All-Star How Competetive Are College Cheer Try Outs Getting?

[Keep_Believing]

Is it getting a lot more competetive to make a competition college cheer team than it use to be? If so, how competetive is it getting? I saw on Facebook where a solid worlds level 5 cheerleader ( from a team that wins at worlds) tried out for a college cheer team and didn't make it. She has elite tumbling, dance, jump skills, etc. I was shocked she didn't make it.

 

[BuegeSmalls]

I'm guessing she didn't make it because she might not have been up to par with the game day skills.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Some things to consider:

1. Cheer has developed a LOT in the past 10 or 15 years. All stars when I started is nothing like it is today. The envelope has been pushed skills-wise SO much.

2. I came up in the time during which all stars was still a new-ish thing. Generationally, there are now kids who have GROWN UP in all star cheer. This changes the caliber of kid coming out of All Stars and trying out for college.

3. A lot of programs have great reputations (ex: UK, Louisville) and that attracts top talent. The talent pool is DEEP at many of these schools.

4. As a result of the deep talent pool, being L5 is not a big deal. For example, there are schools that attract multiple World champs and Worlds medalists for tryouts every year. A World champ coming into Awesome Cheer School tryouts is the "big fish in small pond." In that environment, being L5 is less of an "OMG LOOK HOW AMAZING" and more of a minimum skill thing.

That's why a Worlds medalist may not make UK/UL/etc. Every other kid in tryouts is Level 5, a Worlds winner/medalist/etc. It's just not as impressive when the ENTIRE pool is just as good.

Every year, there's always one kid who is like "OMG i'm Level 5 and went to Worlds, how come I didn't make it?" My response usually is "Well, your competition is, too."

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

See also:

1. Kid is Level 5, but has ZERO experience in leading the crowd, has no presence or showmanship that translates well into a great game day cheerleader.

2. Kid throws great difficulty but is not CLEAN. Too many times, a kid will throw a janky whip arabian to double and score lower in tumbling than a kid throwing a clean whip to full or even layout. It's all about being clean.

 

[Keep_Believing]

Some things to consider:

1. Cheer has developed a LOT in the past 10 or 15 years. All stars when I started is nothing like it is today. The envelope has been pushed skills-wise SO much.

2. I came up in the time during which all stars was still a new-ish thing. Generationally, there are now kids who have GROWN UP in all star cheer. This changes the caliber of kid coming out of All Stars and trying out for college.

3. A lot of programs have great reputations (ex: UK, Louisville) and that attracts top talent. The talent pool is DEEP at many of these schools.

4. As a result of the deep talent pool, being L5 is not a big deal. For example, there are schools that attract multiple World champs and Worlds medalists for tryouts every year. A World champ coming into Awesome Cheer School tryouts is the "big fish in small pond." In that environment, being L5 is less of an "OMG LOOK HOW AMAZING" and more of a minimum skill thing.

That's why a Worlds medalist may not make UK/UL/etc. Every other kid in tryouts is Level 5, a Worlds winner/medalist/etc. It's just not as impressive when the ENTIRE pool is just as good.

Every year, there's always one kid who is like "OMG i'm Level 5 and went to Worlds, how come I didn't make it?" My response usually is "Well, your competition is, too."

In my opinion very strong clean tumbling and great presence. I guess it is # 3 & 4.

 

[cheermommaRN]

The school in question (because I saw it also) is VERY game day oriented. The athlete did get called back but didn't make final cuts but that college attracts talent like crazy (its like trying out for Navarro) and like the above poster said she was competing against other "World Champions" as well. Cp's "older twin" cheered for that school so cp also wanted to but after seeing how tryouts went cp was like

 

[Keep_Believing]

The school in question (because I saw it also) is VERY game day oriented. The athlete did get called back but didn't make final cuts but that college attracts talent like crazy (its like trying out for Navarro) and like the above poster said she was competing against other "World Champions" as well. Cp's "older twin" cheered for that school so cp also wanted to but after seeing how tryouts went cp was like

You could put it all together from my small post! LOL She also did High School cheer for 4 years. She was great at game day and her World winning team. So, she has lots of game day experience. I can't even phantom that kind of comp. I wonder how much harder it will be in 7 years when my youngest CP graduates.

 

[Keep_Believing]

Random, but we had a friend who made Navarro cheer 2 years ago. She improved during the year. Retried out and didn't make it the second year. That also shocked me.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Another angle:

Lots of kids are also used to being the "shoo in" at their gym.

Like, they've been the "front center omg look how fierce, made our Super Awesome Elite Senior team every year since I was 12" kid for quite some time.

So then they get to college tryouts and well, every other kid is THAT kid.

For some kids, that is the first time they've ever had legitimate competition for a team. And it is hard.

Then there's the "no spots guaranteed" angle for college also.

All star gyms may SAY that, but in college, it's actually true.

New talent coming in is younger, hungrier, and wants it more. You could very well be a 2 year veteran and be edged-out by a younger candidate.

 

[level5diva]

I was a level 5 worlds athlete who didn't make my college team. I can honestly say it was the most shocked I've ever been. I know I'm an amazing stunter and threw the exact same tumbling pass as 90% of the girls. I emailed the coach after to get clarification on why I did not make it. Like the posts above, she said (in a nicer way) that I didn't have game day presence and my motions could be sharper. I attended a private high school with no football team, so I can definitely understand what she meant.


I went into to tryouts as the most confident kid in the room. I was the star at my highschool because I was the only level 5 kid on my team. Just because you stand out at your school or gym DOES NOT mean you will in college. it's a complete different ball park. Girls with less tumbling and worse stunting made it over me.

College cheerleading is alot more than raw skil.

 

[WinstonsGirl]

It could also come down to numbers. Teams only need so many tops (for example, 6 on my team). If they were good, but 6 others were better in the same position, it doesn't matter if they won Worlds.

 

[Keep_Believing]

The responses are very informative and interesting. I guess there is no way to guarantee you will make a college cheer team. Curious are there more strong Elite level 5 worlds teams than there are strong comp. College Cheer teams?

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

College teams are looking for generally VERY WELL-ROUNDED KIDS.

Ex: At your gym, you might be "fiercest jumper" or "beast tumbler" or "amazing flyer."

In college, you need to be ALL OF THAT plus amazing at leading the crowd and having game day presence.

It's a tough environment for those kids who are "one trick ponies." Ex: You fly but your tumbling is a mess. Or you are a beast tumbler but have zero game day experience.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

The responses are very informative and interesting. I guess there is no way to guarantee you will make a college cheer team. Curious are their more strong Elite level 5 worlds teams than there are strong comp. College Cheer teams?

There are tons of gyms and quite a few really amazing college programs.

The thing is, Level 5 doesn't always = college ready/college material.

The biggest mistake that kids can make is to think that those are one in the same.

There's also the fact that the style of your gym may not mesh with what the college program is looking for.

Ex: You might come from a gym whose focus was not technique but moreso difficulty/fierce/flash. That conflicts with Elite College program who is ALL technique with limited "flash" if you will. You may not fare so well at their tryout.

 

[Keep_Believing]

The girl I was referring to is truly a strong all around cheerleader with excellent technique. She definitely is not a one trick pony. As mentioned above their school must attract talent like crazy.