High School Transportation To Away Games

[Official OWECheer]

$300 is completely reasonable if you have a school set of uniforms and don't go to camp or pay for a professional choreographer. Those things really aren't necessary for high school sports.

If you are competitive, choreography is very important. You don't have to pay an arm and a leg for it, but it is easy to watch teams at a comp and tell whose routine was done professionally and whose wasn't. Consider the fact that judges often have to sit for hours through performances with mediocre choreo, seeing a team with a good routine is all the more refreshing to them.

And @Twinklestars you mean to tell us that it's usual for poo-poo quality coaches to leave behind debt?

 

[TitanCoach]

My team pays just under $600 (if you're new) or just over $400 (if you're returning). This includes uniform, bow, music, athletic fee, entry fees for 3 competitions, busing, hotel stay for nationals. Additional expenses are shoes and jacket. I allow girls to purchase any white shoe if they are a base but offer different priced shoes for flyers ranging from $40 to $120. Jackets are not allowed to be mandatory but all girls buy them. There is no practice wear and for travelling we only require black pants. Fundraising is for team purposes. ..this year we are buying new mats with the money we raise.

 

[Official OWECheer]

This is our school. It doesn't help that there is a separate booster club for each sport rather that one big booster club. And, they won't let cheer have a booster club.

WAIT WHAT. Is cheer considered a sport at your school?

 

[CheerCoachMelanie]

NorCal high school cheer coach here - my district's policy is that the girls must be transported by their parents to all away games. If we want to do any carpooling, I have to fill out field trip paperwork for every single away game. Our band and color guard don't go to away games, just us.

I told them at my parent meeting that I needed to inform them of the district policy, but I wouldn't be in the parking lot checking their cars *wink*

 

[Twinklestars]

WAIT WHAT. Is cheer considered a sport at your school?

Nah, it is an activity.

Band gets a physical education credit though.

 

[Official OWECheer]

Nah, it is an activity.

Band gets a physical education credit though.

I can understand that for band because is it a lot of hard work... but lifting and throwing each other and tumbling at competitions is an "activity"? SMH.

 

[MHSCheercoach]

Have any of your scool districts imposed a limit on how much parents can pay out of pocket? Ours just passed one and we max out a 300, everything else has to be fundraised or "donated." I understand that the sport needs to be affordable but 300 is just not reasonable for this sport.

I think it's completely reasonable to not expect parents to pay more than $300. As a coach and a parent, not of a cheerleader, I certainly don't want to spend more than $300. So far this year the parents have only had to spend about $100 out of pocket. We have bows and spankies to still order but that's it. I will offer team shirts that they can purchase, but it's not mandatory. Our uniforms were fundraised for last year and paid completely out of the fundraising money, they will last us 5 years and are team property. Our warm-ups are team property and we are on the 4th year for them so next year we will probably get new ones as they are looking a bit rough now. I do not, nor does my school allow, parents to feel a financial burden by a sport. I've had years where a cheerleader is unable to buy their own shoes/spankies and I talk to the AD and they have sports boosters pay for it or take it out of another "needy" fund. They want all of the kids, rich poor or in between, to be able to participate. I guess I am fortunate to work at such a school.

 

[FamousxMindset]

I think it's completely reasonable to not expect parents to pay more than $300. As a coach and a parent, not of a cheerleader, I certainly don't want to spend more than $300. So far this year the parents have only had to spend about $100 out of pocket. We have bows and spankies to still order but that's it. I will offer team shirts that they can purchase, but it's not mandatory. Our uniforms were fundraised for last year and paid completely out of the fundraising money, they will last us 5 years and are team property. Our warm-ups are team property and we are on the 4th year for them so next year we will probably get new ones as they are looking a bit rough now. I do not, nor does my school allow, parents to feel a financial burden by a sport. I've had years where a cheerleader is unable to buy their own shoes/spankies and I talk to the AD and they have sports boosters pay for it or take it out of another "needy" fund. They want all of the kids, rich poor or in between, to be able to participate. I guess I am fortunate to work at such a school.

I guess you are.

 

[Twinklestars]

If you are competitive, choreography is very important. You don't have to pay an arm and a leg for it, but it is easy to watch teams at a comp and tell whose routine was done professionally and whose wasn't. Consider the fact that judges often have to sit for hours through performances with mediocre choreo, seeing a team with a good routine is all the more refreshing to them.

And @Twinklestars you mean to tell us that it's usual for poo-poo quality coaches to leave behind debt?

Missed this earlier on my phone, I have heard more than one story of this happening. So sad, for the girls, the parents, the new coach, and the program.

 

[MHSCheercoach]

I guess you are.

I know it's your first year with this team, and you were handed a raw deal to begin with and it doesn't sound like administration is making it any easier on you, but take a deep breath. Don't let your girls/guys see you frustrated. Here's my suggestions coming from a coach who also took over after another coach ran the program into the ground:
1)You mentioned the school wasn't happy with warm-ups. Perhaps a)do matching hoodies/warm-up pants cheaply, can find them through Omni and GTM for $50 for a set and leave the customization off except maybe something simple on the back b)find a local embroider that can do matching hoodies/warm-ups and see if they could donate a portion of the cost to the team c) do without warm-ups. One year for volleyball we didn't have it in our funding to purchase warm-ups so coach had us all dress up (no jeans) on the way to and from games. Have to say all the parents thought we looked awesome all dressed up, very professional.
2) Order simple grosgrain bows. I know that sounds boring, but that's what my team chose last year and it looked very classy. They ran $4 a piece and we had two different colors of them. Or see if a parent or cheerleader knows how to make the bows. It's quite affordable to buy the grosgrain ribbon and have someone make them if that is an option.
3) I understand the frustration with fundraising. My suggestion is wait til middle of Sept. and do a fundraiser rather it's a 50/50, raffle off some local sports team tickets, maybe even talk to your AD and see if you can raffle off a season pass to home games (with you paying a small nominal fee to the general fund for admissions to games).

Take a deep breath and know that it will get better. Don't let your frustrations show to your cheerleaders or their parents. Ask for advice from the AD as to what fundraising etc. Even see if you can work with them on the warm-up issue, perhaps they have some warm-ups not being utilized that have been used in the past. You can make this work and I know it's daunting task, but you can do it!! :)

 

[Official OWECheer]

I guess you are.

Can I put together a uniform plan for you? If you give me your colors and mascot/school initials, I could help you plan things out. I feel horrible hearing about what has happened to you.

 

[FamousxMindset]

Can I put together a uniform plan for you? If you give me your colors and mascot/school initials, I could help you plan things out. I feel horrible hearing about what has happened to you.

I appreciate the gesture we have already had some parents donate to the organization to correct the damage for the most part. But I'll definitely keep you in mind for our future projects.

 

[Official OWECheer]

I appreciate the gesture we have already had some parents donate to the organization to correct the damage for the most part. But I'll definitely keep you in mind for our future projects.

Thank you! I'll be happy to help in the future. And it's wonderful that the parents are helping you out.

 

[cheernerd5678]

And @Twinklestars you mean to tell us that it's usual for poo-poo quality coaches to leave behind debt?

That's the situation we're in... Not to mention the lack of record keeping on uniforms, so nobody returned theirs and we had to order a whole bunch more....
@MHSCheercoach what did you guys do when it was cold? Warmups are a necessity for us because half our season is freezing.

 

[Official OWECheer]

That's the situation we're in... Not to mention the lack of record keeping on uniforms, so nobody returned theirs and we had to order a whole bunch more....
@MHSCheercoach what did you guys do when it was cold? Warmups are a necessity for us because half our season is freezing.

These coaches and the schools hiring them should be embarrassed.