Should I Quit Allstar Cheer?

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Sep 20, 2018
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sorry if this isn't in the right forum or this question has already been answered, but I need some advice really badly. I feel really stuck right now and don't know what to do.

I have been cheering competitively for 7 years now and for the last two months I have started to hate Allstar cheer. Its not the fault of my coaches or teammates, but I've lost the drive and passion for the sport and can't find the motivation at practice to try. I don't think this is a phase or just a hard part of the year either. theres been major changes within my gym moving the focus from having fun to doing whatever it takes to win. while this is the mentality of some, for me it is just an extracurricular activity to do and if Its not fun then why do it? its also a very large time commitment, I'm always having to miss activities because cheer is taking up the majority of my time. combined with school cheer, that has after school practices every day, its a lot of cheer. it also doesn't allow me time to get my studies done, and my grades are slipping. for junior year being as important as it is, thats not good. Its also deteriorating me mentally... I have very bad anxiety all day before practice and sometimes feel like throwing up because of how stressed I am. I have come home from practices crying because of how hard it is and that I have to try super hard even though I don't have the heart. I know that all of these problems will only get worse as we enter the competition season. its making me begin to hate cheer. the only problem is that I realized this after I tried out, and our first show off is in a month, and the first competition is in two. I feel like i'd be letting my whole team down by quitting because they would have to rush to find me a replacement, and I feel like the team and coaches would hate me. but my worst fear is turning into one of those girls that gives up mid year and having to be dealt with for the rest of the season. I feel like it would be better for my team to struggle a little at the beginning of regionals season trying to find a replacement rather than me stay and they struggle the entire year because I struggle. Any and all advice welcome because I really am not sure what to do.
 
Actually, I think everything you mentioned should help you decide... I will read over your post and read it as if a stranger wrote it and then decide.... If your motivation for doing Allstar was fun and now the gym's motivation has changed, you should QUIT! If your grades are suffering because of the time commitment of Allstar cheer, QUIT! Tbh, it is better quitting now, while the team can replace you and it is still early enough and often the routines are not set in stone yet! What I noticed when my daughter was doing AS, the routine that they performed during Showcase is often drastically changed by competition season. So quitting now is better than waiting until the full season starts and quit later...

Good luck with your decision!
 
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Kinda reminds me of this new-ish youtuber who had to leave Lady Jags for the exact reason. She lost the motivation for it.
 
I’d stick out the year then not return next year. Finish out the commitment to your teammates... think of how your actions will affect others...
after this season, I agree moving on is best
Again: you make a commitment- keep it, follow through
After this season, you never have to cheer again.
Just my opinion
 
You’re a junior. This is your most important year of high school. If your grades are suffering then you need to make some hard choices. Use that as an excuse to the all-star gym. Blame your parents - tell your coaches that your parents will not allow you to continue because of your grades (I’m sure they won’t mind, I know I would tell my daughter the same thing).
 
I understand the importance of commitment. However, in the grand scheme of things, cheer isn't the end all. If you think you want to quit, then you should probably quit. You are only a child once and you can't get your childhood back. You should be able to be happy. Plus cheer is too expensive to keep paying for it if you don't enjoy it.
The sooner you tell the gym the better so that they can make appropriate changes.
 
I have to also add, my daughter is a Jr too and she pretty much quit all of her extracurricular activities to fully commit to her schoolwork and grades... So she quit cheer, basketball, track, but she is still playing volleyball because it has a fall season only.... So quitting to focus on school is okay, and I noticed many athletes who done it and rejoined their last year in HS, like my daughter is planning to do and my daughter can super-super senior for AS, so taking 1 year off can take the pressure off of you and probably your commitment to the sport will return...

PS: Just like I told my daughter, it is okay to be selfish, when you are making lifelong decisions...
 
I would sit down and share all of that information with your parents.
 
Figured if anyone was curious to see how it turned out or if future people ended up on this thread I would provide an update.

I talked directly to my coach after practice (Which he told me he had appreciated) and said basically everything I had mentioned above. Turns out, I had such a great attitude at practices and hid my real feelings so well he had no idea I was even going through these issues. We agreed on me staying for a few weeks while he tries to adjust my routine and we try to find the root cause of why I'm not enjoying cheer. If we make changes, figure out the root problem, try to fix it, and I still don't want to be there, he'll put in a replacement.

if anyone in the future reads through this thread looking for answers, I suggest talking to your coach and letting them know whats going on, because chances are they have no idea.
 
This was the absolute RIGHT thing to do! Bravo for taking a mature approach to a situation ... not lying or just leaving without communicating!
Always always always, communicate to others honestly and you’ll find things will work out for the best!

Figured if anyone was curious to see how it turned out or if future people ended up on this thread I would provide an update.

I talked directly to my coach after practice (Which he told me he had appreciated) and said basically everything I had mentioned above. Turns out, I had such a great attitude at practices and hid my real feelings so well he had no idea I was even going through these issues. We agreed on me staying for a few weeks while he tries to adjust my routine and we try to find the root cause of why I'm not enjoying cheer. If we make changes, figure out the root problem, try to fix it, and I still don't want to be there, he'll put in a replacement.

if anyone in the future reads through this thread looking for answers, I suggest talking to your coach and letting them know whats going on, because chances are they have no idea.
 
You’re a junior. This is your most important year of high school. If your grades are suffering then you need to make some hard choices. Use that as an excuse to the all-star gym. Blame your parents - tell your coaches that your parents will not allow you to continue because of your grades (I’m sure they won’t mind, I know I would tell my daughter the same thing).
@CheerItFullOut Was there a reason you “disliked” this post?
 
Yes, telling someone to lie?... and blame their parents?
Are you a parent of a teen? If not, you wouldn't understand. When you are a teen, it is sometimes harder to remove yourself from a situation than when you are an adult. I wasn't telling her to lie. The OP said her grades were slipping. That wasn't the main reason she wanted to leave though, she said she had lost her drive. I was simply giving her another option of an out.
 
Are you a parent of a teen? If not, you wouldn't understand. When you are a teen, it is sometimes harder to remove yourself from a situation than when you are an adult. I wasn't telling her to lie. The OP said her grades were slipping. That wasn't the main reason she wanted to leave though, she said she had lost her drive. I was simply giving her another option of an out.
Yes, im a parent of a teen. You told her to “blame her parents”... when her parents are not the issue—-> therefore lying
As an AllStar coach & high school coach...I don’t ever condone dishonesty. Kids these days need to learn to openly and honestly confront issues in appropriate ways... not skirt them.
The individual did the CORRECT thing in telling her coach what REALLY was going on, therefore being open with an adult who invested just as much time in her as she invested in them.
When she’s an adult and works a job or is in college she will deal with things that she will need to confront. “Mom and Dad” won’t be a viable excuse when you’re 30.
 
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