Unique Situation Trying To Cheer Again

[vegas98]

Hi! So I retired from cheer 4 years ago before I started high school because my parents wanted me to focus on grades and do more activities besides cheer. I got into my dream school but I have to take a year off before I can start my first year. I will be living at home, but my year will be spent doing a program for students who are deferred. I believe I have one more year of Cheer Eligibility before I age out. I have cheered on junior 2 and senior 2 before stopping. There are multiple gyms near me and I'm pretty sure they'll have senior 1 or 2, but there is also the option of international open teams at all gyms. I dont think I can make these teams because they are worlds level but think they might be a better fit for me age and schedule wise, but skill wise I think a level 1 or or 2 is better. I am afraid that having a college-like schedule will make being on a senior team really hard. When I was on teams before practices would be in late afternoon, I imagine I won't be able to get to the gym until evening.

I already asked the closest one to me already both about their open team and senior team and they stopped responding to my emails after asking what level I was Can anyone give me advice on how to approach gyms in a way that will get an answer instead of getting ignored? Should I try my luck on open and hope just for an alternate position? I really want this to be able to work out since it seems like a good opportunity to try to cheer again and I will do whatever possible before giving up.

 

[Official OWECheer]

Bumping.

 

[Charolais]

Since there are multiple gyms in the vicinity, try visiting one or more gyms and asking your questions.

 

[vegas98]

@Charolais I will as a last resort but my parents prefer that I find out at least a little info over email or phone before driving. They're all still around an hour though so it could be hard to explain to my parents if I do 6 hours of driving to visit 3 gyms and get turned away from all. If there's a slight possibility that I can find out about beforehand, the trip would be a lot more justified

I kinda already took the close gym off the table because they wouldn't return my calls or emails.

 

[Beans100]

I hate to break it to you, but a Worlds team probably isn't going to happen. Are there any gyms around you that offer an Open 4 team? They might be willing to take a level 1/level 2 tumbler if your stunting skills are exceptional. It's still a stretch though.

It is also going to be hard for a gym to evaluate your skill level if they can't see you in person. If you can't make time to go and see the gym, they probably aren't going to make time to consider you for a team.

Gyms are also very, very busy right now with tryouts and team placements. Don't get discouraged if your emails doesn't get answered for a couple days. Give it 3 days before following up. And if that doesn't get an answer, then either go in person or loo elsewhere.

 

[vegas98]

@Beans100 I don't think there is open 4.. Everything that's advertised for open is level 5 or 6, even the gyms that are 1.5 hours or more away. I don't really want to be on that high level anyway but I know their schedules are ideal for older kids, I haven't asked any gyms about their open teams because I don't think I can do it.

I will definitely go to tryouts and can make those. I don't want to show up to a gym without getting in contact with someone beforehand is all.

The first gym I emailed I explained that I was 18, cheered before, will have a college schedule and not available til after 6pm M-F, but still interested in trying out for a team. I asked if they knew what might be the best route for me to go (since they might have an idea of schedules already), that's when they asked my level. When I said I can tumble at 1/2 and stunt 3/4 they didn't respond, so I emailed 2 days later and called a few days later again and left a voicemail. This was over a week ago.

My parents are afraid that if I tryout and put all the down payments and stuff, we'll get the schedule and it won't work after August because I will start doing my deferral program. Or that they won't be as forgiving when things get added later and I won't be able to make it due to the program. My schedule starting in August is set in stone so it makes things easier to ask.

Even if I email a gym and they say "come here and we can talk about options" that would be fine! But but the first gym ignoring me made me think I might have come across in a bad way or that they don't put too much efforts into complicated situations?

 

[TealShades]

@Beans100 I don't think there is open 4.. Everything that's advertised for open is level 5 or 6, even the gyms that are 1.5 hours or more away. I don't really want to be on that high level anyway but I know their schedules are ideal for older kids, I haven't asked any gyms about their open teams because I don't think I can do it.

I will definitely go to tryouts and can make those. I don't want to show up to a gym without getting in contact with someone beforehand is all.

The first gym I emailed I explained that I was 18, cheered before, will have a college schedule and not available til after 6pm M-F, but still interested in trying out for a team. I asked if they knew what might be the best route for me to go (since they might have an idea of schedules already), that's when they asked my level. When I said I can tumble at 1/2 and stunt 3/4 they didn't respond, so I emailed 2 days later and called a few days later again and left a voicemail. This was over a week ago.

My parents are afraid that if I tryout and put all the down payments and stuff, we'll get the schedule and it won't work after August because I will start doing my deferral program. Or that they won't be as forgiving when things get added later and I won't be able to make it due to the program. My schedule starting in August is set in stone so it makes things easier to ask.

Even if I email a gym and they say "come here and we can talk about options" that would be fine! But but the first gym ignoring me made me think I might have come across in a bad way or that they don't put too much efforts into complicated situations?

It could also be they don't have team that will work for your schedule. Is college cheer available at your school?

 

[vegas98]

@iwearmysunglassesatnight they do, but I'm not eligible for anything but certain classes during my deferral year. I also think that gyms might not be able to work with my schedule but that's why I emailed and called trying to ask.. I wish that first gym had just responded after we first started talking instead of starting a convo and asking for a lot of my own information, then disappearing when I answered all their questions... It was just kinda sketchy to me for some reason. And it's made me a little weary about what I said so I want to just contact the other gyms in a way that will get some sort of response, even if it's a no so I'm not wondering!

 

[AngelsMum24]

Is this college close to home? Or are you taking classes online during this deferment? I've only had night classes if that is what I chose. Most of my classes are done before 5 at the latest. Secondly, from my experience, most gyms bring the younger kids in earlier and senior teams later. I don't think not being available until after 6 is going to be a huge issue when most parents work til 4-5pm.
Odds are you're going to end up on an S1/S2, especially if you haven't tumbled/cheered in 4 years.

 

[Beans100]

Agree ^^^^^^

I'm a full time college student and I only go to class 3 days a week. And, if I wanted to go 5 days a week, I'd still be out by 2:30pm at the latest.

When I cheered, practice didn't start until 7 pm anyways.

I think there are options, they just might not be your idea of "ideal."

 

[AngelsMum24]

Agree ^^^^^^

I'm a full time college student and I only go to class 3 days a week. And, if I wanted to go 5 days a week, I'd still be out by 2:30pm at the latest.

When I cheered, practice didn't start until 7 pm anyways.

I think there are options, they just might not be your idea of "ideal."

I work full-time, go to school full-time (online bridge program so only go to school for clinical days/labs), and run a cheer program. I also have two kids in extra curricular activities and neither start before 6pm. Even when she was on a youth team, practice didn't start until 6:00.

 

[vegas98]

@Beans100 @angelsmum yes I'm local to my college, within driving distance. The program schedule is class M-Th from 9:30-10:50 and the work program M-F from 12-5pm. So 6pm or 7pm is my ideal. Maybe a lot has changed in 4 years. My old teams used to practice at 4 and 4:30 for all the years I did cheer! I was with two gyms and our practices were always 4 or 4:30. I think there were even younger teams at 3:30. Our level 5 teams always got the latest block at 6 or 7pm, so I assumed it would be the same. Maybe I'm way off base. It's great if things aren't what I remember! If it's more common for practices to be at night now then it might not be an issue, thank you both for letting me know that what I experienced in the past might not be how it is. I wrote to the gyms so hopefully I can get a reply soon!

 

[omgitssydthekid]

@Beans100 @angelsmum yes I'm local to my college, within driving distance. The program schedule is class M-Th from 9:30-10:50 and the work program M-F from 12-5pm. So 6pm or 7pm is my ideal. Maybe a lot has changed in 4 years. My old teams used to practice at 4 and 4:30 for all the years I did cheer! I was with two gyms and our practices were always 4 or 4:30. I think there were even younger teams at 3:30. Our level 5 teams always got the latest block at 6 or 7pm, so I assumed it would be the same. Maybe I'm way off base. It's great if things aren't what I remember! If it's more common for practices to be at night now then it might not be an issue, thank you both for letting me know that what I experienced in the past might not be how it is. I wrote to the gyms so hopefully I can get a reply soon!

At the gym I coach at, our earliest practice starts at 5. The only things going on before 5 are private lessons. Most of our teams have at least one practice a week that starts at 5, including senior teams. But that will definitely vary based on the gym!

 

[WinstonsGirl]

Older teams generally practice later, since kids need to be in bed. I can control my tired-induced misery better than a 5 year old can. Our open teams will practice as late as 10pm. I would suggest a phone call over e-mail, as gyms are super busy with tryouts (though still not an excuse for not getting back to a potential customer), and have a list of questions ready for them so you don't forget anything.

 

[purplecheer]

Older teams generally practice later, since kids need to be in bed. I can control my tired-induced misery better than a 5 year old can. Our open teams will practice as late as 10pm. I would suggest a phone call over e-mail, as gyms are super busy with tryouts (though still not an excuse for not getting back to a potential customer), and have a list of questions ready for them so you don't forget anything.

I do this weird thing where I am tired in the day and then it hits 9 or 10 pm and I perk up and can't sleep