All-Star Who Is On Your As Dream Team?

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I'd have Maddie Gardner and just fake her birth cert tbh. There's no flyer like her, never will be! Other than that, bases who understand the concept of chesties..
 
If you're fluent in social media at all, I'd suggest you hop on any platform to learn how extensive a reach these girls have. It extends from Youtube series, docs, memes, and very public and prolific Insta/Twitter accounts, a lot of which I keep an eye on to monitor trends in choreo, industry developments, and so I can know what the H my kids are talking about before practice. There's the "Cheerleaders" series. The "Twinkles" and "Nfinity Generation" docs. The Flocheer "Making the Team" films. The "Cheerleader Nation" TV show, if you want to go way back. Not to mention the gyms that proudly promote the skills of their athletes on their pages. ALL of these sources feature teenage cheerleaders in a positive, respectful way, and a lot of the "cheer-lebrities" (actual term) featured on these shows have admirers on my team. B
It is one thing to be aware of or "fluent" as you say in social media and cheerlebrity culture, and quite another to encourage the comparisons and in this case actually glorify it. Just no.
Maybe it's me, but I'd rather have the coaching staff teach my kid and their team how to personally improve and improve as a team. I'd find it strange if a coach said "look at this video of ______ from ________ at ________ and be more like that".
Not just you! I would think that coaching staff is ill-equipped to coach if that approach was needed.
 
It is one thing to be aware of or "fluent" as you say in social media and cheerlebrity culture, and quite another to encourage the comparisons and in this case actually glorify it. Just no.

Not just you! I would think that coaching staff is ill-equipped to coach if that approach was needed.

I'd rather my child's coach be fluent in proper technique, good coaching, safety, teambuilding, athletic development, and helping a team become successful than social media and cheerlebrity culture. But what does an old person like me know?
 
Maybe it's me, but I'd rather have the coaching staff teach my kid and their team how to personally improve and improve as a team. I'd find it strange if a coach said "look at this video of ______ from ________ at ________ and be more like that".

I would think that coaching staff is ill-equipped to coach if that approach was needed.

To be fair, I've used videos of other athletes to show technique before--some athletes are visual learners and I can explain technique and break down the physics to a technical level all day long, but can't always physically show them what I'm explaining as well. Being able to use videos of other athletes with the right form and technique, especially being able to show it in a slow, frame by frame reference can be a great aide in coaching (not just saying "do this like so-and-so"). However, I show them videos of themselves more than of other people, showing them where they are doing something that they don't realize. I don't believe that makes someone "ill-equipped" to coach, I think if they can recognize that someone needs an approach like that over listening to a technique explanation or just doing drills where they might not "feel" the same way as someone else, it makes them a better coach because they can teach across learning styles.
 
To be fair, I've used videos of other athletes to show technique before--some athletes are visual learners and I can explain technique and break down the physics to a technical level all day long, but can't always physically show them what I'm explaining as well. Being able to use videos of other athletes with the right form and technique, especially being able to show it in a slow, frame by frame reference can be a great aide in coaching (not just saying "do this like so-and-so"). However, I show them videos of themselves more than of other people, showing them where they are doing something that they don't realize. I don't believe that makes someone "ill-equipped" to coach, I think if they can recognize that someone needs an approach like that over listening to a technique explanation or just doing drills where they might not "feel" the same way as someone else, it makes them a better coach because they can teach across learning styles.
What you describe is different from what we are discussing though. Watching a demonstration is far different from picking a video of Susie from Sassy allstars and saying be like her.
 
To be fair, I've used videos of other athletes to show technique before--some athletes are visual learners and I can explain technique and break down the physics to a technical level all day long, but can't always physically show them what I'm explaining as well. Being able to use videos of other athletes with the right form and technique, especially being able to show it in a slow, frame by frame reference can be a great aide in coaching (not just saying "do this like so-and-so"). However, I show them videos of themselves more than of other people, showing them where they are doing something that they don't realize. I don't believe that makes someone "ill-equipped" to coach, I think if they can recognize that someone needs an approach like that over listening to a technique explanation or just doing drills where they might not "feel" the same way as someone else, it makes them a better coach because they can teach across learning styles.
What you describe is different from what we are discussing though. Watching a demonstration is far different from picking a video of Susie from Sassy allstars and saying be like her.

Basically I agree with what Clynn said.
 
a team full of versatile stunters who had to be able to step in for any position (so no teeny tiny flyers too short to back, no matter how good they were otherwise)

This^^^^ If I hear "She can only fly or Who is she going to base?" I think I am going to scream. News flash: You are more of an asset to a TEAM if you can do more than just "X" ITA with a team created with this model in mind.
 
To be fair, I've used videos of other athletes to show technique before--some athletes are visual learners and I can explain technique and break down the physics to a technical level all day long, but can't always physically show them what I'm explaining as well. Being able to use videos of other athletes with the right form and technique, especially being able to show it in a slow, frame by frame reference can be a great aide in coaching (not just saying "do this like so-and-so"). However, I show them videos of themselves more than of other people, showing them where they are doing something that they don't realize. I don't believe that makes someone "ill-equipped" to coach, I think if they can recognize that someone needs an approach like that over listening to a technique explanation or just doing drills where they might not "feel" the same way as someone else, it makes them a better coach because they can teach across learning styles.

CP’s coach does this, she will record them and then have them watch it to give a visual of what she is talking about. She also will have them tell her what needs to be corrected. Her coach will also show photos and videos to CP to give her a visual. CP is a visual learner and her coach can tell her something for days but as soon as she sees what her coach is telling her it clicks and she is able to make the adjustments.

I agree with the versatile team comments. There shouldn’t be “she can only fly” or “she can only base”. One thing I’ve been really impressed with this season is CP’s coach has been pushing this. They all get chances at practice to fly and they all get chances to base at practice, even if the coaches need to step in to base the 10-11 year olds on the team. CP is loving it and I love it because it’s making her a more well rounded athlete. CP said her coach told them that in the routine this year they have their positions but that doesn’t mean at practice they can’t practice both flying and basing. Cause they are a youth team, kids are going to grow others are going to move up so what they do this year in the routine doesn’t mean they will be able to do it next year there could be smaller, more flexible girls or they could end up being the smaller more flexible because of having older kids.
 
CP’s coach does this, she will record them and then have them watch it to give a visual of what she is talking about. She also will have them tell her what needs to be corrected. Her coach will also show photos and videos to CP to give her a visual. CP is a visual learner and her coach can tell her something for days but as soon as she sees what her coach is telling her it clicks and she is able to make the adjustments.

I agree with the versatile team comments. There shouldn’t be “she can only fly” or “she can only base”. One thing I’ve been really impressed with this season is CP’s coach has been pushing this. They all get chances at practice to fly and they all get chances to base at practice, even if the coaches need to step in to base the 10-11 year olds on the team. CP is loving it and I love it because it’s making her a more well rounded athlete. CP said her coach told them that in the routine this year they have their positions but that doesn’t mean at practice they can’t practice both flying and basing. Cause they are a youth team, kids are going to grow others are going to move up so what they do this year in the routine doesn’t mean they will be able to do it next year there could be smaller, more flexible girls or they could end up being the smaller more flexible because of having older kids.

Starting Youth out being versatile is great.

A lot of kids start cheer as the teeny tiny and are logically placed as the flyer because that is generally what you do with the smallest on the team (work smart not hard, small kids on top at least until you see that one of them struggles, etc.) Then they STAY in that role because they are always relatively small and it's all they've ever really done stunt-wise.

Then they transition to Juniors, hit puberty, etc. and grow exponentially. Cue the "I don't even want to cheer anymore" or just general angst over transitioning to basing.
 
Starting Youth out being versatile is great.

A lot of kids start cheer as the teeny tiny and are logically placed as the flyer because that is generally what you do with the smallest on the team (work smart not hard, small kids on top at least until you see that one of them struggles, etc.) Then they STAY in that role because they are always relatively small and it's all they've ever really done stunt-wise.

Then they transition to Juniors, hit puberty, etc. and grow exponentially. Cue the "I don't even want to cheer anymore" or just general angst over transitioning to basing.

It’s pretty neat to watch, they are a small team of only 6 ages 8-11 but their coach has the 6 of them get in a stunt group (flyer, 2 bases, back, front and spotting) they put the flyer up (the younger girls have gotten to where they can put the older girls up but not high I’m not great with terminology but maybe it’s a half?) then they rotate until everyone has done each position (with coaches or high school kids stepping in when necessary to get the older girls up higher). And those younger kids were so excited when it was the 3 smallest/youngest on the team basing and backing one of the older girls for the first time.
 
I do wish more gyms would do a brief stunting 101 with parents and athletes at the beginning of the season. I love to watch gymnastics acro and there is one specific thing they all have in common and that is the very specific sizes of the stunt members and it isn't coincidental. Stunting is physics, and the more you align your stunt groups to work with physics rather than against it, the better. A lower center of gravity is ideal (shorter flyers), what goes up comes down with a lot of force (lighter flyers), taller bases and backs provide a larger mass at the base and more thrust power through longer limbs. "Yes", I have seen stunt groups make things work with tall flyers and smaller bases, but that doesn't mean that it is ideal. I love @oncecoolcoachnowmom statement of "work smart, not hard" there's so much truth in that statement.
 
CP’s coach does this, she will record them and then have them watch it to give a visual of what she is talking about. She also will have them tell her what needs to be corrected. Her coach will also show photos and videos to CP to give her a visual. CP is a visual learner and her coach can tell her something for days but as soon as she sees what her coach is telling her it clicks and she is able to make the adjustments.
Yes, to me this sounds fairly normal. But your example is focused on the "what" (skill, body position or whatever)...I don't see the "who" in your example being mentioned as relevant and that is where it gets uncomfortable and unnecessary for me.
 
I do wish more gyms would do a brief stunting 101 with parents and athletes at the beginning of the season. I love to watch gymnastics acro and there is one specific thing they all have in common and that is the very specific sizes of the stunt members and it isn't coincidental. Stunting is physics, and the more you align your stunt groups to work with physics rather than against it, the better. A lower center of gravity is ideal (shorter flyers), what goes up comes down with a lot of force (lighter flyers), taller bases and backs provide a larger mass at the base and more thrust power through longer limbs. "Yes", I have seen stunt groups make things work with tall flyers and smaller bases, but that doesn't mean that it is ideal. I love @oncecoolcoachnowmom statement of "work smart, not hard" there's so much truth in that statement.



Last one because work but:

With school cheer you really don't get the size variability that you have when kids are in varying growth stages but there are always the growing pains when someone smaller comes up from middle school and bumps a slightly taller girl out of her spot.

"Work smart not hard" is why taller girl generally moves to basing.

When you have a small kid who can do the things v. taller/bigger who can, why make the bases work harder for no reason other than to keep her in the air and make her/parent happy? YES, I know there are instances in which the smaller girl just does not take to the air like you think she will. It happens. But not often. Small person, better job in the air in 90% of situations.

A lot of times, there is the pushback of "omg how itty bitty why are they not using girls who are 5'5 and 140?!" Math. They are working smart.

That and the taller girls set on flying tend to not understand that someone who is 75 lbs wet and 4'11 is not the best choice for a base when rest of group is 5'5. It does not make mathematical sense. Cathy Coach would be silly to make the change because it does not play to their strengths (taking a perfectly good base out of play.)

The size part of positioning kids in cheer rubs people the wrong way so often and I have a hard time with it, because every other sport has a size thing with certain positions. Ex: Your center is not going to be 5'6 in basketball. Your lineman is not going to be 150 and 5'6. Kids know that their build makes them best for certain roles and it's fine. You have to teach kids their strengths and make them versatile so that hearing "you are not a good fit for this" does not crush them, and they do not hear it as "you are fat." Because that is (generally) not what coaches are saying.
 
Last one because work but:

With school cheer you really don't get the size variability that you have when kids are in varying growth stages but there are always the growing pains when someone smaller comes up from middle school and bumps a slightly taller girl out of her spot.

"Work smart not hard" is why taller girl generally moves to basing.

When you have a small kid who can do the things v. taller/bigger who can, why make the bases work harder for no reason other than to keep her in the air and make her/parent happy? YES, I know there are instances in which the smaller girl just does not take to the air like you think she will. It happens. But not often. Small person, better job in the air in 90% of situations.

A lot of times, there is the pushback of "omg how itty bitty why are they not using girls who are 5'5 and 140?!" Math. They are working smart.

That and the taller girls set on flying tend to not understand that someone who is 75 lbs wet and 4'11 is not the best choice for a base when rest of group is 5'5. It does not make mathematical sense. Cathy Coach would be silly to make the change because it does not play to their strengths (taking a perfectly good base out of play.)

The size part of positioning kids in cheer rubs people the wrong way so often and I have a hard time with it, because every other sport has a size thing with certain positions. Ex: Your center is not going to be 5'6 in basketball. Your lineman is not going to be 150 and 5'6. Kids know that their build makes them best for certain roles and it's fine. You have to teach kids their strengths and make them versatile so that hearing "you are not a good fit for this" does not crush them, and they do not hear it as "you are fat." Because that is (generally) not what coaches are saying.

I’ve been explaining this to my niece. She’s an 8th grader on varsity. She’s relatively small (one of the smallest on the team ) and for football she was a base. She also based the elite part of the pyramid. She also based a flyer several inches taller than her (and who probably weighed more than her).

Basketball season started last night——guess who was in the air pulling bows and scorpions. My niece.

Now she’s complaining she doesn’t want to fly. Her teammates are wondering why she didn’t fly competition season

I told her she’s more valuable to a coach being able to base elite stunts and also being able to get in the air and fly. All while being under 5’2 and 110 lbs. (and height wise that’s it for her)

I’m glad she’s getting experience doing both things, and won’t have the Im too tiny to base mentality.


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