High School Tryout Season

[AScheer]

For many reasons, we don't stunt at tryouts, though we have in years past. The main reason I stopped is because I haven't found a way to do it where I feel it's a productive, safe and monitored environment. I am thinking about incorporating it into this seasons tryouts and would love feedback for how other schools do it. How do you manage with the vast skill gaps? How is your staff not majorly outnumbered with the groups? How do you keep your awesome veteran stunters from being overused by all the new kids wanting them in their group? How do you score them? Anything you've found that work or don't work?

Mostly gearing this towards coaches, but athletes and parents that are familiar with how stunting tryouts work at their school are more than welcome to chime in too!

 

[LittleMissA17]

Here's how my school tryout went; Of course during clinics you would work with your appropriate stunt level group; safety came first, as the newer girls would only work preps and basics of that caliber and the more experienced and those trying for a new team would be doing extensions. Once the solid extension are there libs are moved on too.

I assume you have a set expectation of what you want people to be hitting at tryouts (like you'll want a BHS minimum or a solid lib for varsity for example), so when tryouts roll around, the 3 coaches of MS,JV, and Varsity would watch all the girls in stunt groups. Since everyone is on the floor, a girl could spend once second with a more experienced group and the next would be with a newer group so you can see if she holds her own in the stunt. Like for a flyer, if her bases are not doing their job and the backspot isn't pulling up, is the flyer staying tight and keeping her legs together? It would be better to have multiple sets of eyes to keep watch of that since you can't watch that many girls at once. Also when you want to judge a backspot, have the stunt group turn to the side so you can keep track of the backspot.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Posting so I can come back after work and share how we do it.

 

[SparkleSpankies]

Ok, so I have been stunting as a basic eval, but I think I am pulling the stunt requirement out of it this year. In PA, they are telling us 8th graders have to try out separate from the actual high school until they are officially out of school which would make tryouts too late to organize for camp and chase down $$ before summer vacations.

With that being said, I used to have a stunt progression eval sheet and before the official "tryout" we would have them show us what they can do in groups we decided were "safe". We would start as basic as a hang drill and stop at a single leg lib, and then we would work on spinning skills, to be eligible for varsity, you had to execute a 360. We would do our best to make sure everyone had done everything they could so at least show potential. If the skills weren't in the ideal positions we would not allow to move on, so if prep wasn't going up and settling clean, then we would not allow the athletes to show the next skill and stop them and that is where they would end the stunt eval.

The issue always was "my suzie can do all of these things but you didn't give her a group". My JV and my varisty athletes are at completely different levels, a few bases could likely hack something harder with the smallest flyer on the planet, but we get a better sense of their ability when during the season corrections aren't made (flyers, wide feet, leaning back, etc) (Bases not using legs, not throwing) so I can already say that I have a few athletes that physically aren't ready for the demands of varsity stunting... and have not in years shown improvement.

I will let you know what my staff and I decide to do, but that was how we did it and a pro - con list.

 

[vannahlexis]

We stunt at tryouts but it's not a numerical value on our scoresheets! We do take it into consideration though.
We split all the girls into side/main/back/flyer groups first and then will pair a newbie or 2 with returners.
We start w hang drills and load ins, then move to elevators w/hands down, if those go well we will move to sponges and straight cradles.
If someone is just a natural, we'll put them in a group of returners and do some extensions maybe libs.
We generally have a very small turn out so groups go one at a time until we're confident. Usually there will be an odd number of girls so we have spotters & they rotate in/out of stunting.
Our returners like to teach. We let them have fun & try new things whenever we have extra time, so they don't get too annoyed with it.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cheerisloving]

We have a 3 day tryout process, one of which is a day when we spend a significant amount of time on stunting/evaluating. But most of the time we've seen the girls stunt for months prior so it's easier to place people. There are opportunities during basketball season to come and get stunt time, if you have a physical on file. We also have 'green days' in the Spring, two weeks where they are allowed to practice with a coach. This also allows middle school students to come and get practice with current team members and get their feet wet on HS cheer. There's another week prior to tryouts where we get to see them too.

We move people around too, we may break a super group apart to help out others. We know that Suzie is a senior who competed a full up with a twisting dismount, and that Sally is a freshman who is learning to fly, so we put them together. Seldom is a group made of 100% rookies. Each group is assigned a coach or volunteer coach (alumni who are still active in the sport) to moniter and help out.

Middle school teams are grounded-non tumble teams, so the switch to HS comp cheer is HUGE. Most girls have never stunted, which is why most freshman don't make varsity unless they have something the team needs. Tumbling standouts, those who demonstrate strong stunting potential, tend to do better.

 

[coacha]

I have nothing helpful to add because we haven't stunted at tryouts for the reasons you noted, but every year I've re-evaluated because stunting is an integral part of what we do. So I feel like we should be evaluating it, I just don't know how.

I don't want kids pushing to do stunts they aren't ready for. I don't want to deal with complaints over stunt groups or who they have a chance to work with in tryouts.

And honestly, I'm familiar with the stunting ability of 75% of the candidates. My middle school coaches fill me in on another 20%. I just take my chances on the remaining 5%...

 

[coacha]

In PA, they are telling us 8th graders have to try out separate from the actual high school until they are officially out of school which would make tryouts too late to organize for camp and chase down $$ before summer vacations.

Is this PIAA or just your school? Haven't heard this yet...

 

[SparkleSpankies]

Is this PIAA or just your school? Haven't heard this yet...

Its supposedly PIAA, I know districts 1, 3, 12, 11 are all fully aware, and they dropped it on us last spring. The way it was interpreted by my athletic director is they can try out on the same dates, but it has to be separate, so they aren't supposed to be intermingled. Essentially no contact, which would mean no stunting. He is working on clarifying it better for me so I can truly plan the tryout this year and how we want to proceed.

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

For many reasons, we don't stunt at tryouts, though we have in years past. The main reason I stopped is because I haven't found a way to do it where I feel it's a productive, safe and monitored environment. I am thinking about incorporating it into this seasons tryouts and would love feedback for how other schools do it. How do you manage with the vast skill gaps? How is your staff not majorly outnumbered with the groups? How do you keep your awesome veteran stunters from being overused by all the new kids wanting them in their group? How do you score them? Anything you've found that work or don't work?

Mostly gearing this towards coaches, but athletes and parents that are familiar with how stunting tryouts work at their school are more than welcome to chime in too!

I score them subjectively on stunt technique and potential.

We have enough open gyms that by the time tryouts roll around I have a pretty good idea who can base with who from a size perspective. Sometimes I have to make a couple of small, last-minute adjustments. Then we do basics: double base prep, prep-to-extension, straight extension. Nothing fancy. I'm looking for straight lines, and (probably more importantly) a willingness to adjust to doing things correctly.

I generally test anyone who shows an interest in being a flyer on flexibility.

If they seem dead set on a certain role, their physical size plays into their potential score. This is unfortunate, but necessary. They also get a lecture about being willing to do what team needs over what individual wants. Their acceptance of that talking to also plays into their score (some kids can't stop themselves from digging their own grave).

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

I do stations for tryouts so my kids rotate through tumbling, jumps, dance, cheer.

They then exit, form their stunt groups and head back in for the stunt portion.

I select groups based on clinics and who has been working together. I also enjoy choosing the groups as it makes it so that no one is using the same veterans over and over.

It also breaks girls of the "omg I can only stunt with Courtney, Jade, and Becky."

 

[coacha]

Its supposedly PIAA, I know districts 1, 3, 12, 11 are all fully aware, and they dropped it on us last spring. The way it was interpreted by my athletic director is they can try out on the same dates, but it has to be separate, so they aren't supposed to be intermingled. Essentially no contact, which would mean no stunting. He is working on clarifying it better for me so I can truly plan the tryout this year and how we want to proceed.

I'm in 11. Had 8th graders try out with us in March last year, and haven't heard anything that I have to do differently this year although we haven't set tryouts yet. I don't think I'll ask.

 

[cheerisloving]

I do stations for tryouts so my kids rotate through tumbling, jumps, dance, cheer.

They then exit, form their stunt groups and head back in for the stunt portion.

I select groups based on clinics and who has been working together. I also enjoy choosing the groups as it makes it so that no one is using the same veterans over and over.

It also breaks girls of the "omg I can only stunt with Courtney, Jade, and Becky."

Exactly. Breaking up "super groups" is important. If we see that one group is solid and hitting all the time, while the next group needs more help, 9/10 they'll be distributed. Someone may work two flyers, or two backspots to really get to the core of the issue or really find the best talent. Eventually they all are on the same level, and you don't have to worry about anyone slacking.

 

[SparkleSpankies]

I'm in 11. Had 8th graders try out with us in March last year, and haven't heard anything that I have to do differently this year although we haven't set tryouts yet. I don't think I'll ask.

I know last year everyone was freaking out and our meeting in September they re-itterated it. I had my 8th graders last year bc we didn't want to change what was already announced.

 

[AScheer]

We have a 3 day tryout process, one of which is a day when we spend a significant amount of time on stunting/evaluating. But most of the time we've seen the girls stunt for months prior so it's easier to place people. There are opportunities during basketball season to come and get stunt time, if you have a physical on file. We also have 'green days' in the Spring, two weeks where they are allowed to practice with a coach. This also allows middle school students to come and get practice with current team members and get their feet wet on HS cheer. There's another week prior to tryouts where we get to see them too.

We move people around too, we may break a super group apart to help out others. We know that Suzie is a senior who competed a full up with a twisting dismount, and that Sally is a freshman who is learning to fly, so we put them together. Seldom is a group made of 100% rookies. Each group is assigned a coach or volunteer coach (alumni who are still active in the sport) to moniter and help out.

Middle school teams are grounded-non tumble teams, so the switch to HS comp cheer is HUGE. Most girls have never stunted, which is why most freshman don't make varsity unless they have something the team needs. Tumbling standouts, those who demonstrate strong stunting potential, tend to do better.

I score them subjectively on stunt technique and potential.

We have enough open gyms that by the time tryouts roll around I have a pretty good idea who can base with who from a size perspective. Sometimes I have to make a couple of small, last-minute adjustments. Then we do basics: double base prep, prep-to-extension, straight extension. Nothing fancy. I'm looking for straight lines, and (probably more importantly) a willingness to adjust to doing things correctly.

I generally test anyone who shows an interest in being a flyer on flexibility.

If they seem dead set on a certain role, their physical size plays into their potential score. This is unfortunate, but necessary. They also get a lecture about being willing to do what team needs over what individual wants. Their acceptance of that talking to also plays into their score (some kids can't stop themselves from digging their own grave).

I'm thinking that implementing open stunt clinics throughout the spring prior to tryouts may be the best idea. Generally we have large numbers come for tryouts. With backgrounds of "I've never seen a stunt" to "I can do a 1.5 up stretch." The returners are the easy ones, I know what they're capable of. It's the rest of the group (that largely outnumbers returners) that makes it difficult. For us to have not have full groups of rookies, our veterans would get pretty over worked. Open gym to at least get some of those new kids in and familiar with basics sounds like a great idea! I may also limit it to only those trying out for varsity have a stunt requirement. That would take care of a lot of the newbies, since most of them are not going to meet the varsity requirement anyways. Thanks for sharing!