Introduction

[Aqua_Cheerleader_7071_]

No problem. Welcome to the board! You'll love it here.

I'm sure I will! :)

 

[luv2cheer92]

My team is not run/supported by a school. We only compete. It's all the same team, but we are placed into different groups based on our level with skill and tumbling (the highest group being Illusion). We still are in a specific level, just certain levels are in one group and other levels in another group (for training). We can join at anytime but we are officially placed in a level at tryouts
Would this be classified as an 'all star' gym?

Since you said it's under YMCA, it's most likely rec cheer, not all-star, it could be though. They do have some similarities, but there are differences in rules. Most rec teams cheer for football/basketball teams, but there are plenty who solely compete.

 

[Just-a-Mom]

Since you said it's under YMCA, it's most likely rec cheer, not all-star, it could be though. They do have some similarities, but there are differences in rules. Most rec teams cheer for football/basketball teams, but there are plenty who solely compete.

I think to be classified as rec you are required to cheer for a sport. My kids started in rec, and they were solely a competition team, but in order to be classified as rec they went to like 5 basketball games a year and cheered (each girl only had to go to one or two, but the program went to about five).

Maybe allstar prep?

 

[luv2cheer92]

I think to be classified as rec you are required to cheer for a sport. My kids started in rec, and they were solely a competition team, but in order to be classified as rec they went to like 5 basketball games a year and cheered (each girl only had to go to one or two, but the program went to about five).

Maybe allstar prep?

There are some rec teams around me that don't cheer for any sports, I'm not exactly clear on how that works though.

 

[Aqua_Cheerleader_7071_]

I think to be classified as rec you are required to cheer for a sport. My kids started in rec, and they were solely a competition team, but in order to be classified as rec they went to like 5 basketball games a year and cheered (each girl only had to go to one or two, but the program went to about five).

Maybe allstar prep?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that rec cheer is cheering for a sport. (from my limited experience lol.)

 

[JMW]

I don't think the term "rec cheer" has a standard definition around the country. Really, anybody can call their team a rec team, based on whatever they decide. Some factors that people use to call themselves "rec" are:

Cheering for a sport
Being part of a non-profit and/or community-based organization (youth sports, park district, ymca, etc.)
Using volunteer coaches
Participating as exhibition at competitions
Not having tryouts

Any of these could be used to define a team as rec, but there is no standard in the industry, and there is no copyright on the term, so even the largest, most profitable, competitive, successful all-star gym could put together a team and call it rec for whatever reason they want.

It makes it a little hard for rec teams to know who they're competing against.

There are some organizations that have put together guidelines for their competitions that help... For example Pop Warner and the Illinois Recreational Cheerleading Association (a model that is expanding across the country, but is nowhere near universal).

 

[MyGirlCheers]

This may or may not be the YMCA you're a part of, but here's some info about All Star Cheer at a YMCA
All-Star Cheerleading

From their description, it sounds like they're a cross between Rec and All Star, but mostly Rec.

Some of the differences between Rec and All Star:
All star teams usually start practices in late spring or early summer and begin competing in the fall.
All star teams usually attend several (6 or more) all star competitions during their season.
All star teams don't use pom pons.
All star teams usually practice at least 2 times per week - usually for 2 or more hours at a time.
All star is more expensive than rec - the prices listed in the link are NOT typical all star prices.

It sounds like this program or one like it is a great place to start cheering. Good luck and I hope you enjoy cheer!

 

[Official OWECheer]

I missed the mention of YMCA, whoops! Sounds like she's in competitive rec. I might be wrong, though.

 

[shamyaclark]

Hey! I'm brand new to cheerleading. I used to do gymnastics but I went to a cheer practice with my friend and loved it! I'm going to join in the summer. What should I expect for competitions and all that?

Honestly your going to love rec cheer I use to do that before I decided to move to all star cheer but you go to small competitions and at first you'll get nervous then you'll be fine so my advice for competition is to breathe before you go out and during performance smile and capture the judges attention and you will never even feel nervous