Special Needs Teams

[monicanicole]

I coach the Special Needs Team at Idaho Cheer University in Boise, Idaho. I am just curious as to what other gyms have special needs teams and what they do with them. Do you do more of an all-star routine with a jump section, tumbling passes, stunt sequences, dance, etc. or is it more just dancing? Just curious, that's all :)

 

[CharlieCheers]

We don't have one, but special needs division always is my favorite! Ya'll are amazing!

 

[cheerdaddy]

We have one at Ultimate Athletics, The Gems! They do a whole routine, tumbling, stunting, dancing, jumps,and they are assisted by cheerleaders from the program who volunteer their time, they are Gems Buddies. The Gems are by far my favorite team to watch perform out of all the teams at my gym! There is nothing better than seeing these athletes' faces light up when they are performing and when they get that standing ovation at the end of their performance!

 

[monicanicole]

We have one at Ultimate Athletics, The Gems! They do a whole routine, tumbling, stunting, dancing, jumps,and they are assisted by cheerleaders from the program who volunteer their time, they are Gems Buddies. The Gems are by far my favorite team to watch perform out of all the teams at my gym! There is nothing better than seeing these athletes' faces light up when they are performing and when they get that standing ovation at the end of their performance!

that is basically the same way we do it at our gym. i tear up every time i watch them and i've been coaching them for a few years now...it's ridiculous :)

 

[PA4life]

We are also hoping to add a special needs team... Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[ACEDAD]

Over the years, we've been able to help a number of gyms get special needs teams started. As part of the USASF Special Needs Committee (for a few more days anyway), I'll be glad to help out. Just send me an email to [email protected] and let me know your gym. I'll be glad to send you my "startup" email that I've built over the years.

We now have more than 300 special needs teams around the US, Canada & Great Britain.

 

[INeverStopCheering]

We had one last year. They did an opening stunt cheer, jumps, tumble pass, dance, and grounded pyramid (people's feet in kneelers hand's)

 

[kjstepone]

Step 1 has had a fairly large special needs team the last few years. They are called the #1's! They do an entire routine (motions, jumps, dance, stunts, and tumbling- last pass has always been the wheelchair wheely across the floor!) with the help of volunteer athletes and some of the coaches. My favorite thing about our gym's special needs program is that they always throw them a "prom" at the end of the season. The kids get dressed up and the gym is transformed into a dance party! It's the sweetest thing. One of our coaches just received (for the second year in a row) an award for his volunteer work in a local school's special needs program on top of the work he does with the gym's team. So proud!

 

[cheerdiva22]

at maryland twisters we have two special needs teams storm chasers for the younger kids and eye of the storm for the older ones, they are amazing! on eye they have tumbling stunting pyramids dance and i am almost positive they do jumps. they have a bow n arrow at a prep as the main stunt! and the stunt group also can single down! the other groups do preps all by themselves with just a few of the older girls in the program as spotters and helpers. also on eye they have a coach get up on the floor and spot the kids with their tumbling. one of the boys (also the flyer in the bow n arrow) can do a backhandspring and gets spotted on pounchfront through to a roundoff backhandspring tuck! one of the others gets spotted on a backhandspring! and others on front walkovers and kartwheels! they alos won cheersport nationals which was amazing to them because there they were actually being ujdged on a scoresheet! storm chasers are amazing! they dont compete as much as eye, and only have competed about 4 or 5 times but they are adorable. i havent had many chances to see them though i believe they have preps assisted by the helpers and thigh stands, jumps, a dance, and motions, and tumbling! i get tears in my eyes everytime is see theese teams. They definately are some of my favorite teams at the gym! im babbling now yeah sooooooooooooooooo they make my jaw drop:jawdrop:. i love eye of the storm and storm chasers! <3<3<3

 

[ACEDAD]

at maryland twisters we have two special needs teams storm chasers for the younger kids and eye of the storm for the older ones, they are amazing! on eye they have tumbling stunting pyramids dance and i am almost positive they do jumps. they have a bow n arrow at a prep as the main stunt! and the stunt group also can single down! the other groups do preps all by themselves with just a few of the older girls in the program as spotters and helpers. also on eye they have a coach get up on the floor and spot the kids with their tumbling. one of the boys (also the flyer in the bow n arrow) can do a backhandspring and gets spotted on pounchfront through to a roundoff backhandspring tuck! one of the others gets spotted on a backhandspring! and others on front walkovers and kartwheels! they alos won cheersport nationals which was amazing to them because there they were actually being ujdged on a scoresheet! storm chasers are amazing! they dont compete as much as eye, and only have competed about 4 or 5 times but they are adorable. i havent had many chances to see them though i believe they have preps assisted by the helpers and thigh stands, jumps, a dance, and motions, and tumbling! i get tears in my eyes everytime is see theese teams. They definately are some of my favorite teams at the gym! im babbling now yeah sooooooooooooooooo they make my jaw drop:jawdrop:. i love eye of the storm and storm chasers! <3<3<3

Love the whole program, especially Coach Sharon!

 

[Fameous MOM]

at maryland twisters we have two special needs teams storm chasers for the younger kids and eye of the storm for the older ones, they are amazing! on eye they have tumbling stunting pyramids dance and i am almost positive they do jumps. they have a bow n arrow at a prep as the main stunt! and the stunt group also can single down! the other groups do preps all by themselves with just a few of the older girls in the program as spotters and helpers. also on eye they have a coach get up on the floor and spot the kids with their tumbling. one of the boys (also the flyer in the bow n arrow) can do a backhandspring and gets spotted on pounchfront through to a roundoff backhandspring tuck! one of the others gets spotted on a backhandspring! and others on front walkovers and kartwheels! they alos won cheersport nationals which was amazing to them because there they were actually being ujdged on a scoresheet! storm chasers are amazing! they dont compete as much as eye, and only have competed about 4 or 5 times but they are adorable. i havent had many chances to see them though i believe they have preps assisted by the helpers and thigh stands, jumps, a dance, and motions, and tumbling! i get tears in my eyes everytime is see theese teams. They definately are some of my favorite teams at the gym! im babbling now yeah sooooooooooooooooo they make my jaw drop:jawdrop:. i love eye of the storm and storm chasers! <3<3<3

We saw them and I was sooooooooooooooo impressed. It was the highlight of the weekend!!!:cheering:

 

[monicanicole]

at maryland twisters we have two special needs teams storm chasers for the younger kids and eye of the storm for the older ones, they are amazing! on eye they have tumbling stunting pyramids dance and i am almost positive they do jumps. they have a bow n arrow at a prep as the main stunt! and the stunt group also can single down! the other groups do preps all by themselves with just a few of the older girls in the program as spotters and helpers. also on eye they have a coach get up on the floor and spot the kids with their tumbling. one of the boys (also the flyer in the bow n arrow) can do a backhandspring and gets spotted on pounchfront through to a roundoff backhandspring tuck! one of the others gets spotted on a backhandspring! and others on front walkovers and kartwheels! they alos won cheersport nationals which was amazing to them because there they were actually being ujdged on a scoresheet! storm chasers are amazing! they dont compete as much as eye, and only have competed about 4 or 5 times but they are adorable. i havent had many chances to see them though i believe they have preps assisted by the helpers and thigh stands, jumps, a dance, and motions, and tumbling! i get tears in my eyes everytime is see theese teams. They definately are some of my favorite teams at the gym! im babbling now yeah sooooooooooooooooo they make my jaw drop:jawdrop:. i love eye of the storm and storm chasers! <3<3<3

that is ABSOLUTELY amazing! We will be taking our team from little Boise, Idaho to Cheersport in Atlanta in this 2011-2012 season and we can't wait!

 

[TwistersKatelyn<3]

Special Needs team are so amazing. I love watching, it makes me so happy and even tear up a little. :rolleyes:

 

[ACEDAD]

Over the years, we've been able to help a number of gyms get special needs teams started. As part of the USASF Special Needs Committee (for a few more days anyway), I'll be glad to help out. Just send me an email to [email protected] and let me know your gym. I'll be glad to send you my "startup" email that I've built over the years.

We now have more than 300 special needs teams around the US, Canada & Great Britain.

I've gotten some questions, so let me clarify something. I'm retiring as the coach of ACE Bows & Arrows special needs team. I'm also retiring as the chairman of the USASF Parent Action Committee and the vice chairman of the USASF Special Needs Committee.

But my comment above mentioning the "few more days anyway" was in reference to the position, not to being glad to help out.

If you have a question about a special needs team, I will help out as long as I'm alive.

 

[erikat]

I think all these team deserve a round of applause!! We have a special needs team in Colorado, who are amazing wonderful people. They have been deputed on our local news channels and were the NCA National Champions this year at Texas. In addition who are in the Pepsi refresh challenge trying to get a scholarship to fund their team!

Attached are some links as to this unique team and their abilities.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Colorado-Suns-with-Special-Needs/275208075056
http://www.refresheverything.com/coloradosuns
http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/vi...cpkey=5c059c86-e72b-4db1-be8a-ed3068dd5124|||
http://www.9news.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=816361121001#/Cheerleaders/816361121001

Monicanicole, I wish you the best with your Idaho team!