All-Star Your Daughter Won't Fly Forever

[Belinda]

Question, how tall is a general flyer in the US? I've always been a base, and I'm 5'2" but I've never had a flyer shorter than me.. Granted I'm one of those beasty bases who's put in to make a stunt hit.

I'd personally rather have a bigger (heavier/taller) flyer who knows how to stay tight, control their body and is flexible, than a smaller flyer who just stands there. It's so hard to try and save a stunt when the flyer isn't even tight, like whatever you do it won't make a difference. I hate when the flyer literally just stands up on your hands and that's it, no matter how small you are I'd rather not base you.

 

[Keep_Believing]

Why do people equate small with just stand there, not tight, wet noodle, etc.? Many small flyers are tight, flexible, etc.

 

[Cheer Dad]

Why do people equate small with just stand there, not tight, wet noodle, etc.? Many small flyers are tight, flexible, etc.

She is just using it as an example but in reality I have seen young small fliers that learn to stunt with older stronger kids and when put up by kids their age can't stay up to save their lives.



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[catlady]

Question, how tall is a general flyer in the US? I've always been a base, and I'm 5'2" but I've never had a flyer shorter than me.. Granted I'm one of those beasty bases who's put in to make a stunt hit.

I'd personally rather have a bigger (heavier/taller) flyer who knows how to stay tight, control their body and is flexible, than a smaller flyer who just stands there. It's so hard to try and save a stunt when the flyer isn't even tight, like whatever you do it won't make a difference. I hate when the flyer literally just stands up on your hands and that's it, no matter how small you are I'd rather not base you.

While this thread makes it seem otherwise, flyers in the US vary greatly in height and weight. At highly competitive gyms with larger talent pools and more difficult routines, you are going to use the flyers that work with the entire stunt group, period, end of story. There isn't a coach around that is going to pull a fabulous taller/heavier flier as long as they have the bases needed to hit a competitive routine. There isn't a pat answer, because literally every situation is different, because every variable is different. If you have a flyer that provides some out of the ordinary crowd wowing skill, you would more than likely try to replace your bases instead. Here are the questions that have to be asked, "What people do they have available to make it work? What makes the most sense to their ratios tumbling and stunting? What provides the best solution for all athletes concerning health and success?"

 

[CLynn]

While this thread makes it seem otherwise, flyers in the US vary greatly in height and weight. At highly competitive gyms with larger talent pools and more difficult routines, you are going to use the flyers that work with the entire stunt group, period, end of story. There isn't a coach around that is going to pull a fabulous taller/heavier flier as long as they have the bases needed to hit a competitive routine. There isn't a pat answer, because literally every situation is different, because every variable is different. If you have a flyer that provides some out of the ordinary crowd wowing skill, you would more than likely try to replace your bases instead. Here are the questions that have to be asked, "What people do they have available to make it work? What makes the most sense to their ratios tumbling and stunting? What provides the best solution for all athletes concerning health and success?"

Yes, that is so true and I agree! It does seem though when gyms go through this process and are in a position to only choose one, all other things being equal, it makes sense to go with the smaller girl. For me, I think the larger (but equally good flyer) can be used more easily in another position vs. the smaller flyer.

 

[Official OWECheer]

I know on this board it will be an unpopular opinion but for senior aged athletes why oh why is it the flyer is grounded for being too tall/too heavy while their ground crew do no weight/strength training. I completely agree under 16s aren't ready for weights generally but in any other sport requiring lifting 90/100+ pounds over your head, you would be strength training. I'd love to be wrong but NO gyms around us do anything other than basic bodyweight conditioning but yet its the flyers who are blamed for being too tall/too heavy. Three ex-flyer acquaintances of mine are receiving treatment for eating disorders due to this. Barring physical injuries/limitations, all of us could benefit from some strength training.

THIS.

 

[seajack]

Strength training and conditioning are great and I agree that it would be beneficial for the bases to train for lifting of flyers of ANY size. But, it makes no sense to use a larger flyer, if you have a capable smaller flyer. I'm not referring to the proverbial "wet noodle" that keeps getting mentioned here, but a competent/capable smaller flyer. Why work harder, when you can work smarter?

 

[seajack]

And from what I've witnessed in my own experience, it's the moms who get bent out of shape that their "CP" (emphasis on "P") got pulled from the air, not the athlete herself.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

And from what I've witnessed in my own experience, it's the moms who get bent out of shape that their "CP" (emphasis on "P") got pulled from the air, not the athlete herself.

I had a HS flyer once tell me she was relieved to no longer be flying in our elite stunt.

 

[nicolee]

Go back and read the whole discussion. I wasn't inferring anything from one article. The article was ONE piece of a larger discussion on kids and weightlifting. It is just the quickest example I can readily find on the internet. There is a LOT more literature on the subject, and pretty much every source presented agrees that maximal lifting is bad for kids. A weight they can only lift once or twice is unsafe. Where the disagreement lies is how much is too much in sub maximal lifting.


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I don't need to read the whole discussion again thank you, I was keeping up with it.
I understand what you're saying, but I still disagree with the assertion that it's as simple as 'kids shouldn't lift big weights', especially when we're talking about cheerleading, which involves lifting dynamic weights.

 

[IEA.Elizabeth]

I think that age appropriate flyers look way better in my opinion I'm not talking about she's 10 and can be on a senior team I mean 14-18 year old girls flying even if they may be tall I'm 5'8 that's very tall for a girl but I'm super skinny and easy to lift so I fly from time to time (main position is backspot) I'm just saying it can be done so if a tall flyer has the skills age appropriate and the stunt hits I don't see why she should have to base because a youth aged kid wants to fly on a senior team


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[shoptilldawn92]

I think that age appropriate flyers look way better in my opinion I'm not talking about she's 10 and can be on a senior team I mean 14-18 year old girls flying even if they may be tall I'm 5'8 that's very tall for a girl but I'm super skinny and easy to lift so I fly from time to time (main position is backspot) I'm just saying it can be done so if a tall flyer has the skills age appropriate and the stunt hits I don't see why she should have to base because a youth aged kid wants to fly on a senior team


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i agree i like seeing girls in the air on senior teams that actually looks like they hit puberty! having a chest or a little extra height or body fat should not mean you can't fly in you are with your prospective age group. this is also why i believe senior age teams should be changed to 14- 18 however

 

[seajack]

So many assumptions about small flyers. Wet noodles, not age appropriate. Some girls are just tiny. Check out the flyers on the D1A college teams.

 

[MissCongeniality]

So many assumptions about small flyers. Wet noodles, not age appropriate. Some girls are just tiny. Check out the flyers on the D1A college teams.

Nowhere on this thread have I seen posters "assuming" that small flyers are wet noodles or not age appropriate. However it is a fact that some flyers are on the younger edge of the age scale AND it is true that some flyers who are small have "little girl" syndrome and/or haven't yet developed the level of body control that comes with maturity. But certainly nobody has inferred that is the case with all of the flyers.
That said, there certainly are cases where the littlest isn't the best choice just because he/she is the littlest.

 

[seajack]

Nowhere on this thread have I seen posters "assuming" that small flyers are wet noodles or not age appropriate. However it is a fact that some flyers are on the younger edge of the age scale AND it is true that some flyers who are small have "little girl" syndrome and/or haven't yet developed the level of body control that comes with maturity. But certainly nobody has inferred that is the case with all of the flyers.
That said, there certainly are cases where the littlest isn't the best choice just because he/she is the littlest.

Perhaps. But, with all other things being equal, physics is still on the side of the smaller flyer.