All-Star Where's The Loyalty?

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Sure they would, with practice. I'm not saying LVL 5 stunting can be learned in a week or two, what I'm saying is LVL 5 tumbling absolutely can not be learned as quickly as stunting. Boys tend to be the exception in this area; CEA has had a few good examples of that, but overall, it's likely tumbling that holds them back over stunting.

Stunting-wise, I have noticed that bases pick up/work up to L5 basing quicker than a flyer can pick up/work up to L5 flying.

There are gyms out there who even start some new-to-cheer kids out on 4.2 instead of 1 or 2 because of that.

 

[mybabywantstotumble]

I coach, and occasionally when another team is at competition, and our seven swingers are missing, we'll play a game at the end of practice for five minutes. Does that really make me a bad coach?

If you have younger kids, your practices are structured, your team is doing well and it's only 5 minutes then I would say no. However as a parent of a higher level athlete from a mega gym if you can't work on stunts because cross overs are somewhere else then my kid better be tumbling, working on jumps or conditioning. And I don't think I'm some psycho cheer mom but I pay A LOT of money for my kid to be there. I can have play dates for free at my house.

 

[mybabywantstotumble]

This is basically why we left our first gym. Owner literally told me he didn't know what his coaches were doing!

Must be same gym - lol

 

[MaineStar234]

And I guess I just got triggered because I am a young college graduate who is aged out, but I'm never on my phone during practice or anything like that, and my practices are very structured.

Hey, I'm also from Maine! Did you cheer for high school in Maine, if so where did you go? I went to/cheered at Marshwood and also cheered all stars at Maine Stars for 13 years! It's nice to see new gyms popping up in Maine! How long have you guys been around (I graduated in 2013 so I'm not really up to date on the current cheer world in Maine)? When I cheered it was really just Maine Stars, Elite, Maine Event (for a while, until they closed), Coastal Xtreme (not sure if they still exist in any form) and Planet Cheer (now Element), so it's great to see cheer expanding in the state!


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[catlady]

I haven't ever used the word "loyalty" when it comes to cheer but, I have taught my kids once the contract is signed they are committing to their team mates. I think everyone understands there are injuries, financial reasons, moving, mental anxiety, etc. but, I do struggle with parents that feel when things get tough or mid stream they like something better, it is ok to walk out the door. Yes, gyms are businesses but, kids are walking out on team mates, as well. Most definitely, my kids have learned there are plenty of quitters and people that always think the grass is greener. But, I need and want my kids to learn the world doesn't revolve around them, others rely on them, and they are needed. I need them to learn teams comes with financial and time sacrifice, not just theirs but, all of their team mates and their parents, as well. My kids have talked to some of those kids that have left mid stream only to hear them say, "It doesn't matter, I'm just one person, they'll replace me, you all will be fine." IMO, all kids can do without the life lesson of, "I don't matter, I'm replaceable, I'm just one person, people will be fine without me."

 

[Michael White]

If you have younger kids, your practices are structured, your team is doing well and it's only 5 minutes then I would say no. However as a parent of a higher level athlete from a mega gym if you can't work on stunts because cross overs are somewhere else then my kid better be tumbling, working on jumps or conditioning. And I don't think I'm some psycho cheer mom but I pay A LOT of money for my kid to be there. I can have play dates for free at my house.

Small gym, and definitely, even if I'm missing 7, there's plenty to work on! The youngest on my team is 6 and the average is 9, so every once in a while we'll play a game in the last 5 minutes.

 

[Michael White]

Hey, I'm also from Maine! Did you cheer for high school in Maine, if so where did you go? I went to/cheered at Marshwood and also cheered all stars at Maine Stars for 13 years! It's nice to see new gyms popping up in Maine! How long have you guys been around (I graduated in 2013 so I'm not really up to date on the current cheer world in Maine)? When I cheered it was really just Maine Stars, Elite, Maine Event (for a while, until they closed), Coastal Xtreme (not sure if they still exist in any form) and Planet Cheer (now Element), so it's great to see cheer expanding in the state!


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I didn't start cheering until I was in college 3 years ago (they eventually went all girl), and then I became affiliated with Big 10 Cheer in Hermon. I was on a couple of IOC5 teams and now an Open 4 team. It kind of sucks that I aged out before I even got a chance to be on a senior team, but that's life. I think Elite is still around with a low level team, Element is doing well, and I don't know if Diamond is still a thing?

 

[RSbrittany]

If you have younger kids, your practices are structured, your team is doing well and it's only 5 minutes then I would say no. However as a parent of a higher level athlete from a mega gym if you can't work on stunts because cross overs are somewhere else then my kid better be tumbling, working on jumps or conditioning. And I don't think I'm some psycho cheer mom but I pay A LOT of money for my kid to be there. I can have play dates for free at my house.

How do you feel about the practices where its all about full outs? I have my teams go full out at least 3 times and then immediately do a makeup routine for anything that went wrong. If nothing went wrong it is a full out mark. These practices are very hard on the kids bodies so they usually are allowed about 15 minutes of down time between full outs. It isn't a time for them to goof off or anything like that but to relax and prepare their bodies for their next full out. If a stunt fell during the full out they might have to hit their stunt 5 times within that 15 minutes (same with tumbling) if it has been a consistent problem. During strenuous practices like that they need that down time for their bodies to recover or it can be dangerous for them to be doing skills when they are too tired.

 

[JumpChannel]

... if you can't work on stunts because cross overs are somewhere else then my kid better be tumbling, working on jumps or conditioning. And I don't think I'm some psycho cheer mom but I pay A LOT of money for my kid to be there. I can have play dates for free at my house.

This! Ok with occasional fun team bonding activities at practice. But primarily my kid signed up for the fun and bonding of actually cheering, stunting with a group, tumbling, even burning off steam conditioning. If the team can't do stunts or pyramids because of attendance or because crossovers are somewhere else, the fun of cheer itself is diminished. My cp would rather practice be rescheduled so all the team can be there. I'm ok with at least do something cheer-related!

 

[omgitssydthekid]

How do you feel about the practices where its all about full outs? I have my teams go full out at least 3 times and then immediately do a makeup routine for anything that went wrong. If nothing went wrong it is a full out mark. These practices are very hard on the kids bodies so they usually are allowed about 15 minutes of down time between full outs. It isn't a time for them to goof off or anything like that but to relax and prepare their bodies for their next full out. If a stunt fell during the full out they might have to hit their stunt 5 times within that 15 minutes (same with tumbling) if it has been a consistent problem. During strenuous practices like that they need that down time for their bodies to recover or it can be dangerous for them to be doing skills when they are too tired.

We do the same. We try and give the athletes breaks between full outs, which is pretty easy to do when we have two or three other teams in the gym at the same time because they'll take turns performing for each other. And if they bust a pass they have to do it three times after the routine, and if they don't throw it they have to do it five times after the routine so this gives them safe time for that.


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[CheerBank]

If you have younger kids, your practices are structured, your team is doing well and it's only 5 minutes then I would say no. However as a parent of a higher level athlete from a mega gym if you can't work on stunts because cross overs are somewhere else then my kid better be tumbling, working on jumps or conditioning. And I don't think I'm some psycho cheer mom but I pay A LOT of money for my kid to be there. I can have play dates for free at my house.

I always felt that way. Work on something, anything, functional. I could have stayed home instead of driving cp to and from the gym.

 

[MzLyn23]

My loyalty is to my child first. If she's unhappy with her current program she can move as long as she's finished the year; except under extreme circumstances.

This....

I heard comments on other threads of gym hoppers and so on... I've told my cp if anyone calls u that (she still goes to school with former rec team members) you have the right to reply "call me what you want but I have finished every season. I don't leave in the middle... I push through the best I can and when try outs come that's where I decide do I want to do one more year?"
Done lol

Perfect example:
On rec CP was a level 1 almost 2 tumbler but a level 3/4 flyer (in rec things are done a bit differently but I always tried to follow USASF). Left August after tryout when I resigned because of town politics and the shitshow it had become. Off to all star... Placed on a level 2 team. Did one season in a small gym. She did great on the performance end but behind the scenes she wasn't happy. Didn't feel she had true friends. Many times felt uncomfortable and in the end of season had maybe 2 true friends. She did tryouts in hopes that it would be different, different level etc.... She made 4.2 but even then for two weeks following tryouts in summer she didn't feel right, told me it feels weird like she's still the outsider. Drama starts occurring at the gym and within 3 weeks (1 of those is being away for vacay) 5 others left. One of those her BFF which was seeking level appropriate for her (and she got it). We return and cp tells me idk I'm not comfortable no one there talks to me they favor so and so (which I heard all past season). So we decide pulling out now would be better. It's June/July. So we start looking at other programs because I can also see my cp isn't going to grow with this program unfortunately. A program that has potential but needs to establish priorities. So after a few private tryouts and lots of discussions about finances and such we chose a program and even though she's back to level 2 I think it's better. She's working more on tumbling etc. and now in April we will have our discussion of what she wants to do next season.

So gym hopper or not. Every time the topic would come up mid season I always said ok well we need to finish what u started before deciding. We did the same with Dance and she danced for 5 years (at the same place but after last recital left because of cheer. Then went back to a different dance school placed on comp team and just couldn't handle both. And I support her 100%). I would say wait until after recital and we will discuss it.

Sorry long but just trying to make a point. Some gym hopping is good others are just a mess and a bit greedy


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[njallday]

if all star offered a true off season with a break, I think there'd be a lot less hurt feelings about "loyalty" and losing athletes.

If I am no longer feeling Gym A for whatever reason, when am I supposed to freely shop around for a better fit? I have to tryout at Gym B the weekend before I compete at the Summit for Gym A. It's crazy. We need a true, defined off-season.

 

[Cheergurl]

I haven't ever used the word "loyalty" when it comes to cheer but, I have taught my kids once the contract is signed they are committing to their team mates. I think everyone understands there are injuries, financial reasons, moving, mental anxiety, etc. but, I do struggle with parents that feel when things get tough or mid stream they like something better, it is ok to walk out the door. Yes, gyms are businesses but, kids are walking out on team mates, as well. Most definitely, my kids have learned there are plenty of quitters and people that always think the grass is greener. But, I need and want my kids to learn the world doesn't revolve around them, others rely on them, and they are needed. I need them to learn teams comes with financial and time sacrifice, not just theirs but, all of their team mates and their parents, as well. My kids have talked to some of those kids that have left mid stream only to hear them say, "It doesn't matter, I'm just one person, they'll replace me, you all will be fine." IMO, all kids can do without the life lesson of, "I don't matter, I'm replaceable, I'm just one person, people will be fine without me."

I left a gym to get a better opportunity to fly and I regret every minute of it. I loved the gym I was originally at. I got caught up in the wanting to fly thing. I was put on a senior team as a kid and heard way more than I needed during choreography.

 

[mybabywantstotumble]

How do you feel about the practices where its all about full outs? I have my teams go full out at least 3 times and then immediately do a makeup routine for anything that went wrong. If nothing went wrong it is a full out mark. These practices are very hard on the kids bodies so they usually are allowed about 15 minutes of down time between full outs. It isn't a time for them to goof off or anything like that but to relax and prepare their bodies for their next full out. If a stunt fell during the full out they might have to hit their stunt 5 times within that 15 minutes (same with tumbling) if it has been a consistent problem. During strenuous practices like that they need that down time for their bodies to recover or it can be dangerous for them to be doing skills when they are too tired.

Absolutely! CP's team spends one hour tumbling, one hour working on routine then the last hour is usually full outs. They usually rotate full outs so team A will go full out, team B will go full out while team C watches supporting then Team C goes. So there is usually at least one team watching the full out. If something doesn't hit during full out then they go to dead mat while rest of the team watches/supports/relax. So we definitely have some down time for the kids to rest before the next one. I'm just not a fan of watching kids sit around and chat, play on their phones, run around wetting people with their water bottles etc. Rec is one thing, all star is another.