All-Star Open Team Expectations

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To add to the Canadian perspective, we don't pay as much as you would being on a senior all-star team. The open teams up here that would compare to the US would be IO6 and IOC6. Generally but not always IO5 and IOC5, are the most competitive teams in the gym and are a mix of senior aged athletes and athletes that have stuck around the area or commute back because they are on that higher level team. IO6 and IOC6 are usually filled with college and university athletes that want to continue cheering, and also those who are older and still able to compete at that level. As chyeeaaa69 said boys generally don't pay tuition since they are hard to come by and harder to keep, but for most athletes you are looking at reduced rates, less tuition, practices, comp fees and most teams try to keep travel and uniform costs to a minimum as well. Most of the college aged people I still know that cheer save up for majority of the year for their fees and the trip to Worlds. Though with reduced tuition rates I can definitely understand that for a club to draw in open age athletes having no tuition is a good way to do it. I definitely would put in even more thought into going back to cheer if it was just comp, travel and uniform fees.
 
ok I am just gonna be honest. The moment I got out of high school is the moment my parents stopped paying for cheer. I cheered on a S5 my freshman year of college and they had to make me pay the bare minimum because I could only work 2 days a week with practice and school and didn't have that much money. I couldn't have afforded to pay over $100 a month for tuition plus the comp fees and everything else.

That's the problem. I am not stubborn and think that I am the greatest cheerleader that shouldn't have to pay, I am a broke college student whose parents wont pay for cheer anymore. I know some people will claim, if you don't have the money then don't cheer but if you want me on your team then understand that I am a broke college student.

and to the comment about focusing on college, being on an actual senior team my freshman year of college, I made nothing less than a B, had a 3.7 and went to many campus events. I think its unfair to assume that if you're cheering you aren't focusing on college.
 
Personally speaking, our open 6 teams (AG and CE) both pay the same fees the rest of the kids in the club pay (based on number of practices each week). We also pay for our uniforms every 2 years and our registration fee at the beginning of the year (competition entry, music, practice gear, etc.). Travel to all mandatory competitions is on top of that too. It's been that way since the club started. Cheer costs me a couple of thousand each year and I'm happy to pay it. Why wouldn't I expect to pay for my coaches time, heating the building, insurance, competition fees, etc.??

As for college, I'd say about half of our athletes are in some form of post-sec. The rest are in high school or graduated and working. There might be a couple who are not in school but working full time.
 
This is a separate topic and unfortunately one that would go in random because it isn't cheer related, but, SOOOO true. The value of a college education has gone down significantly and is now, for some reason, 'required' to get blue collar jobs. I see one of the next big bubble bursts for our country being the deflation of value in college education.

It doesn't mean college wont be worth it, but means that paying 40K a year for a college education without a high ROI will no longer be worth it. I know this because my alma mater is actually preparing for this and focusses on ROI (How Do Schools Stack Up? graphics.wsj.com). The dot on the far right is ours.

Basically it is about investment. If the cost of money to borrow is MORE than how much you make from your eventual job then at some point people will realize it and stop paying all that money for your degree. We are anywhere between 5 and 10 years form this but many schools are in for a rude awakening.
Sooo true! And sadly I'm starting to feel like even a bachelors isn't enough. Out of my core group of college friends I'm one of the few that doesn't have a masters or is currently working on one. When I graduated the economy was just starting to get hit really hard and most of us couldn't find jobs so the idea was to go back to school. My bachelors degree cost a little over $110,000 for tuition. Not adding in housing, meals, or books. I can't see it continuing this way without something happening! And I think that college for most of America (at least the bubble I live in) is an expected thing after high school. Few around here don't go to some sort of school or program.

Back to the topic though, I have been on a very dysfunctional open team. I find myself shimmying all the posts about how open teams really are because I've been there! I would pay for one if I knew it would be successfully ran, and one big part would be that the "coach" is not on the team! I think the only way to make it successful is for people to pay. You care a lot more when you're forking over money to be there. Otherwise if you don't show up, why do you care, you're losing nothing?
 
And I think that college for most of America (at least the bubble I live in) is an expected thing after high school. Few around here don't go to some sort of school or program.


I know we've gotten off topic here, but I wanted to comment on this. I just wrote a paper about this. I think a lot of people on here are confusing people seeing the value of a college degree vs actually getting a degree. Because in actuality less than a third of Americans actually get bachelor's degrees, and less than half get any post secondary education. But for most of America, sadly, college is in no way an "expected" thing. Maybe in the cheer world, but I think that's because a lot of people in cheer tend to come from more privileged circles.

So in terms of this topic, yes, perhaps the majority of people on open teams are in college, but in terms of America in general, no. But also on this topic, I don't think college or no has anything to do with paying. It's more a matter of most people on these teams are over 18. Which means college student or not, they're broke. This is the group that, for the most part, parents aren't footing the bill anymore. So I see why these kids don't want to (can't) pay. Not sure of the benefit to the gym of a non-paying, non worlds team. Maybe just a good deed?

This thread is very interesting to me. Cp is wanting to cheer again and is looking for an affordable open team right now.
 
I stopped cheerleading after high school for 5 years, and then i was on an open level six team for 3 years it was fairly affordable other than the cost to travel. I'm from canada and the local open level 6 teams cost about the same to compete with each other.

Registration: 140
Uniform: 140
Tution: $50
Makeup: $20
Bow: $18

Even as an adult with a good paying job near the end of the season my bank account was starting to run dry even with fundraisers. If i was to join an open team again I really need better organization, for example sometimes we wouldn't have our competitions picked until December so we wouldn't have as much time to fundraise which can be crucial to keeping college students and athletes working minimum wage jobs.

I think if the personalities aren't managed you can get into a lot of drama/fighting on a team. Plus you end up with half the team coaching each other which can also cause a lot of friction between team members.
 
Not sure of the benefit to the gym of a non-paying, non worlds team. Maybe just a good deed?

At least in our gym, it gives the coach another place to put age-eligible athletes. We have quite a few 17-19 year olds who are on the open teams instead of a senior team. It gives them a chance to fly or do something they couldn't do on the coed 4 or 5 team or their tumbling might be too weak for those teams. Plus they get to go to worlds.

And I think our coed 6 team actually helps our coed 5 boys with their stunting. Lots of better stunters around to help them, and they competed with us most of this season, so they got more experience coed stunting with more experienced, though usually bigger haha, flyers.
 
Just-a-Mom
Why is it "sad" that college is not an expected thing for most? DH holds a BA, and I hold a BS, but in all honesty, neither of us uses our degrees. DH finished his through a degree completion program after dropping out and working a corporate job for a couple of years. He still jokes that he bought his degree. This was well before "University of Phoenix" and all the other online degree programs. I think it's the height of marketing genius that colleges have convinced people who have been working in their jobs for years that they need to "go back to school" and get a degree.

My 13 year old started her own business in order to help with the cost of Allstar cheer. I would be willing to bet that she has earned more than most high school students who hold jobs working for someone else. As she builds this business, I don't foresee her ever needing to work for someone else. Somewhere down the line, she may want to learn more about accounting, marketing, web design, etc. That's what community college is for. Pay for what you need, leave the rest. DH would love nothing more than for her to start her own hauling company with bright pink dump trucks. There are tons of contracts out there greenlit for minority owned companies ;) If she continues with her interest in fashion and makeup, the cost of a cosmetology course and licensing is quite small.

It's rather elitist to look down on the trades. I've seen more than one article highlighting dental hygienist as a high paying, flexible schedule career path for working moms. If your toilet backs up into your house on Christmas Day (yes, this happened to us), a plumber is worth his weight in gold. Was he sad to take that big fat check from me? Did he regret not going to college? I don't think so.

/rant
 
Just-a-Mom
Why is it "sad" that college is not an expected thing for most? DH holds a BA, and I hold a BS, but in all honesty, neither of us uses our degrees. DH finished his through a degree completion program after dropping out and working a corporate job for a couple of years. He still jokes that he bought his degree. This was well before "University of Phoenix" and all the other online degree programs. I think it's the height of marketing genius that colleges have convinced people who have been working in their jobs for years that they need to "go back to school" and get a degree.

It's rather elitist to look down on the trades. I've seen more than one article highlighting dental hygienist as a high paying, flexible schedule career path for working moms. If your toilet backs up into your house on Christmas Day (yes, this happened to us), a plumber is worth his weight in gold. Was he sad to take that big fat check from me? Did he regret not going to college? I don't think so.

/rant


Well, first off I'm hardly "looking down" on the trades...considering I'm a waitress without any type of degree. I'm in school now, at the age of 39, for a surgical technology degree (an associates degree for a "trade") - so personally I'm looking UP to the trades.

Because in actuality less than a third of Americans actually get bachelor's degrees, and less than half get any post secondary education. But for most of America, sadly, college is in no way an "expected" thing. Maybe in the cheer world, but I think that's because a lot of people in cheer tend to come from more privileged circles.

To clarify though, I very clearly specified "any post secondary education". Both the dental hygienist and the plumber you speak of DO hold higher than a high school education - I wasn't speaking solely of bachelor's degrees. You don't just walk in off the street and apply to be either of those things. The majority of people in America (close to 60%) don't have any higher education, including the necessary education to do any of the trades.

By sadly I meant that it sounded elitist to say most people "expect" to go to college. For whatever reason, no, most people don't. I meant sadly because I think it must be nice to just assume that after you graduate high school you'll just automatically be able to pursue a $100,000+ education. I meant sadly that isn't an option for the majority of Americans, myself and my children included. Not sadly that some people choose not to - that's great if you can make it work for you (general you, not you personally). Sad that the majority of people who "choose" not to pursue a degree make that choice because realistically it just isn't an option in their world, not because they don't want one.

Sorry if my post sounded snobby - it certainly wasn't meant to, especially since it would be a little silly to "look down" on a group of people I'm part of...:oops:
 
Just-a-Mom
Thanks for clarifying!

I do think typical college is over marketed, and alternative programs (like yours) under marketed. Allied health career openings are on the rise, and appropriate educational programs are a smart investment. Same with the trades in my region.

Added: more funding, low interest loans, etc. are needed to allow people to pursue trade education.

Wouldn't you love to see a glittered out hot pink dump truck with "slow your roll, sparkle" painted on the door? Win!
 
Im slightly shocked to hear that athletes dont pay for open team in the US. I've always known that University cheer is WAAAY bigger than Open cheer in the states than Canada, but that athletes dont pay? like what :s
I wish that I didn't have to pay for cheer once I'm on an open team, because even though yes, costs are reduced. With tuition+comps+worlds it all adds up and becomes very difficult while also paying for school. Although, from a gym owners perspective, why should they allow these athletes to cheer for free? Costing the gym money?
Agreed I am shocked at this! I am a Canadian, I attend an American university and cheer at an American gym that charges tuition for their open team !
Getting said tuition from all team members is quite a struggle though.
 
I don't even understand the concept of open teams. What makes it different from your typical team?
You age out of USASF Senior level teams once you hit 18 (with the exception of super seniors). So unless you start on an International Open (15+ for Level 5 and 17+ for Level 6), you can technically no longer cheer on an allstar team. There are no differences (rules wise) for a Senior Level 5 vs. International Open Level 5. Level 6 is also only offered to International Open teams. Basically, it's for the "older" athletes (high school/college and older) so they can continue to cheer.
 
The open team I paid for was 20 bucks a month for tuition and then we had to pay a "music" fee like 75 dollars .. and choreography fees when the coaches did the choreography..then a good chunk of change in comp fees and we went against ourselves most of the time because there werent many open teams around.. needless to say I am not cheering anymore lol my bank account is not worth it but I miss cheering !
 
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