that gym, and that is why she has so many level 5 atheletes.

 

[cheerfan27]

This is a great question. We are often wondering the same thing. The reality is that in Kville kids don't stay Level 4 very long and with the advent of Mini level 3 and youth level 5, those that come up through our program are true level 5 athletes by the time they are junior age and stay that way. We certainly attract numerous level 5 kids, but mostly our team rosters are FILLED with kids who will be Level 5 whether they are this month or not come October. We think of it this way : If cheerleading were analogous to elementary school, and Level 2 was second grade, Level 3 was third grade...etc...the expectation would be to graduate from one level to the next each season. If we can't make that happen for an athlete and they summarily "fail" their grade and return back to the second grade ( repeat level 2 again )...we failed as their teachers. It is funny to me to see the celebration that exists on teams of athletes who have been level 2 for 3 or 4 years. To us, that is the equivalent of celebrating the same spelling test words for the 4th year in a row and being excited about knowing them. This is not meant to be offensive...just an analogy to see why we do have so many level 5 teams. We feel our parents as our customers are paying for instruction first and foremost...not assembly of skills. This is also why our lower level teams do not achieve the ability to be truly competitive in a division until the end of the season ( when they have actually become level 2, level 3, etc ). It is astounding to look back and see the growth over a season from the Showcase to the last competition. We think our parents appreciate watching the metamorphosis of the team...and each season we ask our parents to make sure they still stand by this decision. It would be much easier to compete kids at their current level without expecting them to progress.

That's such a good reply. I like the analogy of the grade level and kids progressing each seaason.

 

[cheerfan27]

so its wrong for me to cheer just because im stuck at a standing backhandspring?

no, that's why gyms have all levels. Of coure Courtney's reply is not a blanket and covers everyone's situation..

 

[lilpapsgirl]

Loving this thread!
This thread is giving me such great depth into the workings of the CEA Program!!!

 

[CGAcheer]

This is a great question. We are often wondering the same thing. The reality is that in Kville kids don't stay Level 4 very long and with the advent of Mini level 3 and youth level 5, those that come up through our program are true level 5 athletes by the time they are junior age and stay that way. We certainly attract numerous level 5 kids, but mostly our team rosters are FILLED with kids who will be Level 5 whether they are this month or not come October. We think of it this way : If cheerleading were analogous to elementary school, and Level 2 was second grade, Level 3 was third grade...etc...the expectation would be to graduate from one level to the next each season. If we can't make that happen for an athlete and they summarily "fail" their grade and return back to the second grade ( repeat level 2 again )...we failed as their teachers. It is funny to me to see the celebration that exists on teams of athletes who have been level 2 for 3 or 4 years. To us, that is the equivalent of celebrating the same spelling test words for the 4th year in a row and being excited about knowing them. This is not meant to be offensive...just an analogy to see why we do have so many level 5 teams. We feel our parents as our customers are paying for instruction first and foremost...not assembly of skills. This is also why our lower level teams do not achieve the ability to be truly competitive in a division until the end of the season ( when they have actually become level 2, level 3, etc ). It is astounding to look back and see the growth over a season from the Showcase to the last competition. We think our parents appreciate watching the metamorphosis of the team...and each season we ask our parents to make sure they still stand by this decision. It would be much easier to compete kids at their current level without expecting them to progress.

I think I saw in an earlier post that you only practice once a week, How do you achieve that level of progression with only one practice a week?

 

[imrichhowboutu]

This is a great question. We are often wondering the same thing. The reality is that in Kville kids don't stay Level 4 very long and with the advent of Mini level 3 and youth level 5, those that come up through our program are true level 5 athletes by the time they are junior age and stay that way. We certainly attract numerous level 5 kids, but mostly our team rosters are FILLED with kids who will be Level 5 whether they are this month or not come October. We think of it this way : If cheerleading were analogous to elementary school, and Level 2 was second grade, Level 3 was third grade...etc...the expectation would be to graduate from one level to the next each season. If we can't make that happen for an athlete and they summarily "fail" their grade and return back to the second grade ( repeat level 2 again )...we failed as their teachers. It is funny to me to see the celebration that exists on teams of athletes who have been level 2 for 3 or 4 years. To us, that is the equivalent of celebrating the same spelling test words for the 4th year in a row and being excited about knowing them. This is not meant to be offensive...just an analogy to see why we do have so many level 5 teams. We feel our parents as our customers are paying for instruction first and foremost...not assembly of skills. This is also why our lower level teams do not achieve the ability to be truly competitive in a division until the end of the season ( when they have actually become level 2, level 3, etc ). It is astounding to look back and see the growth over a season from the Showcase to the last competition. We think our parents appreciate watching the metamorphosis of the team...and each season we ask our parents to make sure they still stand by this decision. It would be much easier to compete kids at their current level without expecting them to progress.

Of all the questions and answers on this thread, for some reason I find this the most interesting and potentially controversial,

I will clearly take the controversial bait.

I guess this would work depending on how the athletes and parents define being successful. Is being successful just getting better individually? Perhaps some say yes. But I'm sure there are parents and athletes also that enjoy winning competitions. It seems that moving athletes up faster through the levels is affecting your lower level teams as evidenced by poor placements at competitions. So is the ultimate goal just to get a child to progress quickly through the lower levels so they could be on a Senior Elite, Coed Elite, Medium Elite type of team? Are parents just buying into your philosophy with the hopes that one day their daughter could be a national champion on one of the premier teams?

Since it seems that CEA has a magic formula for creating the level 5 teams, what percentage of your athletes on level 5 have actually moved up through your program from a lower level team. And how many of them walked into your gym at level 4 and higher?