Is This Normal?

[Crazy_Bout_Cheer]

Daughter recently just joined a Sr1 team. She's very small for her age (15) at 4'10 and 80 lbs. The way her gym chose stunt positions for her team was by putting the girls in a line from tallest to shortest and having the shortest half as flyers and the taller half as bases. Is this a normal way to choose stunt positions? My daughter longs to be a flyer but fell as the shortest base although she still wanted to work hard to be a good base and hoped to fly in the future. Within a few days into practice her flyer and her were placed as the "point stunt group" but however I've noticed she's been getting a bit hurt. After her first practice of basing (they had the flyers standing on the bases leg as the bases were crouched down with their knee up) , I noticed her leg had a noticeable shoe print and bruises on it. Similar issues played out of other injuries/pains occurring after other practices of basing (she has the shortest flyer) although when I spoke to the coaches to express my concerns they said that both her and her flyer had no issues that would cause any worries, which is why she wound up as point base. Although my daughter is ecstatic to be point anything she has complained multiple times of injuries and her tumbling seems to be lacking as she continues basing, as opposed to days where they aren't stunting. She's politely asked her coach if there was any way to ever try flying and although she is more flexible than some of the gym's higher level flyers (she can pull a hyper bow and arrow, heel stretches, scorpions, an almost needle, and has over splits 2 stacked panel mats high) AND the coach is aware of her flexibility, she was told she couldn't be a flyer because there was "simply no base for her." (Note that there are about 10 bases much taller and stronger than her who have stunted her during open gyms easily and some of her team's flyers weigh more than her) Is it safe for her to continue as a base/is there a good way to approach the gym to try and place her as a flyer? Other gyms in our area have actually offered to recruit her as a flyer for their Sr 1 or 2 teams (she's working on her 3bhs) but she after trying tumbling and stunting classes there she prefers to stay at this gym to the atmosphere and her friends. Please help!

 

[BlockHead]

Lining the kids up and choosing flyers, bases, and backspots based on their height is quite normal.

Sounds like your daughter is getting pretty banged up with shoe prints, bruises, etc. Also normal.

I would definitely be wary of the gym that is promising your CP the moon and the stars. To me that is a gym in trouble. But it sounds to me like both of you are quite interested in her flying. So if that is of extreme importance to you, then perhaps you should switch to the other gym. Cheer seasons are too long to be miserable.

I think the coaches are doing what they feel is right for her team. You did not mention how many years your daughter has done competitive all star cheer. Sounds like it is her first year at this gym. If that is the case, I would just let all of this stress go and let the coaches coach. I can promise you their routine is going to look different in a few months. Kids are going to get injured. Kids might quit. The needs will change on the squad. Her position might change. She could change to flying. She could go from point base to basing in the back left corner. Nobody knows.

My advice. If you chose to stay at current gym, drop your child off and leave at practice time. Come back when it is time to pick her up. Don't watch practice. Let it be her thing. This year, my CP will be participating in her 6th year of all star cheer. I hope that when she performs at the gym's showcase this fall that the whole routine is a surprise. I hope I have no idea of what she is going to do on that floor. For me, that will be success because I will have finally let cheer be her activity and not mine.

 

[Cheerfun2]

Uh, yeah, it is normal for bases, back spots, and flyers to get banged up stunting. Just wait until she has to catch baskets in a higher level! My cp has cheered for almost 9 years. She flew for 6 years, based for 2, and as one of the oldest on her current jr team, is now a back. Each position has its share of bumps and bruises. She broke her arm flying, got kicked in the mouth basing (really gory blood blister on her lips *shudder*) lots of bruises in all positions. The backing is a tad scary bc I have seen broken noses and concussions..,so hoping for an injury-free year! It's funny...she is flying for school cheer this coming year & I had forgotten about all of the bruises flyers get on their legs from the rest of the stunt group! She came home from camp with several. Not a pretty look during bathing suit season!

At the level my cp is at,..they consider all the bruises to be badges of honor. Your cp must be doing a great job if she is basing the point stunt group! As far as choosing flyers and bases by height....my gym doesn't line them up, they have flyer tryouts and pretty much know who will fill the positions when they make the teams. If your cp's team is level 1, perhaps there are lots of new to cheer kids without stunting experience so they just started by using height. If there are smaller girls than your cp, then they are trying her at basing first.

Does your gym have a good reputation? Have they been around awhile and had success? If so, I'd stay & see how it goes. How old is your cp? If she is younger than 13 or so, she may have a growth spurt which would make learning to base very valuable. Plus...hopping gyms for positions never seems to work well. Best of luck to you & cp! Oh, and the advice above to drop off is spot on!! You can't see the shoe prints if you aren't there!

 

[cheer25mom]

All of this is 100% normal, right down to the shoeprint bruises. As she progresses with basing, she will get stronger and it will get easier. All bases go through what she is right now. Also, when she progresses off level 1 25% of the team will fly rather than 50%, and coaches tend to use the smallest girls who can hit the stunts. Likely, they know she won't have a future flying, and they don't want to set her up for disappointment later.

Honestly, everyone, or nearly everyone, WANTS to be a flyer. They get all the attention, are the stars of the show ect. The reality of the situation is the flyers that make it to higher level teams still flying are typically the super talented, tiny kids within a gym. There are exceptions this, but they are not the norm. I would be wary if any gym that is promising you a flyer spot. It will likely last just long enough to get you there.


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[Keep_Believing]

Very normal. I will say she is very tiny for her age. Problem is competing against 10 year olds who haven't hit puberty yet.

 

[JumpChannel]

Very normal. I will say she is very tiny for her age. Problem is competing against 10 year olds who haven't hit puberty yet.

Agree it's normal. Depends on team makeup. Cp has done all positions- backspot, point flyer, and base. My hyperflexible 4'11" 75 lb girl bases on Senior. Even tho small and thin for her age, she's still bigger than the 9 year olds turning 10 later in summer (cheer age 10).
Since your cp would like to fly, any options to enjoy flying in privates, classes and open gym? Sometimes extra flyers are needed for the pyramid, also she may have a chance to fly as teams change or in school cheer.

 

[Crazy_Bout_Cheer]

Lining the kids up and choosing flyers, bases, and backspots based on their height is quite normal.

Sounds like your daughter is getting pretty banged up with shoe prints, bruises, etc. Also normal.

I would definitely be wary of the gym that is promising your CP the moon and the stars. To me that is a gym in trouble. But it sounds to me like both of you are quite interested in her flying. So if that is of extreme importance to you, then perhaps you should switch to the other gym. Cheer seasons are too long to be miserable.

I think the coaches are doing what they feel is right for her team. You did not mention how many years your daughter has done competitive all star cheer. Sounds like it is her first year at this gym. If that is the case, I would just let all of this stress go and let the coaches coach. I can promise you their routine is going to look different in a few months. Kids are going to get injured. Kids might quit. The needs will change on the squad. Her position might change. She could change to flying. She could go from point base to basing in the back left corner. Nobody knows.

My advice. If you chose to stay at current gym, drop your child off and leave at practice time. Come back when it is time to pick her up. Don't watch practice. Let it be her thing. This year, my CP will be participating in her 6th year of all star cheer. I hope that when she performs at the gym's showcase this fall that the whole routine is a surprise. I hope I have no idea of what she is going to do on that floor. For me, that will be success because I will have finally let cheer be her activity and not mine.

Lining the kids up and choosing flyers, bases, and backspots based on their height is quite normal.

Sounds like your daughter is getting pretty banged up with shoe prints, bruises, etc. Also normal.

I would definitely be wary of the gym that is promising your CP the moon and the stars. To me that is a gym in trouble. But it sounds to me like both of you are quite interested in her flying. So if that is of extreme importance to you, then perhaps you should switch to the other gym. Cheer seasons are too long to be miserable.

I think the coaches are doing what they feel is right for her team. You did not mention how many years your daughter has done competitive all star cheer. Sounds like it is her first year at this gym. If that is the case, I would just let all of this stress go and let the coaches coach. I can promise you their routine is going to look different in a few months. Kids are going to get injured. Kids might quit. The needs will change on the squad. Her position might change. She could change to flying. She could go from point base to basing in the back left corner. Nobody knows.

My advice. If you chose to stay at current gym, drop your child off and leave at practice time. Come back when it is time to pick her up. Don't watch practice. Let it be her thing. This year, my CP will be participating in her 6th year of all star cheer. I hope that when she performs at the gym's showcase this fall that the whole routine is a surprise. I hope I have no idea of what she is going to do on that floor. For me, that will be success because I will have finally let cheer be her activity and not mine.

Personally, as long as she's happy I don't mind which stunt position she has (although the significantly cheaper price for bases in our gyms stunt classes do have their perks lol!) As far as my worries for basing and your suggestions to not watch practices, the gym actually started banning us parents from watching practices and it's definitely less stressful. I actually let her attend a flyer camp for a few days at the "big gym" in our area where she learned some level 3 stunts. When cp returned to her gym and fooled around with some of her higher level friends, the coaches actually told her that if she manages to get her 3bhs and tuck (her daredevil self managed to teach herself a punchfront using our couch so at least she has that covered) then they would move/cross her to level 3, as long as she got the skills before choreo started. If you had any help regarding any tips to get there there we'd both definitely appreciate it! Lol!

 

[Crazy_Bout_Cheer]

Uh, yeah, it is normal for bases, back spots, and flyers to get banged up stunting. Just wait until she has to catch baskets in a higher level! My cp has cheered for almost 9 years. She flew for 6 years, based for 2, and as one of the oldest on her current jr team, is now a back. Each position has its share of bumps and bruises. She broke her arm flying, got kicked in the mouth basing (really gory blood blister on her lips *shudder*) lots of bruises in all positions. The backing is a tad scary bc I have seen broken noses and concussions..,so hoping for an injury-free year! It's funny...she is flying for school cheer this coming year & I had forgotten about all of the bruises flyers get on their legs from the rest of the stunt group! She came home from camp with several. Not a pretty look during bathing suit season!

At the level my cp is at,..they consider all the bruises to be badges of honor. Your cp must be doing a great job if she is basing the point stunt group! As far as choosing flyers and bases by height....my gym doesn't line them up, they have flyer tryouts and pretty much know who will fill the positions when they make the teams. If your cp's team is level 1, perhaps there are lots of new to cheer kids without stunting experience so they just started by using height. If there are smaller girls than your cp, then they are trying her at basing first.

Does your gym have a good reputation? Have they been around awhile and had success? If so, I'd stay & see how it goes. How old is your cp? If she is younger than 13 or so, she may have a growth spurt which would make learning to base very valuable. Plus...hopping gyms for positions never seems to work well. Best of luck to you & cp! Oh, and the advice above to drop off is spot on!! You can't see the shoe prints if you aren't there!

Thank you! Best of luck to your warrior CP as well! I told her about your "battle scars" idea and now she runs around flaunting them! Lol! As far as her gyms rep, they seem to not go to all the huge competitions, although their walls are plastered with banners and trophies, from the (I believe )around 8 or so years that they've been in business. After talking to the veteran parents at our gym, it's apparently generally used as a "starter gym" for athletes to get basic skills until they move on to the "big gym" in the county over. Is that a bad sign? Our gym does have levels 4 and 5, although the teams do appear to be very small. However, those levels seem to be a long way away for her, so no worries there. She got the opportunity to move up/cross on level 3 as a flyer if she gets her skills before choreo so hoping for the best with that!

 

[Cheerfun2]

Thank you! Best of luck to your warrior CP as well! I told her about your "battle scars" idea and now she runs around flaunting them! Lol! As far as her gyms rep, they seem to not go to all the huge competitions, although their walls are plastered with banners and trophies, from the (I believe )around 8 or so years that they've been in business. After talking to the veteran parents at our gym, it's apparently generally used as a "starter gym" for athletes to get basic skills until they move on to the "big gym" in the county over. Is that a bad sign? Our gym does have levels 4 and 5, although the teams do appear to be very small. However, those levels seem to be a long way away for her, so no worries there. She got the opportunity to move up/cross on level 3 as a flyer if she gets her skills before choreo so hoping for the best with that!

I don't think it is a bad thing to be at a "starter gym" as long as they are teaching proper tumbling and stunting technique. Actually, it is probably a good thing bc you put off the super expensive travel until she gets to a level where she wants "more!" :) Hope she has a great season rocking that point stunt group!

 

[icebriana3]

my gym does it by who has experience, but i guess it depends on the gym. Size is also a big component too.

 

[icebriana3]

my gym does it by who has experience, but i guess it depends on the gym. Size is also a big component too.

so yeah its pretty normal