All-Star Jewish Holidays And Missing Practice

[funsizemom]

How do most gyms handle athletes missing practices for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, first night of Passover which is always going to be Worlds Month and an athlete's own Bat Mitzvah? This is our third year cheering and we never had an issue until this last season at a second location within the same program. My daughter's bat mitzvah is in August and when I brought it up to the gym mom at this location she already started commenting on what we would possibly miss. I am wondering if I am wrong to ask them to make concessions and give her four days off in August in which case we take the summer off from cheer and "try out" in September after the High Holidays so we only have to deal with Passover Seder issues or if other environments are as willing to work with athletes like our first gym location of the same program did? I understand all worlds practices are mandatory however it seems to me every Jewish athlete should be able to attend a Seder without repercussions as this really is a major observance and professional sports teams make allowances for Jewish athletes.

 

[dawgshow]

Our gym handles them the same way Christian holidays are handled. Instead of talking to another parent, I would bring it up to the coach or owner. If they know ahead of time, they will most likely make concessions.


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

 

[quitthedrama]

Agree with @dawgshow - this is not a conversation to have with the team mom. I would think most programs would be fine with an athlete missing for religious holidays/events so long as it did not interfere with competition. Given it sounds like most of the days you need off are during the summer and early fall, it shouldn't be an issue with most gyms. Good luck!

 

[cheergirlbrey]

I know many people that have had to plan Communion and Confirmation around competition season and others that have pulled their kid and missed a few things, I feel it's really up to your commitment as a family to decide where you stand. A good friend once told me that when her employees ask for of she tends to say no, if they tell her they will/need off they will get it....if your asking she doesn't feel your showing the importance of what you need. I feel this applies to so many areas of life.!


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

 

[kristenthegreat]

August generally shouldn't be a problem, although it does depend on when they're doing choreography. Going to school in NYC, I got used to having Jewish holidays off. Seder's a big deal- but I agree. Talk to the owner. It IS an important time of year, both for cheer world and personal world. Make sure you impress upon them the importance.

 

[Lazydaisytoo]

Last year our coach and her daughter flew to US Finals immediately following her FHC. The party was held off till the following week so as to not conflict with the competition

Religious commitments are more important than cheer. Reasonable coaches and owners will be able to work with that. Now if you can't compete on Saturdays, cheer is not the sport for you, but then, you already knew that.

 

[CheerBank]

Cp takes off for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the first seder. We always let the coaches know in advance and it has never been a problem. I think we are one of two Jewish families at our gym.

We did have a 2-day competition one season where cp competed Saturday morning in PA, we then drove to NJ for the family seder and then right back to the hotel afterwards as we still had Day 2 ahead of us. I just got non-cp10's bar mitzvah date for 2017, and you had better believe I will let the coaches know right after the end of the 2015-16 season when that date is.

We've only had one coach years ago who grumbled about cp missing practice for the seder. I told him if he wanted to schedule a make-up practice on Easter, we were wide open .

 

[Cheerluv34]

I had the same problem because I am one of the few Jewish people in my area. But this time, it was for School Cheer. I told them at the end of the season before and again at the beginning, and they knew I was going to miss a practice and game. Guess what? My spot was replaced by a girl who missed practice for a maroon 5 concert and I ended up being a frontspot and in the back for everything. I am NOT going back to that originization!


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

 

[CheerBank]

I had the same problem because I am one of the few Jewish people in my area. But this time, it was for School Cheer. I told them at the end of the season before and again at the beginning, and they knew I was going to miss a practice and game. Guess what? My spot was replaced by a girl who missed practice for a maroon 5 concert and I ended up being a frontspot and in the back for everything. I am NOT going back to that originization!


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

That stinks! Unfortunately the reality is when you miss a practice for whatever reason and someone fills in, if the coach likes what they see and feels it works better for the team, there is always a chance you could have your spot changed. You'd think that for an excused religious holiday absence it would not happen, but the show must go on regardless of how unfair that seems.

 

[retiredl5cheer]

I had the same problem because I am one of the few Jewish people in my area. But this time, it was for School Cheer. I told them at the end of the season before and again at the beginning, and they knew I was going to miss a practice and game. Guess what? My spot was replaced by a girl who missed practice for a maroon 5 concert and I ended up being a frontspot and in the back for everything. I am NOT going back to that originization!


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

Sometimes it's less about why practice was missed and more about what works. I pulled a flyer from a stunt to prove my point to a mom one time and threw in a random kid just so the stunt could go up. That kid showed me she was actually totally awesome at flying, even though I'd never considered her. Guess who stayed in the stunt?

It's hard and it's not always fair, but sometimes it just works out like that. Just cross your fingers that it comes your way sometime.

 

[MissCongeniality]

Cp takes off for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the first seder. We always let the coaches know in advance and it has never been a problem. I think we are one of two Jewish families at our gym.

We did have a 2-day competition one season where cp competed Saturday morning in PA, we then drove to NJ for the family seder and then right back to the hotel afterwards as we still had Day 2 ahead of us. I just got non-cp10's bar mitzvah date for 2017, and you had better believe I will let the coaches know right after the end of the 2015-16 season when that date is.

We've only had one coach years ago who grumbled about cp missing practice for the seder. I told him if he wanted to schedule a make-up practice on Easter, we were wide open .

Lol on Easter! CP had practice on Easter last year. And no I am not kidding!

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Sometimes it's less about why practice was missed and more about what works. I pulled a flyer from a stunt to prove my point to a mom one time and threw in a random kid just so the stunt could go up. That kid showed me she was actually totally awesome at flying, even though I'd never considered her. Guess who stayed in the stunt?

It's hard and it's not always fair, but sometimes it just works out like that. Just cross your fingers that it comes your way sometime.

Yes. Unfortunately, anytime you're NOT there, someone HAS to go in your spot in order to HAVE practice.

Not a huge deal if you RARELY miss. Ex: If you do not ever miss and your mitzvah falls on a practice day, no biggie. Someone will fill your spot and it won't be a big deal because you never miss.

Now, if you're an "every other day out of practice" kid, someone is still going to fill in for you, but don't be surprised if I start liking what I see in that other person because well, you're never there.

This is especially true leading up to a big comp. If you're missing all the time right before big comps, I just can't put you back in. I can't. At this point, your "fill in" is more well-versed in your role than you are.

 

[CheerBank]

Lol on Easter! CP had practice on Easter last year. And no I am not kidding!

Cp totally would have been there!

ETA: I may or may not have just checked to see when Passover falls for the next 3-4 years.

 

[12stepCheermom]

We actually had practice on Easter this year.

Many moons ago my ex-cp and pre-cp (he hadn't started cheering yet) missed their first communion because we were at Jamfest Nationals that weekend at a travel comp.

The priest did it special for them the following Sunday at mass.


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

 

[shootingstarsfan]

Lol on Easter! CP had practice on Easter last year. And no I am not kidding!

pretty sure one year a very long time ago I had practice on Christmas eve!