All-Star Slowing Progression?

[Cheer Dad]

Actually, Most of the reply was for the other quote in my post. I think I was going to reply to you about something else and decided against it but when I replied to someone else, the quote from you was still in the text box. I was going to edit and remove you but I still felt it applied to your point about chucking skills kids aren't ready for. It's dangerous and careless. I'll edit my initial reply.

There is no need to edit anything.

 

[Coach Sara]

You just might be the best mom ever.

Can you take this conversation on the road - to the peeps whose kids I've done privates with?

There is nothing sadder than seeing a mental blocked kid with a mom who is constantly saying after lessons:

"I don't understand why you can't just throw it!"

"If you don't throw it by August, you have to quit!"

"If you can't get her to throw it, we'll have to go somewhere else!"

Or stopping me as soon as I step off of the gym floor with "Did she THROW IT TODAY?"

or my favorite:

"Can't you just let her fall a couple of times so she'll snap out of it?"

They are n0 closer to throwing it with all the above pressure. They're actually closer to just saying screw cheer and I never want to see this mat again.

The best you can do is just stop asking and just BE THERE.

So true about parents adding pressure- often times they don't realize that they're contributing to the challenges so it's great you all are talking about being able to take a step back in order to help your athlete work through their blocks.

 

[cheer25mom]

I think round offs are the most undervalued running tumbling skill. A poorly executed roundoff will ruin the skills that come after it.

JUST had this discussion with CP's coach at her last private. We were breaking down her round off in coach's eye and talking with her about where she needed to make changes. He told her she would never tuck out of her ROBHS series if she didn't fix the technique problems with her round off. She is powering through the handsprings rather than using momentum that should be gained from the round off and there is nothing left at the end. She is nowhere near ready to start working tucks, but I like that he talks long term with her to help her understand WHY something is wrong and what it is going to effect down the road.

 

[311cheermom]

All this talk of tumbling bribery reminded me of the girl on cp's team last year whose parents bought a puppy and brought it to the gym as "payment" for landing her tuck after a mental block. The girl had several injuries over the course of the rest of the season and then quit when the season was over.

 

[mamabear]

All this talk of tumbling bribery reminded me of the girl on cp's team last year whose parents bought a puppy and brought it to the gym as "payment" for landing her tuck after a mental block. The girl had several injuries over the course of the rest of the season and then quit when the season was over.

Please never let my co know that could be an option ;)

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

All this talk of tumbling bribery reminded me of the girl on cp's team last year whose parents bought a puppy and brought it to the gym as "payment" for landing her tuck after a mental block. The girl had several injuries over the course of the rest of the season and then quit when the season was over.

I'm going to ignore the obvious "OMG" of buying a LIVE animal as any sort of bribery item.

However, same thing happened with my iPhone girl. Got the skill, blocked, and quit.

 

[Carriejoe]

I think round offs are the most undervalued running tumbling skill. A poorly executed roundoff will ruin the skills that come after it.

Yes. It took me a while to realize that while my CP was learning level 4/5 tumbling that some weeks her privates just focussed on RO and ROBHS. Sometimes it is necessary to just work on basics to make things work.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Yes. It took me a while to realize that while my CP was learning level 4/5 tumbling that some weeks her privates just focussed on RO and ROBHS. Sometimes it is necessary to just work on basics to make things work.

YES!

I've had parents practically accost me as soon as I walk off the mat to ask "WHY IS SUZIE WORKING ON ROBHS and ROUND OFFS? I BROUGHT HER HERE TO WORK ON HER RUNNING TUCK?!"

Um, because I want some of whatever her previous coaches at pop warner were drinking when they said she had a round off good enough to start tumbling out of it.

A round off is like the foundation of your house. If something is wrong with it, the entire structure is going to be off. Same with round offs and tumbling.

 

[JustJ]

Regarding progression, pressure to perform, I can't help but think of CA Panthers at Worlds this year...and although they were absolutely amazing and I commend the bravery and determination of the injured girls who performed, I couldn't help but ask as I was watching, when is 'enough, enough'? Girls coming out in casts and boots performing, which I can't help but think was against Dr recommendations...What is that saying to younger girls? Watching the Cheerleaders series and the one girl on there competing while seriously injured - limping and crying before and after performances? I get that CP's don't want to let their teams down, but I can help but wonder if coaches/parents are letting or even encouraging this 'show must go on' mentality in the face of injuries? Was very sad to see..

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Regarding progression, pressure to perform, I can't help but think of CA Panthers at Worlds this year...and although they were absolutely amazing and I commend the bravery and determination of the injured girls who performed, I couldn't help but ask as I was watching, when is 'enough, enough'? Girls coming out in casts and boots performing, which I can't help but think was against Dr recommendations...What is that saying to younger girls? Watching the Cheerleaders series and the one girl on there competing while seriously injured - limping and crying before and after performances? I get that CP's don't want to let their teams down, but I can help but wonder if coaches/parents are letting or even encouraging this 'show must go on' mentality in the face of injuries? Was very sad to see..

My high school or college self would have been like "YASSSSSSSSSS" but being on the other side of the blue mat for a few years, I see it differently.

This is your only body. You only get one and you have to live in it LONG after cheer is over. Treat it with care.

This is coming from someone who (stupidly) competed through a number of injuries in her younger days and has a knee that STILL hurts some days because she tumbled on it 2 weeks in college when she wasn't cleared to. Not worth it.

 

[Helen uk uni cheer]

Before I was in the cheer world I was an equestrian where you at my yard unless you landed on your head or couldn't feel your limbs you never got it checked out.

4 years later I have issues with my back from an old fall which doctors are still trying to figure out why my muscles like to spasm which means cheer is out for a while

I still have the mentality to keep going but my limit is a lot lower to what it used to be.

When I see people injured I realise and this helped me it is not the weak thing to say I am hurt I need to sit out for a bit

 

[12stepCheermom]

Some athletes do work through these challenges on their own, and at their own pace, which is great. I also mention if you have any questions to let me know because not everyone realizes that there are ways you can mentally work through a fear or block- it's easy to think about just the physical part of it. I think it's great you're not pushing- that probably helps her work through it, and I'm sure she appreciates it! I can appreciate being sensitive to what your cheerleader needs and not pushing anything on her, (and I don't want to sound sales-y), but there are tools and resources available that may not feel like too much of a push for a cheerleader, so if you're curious, feel free to send me a message.

Funny we were just talking about this. The fear over the two to full is over a year old for cp14.

But, sometimes parental patience and a new non-SM outlook on life pays dividends.

Throwing her regular (non necessary but) spotted two to full her coach took a chance and actually didn't spot the third one she threw last week. Just pulled his hand back at the last second and prayed she wouldn't freak out. He knew she'd hit, she hasn't needed that spot in months, she's just been too scared to throw it alone. She knew he'd bait and switched her and they hugged and he walked her back to the side of the mat with her team talking to her in her ear with his arm around her and I went back to chatting with family in the parent section.

Until I noted the change in the parent section level of excitement and interest and realized the girl standing on the middle of the mat getting ready to throw that skill by herself, surrounded by her screaming team, was Cp14. She looked scared to death but determined. I just held my breath because I'd looked up just about the time she drop stepped.

And watched her hit it with the tackling bear hugs to ensue from the whole team and her much beloved coach. I videoed it 30 seconds later when she threw it again because one of her other coaches hadn't seen it and asked her to do it again for him.

Nothing better than a misty eyed bear hug I got from her when she came off the mat and came straight to me with the biggest smile I've ever seen.

She's hit it every time she's attempted it since (probably 6-7 more even during conditioning the next day, but as coach Tye says, she's "cheer smart" and she'll layout if she knows she's too tired to hit clean, so every now and then she laid out until she could catch her breath) and was actually upset (for the first time in recent history) she would miss tumbling that week for a conference call with the other icons.

She slayed that demon on her own, and she knows it. That's a kind of confidence only she can create for herself. I'm so proud of her. I'd hoped (for her) she'd have it competition ready by NCA, I'm thinking she's ahead of that schedule now. It's been four days since she's been in the gym and she has practice today. If she can do it again today without the spot I'll believe that the demon is officially dead. #fingerscrossed

 

[retiredl5cheer]

@12stepCheermom YESSSSS!

 

[mamabear]

@12stepCheermom - that was the first post I read today and now I am smiling so big!!! I am so excited for her :)

 

[NJ Coach]

@12stepCheermom not going to lie, I just got all teary eyed reading your post