All-Star I O Athletes, Can You Have A Life?

[Adam]

First thread here, be nice please! =]

I never cheered before college. I started my sophomore year and loved it so did it all the way through my senior year. However, it was a low level program at a small school and was really an all-girl team with a couple guys, not a true co-ed team. Now I've been out of college for a year, I'm back into the cheer world (through coaching) and wishing I'd gotten to cheer at a higher level (better co-ed stunting, better tumbling, etc). I've started looking around for an IOC team here in central Florida, but I'm just a little nervous if I'll have time to work full-time, have any kind of social life (not that I have much of one now) and still participate in an IOC team.

Basically, are there IO athletes here who are out of college, into the real world, who balance life and cheer, and how do you do it?

 

[cheerKT]

I'm sure @Ashley can comment on this. She has cheered international for a while and also has a full time job.

 

[SmileCat]

This is my first year of international and being in college and working so I can't help you much there but I live in central Florida so I can help you there! :)


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

 

[Adam]

This is my first year of international and being in college and working so I can't help you much there but I live in central Florida so I can help you there! :)


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

What gym are you cheering with? I'd really like to just go to an open gym or something where they have an IOC team so I can meet the people and hang out and talk about the commitment and see if it's something I could do.

 

[Ashley]

I can't speak for every gym, but I haven't had a hard time juggling doing an open team. I started cheering on an open 6 team in college and I also did the college cheer team. And then after college I had a full time job and kept cheering (with commuting, I'm probably out of the house 10-11hrs/day M-F).

Io5 is sometimes more rigorous and time consuming than io6, but my open teams (and I've been at a few gyms) have always only practiced once a week on Sundays. Sometimes we throw in an extra practice before competition. This can be tricky because I'm an hour from the gym, more if I have to drive through evening rush hour practice. But it doesn't happen much. There's not usually things planned on Sunday nights, so juggling a social life hasn't been hard. I'm getting older so the worst that happens for me is that I'm not always recovered from Saturday night by practice, ha. But I don't go out that much.

Also, my fiancé plays an individual sport - tennis. So he doesn't always understand why I can't go away for a long weekend and miss practice. And if work is tough about time off, that can be an issue. I only needed to take time off for worlds, but I've taken the Mondays off after a comp weekend if I had a long drive or a late night.

Anyway, it works for me! I haven't had a problem with the time commitment.


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

 

[Rhiley]

Is there an age cap for international teams? Like could you theoretically be on an international team at 40 years of age?

For teams like Wildcats and OO5, are the majority of those kids college aged athletes who have just exceeded the Senior age cap, aka 19-23? or real world aged athletes who have finished college already, aka 24+ ?

 

[OnceUponACheerleader]

It is totally manageable!! I'm going into second year university. Our team practices twice a week (mandatory) and 4 times a week if you count optional practices (which a lot of people go to). On top of school and a part time job!!
You just need to commit to staying on top of everything. I say go for it!!

ETA: I totally misread your initial question, oops (thought you were a sophomore)!!! But I still know a lot of athletes on my gyms IOC6 team who are 'real adults' working full time jobs and still compete. :) best of luck!

 

[cheermomforever]

Is there an age cap for international teams? Like could you theoretically be on an international team at 40 years of age?

For teams like Wildcats and OO5, are the majority of those kids college aged athletes who have just exceeded the Senior age cap, aka 19-23? or real world aged athletes who have finished college already, aka 24+ ?

No cap on ages my daughters coach is the oldest at 33? On her IOC5 team


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

 

[Adam]

Io5 is sometimes more rigorous and time consuming than io6, but my open teams (and I've been at a few gyms) have always only practiced once a week on Sundays. Sometimes we throw in an extra practice before competition. This can be tricky because I'm an hour from the gym, more if I have to drive through evening rush hour practice. But it doesn't happen much. There's not usually things planned on Sunday nights, so juggling a social life hasn't been hard. I'm getting older so the worst that happens for me is that I'm not always recovered from Saturday night by practice, ha. But I don't go out that much.

It is totally manageable!! I'm going into second year university. Our team practices twice a week (mandatory) and 4 times a week if you count optional practices (which a lot of people go to). On top of school and a part time job!!
You just need to commit to staying on top of everything. I say go for it!!

ETA: I totally misread your initial question, oops (thought you were a sophomore)!!! But I still know a lot of athletes on my gyms IOC6 team who are 'real adults' working full time jobs and still compete. :) best of luck!

I don't think one or two practices a week would be difficult for me. And I can always work on skills, etc. on my own at the gym where I work. (Our tumbling coach is from the Chinese National Gymnastics Team and I have plenty of flyers to toss). I'm definitely gonna make some calls and see what's available.

 

[cheerKT]

Is there an age cap for international teams? Like could you theoretically be on an international team at 40 years of age?

For teams like Wildcats and OO5, are the majority of those kids college aged athletes who have just exceeded the Senior age cap, aka 19-23? or real world aged athletes who have finished college already, aka 24+ ?

No cap.

 

[alexacheer2010]

It's definitely doable! My IO6 team only practices Sunday nights so I have tons of time for my homework and social life :) Obviously each gym is different, but a lot of girls on my team are moms and have full time jobs. It wouldn't be possible for them if we had more practices, and I think a lot of other teams are probably in the same boat.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Is there an age cap for international teams? Like could you theoretically be on an international team at 40 years of age?

For teams like Wildcats and OO5, are the majority of those kids college aged athletes who have just exceeded the Senior age cap, aka 19-23? or real world aged athletes who have finished college already, aka 24+ ?

I would think it would be a mix of both. And there's no age cap. I'm not sure how old he is/was but Victor Rosario has competed three times at worlds (09, 11, 12) and he was around 40. There's several coaches that have competed on open teams that are older. I think there may have been a father/daughter combo on some team this past season at worlds also, I don't remember what team it was though. I don't know how some people do it though, I'm 22 (well I will be tomorrow :)) and I feel like I would fall apart if I tried to compete again.


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

 

[AliciaM]

I've done io5 and open 6 juggling a job and I'm 25 and it's definitely doable. If you can get a competition schedule ahead of time and try to book off those dates then that's easiest as far as work and booking off goes.


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

 

[Ashley]

I wanted to add as well, when you work full time, it's easy to fell into a rut of being a bum all weekend. My open team is also my social outlet each week :)


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

 

[shawtyyBHADDx3]

I would think it would be a mix of both. And there's no age cap. I'm not sure how old he is/was but Victor Rosario has competed three times at worlds (09, 11, 12) and he was around 40. There's several coaches that have competed on open teams that are older. I think there may have been a father/daughter combo on some team this past season at worlds also, I don't remember what team it was though. I don't know how some people do it though, I'm 22 (well I will be tomorrow :)) and I feel like I would fall apart if I tried to compete again.


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

The father daughter duo was on Mac Allstars at worlds


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android