All-Star Retirement???

[TealShades]

It kinda makes me wish we had a 'mandatory' off-season where there were no open gyms or anything.

For CT HS rules, you can't legally practice as a 'team' up until a few weeks before the season officially starts. You can do group conditioning or free play but you can't have a coach communicate with you about stuff.

omg I'm so sorry I accidentally pushed bullying button. But I changed it right away. I don't know if you got a notice yet.

 

[Cheer Dad]

No, I appreciate you being intrigued by my pondering... I am new to this gym and somewhat new to this sport. My daughter has retired from one sport (gymnastics) and right now, is totally in love with cheerleading... My daughter, in the short time in the sport, has been constantly told she is on the fast track in this sport, which keeps her motivated to stick with the sport... But after what I witnessed and heard, I am wondering what happens when those dreams are not realized? Will she or I be prepare, if the Shooting Star invite passes her by and maybe she will not be placed on a L5 or Worlds team...
PS: It may not be a big problem with this gym, but the possibilities are real that every year, a new group will aged out and must compete for limited spots...This food chain looks like a pyramid with Shooting Stars at the top and everything else falls below them...Just saying!!!

the more I think of this the more I have to ask, exactly who is saying your cp is on the fast track on this sport and are you sure they mean one of the L5 teams?



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[TheVipersMom]

Off season? Lol we had tryouts and team practice started before the summit (summit teams and returning athletes basically had double practices)

We had one of our choreographers come in like 1.5 weeks ago. Routine is finished. They have a routine to work on and clean up ... I'm so happy that part is done! I feel like we would be so behind if we took a break now..


Also the people making the jacket comments I feel for some kids it is quite the opposite... I think she thinks of it as a game to see how many she can try to get. We have only been here 2 seasons so she doesn't have that many but as of now that's what she looks forward to.


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[cheerisloving]

^^^^Yes. There is the FAMILY burn out as well.

This was me. I wasn't burnt out, in fact I was in my prime. I was entering 8th grade, had gotten my level three tumbling down, and I had been flying on level two, so I had the technique and confidence that I lacked as a level 3 flyer.

But my parents were DONE.

I attended school in a different state, and even though my parents were commuting to the same place, the stress of beating traffic to get to practice on time, or going from 6 am to 10 pm was too much. My dad was taking my brother to his job because was still getting his license, so my mom was kind of handling the stress of competition on her own. Not to mention my brother was going to start college in the coming year. That with behind the scenes drama made my mom just pull me completely.

 

[CheerBank]

This was me. I wasn't burnt out, in fact I was in my prime. I was entering 8th grade, had gotten my level three tumbling down, and I had been flying on level two, so I had the technique and confidence that I lacked as a level 3 flyer.

But my parents were DONE.

I attended school in a different state, and even though my parents were commuting to the same place, the stress of beating traffic to get to practice on time, or going from 6 am to 10 pm was too much. My dad was taking my brother to his job because was still getting his license, so my mom was kind of handling the stress of competition on her own. Not to mention my brother was going to start college in the coming year. That with behind the scenes drama made my mom just pull me completely.

Unfortunately that is called real life. Sometimes extracurriculars and sports work for a family, and sometimes they just can't/don't.

 

[CheerBank]

Off season? Lol we had tryouts and team practice started before the summit (summit teams and returning athletes basically had double practices)

We had one of our choreographers come in like 1.5 weeks ago. Routine is finished. They have a routine to work on and clean up ... I'm so happy that part is done! I feel like we would be so behind if we took a break now..


Also the people making the jacket comments I feel for some kids it is quite the opposite... I think she thinks of it as a game to see how many she can try to get. We have only been here 2 seasons so she doesn't have that many but as of now that's what she looks forward to.


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She's young and it is definitely still fun for them to win them. Hopefully she will continue her love and enthusiasm for the sport as she continues on regardless of what she brings home with her from the competition. It is more that 12-14 year old age where you often see the biggest burnout. At 9 they don't realize what they are missing with school friends because they have all their cheer friends. At 13 it becomes more apparent. Many are able to find the balance, others choose to just do school and still others decide they no longer want the committment of cheer or any sport. It's almost as if they get past that hump then they are lifers (at least through high school).

Your cp has also been done with school for a while now. My kids are just finishing up. After all their finals and Regents exams, and 4 nights a week of leveled skill classes for the past 6 weeks, cp could use a break. Even non-cp who is 10 is happy to have a break from all his sports right now (he is still playing lax but it is a summer league and they just play games 1x a week, no practices). When they come back they will start with their new teams and new season, physically and mentally refreshed.

 

[Pebbles49]

I really can't speak for the total culture at WC but can say I am surprised of here any talk of 'fast tracking' an athlete in that program. I am fully aware some kids do move along really fast and make the senior L5 teams at a young age but after meeting Elaine and having the pleasure of listening to her talk to a group of coaches with a Q & A session. Just seems out of character for her and subsequently her coaches.





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Hey Cheer Dad,
I did not make up this culture of a tracking system, I have not been on the Fierce Board site very long but I am pretty sure you do not need to go that far in the postings and have stumbled over and read others mentioned the tracking system - Matter of fact, you do not have to go back too far in your research, if you read the post 'Dream Deferred' there is a poster who outlined this tracking system on the 1st page... So you should inquired from this poster why this exist - This poster mentioned fast track way will be Twinkles-StarLites-Stars and this is what I was alluding to when I mentioned the fast tracking... I was given this prognosis of my daughter through a Pre-Evaluation conversations, however, since my daughter is still youth age these things are not set in stone, just probabilities....
PS: I am new at this gym and this other poster, who mentioned the several tracking scenarios of athletes seems to be much more experience and wiser than me on this matter... Btw, this poster also outlined several scenarios and to be honest, I doubt it just occurs at this gym....PS: you are right, WC does not fast track young athletes on Worlds team and highly stress that Junior level before Senior Levels for all athletes... What we are talking about is the preparation and not the age of the athletes on the Worlds teams...

 

[12stepCheermom]

She's young and it is definitely still fun for them to win them. Hopefully she will continue her love and enthusiasm for the sport as she continues on regardless of what she brings home with her from the competition. It is more that 12-14 year old age where you often see the biggest burnout. At 9 they don't realize what they are missing with school friends because they have all their cheer friends. At 13 it becomes more apparent. Many are able to find the balance, others choose to just do school and still others decide they no longer want the committment of cheer or any sport. It's almost as if they get past that hump then they are lifers (at least through high school).

Your cp has also been done with school for a while now. My kids are just finishing up. After all their finals and Regents exams, and 4 nights a week of leveled skill classes for the past 6 weeks, cp could use a break. Even non-cp who is 10 is happy to have a break from all his sports right now (he is still playing lax but it is a summer league and they just play games 1x a week, no practices). When they come back they will start with their new teams and new season, physically and mentally refreshed.

I agree with this but is also add that the younger ones also tend to still be on the "fun" teams. Having grown up in the lower levels and then seeing the 180 degree difference in worlds teams in terms of it being fun vs. being a job I have a different perspective now.

I think the "job" aspect of worlds team culture is probably the number one culprit of burnout because it's definitely not about jackets at that point. Cp16 won a jacket in KC last year they were never given (Americas best) and the whole team couldn't care less. It's just a different environment which worked for my cp16 but cp14 watched the first ten minutes of his new teams practice this week and said to me, "yep, R5 was a good team for me." She's just not ready/able to handle that level of intensity. She still wants it to be fun and fun is not the primary intent of a team at that caliber.


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[Just-a-Mom]

When did this thread become about L5? Do you all know something I don't? The op never said her kid was on Y5, just "a successful youth team."

(I don't know nearly as much about her as some of you do, so maybe she is y5. Just wondering where that info came from?)

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[Just-a-Mom]

Hey Cheer Dad,
I did not make up this culture of a tracking system, I have not been on the Fierce Board site very long but I am pretty sure you do not need to go that far in the postings and have stumbled over and read others mentioned the tracking system - Matter of fact, you do not have to go back too far in your research, if you read the post 'Dream Deferred' there is a poster who outlined this tracking system on the 1st page... So you should inquired from this poster why this exist - This poster mentioned fast track way will be Twinkles-StarLites-Stars and this is what I was alluding to when I mentioned the fast tracking... I was given this prognosis of my daughter through a Pre-Evaluation conversations, however, since my daughter is still youth age these things are not set in stone, just probabilities....
PS: I am new at this gym and this other poster, who mentioned the several tracking scenarios of athletes seems to be much more experience and wiser than me on this matter... Btw, this poster also outlined several scenarios and to be honest, I doubt it just occurs at this gym....PS: you are right, WC does not fast track young athletes on Worlds team and highly stress that Junior level before Senior Levels for all athletes... What we are talking about is the preparation and not the age of the athletes on the Worlds teams...

Sorry for the double post.

That post in Dream Deferred had nothing to do with "fast tracking." She was merely talking about routes that athletes take at WC after being on Twinkles. Nothing "fast" about it. Nor is it "tracking" - which implies that WC is putting them on a specific path. It's just where cheer - and life- takes them.

You didn't really answer @Cheer Dad. He said "who is telling you she is on the 'fast track'?" Fair question, since you brought it up, and said she keeps hearing it. Is it coaches? Other parents? Just seems to go against everything WC says and does with everyone else.

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[Pebbles49]

Hey maybe out of ignorance I said 'fast tracking' and not routes - but what I definitely mean is that there are several routes set out, which I became aware of after only being in this place for 1 year, so calling it fast track or tracking routes... They all mean the same to me,,, maybe my ignorance in this sport might be mixing up the terminology and maybe you, who are might enlightened can specified the difference... Okay, you know what, from now on, I will call it 'Fast routes' instead of 'Fast tracking'. Whew, I am glad we got that clear up, these are fast routes that happens, mostly, after the age of 12...
Btw, I did answer the question opposed by Cheer Dad - I mentioned in Pre-Evaluation this was mentioned, and for anonymity sake I will refrain from calling out names...

 

[BigBow]

When did this thread become about L5? Do you all know something I don't? The op never said her kid was on Y5, just "a successful youth team."

(I don't know nearly as much about her as some of you do, so maybe she is y5. Just wondering where that info came from?)

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I think the information about the OP's daughter being on Twinkles just came from previous threads and posts. She never said it here though, you're right.

 

[quitthedrama]

When did this thread become about L5? Do you all know something I don't? The op never said her kid was on Y5, just "a successful youth team."

(I don't know nearly as much about her as some of you do, so maybe she is y5. Just wondering where that info came from?)

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The OP has either specifically stated her CP was/is on Twinkles and I believe the OPs previous avatar was of a Twinkles athlete which I assume is her own CP, so I took this thread to be about Twinkles/WC specifically based on the original post of this thread.

Hey maybe out of ignorance I said 'fast tracking' and not routes - but what I definitely mean is that there are several routes set out, which I became aware of after only being in this place for 1 year, so calling it fast track or tracking routes... They all mean the same to me,,, maybe my ignorance in this sport might be mixing up the terminology and maybe you, who are might enlightened can specified the difference... Okay, you know what, from now on, I will call it 'Fast routes' instead of 'Fast tracking'. Whew, I am glad we got that clear up, these are fast routes that happens, mostly, after the age of 12...
Btw, I did answer the question opposed by Cheer Dad - I mentioned in Pre-Evaluation this was mentioned, and for anonymity sake I will refrain from calling out names...

Fast-track or Fast-Route means the same thing to me, not sure how others view it. It is taking a specific athlete or group of athletes and training them to get to the highest level/team as fast as possible, normally skipping levels in the process. I am going to respectfully disagree that is what WC does (only using WC specifically since you are referring to them specifically in this thread). Obviously I only can base my opinion on what I see at competitions and have heard from people who have been with the program, but I have seen WC at several competitions per year over the past 6+ years. Perhaps there are posters who are at WC that can back up your claim.

 

[TealShades]

Hey maybe out of ignorance I said 'fast tracking' and not routes - but what I definitely mean is that there are several routes set out, which I became aware of after only being in this place for 1 year, so calling it fast track or tracking routes... They all mean the same to me,,, maybe my ignorance in this sport might be mixing up the terminology and maybe you, who are might enlightened can specified the difference... Okay, you know what, from now on, I will call it 'Fast routes' instead of 'Fast tracking'. Whew, I am glad we got that clear up, these are fast routes that happens, mostly, after the age of 12...
Btw, I did answer the question opposed by Cheer Dad - I mentioned in Pre-Evaluation this was mentioned, and for anonymity sake I will refrain from calling out names...

Hey maybe out of ignorance I said 'fast tracking' and not routes - but what I definitely mean is that there are several routes set out, which I became aware of after only being in this place for 1 year, so calling it fast track or tracking routes... They all mean the same to me,,, maybe my ignorance in this sport might be mixing up the terminology and maybe you, who are might enlightened can specified the difference... Okay, you know what, from now on, I will call it 'Fast routes' instead of 'Fast tracking'. Whew, I am glad we got that clear up, these are fast routes that happens, mostly, after the age of 12...
Btw, I did answer the question opposed by Cheer Dad - I mentioned in Pre-Evaluation this was mentioned, and for anonymity sake I will refrain from calling out names...

hi pebbles. I read your other thread as well. The poster you're referring too was replying to another poster about stars not being the only worlds team. She was agreeing and then gave examples of what "she" has seen happen after twinkles. Maybe it does happen this way or not. Not everyone can be on shooting stars and not everyone strives to be a star. I believe cheer dad was just asking who was telling you about your daughters possible path at wc since you said you're told this many times. I don't think he wanted specific names and addresses. I don't want you to think I'm coming off mean or attacking you in anyway. Its justt what I gathered from the two threads.

 

[Pebbles49]

The OP has either specifically stated her CP was/is on Twinkles and I believe the OPs previous avatar was of a Twinkles athlete which I assume is her own CP, so I took this thread to be about Twinkles/WC specifically based on the original post of this thread.


Fast-track or Fast-Route means the same thing to me, not sure how others view it. It is taking a specific athlete or group of athletes and training them to get to the highest level/team as fast as possible, normally skipping levels in the process. I am going to respectfully disagree that is what WC does (only using WC specifically since you are referring to them specifically in this thread). Obviously I only can base my opinion on what I see at competitions and have heard from people who have been with the program, but I have seen WC at several competitions per year over the past 6+ years. Perhaps there are posters who are at WC that can back up your claim.

Let me clear this up,,, I never mentioned any steps are being skipped... Most athletes are not placed on Worlds team until 13 or for most, after 14 when they aged off of a Junior Level... I am kind of mystified that no one are aware of routes, which were alluded by another poster... As far as I know, this is not unusual act in other sports, in other sports, there is a clear fast route in place... Such as Gymnastics (I mentioned this sport, since I have experience in that area) we have the coaches who evaluate athletes and determines what kind of training they will receive or offer- whether it will be recreational gymnastic or advance training, working toward being on elite teams and levels...
Maybe, my presumptions are wrong and cheerleading does not have a fast route in place and every athletes follow the same routes... If wrong, I am so sorry for jumping to conclusions and making these incorrect and off base assumptions...