All-Star Use Of Alternates At Your Gym?

[anythingforcheer]

cinderella asked this in another thread and I thought this question would create a great thread on its own.

How are alternates dealt with at your gym? Are alternate/substitute athletes present on every team, only specific ones, or none at all?

Do your alternates replace permanent teams members in the case of disciplinary actions; injury; or dismissal from the program?

Also, how and when are alternate members determined? What I mean by that is, if an athlete makes a certain team at tryouts, can they be certain they will be on the floor, for said team, come competition season?

 

[Whit_Marieee]

We don't use alternates at all...
If an athlete gets hurt or quits we either pull a crossover or the coaches bring in a new girl altogether.

 

[cupieqt]

Sames ^

Although this year, I did have one girl from another team go ahead and learn the routine for a new team we had with a bunch of new girls. I had a feeling we'd lose at least one with all those newbies. Sure enough, yesterday I had a mom call me to tell me they had to pull their daughter for personal family issues so I'll be utilizing that crossover now.

 

[catlady]

The three week tryout process stressed my child out enough. I can't even imagine how much athlete/parent stress this would cause.....Yes, you and your spouse are the lucky parents of an alternate. You get to watch your child sit on the sidelines and you still get to pay full tuition, uniform and travel. Yes, you lucky dogs, you get to watch your child stress and you can even apply more stress to insure that when an opening becomes available, she will be guaranteed a nervous breakdown fighting for a spot over and over and over.:eek:

 

[Cheer Dad]

No alternates or substitute athletes at our gym. If a replacement is needed either temporary or permanent then a crossover will be used and if needed a new person altogether that would fit the need of the team.

 

[5-6-7-8]

The three week tryout process stressed my child out enough. I can't even imagine how much athlete/parent stress this would cause.....Yes, you and your spouse are the lucky parents of an alternate. You get to watch your child sit on the sidelines and you still get to pay full tuition, uniform and travel. Yes, you lucky dogs, you get to watch your child stress and you can even apply more stress to insure that when an opening becomes available, she will be guaranteed a nervous breakdown fighting for a spot over and over and over.:eek:

Right?

Now just to play devils advocate and to spur discussion...why don't we (this sport) use alternates?

Other sports have "benchwarmers" so I don't necessarily buy the fact that kids can't handle the pressure. Plenty of parents pay plenty of money for their child to be a bench warmer / practice team player.

Even if a gym doesn't use true alternates, I do wonder why each team doesn't have a few designated backups who practice occasionally with a team in addition to a main team.

 

[dawgshow]

Right?



Even if a gym doesn't use true alternates, I do wonder why each team doesn't have a few designated backups who practice occasionally with a team in addition to a main team.

I always wondered that, too.

 

[Cheer Dad]

Right?

Now just to play devils advocate and to spur discussion...why don't we (this sport) use alternates?

Other sports have "benchwarmers" so I don't necessarily buy the fact that kids can't handle the pressure. Plenty of parents pay plenty of money for their child to be a bench warmer / practice team player.

Even if a gym doesn't use true alternates, I do wonder why each team doesn't have a few designated backups who practice occasionally with a team in addition to a main team.

In this scenario though those are also fighting for that starting spot and are not just there in case some one gets injured or is sick.

 

[Cheerforme]

Hre are my thoughts - There may be families who actually like this idea for time or financial reasons. You could have a reduced fee - say the alternate practices once a week with the team they are alternate for and pays a prorated gym fee for just the time they are in the gym. They get to tumble and stunt to keep skills during that time frame and have a strong understanding of the routine. IF they are needed they switch over to the full fee plan and commit to more practices and competitions fees as well. Our gym has a uniform rental program that allows a substitute or 1/2 year athlete to rent a uniform rather than buy it - so this could work IF the gym buys extra uniforms at the time they order. The only issue that I am not sure there is a way around is the competitions ----one of the benefits of having a trained alternate would be IF - God forbid someone is hurt during the routine at a 2 day competition - the alternate can jump in on site - but would have had to travel to be there and for the far away trips this is a financial burden if you arent going to end up being needed.

I personally dont like the use of crossovers - way to much opportunity to abuse it by filling up a lower level team with higher level athletes...and I think it puts athletes at risk for exhaustion and injury. The same is true IF you need to pull a girl to a team due to injury during a 2 day competition...the girl being pulled could get injured or be exhausted which could then impact her primary team.

Hope something in here made sense - I was sort of rattling

 

[anythingforcheer]

I'm surprised to hear that some gyms don't have alternates - I thought this was a given especially on Worlds teams.

 

[5-6-7-8]

In this scenario though those are also fighting for that starting spot and are not just there in case some one gets injured or is sick.

Exactly. In that scenario I was thinking along the lines of having a small team of 24, and one stunt group maybe doesn't "play." I know for this sport this is "crazy talk;" I was just making the point that it really isn't that crazy since the idea of "benchwarming" is understood in other sports.

As to having backups, I guess thinking about it more, it is hard to know what spot would need to be filled ahead of time. Even if a backup flyer, backspot, main base and side base practiced occasionally with a team, when an injury or something happens, those may not be the "right" backups.

 

[CheerBank]

Friend's cp is an alternate on a well-known team from a well-respected gym. She'd rather be there with the possibility of taking the mat once all season (which she already has) than to have a permanent spot on a janky level 5 from craptastic allstars. Would she rather have a permanent spot on her team? I'd venture to say yes. Is she happier where she is than previous years? I'd venture to say yes. I just don't think it's fair to judge someone else's choices. Granted they might not be your own but that doesn't mean they aren't valid.

 

[MissCongeniality]

Friend's cp is an alternate on a well-known team from a well-respected gym. She'd rather be there with the possibility of taking the mat once all season (which she already has) than to have a permanent spot on a janky level 5 from craptastic allstars. Would she rather have a permanent spot on her team? I'd venture to say yes. Is she happier where she is than previous years? I'd venture to say yes. I just don't think it's fair to judge someone else's choices. Granted they might not be your own but that doesn't mean they aren't valid.

Was your friend's CP told from the start that she was an alternate or was the decision made later on? Does she double team to another team so she does compete at competitions? My CP was an alternate (and ended up competing the entire season) but she was also on another "primary team" (lower level).

 

[Drkilluzionz]

We actually have alternates on several of our teams but the majority of them have a primary team that they are on that some might deem below their skill level but based on whats best for our teams they belong on.

Example: We have a Senior 2 and a Coed 4 at our gym this year. A handful of level 3 athletes tried out and were given the opportunity to try and hang in with the level 4 team and see if any outside factors (stunting, leadership, showmanship, etc) earned them a spot on the level 4. At the end of the tryout process the level 3 athletes that did not make Coed 4 were given the following options:

Have a definite spot on the level 2 and be an alternate on 4
Just be an alternate on the level 4 and continue training and working skills
Not cheer

 

[Cheerforme]

Was your friend's CP told from the start that she was an alternate or was the decision made later on? Does she double team to another team so she does compete at competitions? My CP was an alternate (and ended up competing the entire season) but she was also on another "primary team" (lower level).

This is what I am familiar with most often