All-Star Is It A Failure To Not Progress?

[AllstarObsession]

Yes, we progress there as well...but like her school analogy. I don't want my kid going to school just for the social aspects, listening skills, etc. That will come regardless..what I'm really looking for is a good education. If you can't provide that for my kid, I'm in the wrong place.

Now are some kids not quite as "smart" (skilled) as others? Of course. Does that make it wrong? Of course not. Then why pay all sorts of money for a private school where the curriculum is primarily all AP classes, etc. if your kid isn't at that level? (again, nothing wrong with that)

There's another argument to be made too though for the "school analogy"...often there are plenty of kids who are more than capable of excelling academically, but won't bc it's not "expected" or bc they're simply being lazy. They're much more content making "easy A's" than trying a more difficult class where they might actually have to study. At CEA, you have to study...if you're content w/the easy A's when you're capable of more, then we aren't for you I suppose.

i dont think i like the "school" analogy. school is a necessary part of life in the united states, you need it to start the rest of your life. cheerleading is a fun activity that we participate in because we enjoy it. i would pay all sorts of money to participate in an amazing gym because i love cheerleading. it doesnt matter to me if im the most fabulous level 5 athlete to ever hit the mat, or if i'm a level 3 athlete that isnt necessarily the best at everything.

its a matter of your priorities and what you expect out of your experience. i do cheer because i absolutely love it no matter what level it is. My number one priority is not to make it to worlds, its to enjoy my experience. Why anyone else participates is up to them.

* thats not to say i dont give effort ;D

 

[King]

This is true..not everyone can be doctors and lawyers...nothing wrong w/other professions if you're happy, but if my kid has the potential to be a doctor I'd rather her go to Duke than a community college. That wouldn't make much sense to me....know what I mean? That's how I equate CEA personally..

There is a difference to living up to your potential and everyone being a doctor though. And, even then, you know what they call the guy that graduates last of his class at the medical university in the caribbean? Doctor.

The key is an athlete has the ability AND desire to make Level 5, good on them. If the kid has the potential but not the desire, but enjoys doing cheerleading and its an activity that keeps them busy and out of trouble, is that failure? If the kid has all the desire and work ethic in the world but just doesnt have the physical ability, are they a failure?

To every kid that played football but didnt make the NFL, baseball but didn't make the MLB, basketball but didnt make the NBA, Cricket but didnt ... (who am I kidding, who plays cricket?) are they failures if they dont play in the pros?

 

[socratesofcheer]

There is a difference to living up to your potential and everyone being a doctor though. And, even then, you know what they call the guy that graduates last of his class at the medical university in the caribbean? Doctor.

I thought they called him "MON"

 

[notimeforthat]

The one thing that keeps being mentioned is the comparison of school....drs vs lawyers etc. But in the scope of things allstar cheerleading is an extra cirricular activity. It will not pay your morgage or for your daughters wedding! Yes it may help with shaping our children up to be lovley self confident people. It could possibly help out a tiny bit to pay for college if your child is elite.... But at the end of the day it is not going to bring in a paycheck!
If the business model is working for CEA, great for them. I'm sure not going to think of any child that I know is a failure if they do not get promoted to the next level....

 

[King]

I thought they called him "MON"

hehehe. touche.

 

[newcheerdad]

There is a difference to living up to your potential and everyone being a doctor though. And, even then, you know what they call the guy that graduates last of his class at the medical university in the caribbean? Doctor.

Actually, they call him "most likely to end up peddling supplements on TV before losing his medical license and opening up an unlicensed clinic in Tijuana." Not that I know anything about that.

 

[TheVipersMom]

I honestly think effort is the key!
Like next week will be my daughters one year mark in cheerleading. my daughter started Tiny1 last year a month late with NO skill. She is the only kid from tiny and mini with 1 year or less experience to be bumped up to youth2 and she recently turned 6!

I'm not even going to say my daughter is better then the other 40 kids because she did it fastest.
I will say my daughter was the only one I seen coming to the (optional) tumbling class once a week! Not just for one month but every month. Also pretty sure my daughter was the only one doing privates repeatedly every week not just on and off. So because my daughter was determined and pushed herself to do all that she got the skills she needed to be level2! Yes they work on a little bit of everything at practice but a 1hr practice(tiny team) twice a week where tumbling only gets maybe 15 mins of each class when sharing time between multiple athletes for MOST people is not going to get someone a solid back walkover and BHS in just a few months. So I believe you can do anything you want and my child can be a level 5 athlete long as she works for it.

The problem is most people are content with just doing the minimum. They want that BHS or Tuck but don't want to give 100% when they are not required to like at home to help achieve what they want in the gym.

So because some kids and or parents have this mindset I get to hear at practice how my daughter hasn't paid her dues and there daughter has been cheering way longer and my daughter takes the spot your daughter wanted or had!

I'm sorry it just bothers me! Like I don't feel animosity on my daughters mini team; but on the youth team I do. I feel like no one (the parents) likes me because my daughter is on the team it took them years to get to or that they have been on mini for 3 years and still didn't make it. Like she is 6 and she deserves it less then your daughter does because your daughter is older. I imagine if my daughter continues to excel faster then the average kid at our gym I will never be liked!

 

[mstealtoyou]

Just want to say congratulations to your CP for all her hard work this year and seeing the payoff at tryouts. That a lot of dedication at such a young age and she should be commended. I can imagine how excited she is for her new season.

Don't let a few rain on the parade of your child! (I'm talking internally at your program) Any and all accomplishments should be celebrated!! And the more skill the better off the team is going to be. Do parents not see this? (Perhaps this should be a PM and not here.......I'm just talking to @Kris10boo )

 

[xtremeteal4life]

There is a difference to living up to your potential and everyone being a doctor though. And, even then, you know what they call the guy that graduates last of his class at the medical university in the caribbean? Doctor.

The key is an athlete has the ability AND desire to make Level 5, good on them. If the kid has the potential but not the desire, but enjoys doing cheerleading and its an activity that keeps them busy and out of trouble, is that failure? If the kid has all the desire and work ethic in the world but just doesnt have the physical ability, are they a failure?

To every kid that played football but didnt make the NFL, baseball but didn't make the MLB, basketball but didnt make the NBA, Cricket but didnt ... (who am I kidding, who plays cricket?) are they failures if they dont play in the pros?

see my other post

Yes, we progress there as well...but like her school analogy. I don't want my kid going to school just for the social aspects, listening skills, etc. That will come regardless..what I'm really looking for is a good education. If you can't provide that for my kid, I'm in the wrong place.

Now are some kids not quite as "smart" (skilled) as others? Of course. Does that make it wrong? Of course not. Then why pay all sorts of money for a private school where the curriculum is primarily all AP classes, etc. if your kid isn't at that level? (again, nothing wrong with that)

There's another argument to be made too though for the "school analogy"...often there are plenty of kids who are more than capable of excelling academically, but won't bc it's not "expected" or bc they're simply being lazy. They're much more content making "easy A's" than trying a more difficult class where they might actually have to study. At CEA, you have to study...if you're content w/the easy A's when you're capable of more, then we aren't for you I suppose.

btw, how can you not have the "desire" and still enjoy cheerleading?
also, yeah at the end of the day they are both still doctors, but I'm much more inclined to go to the one w/the better credentials (and before you ask, I do actually research them before I choose one).

People are getting too touchy about this...if you're content w/your current program and progress..good for you. If none of my "examples" apply to you and you're still happy w/a lower level, good for you. I have no problem with that...Why do people seem to have a hard time understanding the bigger picture or CEA's philosophy? Stop taking things personally for a minute and really look at the analogies. I'm not personally saying there is anything wrong w/remaining in a lower level your entire cheer career. However, I suspect that is most often not the case...JMO

 

[xtremeteal4life]

The one thing that keeps being mentioned is the comparison of school....drs vs lawyers etc. But in the scope of things allstar cheerleading is an extra cirricular activity. It will not pay your morgage or for your daughters wedding! Yes it may help with shaping our children up to be lovley self confident people. It could possibly help out a tiny bit to pay for college if your child is elite.... But at the end of the day it is not going to bring in a paycheck!
If the business model is working for CEA, great for them. I'm sure not going to think of any child that I know is a failure if they do not get promoted to the next level....

I guess our coaches don't get paid then?

 

[WakaFlaka]

Her point is that "she" and "her coaches" are failures for not progressing the athlete, not the cp's. There is a distinct difference. Because she wants all of her kids to "progress" to the next level, she feels its her responsibility to make it happen. I am quite sure all kids want to progress, but for one for one reason or another, they do not and that's fine. As a parent, I would be happy that the program wants my kid to progress. Some programs don't care!!! As long as you stay and continue paying tuition, they are happy!

 

[BubbleToes]

So, cheerleading, in this thread is described by some as just "fun....an extra curricular activity....socializing...learning life skills" etc....While true...when did wicked competitiveness, wanting to improve, get more skills, get to the higher level, or even want to go to WORLDS become a bad thing? Wanting to be the best with your choice of sport at the highest level is frowned upon? The coaches wanting to get you to the level you crave is wrong?

This is a sport, right? I see failure as not taking the latter athletes to their full potential. I'm sure a good coach can see the potential and desire to move up in certain people and they know the ones that will stay stagnant throughout their cheer career. The choice the athlete makes is up the them. The coaches responsibility is to give and to get the most out of each athlete. Failure is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[cheeringfor3]

The problem I have is assuming that a child who doesn't progress from one level to another in ONE YEAR is a failure. I know a cheerleader who took almost 6 years to learn a back handspring. But no one told her she couldn't, or was a failure, or wasn't worth it. They encouraged her, which made her want to keep working and determined to gain skills. In the end, she became one of the strongest tumblers I know, specialty through to double, two to double, can base and fly, and now cheers with a very competitive college squad.

What if she had been "given up on" when she was trying to learn that back handspring, because she didn't progress "fast enough"?

 

[BubbleToes]

The problem I have is assuming that a child who doesn't progress from one level to another in ONE YEAR is a failure. I know a cheerleader who took almost 6 years to learn a back handspring. But no one told her she couldn't, or was a failure, or wasn't worth it. They encouraged her, which made her want to keep working and determined to gain skills. In the end, she became one of the strongest tumblers I know, specialty through to double, two to double, can base and fly, and now cheers with a very competitive college squad.

What if she had been "given up on" when she was trying to learn that back handspring, because she didn't progress "fast enough"?

I think the point is...no one thinks thinks of the child as a "failure", its the coaches who failed or feel as if they failed. If they still worked with the child, and got them to the point that you say. They did their job and what was in their heart as a coach. Pushing and getting them to the next level, even if it takes them years. I don't know of any gym that gives up on an athlete that shows determination and heart, but I'm not privy to all gyms out there. They may stay on a lower level for years, but if they have what it takes....they will make it.

 

[angelndscz]

Moving up a level is not the only d,eterming factor. Even if a girl is on Youth 2 for 2-4 years, they can progress in level 2 skills. For example, maybe they barely had a bhs, couldn't fly, and jumps were not that great. But by year 3 & 4 she is a main flyer, up front in jumps and ending the tumble runs. That is progression from being the girl who was primarly in the back because her skills were not as good previous years. Everyone progresses at different times. It brings me back to the thought, is is better to be the "least skilled" on a higher level team, or hte "most skilled" on a lower level team? Then of course all the girls in between the least and most skilled. If your daughter is fine being "in the back" and have the bragging rights of being on a higher level team, fine. If your daughter wants to be one of the girls "in the front" maybe staying on that lower level team is better? It is all subjective and individual perspective.