New Allstar Program.....ideas/tips/what Not To Do!

[CoachLilly83]

I have been given a chance to potentially help start up a new allstar program.

Fortunatly it's in conjunction with a established long time gymnastics center, and my old coach is tired of losing his ex gymnasts to allstar programs in the surrounding towns.

I was thinking of starting small, doing 2 teams for next year, Youth and Senior, both small, and then going on the level based on the availibility of who joins. So this would cap out the teams at 20 each, and then have a rec program for the overflow. As I dont know how much interest we would even get.

Anyone have any suggestions ?

Thanks in advance

 

[Tiger_Dad]

CoachLilly,

I am not sure if this will be helpful, but this is our experience with team that we are on. The team was started this past season with two squads a L1 Mini and a L2 Juinor. A lot of interest has been generated and now the team is going be expanded to four squads in order to balance ages and skills.

 

[CoachLilly83]

Thanks Voodoo_Dad! That's exactly what I was thinking. I mean really we have no idea how much it will catch on. The gym has a large rec program, provincial/national gymnastics girls and boys, and highly national/world level trampoline/double mini program.

Were hoping that by running practices while other training is happening that other kids and parents will see what we are doing!

It's exciting to b/c of the facility, it's very large, and has 2 gymnastics floors(which IMO aren't as sprung as the best cheer floors) but in the effort to be safe there are also tons of crash mates(somethign lacking where i currently coach)

 

[crazycheermom]

When my daughter switched to a new gym, they only formed one team that year. My daughter wasn't on the team. Honestly, it was a Sr. team and she didn't belong. However, only forming that one team, allowed the gym to lay a strong foundation and start building a reputation. My advice would be to start with 1 or 2 strong teams, even if it means not taking everyone who wants to be on the team.
Her gym is not a total cheer gym. By that, I mean that it's a gymnastics/cheer gym. So I do think it helps small gyms to have teams practicing when others are in the gym.

 

[4me2Kno]

I have been given a chance to potentially help start up a new allstar program.

Fortunatly it's in conjunction with a established long time gymnastics center, and my old coach is tired of losing his ex gymnasts to allstar programs in the surrounding towns.

I was thinking of starting small, doing 2 teams for next year, Youth and Senior, both small, and then going on the level based on the availibility of who joins. So this would cap out the teams at 20 each, and then have a rec program for the overflow. As I dont know how much interest we would even get.

Anyone have any suggestions ?

Thanks in advance

One comment I can make from experience is to make sure if you are starting a cheer program at a location where cheer is not the number 1 focus to make sure the cheer teams have their designated time and space to practice and use the gyms facilities... Coming from a program whose roots were exactly the same, as a program that started out using space at a gymnastics gym, it was frustrating getting started having set times for practice for the cheer teams that kept on getting bumped out completely or getting changed to fit the needs of the gymnastics kids and program...

Not saying this is what would happen in your situation, but making sure whatever time and space is allotted to the cheer program is set and the cheer program not pushed to the side on a frequent basis for one reason or another. Our early experience as a cheer program at a gymnastics gym was not a good experience because of this.

Good luck to you!

 

[CoachLilly83]

Thanks crazycheermom & 4me2kno !

I was at the gym the other night filling in for a coach doing a rec boys class, and that was my #1 concern. GETTING the time on the floor. Thankfully most of the competative gymnasts are off the big floor by 6:30 - 7pm, and since they have 2, i think that perhaps first half hour could be done on the rod tumbling floor etc, or on the slightly smaller floor. The "owner/director" of the gym, understood my concern and said no problem as we will have to sit down and evalutate the schedule.

I think if we are able to do at least 1 solid team, and get some decent finishes in our first year it would help. My one friend who has been a cheer coach since all-star began around here says that parents are VERY results oriented and you will find that programs who win, will have people coming from all over to join. But it swells, when she had a bunch of ex gymnasts they did really well b/c their tumble skills were higher then usual, and she had 3 or 4 kids switch programs from 2 towns over !

I just hope there is enough actual senior girls, otherwise might just make a jr team. Areoun here most competative is Jr 4, and Sr 3 and mini's always have 10 teams, so I think with a Jr 2 or 3 we might have a chance!