All-Star Team Reveals

[SthrnCheerMom]

I may have asked this last year but I can't find it.

We are in tryout season/team reveals. How does your gym do theirs?

We had tryouts last week. We received our level placements Saturday. They will practice the next 2 weeks and then teams will be announced on June 1. We get an email with a fun graphic inviting you to the team.

 

[Mndl]

We had call backs for level placement for a week and then CP got a folder with team name and all the info. Most of the teams got them yesterday or today, but a couple are still evaluating another week.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

For those of you whose gyms do those big reveal type events where you all show up and open an envelope/pop a balloon/etc. with glitter/props/cupcakes/a whole party.

Aren't kids/parents sometimes upset? How do you handle that? Do you prep people ahead of time who MIGHT be upset? Is everyone required to attend team reveal party thing? Can you have someone else pick yours up and decide for yourself if you want to come?

I am from high school world where I literally sent each candidate an email at 5pm the next day, and that was it - and I STILL sometimes got a nasty gram from an upset person even when I tried to be low key. That's why big team reveal hoopla is hard for me to comprehend. There were years where certain kids were not pleased and if I had even attempted something like this, I am sure someone would have tried to run me over in the parking lot.

 

[coacha]

For those of you whose gyms do those big reveal type events where you all show up and open an envelope/pop a balloon/etc. with glitter/props/cupcakes/a whole party.

Aren't kids/parents sometimes upset? How do you handle that? Do you prep people ahead of time who MIGHT be upset? Is everyone required to attend team reveal party thing? Can you have someone else pick yours up and decide for yourself if you want to come?

I am from high school world where I literally sent each candidate an email at 5pm the next day, and that was it - and I STILL sometimes got a nasty gram from an upset person even when I tried to be low key. That's why big team reveal hoopla is hard for me to comprehend. There were years where certain kids were not pleased and if I had even attempted something like this, I am sure someone would have tried to run me over in the parking lot.

I soooo hear you and have the same thoughts. The first year I did an email, I even had complaints that I didn’t blind copy everyone, so people could see whose name wasn’t on the email. Like they aren’t going to call each other and figure it out anyhow. . I have no idea how all stars manage.

 

[luv2cheer92]

I loved getting my personal call at CA. I think that's a great way to do it. It also gives you a chance to talk to one of your coaches before meeting them.

 

[DonnaM]

Honestly, pretty much everyone knows where they probably will be placed level-wise. Those groups are fairly set during the leveled practices. The big question is “what teams will we have this season”.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

I soooo hear you and have the same thoughts. The first year I did an email, I even had complaints that I didn’t blind copy everyone, so people could see whose name wasn’t on the email. Like they aren’t going to call each other and figure it out anyhow. . I have no idea how all stars manage.

Yes. I got a similar complaint when I started out just emailing the list of numbers. Complaint was "The girls know each other's numbers and they know who did and did not make it and that is not fair." Um. If athletes were at the clinics and evals they know that anyway. I can't control that. So we went to individuals with a blind copy.

I'm from the "NAME NOT NUMBER POSTED ON A GYM DOOR AFTER SCHOOL" era. (Or my other personal fave was middle school - name over the PA right before dismissal bell.) If they're concerned about someone knowing their number or not being BCCed, I'm not sure they would have survived that!

 

[emo_wifey]

CP's gym does emails for level placement, 8 weeks of level groups this year, and then emails for teams. Even though reveal is private they will call parents when team placement is different from practice groups, e.g. I got a call last year when CP had practiced with AS and they moved her back to prep.

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[kewpiekid]

Our gym sends an email. We are a small gym and this season there was only one full year team and two prep teams. I got an email that CP had made the full year team. Those who did not make the team were offered spots on the prep teams that began in the Fall.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

CP's gym does emails for level placement, 8 weeks of level groups this year, and then emails for teams. Even though reveal is private they will call parents when team placement is different from practice groups, e.g. I got a call last year when CP had practiced with AS and they moved her back to prep.

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I feel like I like this in theory. A few of my friend's HS teams have toyed with this is idea in that if you make it, you are just ONE BIG VARSITY AND ONE BIG JV SQUAD in the beginning of summer and then closer to camp, are moved into Varsity comp, Varsity sideline, etc.

If your gym does workout type level groups do you like it?

 

[catlady]

If your gym does workout type level groups do you like it?

Our gym did it one year and even though these kids weren't technically put on teams, they still knew what level stunts they were doing and quickly noted what athletes and coaches they're working with, so they kind of knew even though they weren't supposed to know. I'm torn. It ended up being around 3-4 athletes on each "unknown team" switching back and forth to see where they were a better fit. One kid said they felt like a foster child being switched between two families, one they wanted, one they didn't, and both families treating her like an outsider. One parent felt their child was visibly working harder with the "unknown team" she wanted versus the one she didn't and said her child didn't have the maturity to realize that would work against her. Another parent said they felt the stunt group was visibly working harder with the one they wanted versus her child. Another kid said she was quitting if she didn't get the team she wanted so it was just prolonged drama. Another said she was already labeled as the weak link on the higher level team, and the lower level team was ignoring her because she was getting to try out for the higher level team. In theory it sounds great, and the coaches should feel comfortable they have the best fit possible for the team. BUT, even I caught myself favoring certain athletes from the handful being switched in and out, so you know coaches and teammates have formed opinions early on towards those athletes before the season even started.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Our gym did it one year and even though these kids weren't technically put on teams, they still knew what level stunts they were doing and quickly noted what athletes and coaches they're working with, so they kind of knew even though they weren't supposed to know. I'm torn. It ended up being around 3-4 athletes on each "unknown team" switching back and forth to see where they were a better fit. One kid said they felt like a foster child being switched between two families, one they wanted, one they didn't, and both families treating her like an outsider. One parent felt their child was visibly working harder with the "unknown team" she wanted versus the one she didn't and said her child didn't have the maturity to realize that would work against her. Another parent said they felt the stunt group was visibly working harder with the one they wanted versus her child. Another kid said she was quitting if she didn't get the team she wanted so it was just prolonged drama. Another said she was already labeled as the weak link on the higher level team, and the lower level team was ignoring her because she was getting to try out for the higher level team. In theory it sounds great, and the coaches should feel comfortable they have the best fit possible for the team. BUT, even I caught myself favoring certain athletes from the handful being switched in and out, so you know coaches and teammates have formed opinions early on towards those athletes before the season even started.

Are all the groups working/practicing at same time? Or do they all have separate times/days?

From a parenting perspctive I like consistency. I like knowing that (example for me) tee ball is at 4:30 on Mondays/Wed. If groups are all same night, I think I'd be okay.

I am not sure I'd like (example) my hypothetical cheer kid being in Level 4 Workout group one week at 6:30 on M/W. Then finding out next week she is on the Level 3 group on T/TH at 5:30. Then finding out she is back to Level 4. Too many changes.

 

[Kiermyc]

Our gym does a big reveal but after tryouts and evaluations most kids have a good idea where they are going. It’s not something you have to attend. So if your kid had their heart set on a jr 4 but was doing evaluations with younger kids doing level 2 stunts I’m sure they skip the reveal. Most kids I see are happy what comes after with parents and kids being upset about placements is pretty much the same as any way of doing it. You’ll never be able to please everybody. I won’t say I didn’t see a few angry or upset kids or parents but most of that came from unrealistic expectations and every gym no matter how they reveal the teams will have that. Luckily we are blessed to be at a gym where there is literally a team for whatever level you are at. I could see at a small gym how this could be chaotic, if all you could field is a Sr 3 but you had kids on Sr 5 previously. Things that like would be justifiably hard to deal with.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Our gym does a big reveal but after tryouts and evaluations most kids have a good idea where they are going. It’s not something you have to attend. So if your kid had their heart set on a jr 4 but was doing evaluations with younger kids doing level 2 stunts I’m sure they skip the reveal. Most kids I see are happy what comes after with parents and kids being upset about placements is pretty much the same as any way of doing it. You’ll never be able to please everybody. I won’t say I didn’t see a few angry or upset kids or parents but most of that came from unrealistic expectations and every gym no matter how they reveal the teams will have that. Luckily we are blessed to be at a gym where there is literally a team for whatever level you are at. I could see at a small gym how this could be chaotic, if all you could field is a Sr 3 but you had kids on Sr 5 previously. Things that like would be justifiably hard to deal with.

It's all about managing expectations (for the kid and the parent.)

Ex: My most upset parents (school cheer) in 7 seasons were those who had expectations that didn't match up with skills/depth of talent in the pool. Ex: The parent who was upset re: daughter being asked back to JV instead of making Varsity, when she knew her child needed a tuck to be considered.

If everyone needs a tuck, and most of the kids she's trying out with already have one - but you expect her to make Varsity, your expectations are setting you up to be upset.

I do think that 99% of the parents in cheer world have realistic expectations. Ex: Most know that if their kid was on Mini 1 and struggled with her BWO all season, she's not moving to Y2 with her friends, and they're prepared for it.

If you're a person who expects their kid to move up with their friends every year regardless of her individual progression, you're going to have a hard time with any team reveal.

 

[Kiermyc]

It's all about managing expectations (for the kid and the parent.)

Ex: My most upset parents (school cheer) in 7 seasons were those who had expectations that didn't match up with skills/depth of talent in the pool. Ex: The parent who was upset re: daughter being asked back to JV instead of making Varsity, when she knew her child needed a tuck to be considered.

If everyone needs a tuck, and most of the kids she's trying out with already have one - but you expect her to make Varsity, your expectations are setting you up to be upset.

I do think that 99% of the parents in cheer world have realistic expectations. Ex: Most know that if their kid was on Mini 1 and struggled with her BWO all season, she's not moving to Y2 with her friends, and they're prepared for it.

If you're a person who expects their kid to move up with their friends every year regardless of her individual progression, you're going to have a hard time with any team reveal.

Exactly. For the majority of kids it was a fun time to hang out and take pictures with friends. I believe I seen maybe 2 upset kids both who i know had unrealistic expectations. It’s a fun time but i could see it being trickier in different situations. Overall the majority of people knew what to expect.