All-Star Summer Attendance Policy

[cheer_coach_d]

How many missed practices are allowed in the summer in your program? We instituted a new rule this year that requires the kids to fill out a calendar with dates they will miss and they are limited to three misses for vacation, etc. from June through August (pre-choreo). Some parents are acting like this is completely outrageous. I'd like to hear what other gyms allow in the summer.

 

[Seeker30]

we have two vacation weeks that we tell them before hand they can choose those vacation days or miss three days in the time of those 3 days they can be changed removed from a routine

 

[TheVipersMom]

You don't miss after choreo. Ours starts July 5th.

During June you can miss if you go out of town but if your in town your expected to be there!

And they are also required to fill out a calendar if they are going to miss!
I even hate that they let people miss in June. I wish they would limit it to 1 or 2 some kids just find out a way to be out of town for a whole month. (I'm not referring to kids on Visitation because that is court ordered and out of control usually) I just can't stand not having complete stunt groups. My daughter is a flyer and if all her bases are there then some other flyers bases aren't then she gets stuck swapping in and out with the other flyer and vice versa!

Ps I like your rule! :)

 

[alexamarysouza]

I honestly wish my gym was a bit stricter on the attendance policy for the summer. I just hate not knowing half the new girls because they don't feel like showing up. My gym basically does what Kris10boo 's does. If you're in town, be at practice. If you're out of town, and it's before choreo week, you have to get it 'approved' by one of your coaches. I didn't even know that till like yesterday. I don't even really know what they consider 'approvable'. I just really want to be able to work with the stunt group and team that I'm going to be with all season!

 

[cheerforeverever]

At the gym I was at in high school, you didn't miss summer practices unless it was during the two weeks of "permitted vacation time" in July. Practice was still held during those weeks for anyone still in town where it was mostly tumbling, jumping & conditioning practices. That was stated at tryouts and in writing for the tryout paperwork that everyone had to sign always. Parents knew to plan their vacations in those 2 weeks or not go on vacation. Anything outside of those 2 weeks had to be a special circumstance approved by the coaches (funeral, wedding, custody days, family emergencies, sickness with a fever over 100 degrees/contagious).

 

[JumpingJackFlash]

Go to practice!!!!! If you have a week or two vacation planned, let the coaches know. Otherwise, be there..................no matter what party or last minute thing you want to do. If you want the summer off to do what you want or just don't feel like showing up for practice occasionally, great! But don't expect your spot to be waiting for you. Think of it like a sabbatical at work. You can take the time off, you will have a place in the organization, it just may not be the team you want to be on. So sorry....

 

[cupieqt]

No more than 3 missed practices (unless it's a hardship case and they have to stay with dad in Delaware for a month). Anything over that must be approved. We ask for vacation dates to be turned in as early as possible. We give our choreography camp dates at the parent meeting a week after tryouts bc it's absolutely mandatory.

 

[AndrewSky]

I haven't missed one practice for as long as I've been doing Allstars. And I have cross competed every year that I have been a part of Allstars! However, most gyms give you vacation weeks off during summer, so I would say maximum of three.

 

[MomMomMamaMom]

I'm sorry, but during the summer my kids have to miss. I schedule the misses before Choreography Camp, but they must visit their father, I wouldn't have it any other way. And I can't afford full time summer camp. I'd say they miss almost a month because of their visits, but the coaches know ahead of time, and its the only way I can afford to pay for the rest of the year. I know that it isn't the best solution. But it's the only one I've got.... I do the best with what I have.

 

[xomckenzieee]

My coach tried all sorts of attendance policies but finding one that works is still up in the air. My coaches philosophy was that since cheer is a year long sport, you can't expect kids not to have lives in the summer. Cheerleaders give up all their breaks, weekends, etc. for the sport. I played volleyball too (among other sports) so often I had a camp or a game that I had to be at over practice. You can't limit kids, specially younger kids, because who knows if cheerleading is going to be their whole life. There's a lot out there and telling 7 year old kids... sorry nothing but cheerleading for you just doesn't feel right.

 

[Underestimated]

if i had my own gym i wouldnt allow missing practices 2 weeks BEFORE choreography. and then after they would be allowed 3 miss days (sick w/dr's note, funeral, emergency...) if they miss possible potential of being pulled out of the routine for the following competition and NO missing practices 2 weeks prior to competitions.

IF they're sick and not contagious and they can come in and sit and watch its a different story!

thats how i would do it.

 

[CheerBank]

We had made plans last fall for two weeks during this summer. As soon as I knew we were switching gyms, I emailed the new coach and let her know we already had these unchangeable plans in place and she was completely understanding. I think there needs to be a little more leniency during the summer than after choreography, however, I know the coach just reminded the team last night that while it's one thing to have an approved vacation day or be legitimately sick, it's completely unacceptable to say you are sick and then post pictures of yourself and your friends on Facebook while you're obviously missing practice and it will not be tolerated.

 

[KayNwa.]

We actually stop reguallar practice for Summer here in Scotland. We keep a intense conditioning programme on through the summer, with serverall open days/enrollment days. We also set dates in August for 2 day intense Stunt&Tumble clinics. We dont do choreo through summer as its just too big a risk with attendence, so we allow athletes to enjoy their summer and come back nice and fresh for choreo.

We decided this due to severall summers were we have had like 5 people turn up to a practice due to people been away on holidays ect. The conditioning means they are still staying fit and strong so this works well. We start choreo when everyone is back as our comps arent usually till the next Febuary and so on.

But i guess if you have a comp coming up really soon after/during summer then you would keep your practices going and have a set rule regarding holidays, missing practices ect.

Regarding normal practice seasons, all our athletes MUST attend ALL practices...other than if they have family reasons. If they are ill - they still must come and watch - even if that means coming with a blanket and hot water bottle THEY MUST COME. If they really cant they must let us - the coaches - know 24 hours in advance.

:)

 

[12stepCheermom]

We have to turn in calendars and the gym is closed the week of the fourth (which is the week we schedule our. Vacation anyway). Outside of that you can miss 6 before they expect you to make up with another team that is the same level. It ends up being the usual suspects though. The people who are always there...are always there. Some "take the summer off" (not related to visitation). I'm still having a hard time figuring out who's actually on the team because of 30ish kids we average about 19 at practice. So it's heavy conditioning, tumbling and stunting new skills. After choreography (which starts in august) its game on and there's no more absences allowed outside of the standard sick, death in the family and school graded function.

But summer drives me nuts. Soooooo much opportunity to grow and it gets blown off by a number of people. 1cp won't miss any this summer, the other is just missing this week for summer encampment and it's not like that's a vacation for him.

 

[quitthedrama]

we have what seems to be the popular three excused absences during the summer and the gym is closed one week in July and one week in August. Unless it is an emergency you must let the gym know ahead of time when you will be absent. There are people that miss more than three, but for the most part attendance is not an issue at our gym. Our gym does a lot of tumbling and skill building over the summer in addition to getting routines ready, so there is a lot of individual progress that is made even if athletes are absent.