All-Star Recruiting Athletes For College Cheer

[Keep_Believing]

If you know anyone who would like to Cheer in College but may not feel confident enough to pursue College Cheer please message me. I know College coaches looking for athletes to complete their teams. They are looking for hard-working athletes with potential. Also, if you have any unique or creative ideas for recruiting athletes for College Cheer please share! Ideas appreciated! Thanks

 

[CoachTamara]

I've been thinking about this so much. This is not directed to you, just general thoughts I'm having.

I'm a high school coach, and we are in California. It's hard because a lot of the big names here are SUPER intense and my kids are not coming from all star. They are super dedicated, probably have a standing tuck and all around good skills, but not throwing doubles and not experienced in crazy L6 stunting.

If I could give college coaches (especially smaller schools that are not looking for standing fulls) I think it would be to recruit these kids instead of do try-outs. I feel like the small schools just wait for people to try-out, but these kids want to feel wanted. They want someone to see them and be like "I know you don't tumble but I NEED you on my team!" I feel like the big names are getting into Stunt and recruit these all star kids at competitions, but nothing at school stuff. A lot of my kids feel like they would love to keep cheering but they don't think they can.

Also, college coaches. Please be SO clear on your tumbling requirements, and say if they are negotiable. I get told they need a standing tuck minimum, but then they take kids with just backhandsprings. If that were the case, I have kids that would have at least tried to make the team. Meanwhile, don't say tumbling isn't required but then expect everyone to throw fulls.

Last, you need to reach out early. Like, fall. I'm getting so many messages of people trying to fill teams and I think they would have been great fits, but they already have plans and have committed to schools. Some of them are moving in a month, they aren't changing their minds now.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Something interesting I notice:

Looking at recruiting/welcome posts (even from big name programs), I see that a good bit of their incoming talent is mostly kids with HS experience only. Not kids with years of level 6 experience/Worlds rings/etc.

There are certain schools that are huge on elite level tumbling (i.e. your Navarro and UL type places) but those aren't the norm.

 

[Keep_Believing]

Some of the Colleges still looking for athletes: LCU Lubbock Christian University, UT Tyler, UT Arlington, Texas Wesleyan, Oklahoma City University. Oklahoma Panhandle State University, CICSO Community College, McPherson College in Kansas, OLLU in San Antonio, Ranger College Cheer in Ranger Texas, Roosevelt University in Chicago, Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Tx . They have spots for athletes with good attitudes, hard-working, level 3 tumbling or above is preferred but not necessarily required. I am shocked how many intermediate, open, sideline, and game day schools are struggling to fill spots. Is part of this due to COVID?

* That is just naming some of them. There are actually more.

 

[retiredl5cheer]

I've been thinking about this so much. This is not directed to you, just general thoughts I'm having.

I'm a high school coach, and we are in California. It's hard because a lot of the big names here are SUPER intense and my kids are not coming from all star. They are super dedicated, probably have a standing tuck and all around good skills, but not throwing doubles and not experienced in crazy L6 stunting.

If I could give college coaches (especially smaller schools that are not looking for standing fulls) I think it would be to recruit these kids instead of do try-outs. I feel like the small schools just wait for people to try-out, but these kids want to feel wanted. They want someone to see them and be like "I know you don't tumble but I NEED you on my team!" I feel like the big names are getting into Stunt and recruit these all star kids at competitions, but nothing at school stuff. A lot of my kids feel like they would love to keep cheering but they don't think they can.

Also, college coaches. Please be SO clear on your tumbling requirements, and say if they are negotiable. I get told they need a standing tuck minimum, but then they take kids with just backhandsprings. If that were the case, I have kids that would have at least tried to make the team. Meanwhile, don't say tumbling isn't required but then expect everyone to throw fulls.

Last, you need to reach out early. Like, fall. I'm getting so many messages of people trying to fill teams and I think they would have been great fits, but they already have plans and have committed to schools. Some of them are moving in a month, they aren't changing their minds now.

I totally agree with all of this. I think part of the problem is that many of these smaller school teams are categorized as "clubs," so they can't help slide students through admissions or provide any type of scholarship or incentive. I know that when I cheered, we weren't allowed to have any incoming freshmen on campus until fall, so spring tryouts and summer camp were totally out. It makes things challenging.

 

[Keep_Believing]

I totally agree with all of this. I think part of the problem is that many of these smaller school teams are categorized as "clubs," so they can't help slide students through admissions or provide any type of scholarship or incentive. I know that when I cheered, we weren't allowed to have any incoming freshmen on campus until fall, so spring tryouts and summer camp were totally out. It makes things challenging.

Most of these schools are offering partial scholarships, but they can't help you slide through admissions.