Flying...

[Keep_Believing]

Too many people paint the picture only tall girls can stay tight and hold themselves up in the air. So many girls do cheer now that you will usually have both tall girls and very petite girls who are both very flexible and both know how to hold themselves up in the air and stay tight. We have too many strong tiny flexible girls who also have high tumbling skills. I see lots of flyers not make teams and get moved down. You only need one flyer for every 4 girls. At our gym there is a greater need for girls who are also able to back spot and base. All positions are important.

 

[mamabear]

By the reaction of nearly everyone in this thread, I would implore you to watch how you phrase things with the kids you coach. Words can cut the respect they have for you and their love of the sport. They will sense your prejudices of flying and it probably won't end well for your team. I know that I would be upset if I heard you says this to my cp's team


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[cheermom02]

My daughter was told that she probably wouldn't get to fly this year bc she "is going to be to tall when she gets older". I am highly irritated by this bc she is a great flyer and she loves it. And to be clear she is 8 yrs old on a youth team and she weights 63 lbs. I'm trying not to worry about it bc honestly I think she will end up flying bc she is to good at it for them not to use her. And if they don't have her fly then she knows she better be a beast of a base! Lol


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[lisa G]

@lisa G are you implying being a base is a demotion?


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android Hater Shades, trying to be relevant since 2009.

Calm down that was never my intention. I obviously worded that poorly.
I was trying to get across that was how she felt when it happened (not my opinion) and it may not be a popular statement but ask pretty much any kid that was a flyer and now bases and that is how they feel. (AGAIN NOT HOW I FEEL)
I actually wish we could have all bases and no flyers because i prefer teaching basing then anything and hate the drama that comes from the flyers.

I have been involved with cheerleading for over 12 years from Rec cheer, to All Star cheer, to High School cheer. When you come from a small town/school there are VERY few participants that actually deserve the title of Flyer because they do NOT do their part to help the bases/backs, just stand there expecting to be lifted, but a lot of them end up flying because of size. Again i hate that aspect but when you have few to choose from it happens all the time whether you want it to our not.

For the All Star world i doubt there is anyone out there that doesn't see the trend of putting "babies" as flyers on higher level teams. Our gym may not be big (11 teams) but all of the senior teams have little girls on them to fly only. I recently went to a competition where the flyer couldn't have been more than 8 or so and she flew and then hid behind the junior age girls for everything else because she literally couldn't keep up with the dance or jumps. When i am at a competition i will choose to watch a team with appropriate aged flyers over any other team and cheer louder for them than anyone. I have seen kids (boys and girls) in my daughters gym that have better body positions than any flyer on any team and they don't fly because of their size, no they are not overweight, they are just the same size as the bases so are not given an opportunity to even attempt to fly. How many have watched tryouts where the kids are selected by the size and then taught how to fly rather than asking who can fly? i've watched it multiple times. How many of you have gotten the selection criteria that lists the items a flyer MUST have to be selected only to watch girls selected that can't even do a correct arabasque let alone the rest?

Again....that is not how i feel, meerly how it was stated to me when i asked the question on how it felt to be moved.

 

[lisa G]

By the reaction of nearly everyone in this thread, I would implore you to watch how you phrase things with the kids you coach. Words can cut the respect they have for you and their love of the sport. They will sense your prejudices of flying and it probably won't end well for your team. I know that I would be upset if I heard you says this to my cp's team


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in case this was for me, i have NEVER told anyone on any of my teams they can not fly. Quite frankly it is the total opposite, because when they ask to fly i tell them that they will fly i just have to find the right place. They all know that i WILL find a time for them to fly sometime in the year. I had 5 girls out of 30 come to me this year and say they wanted to try flying. Every single one of them flew in at least 3 halftimes during the year. We are a small school with only 5 stunt groups so it takes time and creativity but Everyone who wants to gets to.

I see first hand how it is to want to fly and be told no so i make it a point to Never ever tell them no, only to give me time to figure it out. That is one of the Day 1 rules we talk about each year. Every new girl and returner is given the opportunity to try it and if they like it enough to want to do it then I come up with a plan to get them in the air sometime during the year. We do each half time atleast 3 times so once they are in, they do it the entire time we do that halftime. You will find it you were able to ask my girls that no one that has asked to fly was ever not given the opportunity at sometime in the season.

 

[retiredl5cheer]

I don't understand the mindset of some of you. Not everyone is big enough to be an offensive lineman. Not everyone is smart enough to be valedictorian. Not everyone is strong enough to be a base. Not everyone is small enough to fly. I do what's best for the team ALWAYS. I do give kids opportunities to fly within reason, but if you're 5 feet tall on my mini team, you're not getting a shot. It's not feasible or rational for everyone to fly.

For those who feel that coaches are smashing their babies dreams when they don't let them fly...the reason I don't coddle people who I need to base is because basing is just as important. Actually, it's more important because I need 3 good bases for every one flyer. If we stop treating flying like the holy grail of stunt spots then maybe kids will understand why I love my strong bases so much.

I know I'm talking like this is personal. It's not. I just think that we all need to remember that cheerleading is a team sport and no one position is more important than the other. Work hard, stretch hard, but understand that sometimes your feet are going to need to be on the ground.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

I don't understand the mindset of some of you. Not everyone is big enough to be an offensive lineman. Not everyone is smart enough to be valedictorian. Not everyone is strong enough to be a base. Not everyone is small enough to fly. I do what's best for the team ALWAYS. I do give kids opportunities to fly within reason, but if you're 5 feet tall on my mini team, you're not getting a shot. It's not feasible or rational for everyone to fly.

For those who feel that coaches are smashing their babies dreams when they don't let them fly...the reason I don't coddle people who I need to base is because basing is just as important. Actually, it's more important because I need 3 good bases for every one flyer. If we stop treating flying like the holy grail of stunt spots then maybe kids will understand why I love my strong bases so much.

I know I'm talking like this is personal. It's not. I just think that we all need to remember that cheerleading is a team sport and no one position is more important than the other. Work hard, stretch hard, but understand that sometimes your feet are going to need to be on the ground.

Yes.

Generally speaking, I will have double the number of kids wanting to fly than I actually numerically NEED.

They can't all do it.

I'm taking the 5-7 best and some alternates. Some of them are teeny tinies. Some of them are the "slightly less teeny tiny but great in the air" type.

But like you said, if you're on my Y2 and you're 5'6, I likely NEED you to back spot.

 

[CloMom]

i totally understand where you are coming from. My daughter was a flyer from the time she was 4 until two years ago. Her first year at all-stars she was the main flyer but by the time her second year came around she was taller then most of the girls on her team so was reduced to base. She also hates it but loves all-star cheer enough to stay even with having to base. I find that the all-star gyms will put "babies" on higher level teams just to get a smaller flyer. I don't think it should be allowed because even though they are smaller and lighter their often times have horrible body positions in the air. I love nothing better than going into a cheer competition and seeing a SR team with SR size flyers instead of the little babies they hide in the back during the jumps and dance because they can't keep up.

Now for high school. I am the high school cheer coach and find that i prefer the taller/larger flyers. In my experience i do have several "smaller" flyers because they can't hold anyone but i have come to find that a portion of my experienced bases prefer my daughter as their flyer as they get to do more because the smaller girls can barely hold an extension prep. Keep you head up but remember that even in high school a lot of it depends on the bases and what they are able to accomplish with the flyer rather than the actual flyer size. I did find helpful that our camp "buddy" pushed them into trying to base our "bigger" flyer and then they discovered they loved it because she actually felt lighter than the girl that weighed 20 lbs less.

Keep trying and you will find that the bases in High School will absolutely love flying someone who does their "job" rather than someone smaller. I have the hardest time finding bases for one of my "smallest" flyers for that exact reason. They will fight over not flying her just to get the flyer that does her part.

PS...not all small senior flyers are "babies" and incapable of "doing their job". What/whom determines "senior size"? My senior aged child is 4'5" and 60lbs. She will be 13 this Summer. She is a flyer on a Sr team and is the smallest athlete on her team, though not the youngest. Some kids are just small. Small flyer does not = a "baby" who doesn't do her job. She definitely keeps up and doesn't "hide" during tumbling. She pulls beautiful body positions.

And can I just say that as the parent of a flyer, I am ridiculously thankful for her bases. They work so hard and constantly love and support her. I hope they never feel like they were "reduced" to base. My flyer would be useless without her bases.

 

[cheermomforever]

Lisa, I hope your daughters attitude has changed "even though she has to base" and has realized EVERYONE in a stunt group or team is important!


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[CloMom]

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[Keep_Believing]

PS...not all small senior flyers are "babies" and incapable of "doing their job". What/whom determines "senior size"? My senior aged child is 4'5" and 60lbs. She will be 13 this Summer. She is a flyer on a Sr team and is the smallest athlete on her team, though not the youngest. Some kids are just small. Small flyer does not = a "baby" who doesn't do her job. She definitely keeps up and doesn't "hide" during tumbling. She pulls beautiful body positions.

And can I just say that as the parent of a flyer, I am ridiculously thankful for her bases. They work so hard and constantly love and support her. I hope they never feel like they were "reduced" to base. My flyer would be useless without her bases.

Yes! Thank you! My youngest CP is also flyer. Yes, she is very tiny for her age, but she also has a straight leg needle / spike, very flexible, stays tight, and has level 4 standing and running specialty passes for her level 4 team. Please don't assume just because a flyer is tiny, that she isn't a well rounded strong team member. My oldest CP use to be a flyer. She had a growth spurt. She is still super flexible, but is now learning to be a beast base. I feel her past flying experience has made her a better base. It is a team sport and you have to trust the Coaches to do what is best for the team.

 

[fullpass]

All flyers- even the littlest- outgrow their spots at some time. A teeny 14 year old is still bigger than the smallest kids on a junior team. Maybe they'll fly again on seniors. It's just a fact. Being in the air they way the original poster described as feeling great because her bases compliment her etc won't happen if they're struggling to keep her in the air or worse constantly picking her up off the mat.




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[CheerBank]

Dang it how did I miss this thread? I feel for the parents of flyers, I truly do. I am so happy cp has always been tall and always been a base. Our biggest issue right now is if she's going to become a back spot :).


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[Cheer Dad]

Dang it how did I miss this thread? I feel for the parents of flyers, I truly do. I am so happy cp has always been tall and always been a base. Our biggest issue right now is if she's going to become a back spot :).


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Back spots are cool. Kind of CP's specialty


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[NoDramaCheerMama]

I do not love being the parent of a flyer. I love supporting her in what makes her happy. But the things that come along with it, constantly stretching (to what I feel is over doing it), back pain (currently being seen by a chiropractor for SI joint issues) and stress of it drives me mad. I'd love to see her learn to base as well. Tryout season brings it to a whole new level too.


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