All-Star How Much Do Other Sports Cost Compared To Cheer?

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

My niece quit pageants right before middle school but the money spent on that used to make me stop mid-sentence talking to my sister like "Oh that's nice - wait what did you say you just spent?"

Not technically a sport but entry fees alone are at least $200 at times. That's just entering. That is not even having the dress, shoes, runway outfit, etc. Attire alone can be a $2,000+ investment. You're also dealing with growing children and if you know how fast they grow, you can spend $700 on a dress for beauty in December for it to almost be almost outgrown in March, especially the younger ones still in elementary school.

A lot of her friends continue to still do both THAT and cheer or dance. I really do not know how they manage it unless they're taking on a side business like Walt in Breaking Bad.

 

[DonnaM]

Honestly, in most other sports, there’s a hierarchy, and no expectation that 6 yr old beginners do the same competitions as high school students. But at least at our gym, the only teams that do a shorter schedule are tiny novice, prep, and special needs. Once you have solid level 1 skills, you’re likely to be bored if you don’t travel, since we have no prep teams other than 1.1.

I think one of the single best things that could happen to make cheer financially more reasonable is to limit Summit to L3 and above. With no need to chase bids at lower levels, maybe more programs would do more regional competitions at lower cost, giving a few years in the sport at a lower level of intensity. As it stands, Youth 1 and Senior 5r have the same goal, and, at our gym, the same competition and practice schedule.

 

[BlockHead]

Honestly, in most other sports, there’s a hierarchy, and no expectation that 6 yr old beginners do the same competitions as high school students. But at least at our gym, the only teams that do a shorter schedule are tiny novice, prep, and special needs. Once you have solid level 1 skills, you’re likely to be bored if you don’t travel, since we have no prep teams other than 1.1.

I think one of the single best things that could happen to make cheer financially more reasonable is to limit Summit to L3 and above. With no need to chase bids at lower levels, maybe more programs would do more regional competitions at lower cost, giving a few years in the sport at a lower level of intensity. As it stands, Youth 1 and Senior 5r have the same goal, and, at our gym, the same competition and practice schedule.

Why not just limit it to Senior teams? Some kids might not ever get past level 2. Personally, I do not like Summit and find it to be a huge waste of money. But I don't think that there is any reason that a senior 1 or a senior 2 does not deserve to compete at Summit.

 

[DonnaM]

I’d be fine with that, too.

 

[mariahnicole1216]

Why not just limit it to Senior teams? Some kids might not ever get past level 2. Personally, I do not like Summit and find it to be a huge waste of money. But I don't think that there is any reason that a senior 1 or a senior 2 does not deserve to compete at Summit.

I completely agree with this. When the Summit was introduced I was all for it. But now (maybe because I'm old and no longer a perpetual level 4 tumbler) I hate the idea entirely. Like you said it's a waste of time and money for teams of 8 year olds to be chasing bids and it diminishes the appeal of worlds.

 

[dawgshow]

I completely agree with this. When the Summit was introduced I was all for it. But now (maybe because I'm old and no longer a perpetual level 4 tumbler) I hate the idea entirely. Like you said it's a waste of time and money for teams of 8 year olds to be chasing bids and it diminishes the appeal of worlds.

I don't know of a single athlete that has said "eh, I've been to Summit. I don't want to go to Worlds."

 

[ScottyB]

I don't know of a single athlete that has said "eh, I've been to Summit. I don't want to go to Worlds."

i have two freshmen cheerleaders that said that.

"we won nca in 6th grade, and won summit in 7th grade, why would we wanna continue with all star? worlds is same as summit, nca is always the same," was their reply when we asked them if they planned to do AS & HS after joining our HS team.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

i have two freshmen cheerleaders that said that.

"we won nca in 6th grade, and won summit in 7th grade, why would we wanna continue with all star? worlds is same as summit, nca is always the same," was their reply when we asked them if they planned to do AS & HS after joining our HS team.

That's why I think some who win Worlds early on in their Worlds eligibility stop cheering or take a break. Especially if they have had careers that involved winning the bingo card of NCA, Majors, Summit and Worlds before HS or in freshman year. For some there is no reason to continue, especially if it is taxing your family, finances, etc.

May as well experience high school like a typical teen without being married to the cheer calendar.

 

[Pebbles49]

i have two freshmen cheerleaders that said that.

"we won nca in 6th grade, and won summit in 7th grade, why would we wanna continue with all star? worlds is same as summit, nca is always the same," was their reply when we asked them if they planned to do AS & HS after joining our HS team.

I definitely agree with your statements... My daughter quit AS after winning NCA - 3 times, UCA multiple times and accumulated umpteen jackets, she never cared to go to Summit and lost interest in the sport before reaching Worlds, I tip my hat to athletes I met in the AS world that maintained their interest from 3 yrs old to 18 yrs or age off doing this 1 sport..
Answering the question-
I know now, my daughter is playing HS and club league volleyball and this sport cost about $5,000 a season, which includes uniform, traveling and housing... I noticed that my daughter travels are mostly driving distances and the club she plays for often charter team buses and the parents pay a fee, and there was only 1 mandatory flight competition to Disney. Last year, her team qualified to go to a 'Jr Olympic' like competition and it was held in California in June, so 2nd flight. The volleyball season runs from August-Nov. This is the HS season and Club league season starts from Dec to May, but can extend into July based on how well the team season goes and rather they qualif for the bigger competition at the end of the season.

Until last season, I was totally surprise by how popular volleyball is as a sport and the number of college recruitment that occurred during the club season....

 

[Lisa Seye]

On the other side, my kiddo went to summit 3 times. She came in 2nd, 11th or 12th, and 4th. She said she was done. This season she said if she didnt get on a world team and get a chance to go to worlds, she said no point in spending more money to go to summit again. She wanted worlds or nothing. She knows the wallet is getting slim lol

 

[catlady]

i have two freshmen cheerleaders that said that.

"we won nca in 6th grade, and won summit in 7th grade, why would we wanna continue with all star? worlds is same as summit, nca is always the same," was their reply when we asked them if they planned to do AS & HS after joining our HS team.

When talking about HS cheer versus All Star people often forget what is going on financially during those years. Oldest and youngest pioneered the smart phone age during HS and MS, and between adding smartphones, an extra car for them to get around, insurance, and beefing up the college funds we easily added an additional $1200 per month of expenses/savings overnight. Many cheerleaders made the same choice prior to the Summit. Two of my oldest's closest friends gave up AS for HS, and told cp they just didn't enjoy it anymore. When I told their parents I was shocked they quit, both laughed and said they chose cars over AS, not HS over AS.

 

[ScottyB]

When talking about HS cheer versus All Star people often forget what is going on financially during those years. Oldest and youngest pioneered the smart phone age during HS and MS, and between adding smartphones, an extra car for them to get around, insurance, and beefing up the college funds we easily added an additional $1200 per month of expenses/savings overnight. Many cheerleaders made the same choice prior to the Summit. Two of my oldest's closest friends gave up AS for HS, and told cp they just didn't enjoy it anymore. When I told their parents I was shocked they quit, both laughed and said they chose cars over AS, not HS over AS.

and by no means is HS always cheap. we of course fundraise various ways but the costs never really seem to go down for the main stuff: basic team gear, camp, competition. Lets time investment for parents and kids which is good though (lets some work to pay for their cars)

 

[catlady]

and by no means is HS always cheap. we of course fundraise various ways but the costs never really seem to go down for the main stuff: basic team gear, camp, competition. Lets time investment for parents and kids which is good though (lets some work to pay for their cars)

HS cheer is definitely not "cheap" where we are, I believe that it is up to $1400 for comp and sideline and I have heard on the boards of much higher. I just know kids are wayyyyy more expensive during HS and college years.

 

[DonnaM]

Honestly, if my CP had a competitive high school team, she’d probably be doing that. There is a big disparity between cheer teams at different schools, and most of her All Star team comes from schools that have sideline only, or if they compete, do non-tumble or game day only. The kids who go to the schools that have really good, top 10 at Nationals teams tend to leave All Star by high school, and often by middle school.

 

[cheermomforever]

More and more and more!!!!