Cheer Pet Peeves?

[Cheerluv34]

lazy people


currently being fabulous

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Really bad excuses for missing practice/being late.

I'm not talking about "There was an accident on the freeway." It still counts as using one of your chances to be late (For all stars, my kids get 4 absences and 4 late passes to use throughout the season) but it's not going to make me give you the side-eye.

Then there's the ones that are totally avoidable and/or make no sense. Specifically with my non-Youth kids who know better such as:

"I couldn't find my pink sports bra."
"I had the wrong shoes."
"My carpool wanted to stop at Starbucks."

WHAT.

 

[12mowerd]

Really bad excuses for missing practice/being late.

I'm not talking about "There was an accident on the freeway." It still counts as using one of your chances to be late (For all stars, my kids get 4 absences and 4 late passes to use throughout the season) but it's not going to make me give you the side-eye.

Then there's the ones that are totally avoidable and/or make no sense. Specifically with my non-Youth kids who know better such as:

"I couldn't find my pink sports bra."
"I had the wrong shoes."
"My carpool wanted to stop at Starbucks."

WHAT.

There's a thread on here called "worst excuses to miss practice" or something like that. Look it up, it is hilarious it's my favorite thread!

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[mollymags]

Really bad excuses for missing practice/being late.

I'm not talking about "There was an accident on the freeway." It still counts as using one of your chances to be late (For all stars, my kids get 4 absences and 4 late passes to use throughout the season) but it's not going to make me give you the side-eye.

Then there's the ones that are totally avoidable and/or make no sense. Specifically with my non-Youth kids who know better such as:

"I couldn't find my pink sports bra."
"I had the wrong shoes."
"My carpool wanted to stop at Starbucks."

WHAT.

I have no tolerance for the bad excuses, and since I coach little ones, they come from parents. We've only had 2 practices and one of my kids has shown up late to both so far. She is a returning athlete who showed up late to practice and competition a few too many times last year so I wanted to nip it in the bud immediately this season. I brought it up to her mom, who then started with 1,000 excuses "I have so much going on, I have to drag her out the door because she moves so slow, the traffic on the way is so unpredictable."

1) coaching is job #3 for me and I've been late MAYBE three in three season times due to extreme weather or traffic (I drive almost 50 miles if coming from my office job and the 90 minutes I give myself sometimes isn't enough in Chicago suburban rush hour).

2) your kid is the best listener on the team, I bet she'll listen if you tell her to hurry.

3) I know this family lives near me and takes the same route to the gym. I came from home yesterday and still managed to make it to the gym early.

I do everything I can to be at the gym early and ready to give the kids my all for the time I have them because their parents have put a lot of money into this. I expect the same out of the kids and their parents... Mutual respect for my time and the rest of the families that have kids on the team.


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[MavsEmma12]

Black socks

 

[Meagan]

Again not a technical thing. More of thing said then done. I don't like when people refer to younger cheerleaders on senior teams as "fetus" it grosses me out. And it's not cool. I see it on social media all the time and I think it's disrespectful.

 

[AngelsMum24]

-flyers/bases that only want to stunt with specific people. This is a TEAM sport, and you may have to stunt with a newer base even if you don't want to for the good of the TEAM.

-people who rush through tumbling progressions, and look down on those taking their time. Tumbling takes longer for some to learn (...me) especially for those who want to have good form in the long run

-Complaining that a flyer is too heavy. (I am not talking about when a flyer feels heavier than usual and just needs to be tighter) There is almost no way that a flyer can't be lifted with three equally sized or stronger bases and a backspot. Usually statements like these are also made by (for example) bases jealous because they want to fly. That is NOT acceptable. Flying is already sometimes a tricky subject when it comes to self-esteem and weight, and no girl should have to deal with additional comments like that.

Whew! Rant over. Carry on.


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x a thousand

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[TheDivineCheerYaYaSecret]

Again not a technical thing. More of thing said then done. I don't like when people refer to younger cheerleaders on senior teams as "fetus" it grosses me out. And it's not cool. I see it on social media all the time and I think it's disrespectful.

I can agree with this. I really don't like that phrase!

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Another peeve of mine (from a coaching perspective) --

Other coaches insisting that because an athlete is small for her age, I'm cheating and entering an underaged kid.

Yes, she may be 4'11 and barely 80 lbs but I assure you that she is 12. Not 9 as you keep insisting.

I am 5'0 now, as an adult. Some people are just small. Relax.

 

[Julial0296]

When your stunt group constantly blames the flyer for the stunt falling..

ITS NOT ALWAYS OUR FAULT




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[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Again not a technical thing. More of thing said then done. I don't like when people refer to younger cheerleaders on senior teams as "fetus" it grosses me out. And it's not cool. I see it on social media all the time and I think it's disrespectful.

I agree. I don't care for this either.

Murphy's Law states that the kid calling another girl "fetus" typically is an older senior athlete (16-18) who has sour grapes over not being a flyer herself and believes that she would be flying if it weren't for the younger senior kids (10 to 14 year-olds) "taking up all the flyer spots."

Rather than being happy basing, she uses a derogatory term to refer to any flyer on the team who is younger or smaller than she is.

She also likely has delusions of grandeur concerning her own flying skills. These are often supported by an equally delusional parent who also uses the term "fetus" to describe those smaller and younger flyers.

 

[Meagan]

I agree. I don't care for this either.

Murphy's Law states that the kid calling another girl "fetus" typically is an older senior athlete (16-18) who has sour grapes over not being a flyer herself and believes that she would be flying if it weren't for the younger senior kids (10 to 14 year-olds) "taking up all the flyer spots."

Rather than being happy basing, she uses a derogatory term to refer to any flyer on the team who is younger or smaller than she is.

She also likely has delusions of grandeur concerning her own flying skills. These are often supported by an equally delusional parent who also uses the term "fetus" to describe those smaller and younger flyers.

This was informative! I just thought they were trying to be funny. But these little girls should not be called fetus. I feel like they work to hard to be called that.

 

[CA_Ryan]

flexed feet in jumps

 

[CheerBank]

I agree. I don't care for this either.

Murphy's Law states that the kid calling another girl "fetus" typically is an older senior athlete (16-18) who has sour grapes over not being a flyer herself and believes that she would be flying if it weren't for the younger senior kids (10 to 14 year-olds) "taking up all the flyer spots."

Rather than being happy basing, she uses a derogatory term to refer to any flyer on the team who is younger or smaller than she is.

She also likely has delusions of grandeur concerning her own flying skills. These are often supported by an equally delusional parent who also uses the term "fetus" to describe those smaller and younger flyers.

How about we call them FOSSS instead - Flyers of Significantly Smaller Statures. Is that better?

As the parent of a cp who always has and always will happily base, I find the term "fetuses" in reference to flyers pretty darn amusing, as well as how bent out of shape people get over hearing that term used. Don't want to hear the term used about your flyers? Then don't use 10 year olds who are significantly smaller and way less mature looking than the rest of your 17-18 year old senior team who are basing them and tossing them around like rag dolls. For me, it is more appearance of maturity of the flyer than the actual size. I've seen plenty of petite, solid flyers who are within the same age range as their team, and I don't think anyone is calling them fetuses.

 

[TheDivineCheerYaYaSecret]

How about we call them FOSSS instead - Flyers of Significantly Smaller Statures. Is that better?

As the parent of a cp who always has and always will happily base, I find the term "fetuses" in reference to flyers pretty darn amusing, as well as how bent out of shape people get over hearing that term used. Don't want to hear the term used about your flyers? Then don't use 10 year olds who are significantly smaller and way less mature looking than the rest of your 17-18 year old senior team who are basing them and tossing them around like rag dolls. For me, it is more appearance of maturity of the flyer than the actual size. I've seen plenty of petite, solid flyers who are within the same age range as their team, and I don't think anyone is calling them fetuses.

Seriously?

Why do they need to be called anything other than "flyer"?

To take that a step farther, why would you refer to my daughter, my child, using a phrase that you know is often associated with bitterness and hatefulness? Why do you find it "pretty darn amusing"? Why would you not expect people to be "bent out of shape... over hearing that term used"?

My daughter is now 11 and yes, she is a flyer. This will be her fourth year of cheer and she has always been a flyer on a Senior team. The first year the USASF newer age requirements weren't in place and the second year the small gym where she cheered didn't attend USASF events. Last year she was a flyer for a Senior team and she was the youngest on the team. She will again be a flyer on a Senior team this season. She is also basing on a Youth team and couldn't be happier about that.

Is she significantly smaller in stature than the majority of the girls on her Senior team? Yes. Yes she is.

So what?

Because she is smaller does that mean she doesn't need to be a flyer on a Senior team? Are you assuming that because she is smaller the only reason she is able to stay in the air is because of her bases? That she has no strength or not enough skill to do her job as a flyer?

Perhaps you believe that the only reason she is on a Senior team is because she is smaller and can be "tossed around like a rag doll"? That she couldn't possibly be a good dancer, an amazing jumper, and be one of the strongest tumblers on the team?

Here is how it is: The cheer industry tends to use smaller girls as flyers. That is just the way it is. I don't know if it is right or wrong, but it is what it is. It is also apparent that the same smaller girls will most likely grow and then become bases. Not all of them, but most.

I'm fairly confident that my own daughter will move to a full time base position eventually and I am just fine with that. In fact, she is a total beast as a base on her Youth 4 team. She is extremely proud that she has been able to learn level 4 basing when the only other time she based was at level 1.

Cheer is a team sport. That means there is a place for all body types. In fact, it takes all body types to make a team.

Take a look at my avatar. Those two boys are football players. The one on the left is a linebacker. The one on the right is an offensive lineman. The one on the left runs a 4.5 40 yard dash. The one on the right runs a 5.0 40 yard dash. The one on the right is about 3" taller and 50 lbs. heavier than the one on the left. The one on the left is a holy terror to anyone carrying the ball and the one on the right is your worst nightmare if you are trying to get to the quarterback. The one on the left is recognized again and again for sacks, tackles, and interceptions. The one on the right is never recognized at all. In fact the one on the right plays what is called a "non-skilled" position.

The lineman doesn't get "props". What he does get are team stats in the way of offensive yards, passing yards, and rushing yards. Those stats are his, and the entire offensive line's, closest thing to recognition. Funny thing though, none of the teams accomplishments could happen without those guys up there on the line. Do they whine about it? Do they resent their quarterback, running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers because they don't get to carry the ball, score the touchdowns? No they don't. Do their parents have derogatory names for the players that are in the spotlight because they are jealous, think their child should have a shot at it, and don't see the value of all the positions on a team? No.

In cheer the smaller girls are flyers. That is just the way it is. Is it that way at all the gyms? I don't know, probably not.

In cheer the larger girls are bases and back spots. That is just the way it is. Is it that way at all the gyms? I don't know, probably not.

A true athlete is going to work hard to be the best they can be. A true athlete isn't really that caught up in what position they are playing. A true athlete wants to be in a position that best suits them for the team.

At the end of the day a true athlete is just happy to be a part of the team because that means they get to play.

Shouldn't that be the norm? Shouldn't all the positions be regarded as valuable?