All-Star It's Just An Extracurricular Activity!!

[mybabywantstotumble]

But what doesn't conflict with cheer? Seriously, when we try to figure out sports to sign our daughter up for, inevitably we either have to accept the fact that she's going to miss most of the practices and/or games, have her miss the occasional cheer practice, or just not have her play at all. And this is for any sport, whether it's during the comp season or not. Now add in the fact I have a son who plays sports of his own, plus school commitments, plus work commitments...

Look, if a kid is one a level 5 world's team, I can see where restrictions on non-cheer related activities would be appropriate. There's a level of commitment, both short and long-term, that those athletes have. But an elementary school-aged kid? Not so sure - I'd think for their sake, those kids should at least have some flexibility to explore other interests and not be burned out on cheer by the time they're in middle school.

So the counter-argument to that premise might be "well, cheer isn't right for her" or "cheer is only for the most committed". And that's fine, and there may very well come a time when the rubber meets the road and we have to make that choice. But maybe we can head that off a little bit by not pushing every youth or mini team to adhere to the exact same rules of engagement as your senior 5 team.

spring sports don't interfere with cheer as much. my cp played softball for two seasons. practices have started for softball and we only have a few comps left for cheer. when signing up for the local softball league I inform them of her practice nights for cheer and ask if she can be placed on a team that practices alternate nights and that she may miss some softball practices until cheer wraps up. she can not play fall ball because it interferes to much.

in our family we love winter and ski all season long. my parents have a vacation home at a ski resort and we used to have season passes to our local resort. cp was even recruited for ski team. she chose cheer as much as i wish she didn't. i haven't been to their vacation home in years and we have only gone skiing at our local resort once this year. why? because of the freaking comp schedule. when we signed up for the full year team we understood the committment.

i also disagree about only enforcing senior 5 teams. it is incredibly frustrating as a mini aged athlete when you have others that aren't as committed. last year we had one parent on the team refuse to go to atlanta two weeks before cheersport because she didn't feel like going. so the rest of the team had multiple extra practices to rework the routine because of one child missing. and we drove an hour to get to this gym. the kids were upset and parents were extremely angry.

cheer is a unique team sport where if one misses repeatedly it effects everyone. plain and simple, if one can not or will not committ to a full season of practices and competitions then perhaps they should do a half year team or just cheer rec.

 

[newcheerdad]

I think most of the disagreement with my premise stems around two major points:

1. Cheer is different.
2. Everyone should have to follow the same rules.

As to #1, I can accept that to some extent. But again, I'm not advocating missing practice whenever you want more than I'm advocating the idea that maybe requiring kids on your mini or youth teams to practice 3-4 times per week isn't the best idea. Why can't mini teams or youth teams practice once a week, twice at the most when you get into competition season?

Now of course, people will say that kids have to be in the gym more than that, that they need team tumbling or stunting or privates or whatever - because everyone else is doing it and that's what you need to do to compete. And I get that.

But I'm involved with youth soccer where we live, and we don't even have truly competitive teams for kids until you get to U11. Before that, you can either be in a pre-competitive program (which is training twice a week for an hour with occasional local/regional tournaments) or in rec. Could we have kids practice more, or have a competitive program for third and fourth-graders? Probably. But is that the way to develop kids (not just soccer players) long-term? I don't know.

Again, this all stems back to the premise that "cheer is different", and I get that. What I suggest goes against an entire mindset and culture. I've made this point before, and I'll make it again - when the only options are to be "all-in" for a sport or to not participate, you lose the ability to find kids who will grow into it.

 

[UEAcheerchick]

I think most of the disagreement with my premise stems around two major points:

1. Cheer is different.
2. Everyone should have to follow the same rules.

As to #1, I can accept that to some extent. But again, I'm not advocating missing practice whenever you want more than I'm advocating the idea that maybe requiring kids on your mini or youth teams to practice 3-4 times per week isn't the best idea. Why can't mini teams or youth teams practice once a week, twice at the most when you get into competition season?

Now of course, people will say that kids have to be in the gym more than that, that they need team tumbling or stunting or privates or whatever - because everyone else is doing it and that's what you need to do to compete. And I get that.

But I'm involved with youth soccer where we live, and we don't even have truly competitive teams for kids until you get to U11. Before that, you can either be in a pre-competitive program (which is training twice a week for an hour with occasional local/regional tournaments) or in rec. Could we have kids practice more, or have a competitive program for third and fourth-graders? Probably. But is that the way to develop kids (not just soccer players) long-term? I don't know.

Again, this all stems back to the premise that "cheer is different", and I get that. What I suggest goes against an entire mindset and culture. I've made this point before, and I'll make it again - when the only options are to be "all-in" for a sport or to not participate, you lose the ability to find kids who will grow into it.

personally, I think that this is where the rec team / preteam comes into play. If the minis or youth don't want to be practicing 4 times a week, then I'm sure there is a rec team out there that will allow them to cheer without the huge time commitment. This option would also work for those who feel like they have to be "all-in" or not participate. there's always another option

 

[LabbyGirlMOM]

I think most of the disagreement with my premise stems around two major points:

1. Cheer is different.
2. Everyone should have to follow the same rules.

As to #1, I can accept that to some extent. But again, I'm not advocating missing practice whenever you want more than I'm advocating the idea that maybe requiring kids on your mini or youth teams to practice 3-4 times per week isn't the best idea. Why can't mini teams or youth teams practice once a week, twice at the most when you get into competition season?
Because most of them want to be recognized as a big kid and do the same as their senior counterparts and not just be an afterthought, they want to be in the gym the same as the other kids.

Now of course, people will say that kids have to be in the gym more than that, that they need team tumbling or stunting or privates or whatever - because everyone else is doing it and that's what you need to do to compete. And I get that.

But I'm involved with youth soccer where we live, and we don't even have truly competitive teams for kids until you get to U11. Before that, you can either be in a pre-competitive program (which is training twice a week for an hour with occasional local/regional tournaments) or in rec. Could we have kids practice more, or have a competitive program for third and fourth-graders? Probably. But is that the way to develop kids (not just soccer players) long-term? I don't know.

Again, this all stems back to the premise that "cheer is different", and I get that. What I suggest goes against an entire mindset and culture. I've made this point before, and I'll make it again - when the only options are to be "all-in" for a sport or to not participate, you lose the ability to find kids who will grow into it.

I do not see how you lose the ability to find kids who will grow into it most of the kids I know started when the were very young and have continued in this sport and love every aspect of it this is a sport where you have to be all in because of the dynamics of how a routine works no other sport requires the teamwork and trust that this sport requires so yes you have to be all in or get out even at a young age

 

[FTSP]

Please don't tell people to go to rec cheer if they are not dedicated. All of the teams my CP has been on have been very competitive and missing practice for anything other than a graded school conflict is simply not allowed. But they tell you that at sign up and they do kick kids off that miss practice.

 

[mybabywantstotumble]

Please don't tell people to go to rec cheer if they are not dedicated. All of the teams my CP has been on have been very competitive and missing practice for anything other than a graded school conflict is simply not allowed. But they tell you that at sign up and they do kick kids off that miss practice.

I just say rec because it isn't a year round commitment. People ask me all the time when cheer season is over and when you have a kid in all star the answer is never.

 

[Cheergrandma]

Please don't tell people to go to rec cheer if they are not dedicated. All of the teams my CP has been on have been very competitive and missing practice for anything other than a graded school conflict is simply not allowed. But they tell you that at sign up and they do kick kids off that miss practice.

No one wants a non-dedicated team member - rec or competitive. Both have a place and serve a purpose. I know of many girls on rec leagues who enjoy it because of the shorter season and less time comittment.
However, they don't have nearly the expense, travel nor time committment that competitive cheer does. Competitive cheer is much like Travel Soccer or Baseball teams. You go in knowing (or should know) there is a high cost in time, money and expectations.

 

[mybabywantstotumble]

No one wants a non-dedicated team member - rec or competitive. Both have a place and serve a purpose. I know of many girls on rec leagues who enjoy it because of the shorter season and less time comittment.
However, they don't have nearly the expense, travel nor time committment that competitive cheer does. Competitive cheer is much like Travel Soccer or Baseball teams. You go in knowing (or should know) there is a high cost in time, money and expectations.

Exactly. I had a friend post in Facebook the other day about wanting to go to Disney but couldn't find a good time around her sons travel baseball schedule.

Same philosophy, different sport. If you can't commit them don't sign up for competitive cheer, soccer, dance, gymnastics or whatever.

 

[FTSP]

Oh I understand the commitment required for All Star. My CP took the year off due to her program closing in August 2012. We'll be back at her cheering for rec in the fall,middle school in the winter and all star year round for the next season. It's crazy but she loves it and our lives do truly revolve around her practice and comp schedule. Lol. She's missed practice three times and all were for ER visits.

 

[TheVipersMom]

. Oops wrong thread

 

[Cheeranswers]

i havent heard the "im not in the mood to drive my cp" excuse too often, but the WORST is when parents ground their cp from cheer. i understand that it may feel like the only thing left to do, but 1 im sure theres SOMETHING else that can be done and 2 you really aren't doing your kid a favour in the long run!

 

[5-6-7-8]

It's true, choices have to be made. But in soccer, softball, basketball, etc there are enough team members to field a full team and still have a few on the bench to rotate in for missing team members. Not so in competitive cheer. You might have an occasional girl from another team fill in for a sick/injured girl but I've never seen a team field more than the number taking the stage. Each girl has a role and no "bench time

This is definitely a big part of the "cheer comes first" mentality. I would love to see a "bench" in cheer. :). Makes the athletes work a bit harder, gives flexibility if someone is missing, and rewards those who do show up.

This sport has bred some pretty entitled attitudes (gym hopping to make a higher level team, parents demanding certain spots on a team, and coaches owners putting up with it.). There are plenty of other sports where kids commit time and money and may never play much if at all.

 

[GreenStormLucy]

i havent heard the "im not in the mood to drive my cp" excuse too often, but the WORST is when parents ground their cp from cheer. i understand that it may feel like the only thing left to do, but 1 im sure theres SOMETHING else that can be done and 2 you really aren't doing your kid a favour in the long run!

This is crazy. I'm always trying to explain to new parents that "grounding" (i'm not a fan of this at all, as a mother and coach) should not involve cheer.
Take something else they love away for some time, but don't let 19 other girls (as example) suffer because you have some issues with your kid.

And yes, cheer is different. My son plays soccer. If a kid is missing practise, then he won't be on the field the next weekend. There are others that can do the job without having extra practises and knowing counts. They go out and play.

 

[Valvalmom]

Even at the mini level, my cp knew cheer was her passion. She's missed about 4 practices in as many years. I expect the same commitment from her teammates. There is nothing more frustrating than cp going to practice not feeling well or missing a party only to have a quarter of the team not there.

My kids were each allowed one activity, and one minor school one. The difference between cheer and other team sports is that every member of the cheer team is essential at every moment of their performance. you can't replace someone mid-game if they are not performing well.

My biggest pet peeve is parents that use cheer as punishment. I was at a rec comp once where the mother decided since her daughter didn't clean her room, she wouldn't be allowed to go to the competition. Another who didn't like how we decided to do hair and therefore wouldn't go. I just don't get that.

The other thing I don't get is parents who complain week after week that they have to drag their kid there screaming and fighting. THEN QUIT! I get that you've taught your cp to keep a commitment, but for the safety of every child on the mat, a child who doesn't WANT to be there SHOULDN'T be there!

 

[BigBow]

sometimes i think it's almost MORE important that a mini/youth aged athlete doesn't miss practice. i coached youth 1 last year and repetition was extremely important to them. it's very difficult to change something at the last second, or even change something at all because younger kids take longer to remember the change and be able to execute it correctly. my girls only practiced twice a week (which i thought was an extremely doable committment) so if someone missed one practice that week, they weren't in the gym for an entire week. one simple thing, like a motion change for example, could take a young girl long to catch on to and perfect. things like this aren't a big deal for older girls - someone on the team can video tape the change with her iphone, send it to the girl who missed practice, and that's all that needs to be done. younger athletes just take a lot more time and hands on coaching to perfect things, and it was really frustrating as a coach not be able to do something new for fear that the child that missed practice wouldn't be able to catch on.