High School Creative Ways To Let Girls Know They Have Made The Team.

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Exactly, that's why we have teacher recommendations. Let's face it, girls are much more emotional and catty than boys are, so there is a double standard, plus our season is much longer and involves more teamwork, in my opinion, than other sports.
Grades and attitudes were a huge issue this year which negatively affected the whole team. I used to require 3 (most only have 5 different teachers in the current semester) and average the scores, this time all three count since there were so many issues last year. It's absolutely important that I have good girls who are hard workers. I don't care if they are the most talented, I want the girls who are there to cheer on their team, promote school spirit, and are willing to work hard. All too often girls may have the talent, but too much attitude or you get girls who are in it for the uniform.
I say weed out those and get a good group of girls who are willing to work hard.

Simply put, you are putting HUMANS into their air.

I need to know that you are going to take that seriously.

 

[fiercerando88]

@Cheerfun I coach HS Field Hockey and I do teacher rec's. Most of the other coaches do as well, however the cheer coaches don't. I think it depends what school you're at. When I worked in the school I also did random check-ins with the teachers, and I did grade checks each week. I've benched a few of my most talented kiddos because of their poor reports from teachers. Parents were mad, kids were mad, but guess what? Their teammates got on them about behaving better in class and getting their grades up. Sometimes peer pressure is a good thing! Long story short, I firmly believe in teacher rec's, it's not just a 'cheer thing', and I think the other coaches at your cp's school need to join in!

 

[Cheerfun]

Thanks for all of the info! It is very informative, as I said, my cp isn't even in middle school yet...I just know how the try outs work for the boys sports because of my son. In some ways, I do think teacher recs are extremely useful, and would give my children more of an advantage...but then I think about those kids who don't have a great home life, and whose study skills may be lacking. Maybe all they have is amazing fast legs or a wicked jump shot or a perfect full...maybe making their school team will help them succeed in other areas of life. I know some of the boys on our basketball team would probably have received poor recs, but the coach doesn't require them. They made the team based on sheer talent. They make sure they meet the grade requirement because they want to play. Being around the other kids influences them in a positive way. Their self esteem improves and they feel part of school. I don't know, sounds sappy...but I think school sports could help the very kids who would be damaged by teacher recs. I guess I just feel that the "smart" and "good" kids get so much already. These kids talents lie elsewhere and if they are the best football player in school, they should be able to contribute their talents to the school.

I guess it is just so lomp-sided (SP?) at our school, which is a very large school, with many talented athletes. The boys are judged on skill, the cheer team is judged on God knows what. I just want it fair, and I want the cheerleaders treated like athletes. But I have really learned from the coaches perspective presented here, so thank you! As I said, my cp may decide to run track or play volleyball instead when she gets to try out in a couple of years, but right now she is full-on cheer (level 4 almost 5 at age 10) and I just want the process more transparent, and less based on who the coach and teachers like best.

 

[Maddie_99]

My coach would ask some of the cheer alumni girls and have them go into the girls classrooms and take a megaphone with their name in it saying that they made the team


~*If it's in your heart,then it's in your spirit~*

 

[Official OWECheer]

Thanks for all of the info! It is very informative, as I said, my cp isn't even in middle school yet...I just know how the try outs work for the boys sports because of my son. In some ways, I do think teacher recs are extremely useful, and would give my children more of an advantage...but then I think about those kids who don't have a great home life, and whose study skills may be lacking. Maybe all they have is amazing fast legs or a wicked jump shot or a perfect full...maybe making their school team will help them succeed in other areas of life. I know some of the boys on our basketball team would probably have received poor recs, but the coach doesn't require them. They made the team based on sheer talent. They make sure they meet the grade requirement because they want to play. Being around the other kids influences them in a positive way. Their self esteem improves and they feel part of school. I don't know, sounds sappy...but I think school sports could help the very kids who would be damaged by teacher recs. I guess I just feel that the "smart" and "good" kids get so much already. These kids talents lie elsewhere and if they are the best football player in school, they should be able to contribute their talents to the school.

I guess it is just so lomp-sided (SP?) at our school, which is a very large school, with many talented athletes. The boys are judged on skill, the cheer team is judged on God knows what. I just want it fair, and I want the cheerleaders treated like athletes. But I have really learned from the coaches perspective presented here, so thank you! As I said, my cp may decide to run track or play volleyball instead when she gets to try out in a couple of years, but right now she is full-on cheer (level 4 almost 5 at age 10) and I just want the process more transparent, and less based on who the coach and teachers like best.

You're the only person that has mentioned this perspective, I never thought of this!

 

[BuegeSmalls]

My coach would ask some of the cheer alumni girls and have them go into the girls classrooms and take a megaphone with their name in it saying that they made the team


~*If it's in your heart,then it's in your spirit~*

Wait...so during actually classes people would come into the rooms of everyone who made the team and announce it with a megaphone in front of the whole class?

 

[Twinklestars]

Wait...so during actually classes people would come into the rooms of everyone who made the team and announce it with a megaphone in front of the whole class?

How awful would that be for the girls who didn't make it?


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[cheernerd5678]

Wait...so during actually classes people would come into the rooms of everyone who made the team and announce it with a megaphone in front of the whole class?

I took it to mean like a fake megaphone decoration with their name written on it.

 

[Maddie_99]

Wait...so during actually classes people would come into the rooms of everyone who made the team and announce it with a megaphone in front of the whole class?

No they had the name with in the megaphone and pulled it out announcing that they had made the team but everything else is right


~*If it's in your heart,then it's in your spirit~*

 

[BuegeSmalls]

How awful would that be for the girls who didn't make it?


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Right!

No they had the name with in the megaphone and pulled it out announcing that they had made the team but everything else is right


~*If it's in your heart,then it's in your spirit~*

So they still announced it in front of the entire class? Eeeek, I'd be so embarrassed! Obviously it's great to make the team (yay!) but I hate being the center of attention especially in class lol. And I'd feel terrible if I was in a class with another girl who tried out and they only I made it.

 

[Twinklestars]

That would be embarrassing for the girls who make it and those who didn't.

I must say that I really liked that my cps' coach called the girls who did not make the team and then posted the list of who did make it online. I hated how our former school only called/texted the girls who made it. Then, the girls who don't sit around waiting for the call that never comes. Everyone deserves to be notified.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

I posted this before, but when I was in MS and HS, they announced over the PA during Home Room during AM announcements.

AWKWARD.

Even when I was in homeroom with all girls who made it, it was still awkward.

The school where I've coached and currently work does Homecoming Court and such (not sports or cheer) over AM announcements and I hate it.

Homeroom = first period at this school.

I've been in homerooms teaching (before I moved to guidance) with girls who made HC and it's now it's ALL they can talk/think about for an entire 60 min period and they've tuned out my whole entire lesson. Flipside, girls don't make it are like "I have to go to the bathroom" and I know they're probably going so they can go CRY. I just don't like how it disrupts everything.

 

[cheernerd5678]

I posted this before, but when I was in MS and HS, they announced over the PA during Home Room during AM announcements.

AWKWARD.

Even when I was in homeroom with all girls who made it, it was still awkward.

The school where I've coached and currently work does Homecoming Court and such (not sports or cheer) over AM announcements and I hate it.

Homeroom = first period at this school.

I've been in homerooms teaching (before I moved to guidance) with girls who made HC and it's now it's ALL they can talk/think about for an entire 60 min period and they've tuned out my whole entire lesson. Flipside, girls don't make it are like "I have to go to the bathroom" and I know they're probably going so they can go CRY. I just don't like how it disrupts everything.

We do homecoming court and court warming court over the intercom too. Usually at the end of the day (voting goes until lunchtime). It's usually literally seconds before the bell so everyone leaves right away, they can go cry or celebrate without disrupting class. I don't mind it but I might the way your school does it!


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[emma_tuttle]

So my tryouts were yesterday, and even though I replied earlier, I now have a better idea of the process. The morning of tryouts, we have a clinic that lasts about 2 hours. After that, we have an hour or two to eat lunch and get ready. After that are the actual tryouts. Tryouts last an hour and a half or so, and then the coach comes out and tells us when to come back to get our envelopes. It's like a drive-thru restaurant. You drive up to the school, get your envelope from the coach, and drive away. You can do whatever you want from that point. Some girls drive to a predesignated place to open them together (in their own cars) and some open theirs alone. The only thing my coach says about it is "Away from me." I've been on both sides of the spectrum, so I know how it feels to be heartbroken and get the rejection letter. (Turns out, I ripped it in half in anger, much to my amusement upon finding half of it this season.) On the other hand, I know how much your heart swells with pride to see "CONGRATULATIONS!!!" in all caps like that across the page. (The girl I rode with was so excited to open hers, she ripped it in the middle.)

 

[calicheercoach10]

We used to post on website that night or on the outside of gym. However a few yrs ago we switched to handing out tshirt with their team on it ie varsity and Jv. This yr I had a kid upset about making Jv and was crying so I think I'll go back to on website next yr.


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