All-Star If My Cp Has Talent Should I Go To A Stronger Gym Or Stay Loyal To My Small Gym??

[thecheernerd]

@BornToTumble - First of all I just want to thank you for even asking the question and wanting feedback. I appreciate the fact that you are looking more down the road than right at this immediate moment in time. Everyone has given you sound advice about patience, talking with the current gym owners, and researching thoroughly before making that next step. I concur with all they have told you. Doing individuals is a good option but many competition companies are not having much interest in them as they have in years past. You would need to check with the competitions your gym is going to, esp since you posted that your CP's coach did mention it. That could bide some time so to speak.

From a business perspective your situation is the one that most small, lesser known gyms go through. Somehow they are good enough to train athletes to get the skills they need to be competitive at the higher levels but not good enough to stay and compete with them at that same level. This is always for various reasons - some real and honestly some imagined. As these athletes leave it has a direct effect on them being able to restock the pond which then opens the door for other more advanced athletes to leave as well. Then when they get to their new big "successful" gym they seem to get amnesia about that same small lesser known gym that helped get them to the point that they could follow their dreams of going to Worlds, competing with a big gym, becoming a cheerlebrity, etc. Making that step may be inevitable for you based on your current programs future plans and your daughter's development. Talking with the gym owners will provide that critical info that you need to make the correct decision for your daughter.

You have numerous gyms in NC that have level 5 teams when she is ready. Some talked about on the board and others not so much. If and when you make that step - don't forget that small gym. Don't become a vocal part of the they weren't good enough crowd. Be grateful for the time spent there, lessons and skills learned, positive relationships made and move forward.

Amen!!!!!

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[magical mom]

As a coach at a one time small gym (like you are at) we would train kids to a certain level and they would leave to a large gym that they thought could make them happier and push them harder. That just tore my heart out that we would start from scratch and creat a bond with theses kids and then poof there gone to the "grass is not always greener side". Now, that once small gym I have been at is now the second largest in California, we go to worlds, we receive full paid bids, we have every level possible, etc. I believe that sometimes you have to hang in there if you love the coaches, the way it is run, you have friends there, etc. It might be a growing experience that you, your CP, your gym can accomplish together. We now have most of our level 5 kids that have been with us for 5-7 years and let me tell you, we are one big close family. We as coaches have seen them blossom and we have created a one on one relationship with theses kids like they are our own. They hung in there with us during our growing time and now they are reaping the benefits. Just a thought for you to think about :)

 

[The Sixth]

Here's my advice:

4. If anyone from your gym saw this thread - I'd fear you almost seem like an elitist.

After I saw this thread on top of the two previous ones, my first thought was..."Toot Toot!"

 

[Cheer Dad]

My advice is to develop your technique now at the small gym. At the big (world's) gyms, as many others have said, she will be one of many. Remember, being a worlds cheerleader is more than tumbling. She should work on jumps, focusing on being a strong base, if she is flyer, you must have the technique. You must be realistic about your expectations. As a talented 9yr old, her next progression will be to Y5, therefore take a look at the Y5 videos of CEA (for example) for this year and previous, that will give you an idea of what is needed and what to expect.

By the way, her full looks good. Progression though, next is rod floor then the floor. There is no need to rush it!!!!!!!!!

 

[Cheer Dad]

As a coach at a one time small gym (like you are at) we would train kids to a certain level and they would leave to a large gym that they thought could make them happier and push them harder. That just tore my heart out that we would start from scratch and creat a bond with theses kids and then poof there gone to the "grass is not always greener side". Now, that once small gym I have been at is now the second largest in California, we go to worlds, we receive full paid bids, we have every level possible, etc. I believe that sometimes you have to hang in there if you love the coaches, the way it is run, you have friends there, etc. It might be a growing experience that you, your CP, your gym can accomplish together. We now have most of our level 5 kids that have been with us for 5-7 years and let me tell you, we are one big close family. We as coaches have seen them blossom and we have created a one on one relationship with theses kids like they are our own. They hung in there with us during our growing time and now they are reaping the benefits. Just a thought for you to think about :)

Had similiar thought. If all a gyms talent stays, then you never know where your program can go.

 

[Born2Tumble]

I concur with the thoughts on this thread. She's young, so the change can wait. If she has the level 5 tumbling, does she also have the other skills? If she's a flyer, is she flexible at all body positions? How are her jumps, motions ect. More than just tumbling needs to be strong for level 5...and these days, more than just a full is needed too.

I would have her continue at your current gym. She's with friends and having fun. She's also learning more than just cheer. If in a few years, you feel that she's ready for the jump, than take it. Right now she's the big fish....she may not like being the little fish.

Thanks for the advice! Once again, another response that has given me a lot to think about! Ill be taking this into consideration too!! :)

 

[Born2Tumble]

Ok i just want to restate the fact I am not trying to making an immediate escape from my current gym nor am I saying that my CP is the greatest thing since sliced bread LOL! I am ONLY looking long term down the road for advice. I see a lot of people are commenting saying my CP isnt very flexible well yeah thats why she isnt a flyer! As far as tumbling goes yes her full is a little crazy looking but it was her very first one I literally took a video of it the moment she got it without a spot! I know and she knows she has room to grow I just want to make sure I am making the right choice for her. I am just using this forum as a tool to get advice and tip since I am still very new to the cheer world. I honestly appreciate everyones comments but I just dont want people thinking I am in some way trying to turn my CP into a Cheer Celeb, forcing her down some path she doesnt already desire, or even bashing my own gym. None of the above! My CP came from competitive gymnastics and traded her leotard in for spankies and cheer bows last season. We came from a gymnastics facility that dominates at all competitions and pushses their athletes to be superior, so I constantly recieve comments from my CP saying wow I wish my cheer gym were like gymnastics and pushed me harder and i wish we trained harder i miss my 6 pack LOL. So those are clues to me that she wants to be pushed to be the best but at the same time we love the small gym feel. It is almost a contradiction in itself. Also, i can understand everyone saying staying with your small gym they got her to where shes at which is semi true because she already came from gymnastics pretty well trained and disciplined but in terms of cheer yes they have developed new skills with her. Keep the comments coming it is always interesting to see others points of view!

 

[Aw.Work.]

i would make the change now, you want to do whats best for you daughter especially if she wants to keep cheering. my mom made me go to celebrity because my gym wasnt pushing me hard enough as much as i LOVED pc once i got to celebrity i grew a lot more as a flyer and cheerleader in general. and now even though i didnt want to go to celebrity at first because i didnt want hard feelings with my old gym i know it was the right decision and still cheer at ece now 6 years later and coach there too. its definitely the best thing my mom could have ever done for me.

 

[Born2Tumble]

i would make the change now, you want to do whats best for you daughter especially if she wants to keep cheering. my mom made me go to celebrity because my gym wasnt pushing me hard enough as much as i LOVED pc once i got to celebrity i grew a lot more as a flyer and cheerleader in general. and now even though i didnt want to go to celebrity at first because i didnt want hard feelings with my old gym i know it was the right decision and still cheer at ece now 6 years later and coach there too. its definitely the best thing my mom could have ever done for me.

It is interesting hearing this from someone who actually experienced moving from one gym to the other. Thanks for the comment. I will also take this into consideration when I am making my ultimate decision with my CP!! :D

 

[newcheerdad]

As someone who has worked in youth sports for years, I can say that one of the hardest questions to answer is the question of whether your kid is "exceptional".

I see it all the time - parents who believe that their kid needs to "play up" or should be in ODP. It's very difficult, when you're a parent, to assess your child's ability in an impartial way. The kid who's bigger, faster, and more athletic than their peers now might be successful based on athletic ability alone at the rec or club level, but would struggle when playing against older, more experienced kids. I would suggest the same is true for cheerleaders - standing out at the lower levels, or at a smaller gym, isn't the same as being "elite".

The questions you should ask before making a move :

1. Is my child dedicated to cheer? Does my child really focus on it, obsess over being better, and is willing to put in the time and effort to be great no matter what program or team she cheers for? At this age, kids are as much influenced by their friends on the team than they are about the level they cheer at or the program they cheer at. My daughter's a prime example of this - she's as worried about who's going to be on her team next year as to the level of team she's on.

In my experience, it's normally about 11 or 12 when you start to see the truly "elite" kids develop that kind of focus.

2. How do my child's skills compare to other "elite" kids of her age? Sometimes it helps to get an objective third-party (a coach, etc.) to evaluate your child's skills. I've seen ODP tryouts be a big "eye opener" for parents who thought their kid was an elite player, but turned out to be out of their depth in a higher level of competition.

3. Am I, as a parent, willing to make significant sacrifices for my child in order to facilitate her career? The bigger the program, the harder the travel schedule and the bigger the time-commitment.

4. Honestly assess where this thought process is coming from. If these comments are coming from your daughter, unsolicited, then it's worth trying to figure out ways to keep your kid motivated and progressing. That can range from doing individuals to doing private lessons. If that doesn't work, then it's not a bad thing to find a program where your daughter can feel challenged and motivated.

But the trap that some parents fall into (and I'm guilty of this myself) is sort of "leading" their kids into thinking this way. Maybe it's as simple as an off-hand comment about other kids on the team, or the coaches. Kids often pick up on their parent's view on a topic and then say what they think their mom and dad want to hear. We might think we're not doing it, but we do it, and it influences our child's thought process in a way we don't intend.

I always tell parents that if your child isn't sure that they're ready for club soccer or ODP, then they're probably not. I'd guess the same thing is true with cheer - if your child's ready to "move on", they'll know for sure, and so will you. They'll be making the decision for you.

 

[Born2Tumble]

As someone who has worked in youth sports for years, I can say that one of the hardest questions to answer is the question of whether your kid is "exceptional".

I see it all the time - parents who believe that their kid needs to "play up" or should be in ODP. It's very difficult, when you're a parent, to assess your child's ability in an impartial way. The kid who's bigger, faster, and more athletic than their peers now might be successful based on athletic ability alone at the rec or club level, but would struggle when playing against older, more experienced kids. I would suggest the same is true for cheerleaders - standing out at the lower levels, or at a smaller gym, isn't the same as being "elite".

The questions you should ask before making a move :

1. Is my child dedicated to cheer? Does my child really focus on it, obsess over being better, and is willing to put in the time and effort to be great no matter what program or team she cheers for? At this age, kids are as much influenced by their friends on the team than they are about the level they cheer at or the program they cheer at. My daughter's a prime example of this - she's as worried about who's going to be on her team next year as to the level of team she's on.

In my experience, it's normally about 11 or 12 when you start to see the truly "elite" kids develop that kind of focus.

2. How do my child's skills compare to other "elite" kids of her age? Sometimes it helps to get an objective third-party (a coach, etc.) to evaluate your child's skills. I've seen ODP tryouts be a big "eye opener" for parents who thought their kid was an elite player, but turned out to be out of their depth in a higher level of competition.

3. Am I, as a parent, willing to make significant sacrifices for my child in order to facilitate her career? The bigger the program, the harder the travel schedule and the bigger the time-commitment.

4. Honestly assess where this thought process is coming from. If these comments are coming from your daughter, unsolicited, then it's worth trying to figure out ways to keep your kid motivated and progressing. That can range from doing individuals to doing private lessons. If that doesn't work, then it's not a bad thing to find a program where your daughter can feel challenged and motivated.

But the trap that some parents fall into (and I'm guilty of this myself) is sort of "leading" their kids into thinking this way. Maybe it's as simple as an off-hand comment about other kids on the team, or the coaches. Kids often pick up on their parent's view on a topic and then say what they think their mom and dad want to hear. We might think we're not doing it, but we do it, and it influences our child's thought process in a way we don't intend.

I always tell parents that if your child isn't sure that they're ready for club soccer or ODP, then they're probably not. I'd guess the same thing is true with cheer - if your child's ready to "move on", they'll know for sure, and so will you. They'll be making the decision for you.

Greatttttttttt advice!!! I will be putting all this into consideration! Thanks for taking the time out of your day to share your comment/advice with me (:

 

[Fameous MOM]

Just because your cp almost has a full, does not mean that she is ready for a youth/Jr. level 5 team. I see Fameous MOM cp a lot and she is a gorgeous cheerleader with amazing tumbling and stunting on one of the top J5 teams in the country, but even though she has made it there, she never stops working. She is always at some type of practice or clinic 4,5,6 days out of the week. And while little J is amazing little worker,with crazy level 5 skills and one who can make my jaw drop with her skils, at Fame, she is one of many under 12 with crazy level 5 skills. You have to ask yourself, "are you both ready for her to no longer be a "superstar" and ready for her to be, just another kid with an almost full? Are you ready for the time and effort you both have to put in to be on a top Y5/J5 team? You need to research YouTube videos of CEA's Y5 team and honestly compare your cp with those girls( because you are in NC, I am going to assume that CEA would be a possible big named gym for you.) Does she have every single needed skill to be on a team with them? Does she have the flying/basing skills, the jumps, the energy? If the answer is no, then stick it out with the gym you are at now, until she can hang with the best. If she can hang and you want to try your luck, then go for it! Just be prepared that just because you go to the big gym, does not mean she is guaranteed a spot on a Y5/J5 team. Good luck with whatever path you chose!

Great advice!!! :) and yes little J is at the gym 5 days a week- sometimes 6. lol

 

[ImaDad]

I don't agree that she should "stick" with her current gym if she is not yet Y5 ready. I do think its important that you have the right expectations though. If you go to a big gym, you may initially be on a Y4 and not a Y5. Are you ok with that? If so, go. What you build that year, your current program may not be able to provide.

If the worlds environment is what you want then I say go to the big gym. But TBH there are advantages and disadvantages, just be prepared to deal with them!

 

[jcheermom]

I am speaking from experience when I give this advice. My CP switched gyms because she was hitting a brick wall: the level 5 sr team was not dedicated enough to satisfy her and was not goal driven to work toward getting a bid to worlds, something that she wanted; too many athletes not serious enough to be on a level 5 worlds team and she was not interested in staying at that gym if they didn't have the same goals as she did. So we researched gyms and found one that would meet her needs: a level 5 worlds team that practiced 3 days a week, competitions that included out of state competitions and more than just small local competitions, tumbling incorporated into practices but also additional tumbling classes available, and she would not be the best tumbler in the gym-she would have others who had better skills than her that she could work toward, which she really wanted to have in her gym. Regrets, yes, that we had not switched gyms SOONER than we did and now that she is a senior, she wishes she had switched years ago, as she feels that there were many wasted years at her old gym, years that she could have been gaining and growing at this new gym. I'm not saying do it now while she is 9, but definitely do some research and make the decision before you begin to procrastinate and don't go when you think it's not a good time, or she doesn't want to leave her friends, or it's too much money, or it's too far to drive: those were all of our reasons. And in the end, she made even more and better friends, the drive isn't that bad, and it isn't that much more money and it is really worth CP's happiness and satisfaction with being at a place she loves with friends that she loves and with coaches that she loves. It really was a great move and I don't regret it for one second!!

 

[armycheermom]

Great advice!!! :) and yes little J is at the gym 5 days a week- sometimes 6. lol

Kiana is always telling me about the J's..lol..we have names for them all! Big Bro J, little J, sassy J and baby J! Lol..we love your kiddos! :)