All-Star The Ultimate Guide To Preparing For Tryouts.

[Cheer Dad]

@JAD why the dislike? Just explaining what my term meant...

I panicked at first thinking this was towards me and trying to see where I accidentally clicked the wrong thing.

Not sure why a dislike but hoping it was a mistake.

 

[BuegeSmalls]

I panicked at first thinking this was towards me and trying to see where I accidentally clicked the wrong thing.

Not sure why a dislike but hoping it was a mistake.

Lol me too, I got sad that all of a sudden I had two negative ratings instead of one :(

 

[AngelsMum24]

I mean this in the nicest way possible.

Let your kid's skills speak for themselves.

Meaning do not constantly "campaign" for your child by talking coaches ears off about what she can do.

I want to see it.

When I meet a kid for the first time or they're new to the program, I believe like 10% of what their parents say that they're ready for or what skills they're going to have or what they can do.

It never fails every year, kid's parents will say "Suzie is coming in with solid full and we are looking to be on an L5 team."

Murphy's Law states that if a new parent says that, her daughter is most likely still Level 4 and her "solid full" is more like a death spiral.

No offense, but we believe and make decisions about teams based on what we see. Not on what you say.

Same thing goes for "Kelly is injured and hasn't taken the mat in 6 months but she had layout before her injury. So she's still going to be Level 4, right?"

She is still in an AIR CAST and evaluations are in 2 weeks. She has not cheered in 6 months. I cannot just give her a spot based on tumbling she had before a massive knee tear. It's sad, sure. But I can't.

Sometimes parents wouldn't campaign if coaches actually gave all the kids a shot.
Example, making a solid flyer with excellent flexibility a base to put up a lighter, not tight at all newb that looks awkward because their joints all hyperextend.

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[AngelsMum24]

I always have this conversation with parents and I tell them very simply that the pressure's on at that next level. There is nothing WRONG with being on a Y team for a few years. Not everyone is equipped to make the jump to J emotionally or otherwise.

This goes along with evals because all year long, we're not just looking at SKILLS but the MATURITY & COACHABILITY OF YOUR KIDS as well.

I encourage every mom to ask themselves honestly whether their daughter is MATURE enough for Juniors or Seniors.

When I say mature, is she COACHABLE enough for juniors or seniors?

For example: I know that cheer can be a high pressure environment and kids will get frustrated.

But if your kid is the one CRYING EVERY TIME I fix my mouth to correct her (when I am not even raising my voice), she is not ready. A simple "Ok." and fixing it is just fine and it shows me you are coachable.

Is she the eye-roller on her Y2 when asked to fix something? Not ready. She'd just be a J3 with an attitude.

Does she whine over conditioning? Nope.

Same with moving up to a SENIOR team.

If you are the resident "conditioning whiner" or "crying because I moved your stunt that I've been giving corrections on all week-er" you may not be ready for a Senior team.

Shimmy shimmy shimmy x infinity

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[mstealtoyou]

Makeup for tryouts? I would have never considered that as a benefit to tryouts. In fact, in my own opinion I would think the girl cared more about how she looked than how well she performed. Just my $0.02 but my daughter is only 11. To me make-up and hair poofs are just for show and is not needed for tryouts or practice. Give me the hardest working kid the messy hair and sweat dripping down them before the make-up and hair perfect girl who doesn't break a sweat. :) I guess everyone's perception is different. But then again some gyms do not have A/C running and the make-up will just melt off anyways.

Yes, makeup for tryouts. It's dressing for the team you want. (It works in the work place too......dressing like the job you want to have not your current job) Some kids do care more about how they look than how well they perform. Some kids can look good and perform simultaneously. Some, look like they rolled out of bed and can still perform. I'm not that far removed from 11 year's old and my Little Bit still wore light makeup and lipstick that flattered her skin tone. I guess to us tryouts are sort of a show for the staff. I think it's insulting to assume the kid that looks good isn't a hard worker and didn't have sweat dripping down their faces. I guess it's different strokes for different folks but kids who are aging off Youth Elite with the skills for Coed or Sr Elite, should look like they want to make Coed or SE when they're lined up doing running, standing, jumps to back and the dance in a group of 4. We do have A/C but you sure can't tell when we get all those kids in the gym together!! I even have lipstick in my purse in case anyone forget's. I whip it out and ask if they want to use it. LOL Maybe we take tryouts too seriously, IDK.

 

[NJ Coach]

Makeup for tryouts? I would have never considered that as a benefit to tryouts. In fact, in my own opinion I would think the girl cared more about how she looked than how well she performed. Just my $0.02 but my daughter is only 11. To me make-up and hair poofs are just for show and is not needed for tryouts or practice. Give me the hardest working kid the messy hair and sweat dripping down them before the make-up and hair perfect girl who doesn't break a sweat. :) I guess everyone's perception is different. But then again some gyms do not have A/C running and the make-up will just melt off anyways.

If a kid walks in to tryouts with hair and makeup done, cute outfit whatever, I will take notice. I'll also probably remember her when it comes time to place teams. Lots of times I have to read over the sheets because I can't remember what each kid threw, but if you make an impression...guaranteed I'll remember.

 

[NJ Coach]

Sometimes parents wouldn't campaign if coaches actually gave all the kids a shot.
Example, making a solid flyer with excellent flexibility a base to put up a lighter, not tight at all newb that looks awkward because their joints all hyperextend.

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The best flyer to me, and the best flyer to parents are not necessarily the same kid. Especially when the best flyer to the parents are their own kids.

Someone can campaign all they want, but it's never worked on me. I (and any good coach) do not make decisions on emotion.

 

[Cheer Dad]

Sometimes parents wouldn't campaign if coaches actually gave all the kids a shot.
Example, making a solid flyer with excellent flexibility a base to put up a lighter, not tight at all newb that looks awkward because their joints all hyperextend.

The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

Could it be a size issue where the younger kid is too small to base?




Pretending to be a parent since 1993

 

[Cheermom1969]

I hadn't thought about the hair and light makeup for tryouts. Interesting concept. I'll tell PITA about that, although she doesn't need much of an excuse to do her hair and makeup.

 

[yooolizzi]

As a high school coach, I tell my girls to always look ready to be under the lights, even at tryouts. Call me crazy, I don't care. I told them for games and events they had to be wearing blush, mascara, and something on their lips. They were told upfront if I didn't think they had enough makeup on, I would teach them how to do it. It ended up working out great because their confidence from practices went up threefold when they went to games and events feeling like they looked the part. For some of my freshmen girls, it was really the first time they had worn makeup (private grade schools don't allow makeup around here) and it was a learning experience for them.

I think I really enjoy makeup too much, seeing as how I carry it with me at all times. Seeing me at practice and in school though, you wouldn't guess it though.

I believe in my heart, the better you look, the better you feel. The better you feel, the better you do.



ETA this picture of some of my girls event ready. I don't think I'm going overboard by mandating this much makeup.

 

[AlwaysLearning]

Makeup & hair for tryouts never occurred to me either, but perhaps that's bc CP is youth level, not youth elite caliber, & doesn't like her hair or makeup done :grin:

I think it does go to show that a kid is serious (they are performers after all) and appropriate makeup & hair for an 11yo would not be the same for a 16yo. The key is to present your best self without over doing it.

 

[AlwaysLearning]

@yooolizzi Agreed! We don't let our office staff wear sweatshirts & jeans even though their only contact with our customers is over the phone. We have seen that the more professional they dress the more professional they act.

 

[caitlyn_the_camille]

If you are the resident "conditioning whiner" or "crying because I moved your stunt that I've been giving corrections on all week-er" you may not be ready for a Senior team.

This is off subject and probably horrible, but this made me think of our oldest girl on youth 1 this year. I think she thought she was too old to be y1 (at the age of 11 with only a bwo), and her flyer who was half her size never pulled up and she would gripe at her for it. Every practice she'd complain about being hungry, and ask if she could go get a sip of her drink after just stretching (a pet peeve of mine; stretching isn't a strenuous activity!). Finally one of our youngest girls on y1 said something like, "omg _____, would you quit being such a titsack?!". The other coaches and I didn't know whether to laugh or scold her because it was hilarious and we were all thinking it. Then after the last comp she informed us smugly that she wouldn't be trying out next year and was going to another gym (the nearest gym to us is 45 min. away and their only level 1 team is youth...). I wish there was a way to weed the complainers out at tryouts!

 

[Just-a-Mom]

@yooolizzi Agreed! We don't let our office staff wear sweatshirts & jeans even though their only contact with our customers is over the phone. We have seen that the more professional they dress the more professional they act.

Definitely! I work at a dance studio and pretty much our whole staff is dancers. Obviously they wear dance attire, but I dress in office wear (still usually jeans, but nice dress boots, business tops, jewelry, etc). One of the moms asked me the other day why I "dress up so much" every day. :confused: I told her, "One, we really need to talk about the definition of 'dressing up.' Two, because I'm supposed to be the 'operations manager' - we're a business. I'm running a business. Would you really take me seriously if I was in yoga pants and Uggs every day?" Doubtful. To be taken seriously you have to look the part.

And of course I didn't tell her this, but I'm campaigning for a job at a much larger, extremely well known dance company. Many of our staff has connections there, so, just like with cheer, I'm technically "trying out" every day. I dress like I already work there, so when the time comes to send my resume, my connections will say I'd be a perfect fit.

Same idea for kids - look the part so the coaches can already picture you on the team. Team placement isn't just about one kid's skills. It's also about "How well do you fit with the other 30 kids?" They're putting together a team that needs to be a package. Teaching them now that the whole package is important will help them tremendously in life.

It's all about image - attracting the coach's attention over 300 other kids, showing them that you're serious and that you think tryouts are an important event, and showing them that you're a good fit for that high caliber, highly visible team. THEN you show off those skills, once they're already looking.

Note: this is NOT to say it's about looks and beauty. Beauty is *not* the same as image.

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[AlwaysLearning]

@Just-a-Mom perfectly said! It's not about who can dress the best, but who presents themselves well - VERY different things. Get their attention by looking put together then wow them with your skills! Unless you're completely new, every day is a tryout.

Good luck to everyone as tryouts approach! May you stay calm and sane.