All-Star Summer Sandbox

[driverto6]

I know people have gave their opinions, but I can't stress how much I love group me enough. My HS team got it and we LOVED it. We would have conversations all day, and if people didn't want to participate they could turn off alerts. We did have one issue, but it was more like one member of the team blowing things way out of proportion. Otherwise, our group message is one thing I missed most about graduating, since we were a close bunch it strengthened the bond. We were older, and ours was unmonitored. College team uses it for information purposes but every so often we have conversations.

My daughter's team has two groups...one where the coaches are a part of it and one without. The team is mainly high school students, with 3 middle schoolers (my daughter being one). I check her phone regularly and the non-monitored group does occasionally have some bad language and references to high-school activities that the coaches might not like. It's never anything really bad and the girls really love the opportunity to communicate with one another. I think it's a great tool for teams.

 

[CheerPup]

I have a groupme with my college team. It's really great to bond with the team and it gives me another place to put important messages. We have also added all of the newbies so they can start integrating into the team before the season starts and its an easy place for them to ask questions about college or if they're new to the sport.

Sometimes I really wonder about my teammates. I love them to death, but I do not know what to do at a certain point when they don't pay attention to e-mails, facebook posts, or groupme messages. ESPECIALLY if they are given out an itinerary or calendar, which drove me crazy last year at a basketball tournament. If I take the time to make a calendar or itinerary, please do not ask me when or where we are meeting for things. It has gotten to a point where I don't respond if it is something I have already told them multiple times. I will say, what does the calendar say? What does the e-mail say? I get cheerleading is not the same as school, but for doing so well academically, how are they so clueless when it comes to reading an email or following a practice schedule?

Trying to gather sizes for practice wear the past few days has been like getting teeth pulled, and I've never even had my teeth pulled! I can just imagine they are equally painful.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

^^^^^^YES.

I make a nice little packing list for out of town comps or tournament games and with an itinerary. The itinerary is emailed, sent home with the cheerleader, and physically handed out to the parents.

Yet I still manage to get no less than 5 texts or phone calls the day we depart asking "What time do we meet the bus?" or "Which lot will the bus be in?"

 

[cheerisloving]

The team is mainly high school students, with 3 middle schoolers (my daughter being one). I check her phone regularly and the non-monitored group does occasionally have some bad language and references to high-school activities that the coaches might not like.

Off topic, but I was a 7th grader on a senior team in the land before group messages. I will tell you now, her being around high school stuff now rather than being thrown into it when she's there, will put her ahead of the game! I never hung out with any of them outside of cheer but I did hear things that were on the mature side, and it did wonders for my maturity.

Granted I wasn't sheltered as a child. But I turned out just fine. ;)

(ETA Not to say you shelter your child!!!)

 

[driverto6]

My CP Has several older siblings...much older. I am pretty sure there is nothing she doesn't already know about:)

 

[twincheermom]

This might sound weird, but the parents on my girls' team had a group me also. Well, we actually used What's App, but same thing. It definitely made us closer, which in turn made the kids feel closer as well. Something else we used that might interest parents (but probably not kids) is that we used Google sheets for all of our travel plans. We had three airplane trips, so we used it to put everyone's flight plans in. This way, we all knew who was coming and going and could keep an eye out for each other. Definitely helped big time with the weather nightmares in Dallas!

 

[omgitssydthekid]

This might sound weird, but the parents on my girls' team had a group me also. Well, we actually used What's App, but same thing. It definitely made us closer, which in turn made the kids feel closer as well. Something else we used that might interest parents (but probably not kids) is that we used Google sheets for all of our travel plans. We had three airplane trips, so we used it to put everyone's flight plans in. This way, we all knew who was coming and going and could keep an eye out for each other. Definitely helped big time with the weather nightmares in Dallas!

Our parents have a group me, but it's used for relaying information about practices/team bonding events/competitions. It worked really well last year!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cheer Dad]

This might sound weird, but the parents on my girls' team had a group me also. Well, we actually used What's App, but same thing. It definitely made us closer, which in turn made the kids feel closer as well. Something else we used that might interest parents (but probably not kids) is that we used Google sheets for all of our travel plans. We had three airplane trips, so we used it to put everyone's flight plans in. This way, we all knew who was coming and going and could keep an eye out for each other. Definitely helped big time with the weather nightmares in Dallas!

Not weird if a close group.


**You're 12 and promoting a college recruiting camp. So tell us how your recruiting experience was?**

 

[catlady]

This might sound weird, but the parents on my girls' team had a group me also. Well, we actually used What's App, but same thing. It definitely made us closer, which in turn made the kids feel closer as well. Something else we used that might interest parents (but probably not kids) is that we used Google sheets for all of our travel plans. We had three airplane trips, so we used it to put everyone's flight plans in. This way, we all knew who was coming and going and could keep an eye out for each other. Definitely helped big time with the weather nightmares in Dallas!

Many gyms keep their member information private so, I think they're great for car pools, or help I need a ride, help-I'm lost, I'm new, I accidently deleted an email, I can't find..., do you know...., type things. I have 2 cp's and part-timerz so, it's nice to have the kids on Group Me taking care of their own team stuff but, I can see the benefits for parents, as well.

 

[KikiD22]

We have two GroupMe group chats as well, one for just the athletes and coaches (with myself and the other team mom to monitor) and one for the parents. The athletes' group is mostly social. The parents' group is more informational for now, but with last season's parents chat, it quickly became social as well.

 

[CheerBank]

I wish our coaches would make a Group Me for the parents. We have a parent's Facebook page but I am not looking at that as frequently as I would Group Me. Cp's senior team had it this past season with the coaches in it, and that was their primary means of communication with each other especially for important things.

 

[Cheer Dad]

I wish our coaches would make a Group Me for the parents. We have a parent's Facebook page but I am not looking at that as frequently as I would Group Me. Cp's senior team had it this past season with the coaches in it, and that was their primary means of communication with each other especially for important things.

Dumb question. Keep hearing about it but exactly how does GroupMe work? I have the impression it is like a group text message.


**You're 12 and promoting a college recruiting camp. So tell us how your recruiting experience was?**

 

[yooolizzi]

Dumb question. Keep hearing about it but exactly how does GroupMe work? I have the impression it is like a group text message.


**You're 12 and promoting a college recruiting camp. So tell us how your recruiting experience was?**

That's exactly it, but you also have the option to like a post, so you don't even have to respond to it, just like it so you know the message has been received!

 

[Cheer Dad]

That's exactly it, but you also have the option to like a post, so you don't even have to respond to it, just like it so you know the message has been received!

Interesting.


**You're 12 and promoting a college recruiting camp. So tell us how your recruiting experience was?**

 

[ilikebigbows]

You can also mute the conversation when people are feeling chatty if you don't want a notification every half second, and it allows for people without smartphones to be a part of a large group chat too.