High School Tryouts 2018-2019 Season

[ScottyB]

Thoughts on 8th graders being on a varsity team?
Not because the school is tiny or low interest, with the sole purpose of having a tiny little one with senior bases??
Yes UCA says it’s legal... but ethical?? What do u all think?
Oh, the 8th grader is not permitted to cheer at games, and can’t go to camp.
Just curious abt this.


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It's foolish. I coach a High School team. A team that competes at the high school level locally, in our state, regionally, and nationally. 8th Grade is not High School. I don't know why UCA blurs the lines like this.

Can't wait til middle school has its own UCA Nationals event..

 

[ErinS]

Interesting... as cheer is not a recognized sport but in NJ student athletes are only allowed to play at a varsity level for a total of 8 semesters
Meaning if they play in 8th grade they can only play 4 years total .. so no SR. Year of play .


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We’re in SC and Cheer is a recognized sport, so they’re unable to compete UCA/NcA or out of state . If that were the case here (limits on years they could participate), MS students playing at the varsity level probably would not be an option

This school also relies heavily on middle schoolers to fill the JV team. Last year I believe they had 2 9th graders and the Rest were in 7th and 8th


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[CheerBank]

Thoughts on 8th graders being on a varsity team?
Not because the school is tiny or low interest, with the sole purpose of having a tiny little one with senior bases??
Yes UCA says it’s legal... but ethical?? What do u all think?
Oh, the 8th grader is not permitted to cheer at games, and can’t go to camp.
Just curious abt this.


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Our school doesn’t allow it for cheer but they do for other sports on the rare occasion they feel they have a phenom.

Honestly I wouldn’t have wanted my 8th graders with the older girls. Plenty of time for that. They each made varsity their freshman years so their was no question about their skills, but there was just stuff they didn’t need to be exposed to at that point.

 

[Nikki Moore]

Our area doesn’t allow for 8th graders in high school sports. Our MS doesn’t even let out until 2 hours after HS lets out. How do areas that allow it even work.
I wish my rising 8th non-CP could try out for the HS softball team but games are at 345pm. MS doesn’t end until at least 4 :/

 

[AndyT_T]

IMO if the 8th grade is in the school and other sports allow 8th graders to play on varsity then 8th graders should be allowed on the team. Where I live 8th grade is always in middle school though so I wouldn't ever let an 8th grader on the team even if I could.

I know a lot of rural schools do have 8th grade as part of high school, so I can see why UCA would blur the lines. They're trying to make it so any high school varsity team can compete because they can't control how states decide to set up school districts.

 

[ErinS]

Our school doesn’t allow it for cheer but they do for other sports on the rare occasion they feel they have a phenom.

Honestly I wouldn’t have wanted my 8th graders with the older girls. Plenty of time for that. They each made varsity their freshman years so their was no question about their skills, but there was just stuff they didn’t need to be exposed to at that point.

I considered the age difference thing, and honestly as long as one other 8th grader makes varsity she’ll be okay. Last year the two 8 graders stuck together. We also have middle schoolers playing lax, soccer, softball, baseball, track. I’m glad they don’t treat Cheer differently here

I honestly look at it from a skill perspective and I want her to be around similarly skilled people. Last year on JV I felt like she was overworked in the routine to make up for the lack of team tumbling and it was exhausting for her....and she also dealt with a lot of meanness and rudeness from other girls on JV because she had more skill (they consider not busting tumbling showing off) . It reminds me of Santwon’s tweet from the other day. But seriously the kid has pictures from when she was 3 wearing my old cheerleading uniform at games watching my younger sister cheer.

She’s only throwing a layout, but has every skill under a layout allowed by the SCHSL and id rather her be on varsity with girls throwing fulls as motivation....than spending another year on JV with girls crying about throwing a ro bhs tuck...or bhs in general


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[jscoach210]

We’re in SC and Cheer is a recognized sport, so they’re unable to compete UCA/NcA or out of state . If that were the case here (limits on years they could participate), MS students playing at the varsity level probably would not be an option

This school also relies heavily on middle schoolers to fill the JV team. Last year I believe they had 2 9th graders and the Rest were in 7th and 8th


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I understand this.. however I’m speaking abt a school that has over 1500 students in hs alone, and has 20 on jv and 16 on varsity without the 2 8th graders .. the team has placed top 10 at UCA past few years...
so numbers is not an issue.


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[jscoach210]

IMO if the 8th grade is in the school and other sports allow 8th graders to play on varsity then 8th graders should be allowed on the team. Where I live 8th grade is always in middle school though so I wouldn't ever let an 8th grader on the team even if I could.

I know a lot of rural schools do have 8th grade as part of high school, so I can see why UCA would blur the lines. They're trying to make it so any high school varsity team can compete because they can't control how states decide to set up school districts.

Yes I get that. NJ does not allow a student to play more than 4 years at a varsity sport.
Cheer is not a sport here but, our district has 2 separate schools same superintendent though

I think they just are not mature enough.


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[jscoach210]

I considered the age difference thing, and honestly as long as one other 8th grader makes varsity she’ll be okay. Last year the two 8 graders stuck together. We also have middle schoolers playing lax, soccer, softball, baseball, track. I’m glad they don’t treat Cheer differently here

I honestly look at it from a skill perspective and I want her to be around similarly skilled people. Last year on JV I felt like she was overworked in the routine to make up for the lack of team tumbling and it was exhausting for her....and she also dealt with a lot of meanness and rudeness from other girls on JV because she had more skill (they consider not busting tumbling showing off) . It reminds me of Santwon’s tweet from the other day. But seriously the kid has pictures from when she was 3 wearing my old cheerleading uniform at games watching my younger sister cheer.

She’s only throwing a layout, but has every skill under a layout allowed by the SCHSL and id rather her be on varsity with girls throwing fulls as motivation....than spending another year on JV with girls crying about throwing a ro bhs tuck...or bhs in general


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I see your side :) let me add that we have a very talented feeder program that has won UCA 2 times and places top 3 usually, this 8th grader has won 2 times with the feeder program. The team has elite skills. There is no reason to move up to V
However for “personal” preference to be the star [emoji6] this is purely speculation though soooo???lol



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[ErinS]

I understand this.. however I’m speaking abt a school that has over 1500 students in hs alone, and has 20 on jv and 16 on varsity without the 2 8th graders .. the team has placed top 10 at UCA past few years...
so numbers is not an issue.


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This school also has 1500-1600 kids. Even since I cheered there the interest was not what you would expect from a school that size. The bread and butter for building the program truly has been the inclusion of 7th and 8th graders.——-it’s the middle schoolers that dutifully show up to tumbling in the off season and pay for privates etc to get skill. The passion and interest dwindles the older they get.

I’m headed to pick her up from try outs soon and ILl get numbers then...but I bet the majority are Middle School (7th and 8th currently.... current 6th grade has the outs in June)

The middle school team doesn’t compete. They’re a literal stomp and shake type team. The way the teams set up actually lead to other issues but that’s a whole different story


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[ErinS]

I see your side :) let me add that we have a very talented feeder program that has won UCA 2 times and places top 3 usually, this 8th grader has won 2 times with the feeder program. The team has elite skills. There is no reason to move up to V
However for “personal” preference to be the star [emoji6] this is purely speculation though soooo???lol



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Yeah I get that perspective as well. If the skill set is equal or comparable I don’t see the push.


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[quitthedrama]

IMO if the 8th grade is in the school and other sports allow 8th graders to play on varsity then 8th graders should be allowed on the team. Where I live 8th grade is always in middle school though so I wouldn't ever let an 8th grader on the team even if I could.

I know a lot of rural schools do have 8th grade as part of high school, so I can see why UCA would blur the lines. They're trying to make it so any high school varsity team can compete because they can't control how states decide to set up school districts.

Yes I get that. NJ does not allow a student to play more than 4 years at a varsity sport.
Cheer is not a sport here but, our district has 2 separate schools same superintendent though

I think they just are not mature enough.


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As @AndyT_T said, there are many school systems where 8th grade is part of the high school and not middle school. In that case, 8th graders should be allowed to participate in the high school athletic program. And I will fully disagree that they aren't mature enough, especially if they have come from all star and have been cheering with high school kids. Honestly, your posts come across as you are a little bitter and threatened by a 12 year old.

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

8th graders allowed on varsity is consistent with KHSAA rules. 7th graders on varsity is not.

One of our local competitors allowed 7th graders on their team last year and competed JV without a varsity team.

We outscored them huge at our regional and they still didn’t advance in the JV division despite the fact they were competing their varsity team. I say to each his/her own. Whatever is best for the program.

I would pull an 8th grader who had skills to match my varsity kids if I had a need. I would not create a spot for one.

 

[SthrnCheerMom]

My daughter is a rising 9th grader. Our MS has their own comp team. 8th graders are on that team. They aren't considered for the V at the high school.

At the high school, we are having a JV team for the first time. So we will have a JV and V team. There are 9-12 graders onV. I'm not sure if there are any upper classmen on JV.

As for football/basketball, 9th graders are not allowed on V. JV only. I don't agree with this as they are able to do V comp. So why not V spirit of food enough?

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

I have never been a fan of delineating JV/Varsity by grade level, so in the past, I have not. Placement has been determined by skill, knowing that JV is the more sideline-focused team with tumbling optional.