All-Star Survey: Hs Cheer V. All Star Cheer

[cmghas3]

My oldest cp has has both all star and HS experience. I stand by what I've always said that I gained a huge respect for HS cheerleaders that I never knew. Although my state is not "known" for huge teams they have definitely progressed. My cp is a senior this year and will (hopefully) receive some scholarships for cheer if she makes the University's teams. My biggest pet peeve that I hear all the time now is that our coaches do not like all star cheerleaders! Very untrue!





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[Fierce_Elite]

I would defiantly choose school cheer hands down. I say that because, you really get to practice game day skills that's highly needed for college teams. There are also plenty of colleges out here, that don't have a coed team. But even when you do have a coed team, and you can partner stunt, and you've ONLY had all star experience, you probably won't make a college team. Because with all star only experience, you probably don't have enough game day skills for school to make your self look like you're supposed to be a cheerleader at that school.
Being on a school team, as said before, gives you a chance to work on those important game day skills :) that's what I like over All star.

 

[cheer25mom]

I don't think the statement that if you only have all star experience you won't make the college squad is accurate. I find the opposite to be true. I have seen many girls who did not cheer sideline at all make a college team. I have seen very few who only did sideline cheer make it. Most colleges want girls to be able to coed stunt. Even on all girl teams, there is a lot of coed style stunting these days. None of that is taught in high school sideline cheer, or any but the biggest nationally recognized competition squads. To make a college squad, you need the elite stunt and tumbling skills that are only taught at all star gyms. Our local college squad comes to our gym for stunt instruction. Our coaches are the only ones in the area qualified to teach them elite level stunts, coed or all girl. There is only one high school locally that is nationally competitive so those would be the ONLY girls who don't do all star that have the kind of stunt experience colleges are looking for. I don't know about other areas, but in our area the vast majority of teams who stunt are doing preps, maybe a prep level lib or stretch, and if they are really good single skills at extension. That won't cut it in college. Game day skills are easy to pick up when you have done all star for years. You don't learn to pull elite stunts that are stable enough for grass or basketball floor overnight.

 

[Fierce_Elite]

I don't think the statement that if you only have all star experience you won't make the college squad is accurate. I find the opposite to be true. I have seen many girls who did not cheer sideline at all make a college team. I have seen very few who only did sideline cheer make it. Most colleges want girls to be able to coed stunt. Even on all girl teams, there is a lot of coed style stunting these days. None of that is taught in high school sideline cheer, or any but the biggest nationally recognized competition squads. To make a college squad, you need the elite stunt and tumbling skills that are only taught at all star gyms. Our local college squad comes to our gym for stunt instruction. Our coaches are the only ones in the area qualified to teach them elite level stunts, coed or all girl. There is only one high school locally that is nationally competitive so those would be the ONLY girls who don't do all star that have the kind of stunt experience colleges are looking for. I don't know about other areas, but in our area the vast majority of teams who stunt are doing preps, maybe a prep level lib or stretch, and if they are really good single skills at extension. That won't cut it in college. Game day skills are easy to pick up when you have done all star for years. You don't learn to pull elite stunts that are stable enough for grass or basketball floor overnight.

Thank you for your opinion. I just think for game day purposes, it's important to have those game day skills that colleges like. It's just as important. To me, competition skills and game day skills are two different things. But when you put it like that, it makes sense to have all star skills too.

 

[cheer25mom]

Thank you for your opinion. I just think for game day purposes, it's important to have those game day skills that colleges like. It's just as important. To me, competition skills and game day skills are two different things. But when you put it like that, it makes sense to have all star skills too.

you are right, both are important. I am seeing more and more colleges merging the two and doing harder stunts on the sidelines. It is making it harder for girls with little to no all star experience to make those squads. Also, more and more colleges are looking to compete at nationals and looking for girls with elite tumbling skills. It puts a high school cheerleader without the time and/or money to train at an all star gym at more and more of a disadvantage.

 

[Fierce_Elite]

you are right, both are important. I am seeing more and more colleges merging the two and doing harder stunts on the sidelines. It is making it harder for girls with little to no all star experience to make those squads. Also, more and more colleges are looking to compete at nationals and looking for girls with elite tumbling skills. It puts a high school cheerleader without the time and/or money to train at an all star gym at more and more of a disadvantage.

Couldn't agree more. I honestly think that all star gyms should have a special program for proposed high school cheerleaders who want to try out in college to have some inexpensive way to join an all star gym to get the needed training. Maybe working for the gym cleaning up the area, or being a chaperone or something? It really does suck for the school cheerleaders who cannot afford all star training to even have a chance at making a competition college team. Most colleges are coed, and hundreds of girls tryout at those colleges and not even a good 10% make the squads. It's sad. Not every high school has high quality training to make cuts through college tryouts.

 

[Fierce_Elite]

you are right, both are important. I am seeing more and more colleges merging the two and doing harder stunts on the sidelines. It is making it harder for girls with little to no all star experience to make those squads. Also, more and more colleges are looking to compete at nationals and looking for girls with elite tumbling skills. It puts a high school cheerleader without the time and/or money to train at an all star gym at more and more of a disadvantage.

Even if they do have exceptional talent, half of those girls don't even make a good team because of stunting or tumbling issues.

 

[cheerisloving]

I don't think the statement that if you only have all star experience you won't make the college squad is accurate. I find the opposite to be true. I have seen many girls who did not cheer sideline at all make a college team. I have seen very few who only did sideline cheer make it. Most colleges want girls to be able to coed stunt. Even on all girl teams, there is a lot of coed style stunting these days. None of that is taught in high school sideline cheer, or any but the biggest nationally recognized competition squads. To make a college squad, you need the elite stunt and tumbling skills that are only taught at all star gyms. Our local college squad comes to our gym for stunt instruction. Our coaches are the only ones in the area qualified to teach them elite level stunts, coed or all girl. There is only one high school locally that is nationally competitive so those would be the ONLY girls who don't do all star that have the kind of stunt experience colleges are looking for. I don't know about other areas, but in our area the vast majority of teams who stunt are doing preps, maybe a prep level lib or stretch, and if they are really good single skills at extension. That won't cut it in college. Game day skills are easy to pick up when you have done all star for years. You don't learn to pull elite stunts that are stable enough for grass or basketball floor overnight.

My HS team stunted 'elite', meaning we a strong level 4/5 team stunt wise. But we couldn't tumble at that level. When I went into my college tryout, my ability to base elite made me feel better. I tumble at 3/4 range. But most girls at my tryout did AS their whole lives and had little or no sideline experience at all. The AS athletes were at an advantage, easy.

 

[SparkleSpankies]

This topic is tough b/c I feel that your wants/needs, location, type of school program, level of all-star cheer, financial situation can all play into what's better.

I know I am not getting level 4 and 5 all-stars, but all of my level 2-3 all stars quit all star to cheer for my program due to the structure and type of program.

I feel like it is too hard to say what is "better" without taking all of this into account.

 

[cheerisloving]

This topic is tough b/c I feel that your wants/needs, location, type of school program, level of all-star cheer, financial situation can all play into what's better.

I know I am not getting level 4 and 5 all-stars, but all of my level 2-3 all stars quit all star to cheer for my program due to the structure and type of program.

I feel like it is too hard to say what is "better" without taking all of this into account.

Exactly, the choice is harder for Level 4/5's that are still progressing. They still have NCA and Worlds rings to win/strive for. Level 2/3's that aren't progressing can take their skills to HS and save time and money.

That sounds harsh but it's true, in my opinion. Even a longtime L5 athlete can succesfully walk away when in HS and use the skills there. I recall girls I know, and a former SS who had won their jackets and rings and decided to do HS. Some return to AS, some thoroughly enjoyed HS.