To The Parents

[newcheermom624]

I havent posted in a while, but i have a few more questions just to get some different perspectives from other parents.

How did you choose your CPs gym? We have about 3 or 4 in our area that i am looking at, some bigger than others, but i am looking at how it would benefit my daughter in the long run.


How often does your CP practice? my daughter is on 4 so homework really isnt a factor yet, but what about for who have this problem?

 

[kaliangel01]

I didnt know too much about cheerleading at the time when my CP said she wanted to cheer so I had a long time friend that always posted about cheer on facebook so I contacted him and he referred me. There are a few in my area also, but I am glad I did choose our gym. She was 4 at the time but turned 5 that year. I tried it out for about a month or so before she actually joined the team. She started off as a tiny and she practiced twice a week for an hour and half each. She had no issues with homework but since she just started kindergarten and no longer napped at school she would always nap on the way to cheer and she is a mini this year and she still naps on the way.

 

[dawgshow]

There were 4gyms in our area when CP started, but really only 2 contenders because 1 was very small and basic ( nothing over level 3 ever) and the other had to share space with a gymnastics team and only got the leftover times. Their own owners seemed to have no respect for the program!
The two that I visited were very different. I went in, talked to the owners, observed practices of many teams not just Tinies, and checked out the uniforms. I was leaning towards gym A because of the vibe I got at gym B, but B's uniforms clinched it. I'm fairly conservative and B's were showing too much skin for me, even the mini/tiny squads.

This is Cp's 4th season an homework is beginning to be tricky. Thankfully we know on Friday what next weeks test schedule will be so we can plan ahead.
As for practices, she started with one day a week and we added a tumbling class at the end of season 1. Now she practices 2x a week for a total of 4 hours and she's in a tumbling class 1x a week for an hour.

 

[Mamarazzi]

The main factors that I looked at were:
1. Financial - not only monthly tuition and comp fees (fixed costs,) but also variable costs travel distance to comps, unis and how long they use them, shoes (can we use whatever kind or do they use a specific brand?)
2. Distance from home.
3. Competitive record.
4. Where cp wanted to be.

If you're able, speak with parents who are at the gym and also some who have left. It would help to get perspective from both sides.
Pretty much everyone around our area practices 2 hours, 2 days a week, with additional practices leading up to comps. Worlds teams practice more but I think you have a while before worrying about that. Good luck!

 

[Born2Tumble]

We picked our gym based mostly off of location. My CP was in competitive gymnastics doing 16 hours a week but it just wasn't her thing so in order to keep her talent alive I went with the next best thing (cheer) and found a gym that was 5 minutes from our home. There are about 6 other gyms in a 30 minute radius. Right now my CP is on 2 teams (Youth 3 & Junior 2) for each team she practices 2 x's a week and she tumbles 2 days a week also. Total 5 days a week & 8 hours week. :help:

 

[newcheermom624]

Thanks for all the replies!!

I know she'd love cheering, so just wanted to ask the parents whom shoes i may be in what they think


I know my baby is only 4, but can all star cheerleaders get scholarships? Or is it easier to do HS cheer?

 

[newcheermom624]

We picked our gym based mostly off of location. My CP was in competitive gymnastics doing 16 hours a week but it just wasn't her thing so in order to keep her talent alive I went with the next best thing (cheer) and found a gym that was 5 minutes from our home. There are about 6 other gyms in a 30 minute radius. Right now my CP is on 2 teams (Youth 3 & Junior 2) for each team she practices 2 x's a week and she tumbles 2 days a week also. Total 5 days a week & 8 hours week. :help:

how old is she? does that effect her school work?

 

[Born2Tumble]

She just turned 9. I think because she started off in competitive gymnastics (training 12-16 hours a week) starting when she was in Kindergarten so switching over to cheer was fairly easier. So far it hasnt affected grades (granted she is only in 3rd) she is on the A-B honor roll and her teacher continues to say she is one of the most advanced in her class. I believe kids in sports usually excel in school because they have to learn to balance the two!

 

[dawgshow]

She just turned 9. I think because she started off in competitive gymnastics (training 12-16 hours a week) starting when she was in Kindergarten so switching over to cheer was fairly easier. So far it hasnt affected grades (granted she is only in 3rd) she is on the A-B honor roll and her teacher continues to say she is one of the most advanced in her class. I believe kids in sports usually excel in school because they have to learn to balance the two!

I think that this is very true! Plus, they tend to learn discipline that translates to their "other" life.

 

[cheermomma1097]

My daughter is 5 she is on a tiny team and a mini team. She has two 1.5 hour practices during the week and 4 hours on the weekend. She LOVES it and her gym

 

[Born2Tumble]

I think that this is very true! Plus, they tend to learn discipline that translates to their "other" life.

Exactly!! If she wasn't in Cheer or sports in general I think it would just turn into laziness both in school and work...IMO

 

[CoachMandiCF]

Thanks for all the replies!!

I know she'd love cheering, so just wanted to ask the parents whom shoes i may be in what they think


I know my baby is only 4, but can all star cheerleaders get scholarships? Or is it easier to do HS cheer?

Any kind of cheerleader can get a scholarship. I never did all-stars when I was in HS, only did sideline cheer and I received a partial scholarship paying for some of my room/boarding and my books to a D-1 school. With the demand for tumbling and stunting skills, the all-star world seems to be the best option, but some high schools are just as good, if not better Depends on what the skill level is.

 

[SheCheers]

Thanks for all the replies!!

I know she'd love cheering, so just wanted to ask the parents whom shoes i may be in what they think


I know my baby is only 4, but can all star cheerleaders get scholarships? Or is it easier to do HS cheer?

Yes any cheerleader can get a scholarship, but as of now, at least, there aren't really a ton to go around, so it's not something to really "bank on".

 

[SheCheers]

How did you choose your CPs gym? We have about 3 or 4 in our area that i am looking at, some bigger than others, but i am looking at how it would benefit my daughter in the long run.

How often does your CP practice? my daughter is on 4 so homework really isnt a factor yet, but what about for who have this problem?

When CP was 4 she wanted to go to "cheer camp". I googled, found a gym offering a week long cheer camp and signed her up. After the camp was over, i registered her for their tiny cheer class that worked on motions, jumps, etc. They asked her to do the show team instead after the first practice. So we did. then she spent a year on their mini 1 team, but i really was unhappy with the place and how it was run, so that entire year i scoped out other teams at competitions. I took note of their name, and how they performed and their uniforms (wasn't interested in a crop top and booty shorts for my 5 year old). Then i looked them up on mapquest and called and asked about prices, etc. I was really in love with this one gym because they were just so clean and sharp and i watched how pumped up their coaches got watching their kids perform and their parents REALLY cheered for them, too. it just seemed like a positive, encouraging environment. and it turned out they were only 20 minutes from my house! We've been with them for 3 seasons now.

 

[GenX Cheer Mom]

We based our decision on location and comp schedule. My CP's were 4 and 7 at the time, so the decision was not too stressful.
(my 1st post)