Summer Practices

[Lindsay H.]

We had a lot of trouble this past summer getting all of our cheerleaders to practice (vacations, other summer commitments etc.). It was our first year and we have a limited number of girls so it was hard to practice anything if there were only a few missing. Any suggestions on how to voice the importance of summer practices without telling families they can't have their vacations and other things??

 

[retiredl5cheer]

Give them a set number of practices they are allowed to miss and state the consequences for missing more than that number.

 

[CookieMomster]

Our gym has a modified schedule for the summer months. The rule is if you're in town you're expected to attend. Instead of 2x a week we practice for 1x, and there are no weekend practices. Those changes have made it doable for families to still enjoy vacation time and attend practices. Starting the week of Labour Day we go back to our normal schedules.

 

[Pebbles49]

I know at the gym my daughter attends... Just like CheerMama14, they are on a modify schedule... You must give the coaches your vacation schedule, I believe you are allow to miss 3 scheduled practices and I am not sure about this, but you are allow to take 1 or 2 weeks scheduled vacation... Furthermore, I believe, the gym is close for 1 week in July and 1 week in August, so many families are able to enjoy their summers and have cheerleading too! Most of the time, I noticed that the team is working on stunting, and are not really placed in their stunts groups until after choreography and during the summer, the team is really working on tumbling, conditioning and any other skills the team will need during the competition season. However, after Labor Day, the team practice becomes 3x a week and many, many stringent rules start to kick in after this time. (Along with the coaches screaming and yelling, "move your butts!" LOL);)

 

[mommycheer]

Modified here as well. My daughter has done camp and vacation without a problem. Cheer is important but family time and camp are a big part of her summer as well

 

[CheerBank]

Our gym is closed 1 week in July and 1 week in August, plus a good majority of the girls go to Woodward for a week together mid-summer. Practices are all held Monday-Thursday so as not to interfere with weekend plans. There are definitely some kids who miss a large number of practices during the summer, but you can see the difference come September when you compare the kid who spent the summer working hard on new skills and the kid who did not.
I fully agree that cheer is a year-round committment and that family time is an absolute must, but parents also need to understand that summer is probably the best time for skill advancement and that Susie may not be put in the front of the routine come September or have her own tumbling pass because even though they had the same skills at tryouts, Stephanie has been working hard in the gym all summer long and is now more advanced.