All-Star Doing It All Over

[cupieqt]

I would definitely let my kid cheer. Idk if I would have been a coach though. Adults have done everything possible to suck all the fun out of it for me. My job, that I love and adore, has become so trying due to over zealous parents, shady coaches and industry "leaders". These kids breathe life into me with their innocent love for the sport. But the adults suck it right back out on a daily basis. Adults are the Death Eaters of cheer.
ETA: I've met some awesome adults that don't fit the death eater category but you know how those bad apples spoil the bunch....

 

[cheermuse]

I would say yes, although don't think CP would crossover. She is getting burned out. Definitely no crossover next season if she decides to continue.

 

[quitthedrama]

I would definitely let my kid cheer. Idk if I would have been a coach though. Adults have done everything possible to suck all the fun out of it for me. My job, that I love and adore, has become so trying due to over zealous parents, shady coaches and industry "leaders". These kids breathe life into me with their innocent love for the sport. But the adults suck it right back out on a daily basis. Adults are the Death Eaters of cheer.
ETA: I've met some awesome adults that don't fit the death eater category but you know how those bad apples spoil the bunch....

That truly sucks.

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[cupieqt]

That truly sucks.

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It does. Not once have I ever left a practice or worked with a group of kids and left wanting to quit. But lots and lots and lots of times I have had a conversation or had a meeting or just witnessed behavior by adults, that made me seriously contemplate quitting. Fellow coaches more than anyone. But this year parents have given me a lot more grief too. I've been coaching a long, long time and parents never gave me this much trouble before.

 

[ilikebigbows]

I'd do it over and over and over again. This is my final year of allstar cheer before I head off to college and every day that ticks by is a "last." Last tryouts, last choreography camp, last 1st competition...soon I'll be in my ending dance pose at Worlds and it'll be all over.
Unfortunately there is a time when the fun will have to end and I will have to find another passion. Cheerleading isn't portable like most sports. Long after high school and college, one can gather up an informal team and start a game of basketball, softball or soccer. The case with us, is that never again will we have the chance to remember what the lights, the crowd and the blasting music felt like, or remember the way hitting a perfect routine feels. That overall experience of being a cheerleader is gone, unless that time and money is recommitted, something I know is hard to do in an adult life.
I did not turn out to be a prodigy or a superstar. In fact, I barely have the tumbling to be at the level team I am on. I work hard at getting better, and it takes a really long time to see any sort of progress, but I don't get discouraged. My coach taught me that you don't have to be the best, you just have to be YOUR best. Even the most talented athlete can't get what they're working for if their heart, passion and dedication is not in it either.
That's one of the many lessons that cheerleading has taught me that doesn't only apply to athletics, but everything I do. I am now fearless in front of crowds, comfortable and confident with my body, capable of working with all sorts of personality types and have made lifelong friends, to name a few more.
I am blessed to live in a country where I have had this opportunity, and to have such supportive parents wiggling through the exhausting gym drama, and giving up thousands of dollars and dozens of perfectly good weekends to watch me perform my passion for two minutes and thirty seconds.
After this year, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. College cheer is my first choice, and I'm pretty sure that I will make the team. It will be hard to say goodbye to the big bows, sparkly uniforms and spring floor, but who knows, maybe I'll love it.
I plan on putting at least one of my kids in it. If they don't like it, it'll hurt a little, but their passion could lie somewhere else and I'll be willing to help them find it. It's my subtle dream to be a coach. I don't care who--mini 1 or senior 5. I just want to help more boys and girls learn the same lessons I have and discover a passion unlike anything else the rest of the world has to offer. If it doesn't happen, then it's ok. I have to grow up eventually, I'm just not sure if I'm ready to quite yet.

 

[Aussiekat]

@ilikebigbows Thank you so much for writing this, it's beautiful. I hope I get to meet you at worlds and see you hit your last pose under those lights, with the globe at your back and the tears on your face.

 

[Ashley]

Unfortunately there is a time when the fun will have to end and I will have to find another passion. Cheerleading isn't portable like most sports. Long after high school and college, one can gather up an informal team and start a game of basketball, softball or soccer. The case with us, is that never again will we have the chance to remember what the lights, the crowd and the blasting music felt like, or remember the way hitting a perfect routine feels. That overall experience of being a cheerleader is gone, unless that time and money is recommitted, something I know is hard to do in an adult life.

This is soooo true. I'm the oldest girl on my team, I've been saying for years "this is my last year" and fortunately my fiancé doesn't believe me anymore. I kind of want my Sunday nights back and to be able to go skiing in the winter, but once I'm done, I'm done. So I keep going back year after year just because I still can. But my body is hurting more and more and I'll have to give it up at some point (maybe after this year?)

My fiancé doesn't always get it, why I can't do something because I have practice. But he plays an individual sport, and he can play tennis when he's 60. I don't know how I'll be when he's ditching me to go play tennis and I'm no longer doing the same to him to go to a competition or stunt or whatever.

 

[MaineStar234]

I've taken time to think it over before I posted in this thread. Cheer has blessed me so much. I cheered all star for 12 years before graduating last year. Between the friends I've made, the life lessons I've learned, an escape from the real world, adults to look up to, and the passion I developed, I will forever be grateful. But, there were many nights over the years where I went home crying to my mother that I wanted to quit. The emotional and physical strength this sport takes can sometimes be too much for a kid. And the direction in which cheer is moving with the outrageous and skanky uniforms, parents pushing their kids for the "fame," and lack of an acceptable governing body has me worried. I always imagined my kids would cheer just like me, but I honesty don't know anymore if I will ever let them with the way things are headed. I'm proud of all the accomplishments I made in cheer, even though I've never attended Worlds, NCA Nationals, Cheersport, UCA or any competitions like that. I ended my cheer career as a nobody, and honestly I think that makes me one of the lucky ones. No one is idolizing me, following me around competitions, or criticizing my every move. Like the hundreds of hate posts Kelsey Rule got on twitter when she busted a tumbling pass or the ones Maddie G got when her stunt group fell. They're both strong and talented girls, but I don't doubt that it still hurt them. This twitter and Instagram fame, whether thrusted upon the kid or asked for, is going to follow these kids for the rest of their lives. Even if everyone forgets about them eventually, their past will still be all over the internet...sorry that this is mostly rambling. It was easier to get out my thoughts that way.

 

[AScheer]

As an athlete I would do it again in a heartbeat. May have made some different decisions at times, but yes, 100 times yes. I also know my mom misses it because she comes to most of the competitions for the teams I coach, just to watch!

As a current coach and future parent, I'm not sure if I want my future kid in it anymore. I used to say all the time I can't wait to have a future cheerleader. The past two years, and particularly my most recent experience with a gym, have jaded my view on every gym in my area. Maybe I know too much right now of what goes on and the people in charge, that I don't care for any of it. With all of the gyms around to choose I would not take my kid to a single one. Things can and will change in the future, so we'll see how it all turns out. Being so close to it all however I have a great view and opinion over what and how much I would put up with. I also am already feeling the pressure if that future kid wants to cheer. Kids are a while off for me, but I would like to one day have 2 or 3. Assuming one or more want to cheer, I already have stress over how I would afford it. If it's what they want to do I would never want finances to be the reason they don't. I know I'm completely crazy for stressing over a non-existent future child's potential sport, but I know exactly how much all of the parents are spending and sacrificing and many really can't afford it.

 

[Cheer Dad]

Just a reference on cost. Most any sport with this time commitment costs a lot of money so don't think just because your future athletes don't take up cheer their new found hobby of hockey, competitive karate, team gymnastics, equestrian etc can't or won't cost as much if not more. Just an example, I know a hockey family that used to take out a $10,000 line of credit every year for his son to play hockey. Yes it is expensive but it could be worse.

 

[GreenStormLucy]

I would. Just because of all the things i learned, cp learned (and not just skill wise) and because i love it. I loved being a cheerleader, i love being a coach.

There are nights, when i think to myself why am i doing this?
Then i remind myselft how rewarding it is to coach cheerleading.

But yes, when cp gets injured and i´m worried it could affect the rest of her life like it does mine (never sat out on injuries, lesson learned) - i wish we would do something that doesn´t have so much impact on the young, growing body like allstar cheer does.

Still, the answer is yes. Never found something else that i loved so much (sport).

 

[callmecoach]

I would definitely let my kid cheer. Idk if I would have been a coach though. Adults have done everything possible to suck all the fun out of it for me. My job, that I love and adore, has become so trying due to over zealous parents, shady coaches and industry "leaders". These kids breathe life into me with their innocent love for the sport. But the adults suck it right back out on a daily basis. Adults are the Death Eaters of cheer.
ETA: I've met some awesome adults that don't fit the death eater category but you know how those bad apples spoil the bunch....

THIS

 

[Mom2Cheergirls]

I would definitely let my kid cheer. Idk if I would have been a coach though. Adults have done everything possible to suck all the fun out of it for me. My job, that I love and adore, has become so trying due to over zealous parents, shady coaches and industry "leaders". These kids breathe life into me with their innocent love for the sport. But the adults suck it right back out on a daily basis. Adults are the Death Eaters of cheer.
ETA: I've met some awesome adults that don't fit the death eater category but you know how those bad apples spoil the bunch....

I'd do it over and over and over again. This is my final year of allstar cheer before I head off to college and every day that ticks by is a "last." Last tryouts, last choreography camp, last 1st competition...soon I'll be in my ending dance pose at Worlds and it'll be all over.
Unfortunately there is a time when the fun will have to end and I will have to find another passion. Cheerleading isn't portable like most sports. Long after high school and college, one can gather up an informal team and start a game of basketball, softball or soccer. The case with us, is that never again will we have the chance to remember what the lights, the crowd and the blasting music felt like, or remember the way hitting a perfect routine feels. That overall experience of being a cheerleader is gone, unless that time and money is recommitted, something I know is hard to do in an adult life.
I did not turn out to be a prodigy or a superstar. In fact, I barely have the tumbling to be at the level team I am on. I work hard at getting better, and it takes a really long time to see any sort of progress, but I don't get discouraged. My coach taught me that you don't have to be the best, you just have to be YOUR best. Even the most talented athlete can't get what they're working for if their heart, passion and dedication is not in it either.
That's one of the many lessons that cheerleading has taught me that doesn't only apply to athletics, but everything I do. I am now fearless in front of crowds, comfortable and confident with my body, capable of working with all sorts of personality types and have made lifelong friends, to name a few more.
I am blessed to live in a country where I have had this opportunity, and to have such supportive parents wiggling through the exhausting gym drama, and giving up thousands of dollars and dozens of perfectly good weekends to watch me perform my passion for two minutes and thirty seconds.
After this year, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. College cheer is my first choice, and I'm pretty sure that I will make the team. It will be hard to say goodbye to the big bows, sparkly uniforms and spring floor, but who knows, maybe I'll love it.
I plan on putting at least one of my kids in it. If they don't like it, it'll hurt a little, but their passion could lie somewhere else and I'll be willing to help them find it. It's my subtle dream to be a coach. I don't care who--mini 1 or senior 5. I just want to help more boys and girls learn the same lessons I have and discover a passion unlike anything else the rest of the world has to offer. If it doesn't happen, then it's ok. I have to grow up eventually, I'm just not sure if I'm ready to quite yet.

I hope when my daughters reach this point that they share your point of view. I try very hard to keep the balance and reality in check for them and away from the drama. So hopefully when they reach where you are they will feel that way - if not I will deal. Very nice post :)

 

[Cheermom1969]

that would be my biggest regret, is not starting sooner considering how much i loved it. did pop warner for numerous years, then moved to allstars in 8th grade all the way till i graduated high school. however, im sure my parents are happy that i didnt start really young cause of the financial cost. ha.

You and my cp are the exact same in this way, except she started AS last year while in 7th grade. She's been doing pop warner cheer since she was 4. I could never get her into any other sport - soccer, softball, basketball - she wasn't having any of it. Once she hit the gym at Cali a little over a year ago, it was love at first routine for her.

 

[Cheermom1969]

I'd do it over and over and over again. This is my final year of allstar cheer before I head off to college and every day that ticks by is a "last." Last tryouts, last choreography camp, last 1st competition...soon I'll be in my ending dance pose at Worlds and it'll be all over.
Unfortunately there is a time when the fun will have to end and I will have to find another passion. Cheerleading isn't portable like most sports. Long after high school and college, one can gather up an informal team and start a game of basketball, softball or soccer. The case with us, is that never again will we have the chance to remember what the lights, the crowd and the blasting music felt like, or remember the way hitting a perfect routine feels. That overall experience of being a cheerleader is gone, unless that time and money is recommitted, something I know is hard to do in an adult life.
I did not turn out to be a prodigy or a superstar. In fact, I barely have the tumbling to be at the level team I am on. I work hard at getting better, and it takes a really long time to see any sort of progress, but I don't get discouraged. My coach taught me that you don't have to be the best, you just have to be YOUR best. Even the most talented athlete can't get what they're working for if their heart, passion and dedication is not in it either.
That's one of the many lessons that cheerleading has taught me that doesn't only apply to athletics, but everything I do. I am now fearless in front of crowds, comfortable and confident with my body, capable of working with all sorts of personality types and have made lifelong friends, to name a few more.
I am blessed to live in a country where I have had this opportunity, and to have such supportive parents wiggling through the exhausting gym drama, and giving up thousands of dollars and dozens of perfectly good weekends to watch me perform my passion for two minutes and thirty seconds.
After this year, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. College cheer is my first choice, and I'm pretty sure that I will make the team. It will be hard to say goodbye to the big bows, sparkly uniforms and spring floor, but who knows, maybe I'll love it.
I plan on putting at least one of my kids in it. If they don't like it, it'll hurt a little, but their passion could lie somewhere else and I'll be willing to help them find it. It's my subtle dream to be a coach. I don't care who--mini 1 or senior 5. I just want to help more boys and girls learn the same lessons I have and discover a passion unlike anything else the rest of the world has to offer. If it doesn't happen, then it's ok. I have to grow up eventually, I'm just not sure if I'm ready to quite yet.

Holy cow, child, you just made me cry! Seriously tearing up here. God bless you for putting your heart out here. I hope your future holds everything you dream of, sweety.