High School Having A Non-tumbling Division For Scholastic Cheer Teams

[Official OWECheer]

I think the non-tumbling division is a good option for some schools, but I question the JV non-tumbling division. While it makes sense because a lot of JV teams have weak tumbling, it also could be holding back athletes who want to go on and cheer on the varsity team (assuming the varsity is in a tumbling division). They may still have time at practice to work on tumbling skills, but they will never have chance to preform the skills at a competition. One year we had weak tumbling on our JV team (2 tucks, only a handful of back handsprings) but I would not drop to non tumbling for this reason.

Every program needs something different.

 

[Official OWECheer]

Our school is a small private school with not many options for cheerleaders. We take anything we can get. We usually have 10-12 girls interested in the team and don't hold tryouts. Only 3 girls on our team currently tumble. I support non tumbling teams because it is hard for small schools to compete with large schools who can hand pick who they want on their team because of skills. Non tumbling teams make it possible to have small schools score equally or close to bigger schools.

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I agree. Plus, having a feeder program helps with building a strong high school team. However, is anyone concerned about filtering out the girls that only try out for popularity? Many coaches rely on a tumbling requirement for that, so now what?

@Twinklestars how is this bullying?

 

[MHSCheercoach]

I agree. Plus, having a feeder program helps with building a strong high school team. However, is anyone concerned about filtering out the girls that only try out for popularity? Many coaches rely on a tumbling requirement for that, so now what?

Even girls with tumbling may only tryout for popularity, but in my area, cheerleading is not going to give you a better status. In small schools, I feel, that there is less of a need to belong to a specific team for popularity and rather just a need to be involved to gain popularity. I've had girls tryout that were doing it because they wanted the uniform, and my judges could tell that and so could I and our AD in which we talked about that. Here's the thing, even if they tryout for popularity, once they make the team and see the work required they'll either bail because it's more than they bargained for or they'll buck it up and go with it thereby changing their viewpoint on being a cheerleader.

Now, in larger schools, being a cheerleader may still be a status symbol and if that is the case I could see where a coach could run into that situation. But I feel if you beef up your tryout score sheet and maybe even hold an interview (either on paper or face to face) you'll be able to weed out those types of girls.

 

[Twinklestars]

I agree. Plus, having a feeder program helps with building a strong high school team. However, is anyone concerned about filtering out the girls that only try out for popularity? Many coaches rely on a tumbling requirement for that, so now what?

@Twinklestars how is this bullying?

I hadn't even rated anything. So weird.


With the frequency that this happens, I think something is messed up somewhere.

 

[Official OWECheer]

I hadn't even rated anything. So weird.


With the frequency that this happens, I think something is messed up somewhere.

Maybe, I've read comments about how most negative ratings are accidental. No worries! :D

 

[Official OWECheer]

Another question; do you guys compete outside of your schools' competitive circuit (i.e., do you go to U.S. Finals, and other all-star comps with scholastic divisions)? Because it's hard to find non-tumbling scholastic divisions at those types of comps (I used U.S. Finals as an example, although it has no scholastic non-tumbling division).

 

[Julia Cole]

Another question; do you guys compete outside of your schools' competitive circuit (i.e., do you go to U.S. Finals, and other all-star comps with scholastic divisions)? Because it's hard to find non-tumbling scholastic divisions at those types of comps (I used U.S. Finals as an example, although it has no scholastic non-tumbling division).

Our high school team is competing at JAMZ in October but we don't know what our routine looks like/if there is tumbling involved. I'm not sure if that helps!

 

[seein_starz]

I'm thinking, this would be great for all-star as well. Think about how many programs rush kids through tumbling skills in order to be competitive, And for someone starting a new gym in an area with a shallow talent pool, they would not have as much trouble putting teams together. But could they do experimental stunting during tryouts to determine the level on which to place each kid.

Or it would be great for all the kids (like me) who are Injured and have a hard time tumbling without pain and still want to compete


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[AScheer]

Another question; do you guys compete outside of your schools' competitive circuit (i.e., do you go to U.S. Finals, and other all-star comps with scholastic divisions)? Because it's hard to find non-tumbling scholastic divisions at those types of comps (I used U.S. Finals as an example, although it has no scholastic non-tumbling division).

Before we started doing UCA routines, we competed solely at comps like Jamfest, Cheersport, coa, etc. There were no non-tumble as far as i know. It was ran off levels like allstar teams were. Levels 1-5. Not all comps offered every level either, just depended on the comp and city.


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