All-Star Team Placement

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Anonymous

I’m newer to the allstar cheer world so could use some advise. Daughter is at a D2 gym. She was put on youth level 1 last season. She was by far the best on the team (front and center for everything) and bored with it and couldn’t wait for the season to come to an end. She also was a flyer (extremely flexible) but wasn’t in every stunt because she was 11 last season on a youth team and the girls struggled to hold her up. Fast forward to this season and she was moved up to youth level 2. This will be the last year of youth age. Since the gym is smaller they filled the team with 1/2 mini age and 1/2 youth age and sprinkled in 5 girls that don’t have backhand springs so unfortunately she won’t get a chance to be a flyer. My daughter has her standing tuck, round off backhand spring but the gym claims they don’t like girls to skip levels yet a lot of their teams have girls that don’t have the tumbling skills for their level. A lot of parents mentioned to me they couldn’t believe my daughter wasn’t moved to level 3 so she could have the opportunity to fly and even one of the parents who has coached allstar cheer and judges cheer competitions. I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact I’m going to be spending $300/mth on a team she is too advanced for and not excited about but she loves cheer. What should I do? Should I just move on to a different gym? Maybe the gym that she is at just isn’t the right fit or is it not that serious at level 2. I’m just concerned if she doesn’t learn to fly at the lower levels how would she be able to fly moving forward.
 
You are new to the sport so I will say this:

Being a flyer on youth one or youth 2 doesn’t translate into being a flyer at the higher levels.

Flying at level three is an entirely different ball game than two or one. A lot of kids don’t make that jump very well because the stunts are more advanced.

I wouldn’t necessarily think “if my kid does not fly on Y2 she’s never going to fly again.”

At the same time, I would be prepared that between 2 and 3 a lot of girls who would normally fly become bases. Especially when we start talking about getting older and hitting the growth spurt. Then with the junior age grid being so wide, they are on teams with younger girls and naturally, younger girls end up in the air and if your child is tall, they are going to move to basing usually.

That and you just mathematically need more bases than you need flyers.

All that to say, if flying becomes your “make or break” point for cheer and whether your child wants to stay on a team or go elsewhere, you’re in for a rough time.
 
The jump from flying level 2 to level 3 is enormous. Honestly, it's the most difficult transition to make, and many don't succeed at it.

You say she has a standing tuck and a roundoff backhandspring. That's not level 3. Especially with the new scoresheet. Sounds like her tumbling is level based on what you've stated.

She may be flexible, but is she able to control herself in the air, or have the spatial awareness needed to fly at level 3?

Her learning to base/backspot honestly may be the best thing for her. It'll make her a better flyer. If her heart is truly in flying, I would ask her coaches or the gym owner about flying classes. That way she can learn those skills when she is ready to level up.
 
The jump from flying level 2 to level 3 is enormous. Honestly, it's the most difficult transition to make, and many don't succeed at it.

You say she has a standing tuck and a roundoff backhandspring. That's not level 3. Especially with the new scoresheet. Sounds like her tumbling is level based on what you've stated.

She may be flexible, but is she able to control herself in the air, or have the spatial awareness needed to fly at level 3?

Her learning to base/backspot honestly may be the best thing for her. It'll make her a better flyer. If her heart is truly in flying, I would ask her coaches or the gym owner about flying classes. That way she can learn those skills when she is ready to level up.
Thanks! She has her round off back hand spring tuck.
 
Just as an aside here: Even a round off back handspring tuck and a standing tuck do not a level 3 athlete make.

Being level three in tumbling means more than just having a RO BHS tuck. Look at all the passes that are considered elite level three and advanced level three. Tumbling at a level means having the specialty and combo passes at that level as well. Not just checking off the bare minimum. It also means being consistent at that level.

And overall, being level 3 = more than just the tumbling at the level. It’s being able to stunt at that level consistently.
 
Does your daughter like her Level 2 team and find the skills she’s doing challenging? If she likes it and seems to be getting something out of it, I think it’d be fine for her to get a year of experience in Level 2. She’s only 11, and there’s probably a reason the coaches didn’t feel she was ready for the next level. If she was that advanced, the coaches likely would have made room for her on their Level 3 team. Also, what is the age of your Level 3 team? If it’s a Sr team, maybe priority goes to older girls/flyers already experienced in Level 3 before considering younger kids from Level 1? Level 3 stunting is drastically different from Level 1. And is the Level 3 team Small or Medium? A small team obviously means fewer flyer spots available.

If your daughter’s tumbling is considerably more advanced than Level 2 and she’s bored by that aspect of it, you could have her take tumbling classes/privates.

If you’re that concerned about her flying and progressing up the levels quickly, a D2 gym might not be for you. Are you near any strong D1 programs? D1 means bigger and more teams, which translates into more flyer spots available and better opportunities to move up. Whatever your height is might be the best way to predict whether your daughter has a long-term future in flying. If you’re taller than 5’2 or 5’3, it’s probably beneficial for her to learn to base.
 
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I’m newer to the allstar cheer world so could use some advise. Daughter is at a D2 gym. She was put on youth level 1 last season. She was by far the best on the team (front and center for everything) and bored with it and couldn’t wait for the season to come to an end. She also was a flyer (extremely flexible) but wasn’t in every stunt because she was 11 last season on a youth team and the girls struggled to hold her up. Fast forward to this season and she was moved up to youth level 2. This will be the last year of youth age. Since the gym is smaller they filled the team with 1/2 mini age and 1/2 youth age and sprinkled in 5 girls that don’t have backhand springs so unfortunately she won’t get a chance to be a flyer. My daughter has her standing tuck, round off backhand spring tuck but the gym claims they don’t like girls to skip levels yet a lot of their teams have girls that don’t have the tumbling skills for their level. A lot of parents mentioned to me they couldn’t believe my daughter wasn’t moved to level 3 so she could have the opportunity to fly and even one of the parents who has coached allstar cheer and judges cheer competitions. I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact I’m going to be spending $300/mth on a team she is too advanced for and not excited about but she loves cheer. What should I do? Should I just move on to a different gym? Maybe the gym that she is at just isn’t the right fit or is it not that serious at level 2. I’m just concerned if she doesn’t learn to fly at the lower levels how would she be able to fly moving forward.
Does your daughter like her Level 2 team and find the skills she’s doing challenging? If she likes it and seems to be getting something out of it, I think it’d be fine for her to get a year of experience in Level 2. She’s only 11, and there’s probably a reason the coaches didn’t feel she was ready for the next level. If she was that advanced, the coaches likely would have made room for her on their Level 3 team. Also, what is the age of your Level 3 team? If it’s a Sr team, maybe priority goes to older girls/flyers already experienced in Level 3 before considering younger kids from Level 1? Level 3 stunting is drastically different from Level 1. And is the Level 3 team Small or Medium? A small team obviously means fewer flyer spots available.

If your daughter’s tumbling is considerably more advanced than Level 2 and she’s bored by that aspect of it, you could have her take tumbling classes/privates.

If you’re that concerned about her flying and progressing up the levels quickly, a D2 gym might not be for you. Are you near any strong D1 programs? D1 means bigger and more teams, which translates into more flyer spots available and better opportunities to move up. Whatever your height is might be the best way to predict whether your daughter has a long-term future in flying. If you’re taller than 5’2 or 5’3, it’s probably beneficial for her to learn to base.
Thanks! Yes I’m 5’2” and dad is 5’8””so she won’t be tall. She isn’t thrilled about the level 2 team and feels it’s not challenging. She is the oldest and they filled the team with half mini age so 7/8 year olds. They have 25 on the team. I’ve seen a break down of level 3 tumbling passes and she can do it all. She can always learn something new and will get something out of the season. I am near a well known D1 gym but it is an hour drive so I guess I have to decide.
 
My guess is the plan to transition her to basing. I am 5’2 and my daughter’s Dad is 5’4. My daughter is 5 2’1/2 and was a flyer for TVCC College. Her words, I think I am the tallest flyer, I feel like a giraffe, the other girls are so short, which I had experience flying and basing.
 
My guess is the plan to transition her to basing. I am 5’2 and my daughter’s Dad is 5’4. My daughter is 5 2’1/2 and was a flyer for TVCC College. Her words, I think I am the tallest flyer, I feel like a giraffe, the other girls are so short, which I had experience flying and basing.
Thanks for the input! I know most flyers are extremely short. I feel short as a 5’2” woman and it’s crazy that is considered tall in the flyer world lol.
 
Just as an aside here: Even a round off back handspring tuck and a standing tuck do not a level 3 athlete make.

Being level three in tumbling means more than just having a RO BHS tuck. Look at all the passes that are considered elite level three and advanced level three. Tumbling at a level means having the specialty and combo passes at that level as well. Not just checking off the bare minimum. It also means being consistent at that level.

And overall, being level 3 = more than just the tumbling at the level. It’s being able to stunt at that level consistently.
She does have more than the bare minimum but I do agree she can learn about flying even by being a base. I guess what I have to get out of my mind is just the shock of how the gym moves certain kids up when they don’t have the skills but I guess you just have to be creative sometimes when the gym is smaller.
 
She does have more than the bare minimum but I do agree she can learn about flying even by being a base. I guess what I have to get out of my mind is just the shock of how the gym moves certain kids up when they don’t have the skills but I guess you just have to be creative sometimes when the gym is smaller.
There are many reasons for kids to be on levels they may not have the tumbling for. Most often it's because they fill a need better than someone that may have the tumbling.
 
There are many reasons for kids to be on levels they may not have the tumbling for. Most often it's because they fill a need better than someone that may have the tumbling.
Yes that is what I am learning. Lol
 
Thanks for the advise! Is it normal to have a youth team 1/2 filled with mini age?
Each age division has a bit of an overlap to make it challenging and easier to work with.
Mini: 5-8
Youth: 5-11
D2 gyms are smaller gyms with less than a certain amount of athletes, and therefore, less teams. Some only have 1 or 2. Do they have a mini team? If they don't, that's a good reason why the youth team has so many mini age athletes. They have to make it work with only a small amount of athletes, so the ages can be pretty mixed as long as it's legal. It sounds like your daughter is ready to move on to a junior team!
If she moves to a junior team, it will be a little more complex and challenging, even at a level 2. She also may be able to fly still. She'll most likely be surrounded by athletes her age. Does she have elite level 2 skills? When an athlete levels up, the coaches tend to not put them in positions such as center flyer, or tumbler.
 
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