All-Star Try Outs Should Be Cut Throat

MyssMyst said:

That may be the only tumbling she performed in the routine, but I was under the impression she had a full.

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She does and I'm pretty sure there's a 2x2 video of her somewhere doing one (please don't ask me which one...lol I have no idea)

We understand that many parents and even athletes do not understand the team selection process. If all star cheerleading scoresheets only had tumbling categories on the scoresheet, then picking teams exclusively on tumbling may make sense. However, they are not.

Like many sports, a variety of body types and skills sets are preferred to create the team best suited to score well. You put together the best set of athletes to create a team, not simply use 1 skill as the end-all-be-all real life version of the Hogwarts Sorting Hat.

Should a college basketball coach simply find the tallest 5 individuals on campus to make their basketball team while ignoring athletes' ability to pass, dribble, and shoot? Of course not. Should the football coach take everyone, line them up on the 50 line, say "go" and then take the first 11 who could sprint to the goal line to make their starting offense? Good luck trying to block someone with your 140 pound speedsters.

We understand why athletes/parents can get confused when their daughter can do standing backs better than Suzy Q who made team they wanted. However, their simplified criteria for team selection would lead to teams who could murder one section of the scoresheet but still not make finals at worlds. (not to mention the fact that athletes/parents often have a very unreliable assessment of their form and consistency of skills.)

"Potential" has a better chance to bite you in the long run than "consistency"

@BlueCat well said!

Just to leave you with a little wisdom from PA: "This motion means I WILL CUT YOUR THROAT!"

Would it be better to select a flyer for lvl 4 who has the tumbling, both running and standing, jumps and can dance but is not as flexible as a flyer who can not tumble, jump or dance and has to squat down at the back, but is flexible?

Mamarazzi said:

No, really, I'm wondering. Our gym has x number of coaches. Most of them already coach more than one team. That's the only reason that I can think of why they wouldn't want to make 2 small beast teams rather than 1 large. That, and @fameousmom 's theory of lack of space.

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Mat space could be another reason, also economics... 2 small teams (16 kids each) practicing 2 times a week for 2 hours with 2 coaches each would cost the gym more then 1 large team (32 kids) practicing 2 times a week for 2 hours. Same amount of money coming in for they gym but more going out.

Tidemom1 said:

Mat space could be another reason, also economics... 2 small teams (16 kids each) practicing 2 times a week for 2 hours with 2 coaches each would cost the gym more then 1 large team (32 kids) practicing 2 times a week for 2 hours. Same amount of money coming in for they gym but more going out.

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OK, thank you. I knew there had to be some reason.

MyssMyst said:

That may be the only tumbling she performed in the routine, but I was under the impression she had a full.

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only in the rountine she throws a triple toe tuck...but she has a running full its just not in the rountine...

spiritfingers11 said:

I get annoyed when coaches/teams make too many exceptions.
If the requirement for the team is a FULL, then those athletes should all have fulls. No if, ands, or buts.

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Thnk You!! no if ands or buts bc majority of the time when they are put on the team they almost have the skill for they stop they get complacent and not progress and you just wasted ur time...

i guess. . . but if they have a light spot id tell them that they have a spot on the team if they can throw the pass or whatever skill by that day! i mean choreo doesnt start till later. so. why not give them a break!

i

Seeker30 said:

i guess. . . but if they have a light spot id tell them that they have a spot on the team if they can throw the pass or whatever skill by that day! i mean choreo doesnt start till later. so. why not give them a break!

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completely understad that but if they dont have it by july first week and choreo starts at the end of july they are demoted...

adorablessmilez said:

i

completely understad that but if they dont have it by july first week and choreo starts at the end of july they are demoted...

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Exactly!

Cut throat is the only way to be. It's easier to not have the kid on your team now, than having to replace her 3 weeks before Dallas.

Sent from my HTC Evo

adorablessmilez said:

So my all star team try-outs are coming up soon and us as coaches had a meeting on how its going to run etc. etc. but one thing i can't get through this newly (year 4 for them) all star team is that at tryouts its either you have the skill or you don't. I say this bc in the past there are kids who would only need a very light spot and made a level 4 team but never in the routine did their standing tuck. HELLO am I the only one that thinks that if you don't have the tumbling by yourself alone at tryouts you should not make that certain level team. The pressure is on during a competition but if at practice you always needed a light spot what are you goin to do on the mat not do it. Am i Insane for this type of thinking???

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I feel that the kids should make a team based on their skills at tryouts. But they should always try their hardest over the summer to improve their skills. A higher level team may need their help...especially during mid season injuries etc...This is why crossover's in this sport is a good thing. Just because your a level 3 in May doesn't mean you can't be level 4 in November. That is 7 months, plenty of time to improve.