All-Star Cheer Athletics (questions/rumors)

With the new stricter guidelines posted for tryouts this season, did you find a large number of athletes drop a level?

BlueCat said:

The Austin location already has 150-ish registered for regular all star teams and tryouts are still a week away. That is fantastic for a first-year gym.

The Plano number is huge.

Click to expand...

Is 150 still what we're looking at?


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone & iPad

do you normally place younger high school kids on international teams with college students? you would think you would keep kids with other kids around there age.

cheysmomager said:

Is 150 still what we're looking at?

Click to expand...

It is closer to 200 now. It is tough to get an exact number until after tryouts. A few people register and don't end up trying out. Several people usually show up without having registered first. Also, this is a unique situation being a new gym and there may be more add on later when they figure out we really are opening a gym in Austin.

I remember one of the first Austin moms I talked to asked me how many kids we thought we would end up with at tryouts. I told her "200 ish" and she looked at me like I was stark raving mad.

BlueCat said:

It is closer to 200 now. It is tough to get an exact number until after tryouts. A few people register and don't end up trying out. Several people usually show up without having registered first. Also, this is a unique situation being a new gym and there may be more add on later when they figure out we really are opening a gym in Austin.

Click to expand...

How many candidates tried out for the Plano location?

anythingforcheer said:

With the new stricter guidelines posted for tryouts this season, did you find a large number of athletes drop a level?

Click to expand...

Not too many actually dropped levels. Some didn't move up this year when they would have in years past, however.

gymcatmomx2 said:

How many candidates tried out for the Plano location?

Click to expand...

Plano cheer was 750+. Easily our biggest turnout ever.

X-sam said:

do you normally place younger high school kids on international teams with college students? you would think you would keep kids with other kids around there age.

Click to expand...

Every situation is different. It depends on the athletes, the other athletes on the team, and the team's needs. Most athletes are with other athletes roughly their same age.

luxerae said:

I was just wondering why you guys prefer to call each athlete to let them know what team they're on rather than just post results online for everybody? Especially with the number of people trying out growing more and more each season. Is it for a more sentimental and personal feeling?

Click to expand...

We feel that it is much more personal to actually talk to the athletes. We also can explain some things and answer questions they may have about placement. Welcoming someone in the CA Family is still a big deal to us regardless of how many new family members we get.

We have more trying out, but we also have more coaches than ever before. The ratio of athletes/staff is about the same as it always has been. Each coach is making about the same number of calls as they always do.

BuegeSmalls said:

I apologize if this has been asked, but do you take into account what team preferences the athlete might have (mainly for level 5)? Like do you ask them on a tryout form which team they would like to be placed on?

Click to expand...

We ask them on their tryout form. If the request is legitimate (and realistic), we try to make it work. (Requests to fly, be on an older team, or be on a team you don't yet have the skills for are not usually considered.)

BlueCat said:

We feel that it is much more personal to actually talk to the athletes. We also can explain some things and answer questions they may have about placement. Welcoming someone in the CA Family is still a big deal to us regardless of how many new family members we get.

We have more trying out, but we also have more coaches than ever before. The ratio of athletes/staff is about the same as it always has been. Each coach is making about the same number of calls as they always do.

Click to expand...

Thanks for answering! I think it's awesome you guys still want to take the time to make sure every person feels special, I was just wondering your reasoning behind it.

@bluecat

Are you able to recall the your programs numbers back in its 5th season 10th season and 15th season?

I ask in order to try and compare your phenomenal programs growth to ours, hopefully were on a similar path... Im slightly daunted by your 700+ for this season, as that would be about half our states totall cheer athletes


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android || Upgrade Your Account!

flipmac said:

@bluecat

Are you able to recall the your programs numbers back in its 5th season 10th season and 15th season?

I ask in order to try and compare your phenomenal programs growth to ours, hopefully were on a similar path... Im slightly daunted by your 700+ for this season, as that would be about half our states totall cheer athletes


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android || Upgrade Your Account!

Click to expand...

I assume he has a color coded spreadsheet that's in a bank vault with all kinds of Top Secret info lol


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android || Upgrade Your Account!

flipmac said:

@bluecat

Are you able to recall the your programs numbers back in its 5th season 10th season and 15th season?

I ask in order to try and compare your phenomenal programs growth to ours, hopefully were on a similar path... Im slightly daunted by your 700+ for this season, as that would be about half our states totall cheer athletes

Click to expand...

These are rough, and there wasn't a simple linear progression. (some years, the numbers went way up, a couple went down, etc.)

Day 1: 2
Year 5: 150
Year 10: 300
Year 15: 450
Year 20: 750+ (1000+ with dance & Austin)

It is counterintuitive, but worth noting that nearly every time we had an "off" season (like our NCA this year), the next season had the largest growth. Despite what everyone always says, winning is NOT the main reason gyms get bigger. I tell people that ALL the time, but hardly anyone ever believes me.

BlueCat said:

These are rough, and there wasn't a simple linear progression. (some years, the numbers went way up, a couple went down, etc.)

Day 1: 2
Year 5: 150
Year 10: 300
Year 15: 450
Year 20: 750+ (1000+ with dance & Austin)

It is counterintuitive, but worth noting that nearly every time we had an "off" season (like our NCA this year), the next season had the largest growth. Despite what everyone always says, winning is NOT the main reason gyms get bigger. I tell people that ALL the time, but hardly anyone ever believes me.

Click to expand...

What would be your top 3 factors for growth?

Currently we consider winning as our marketing, having your programs named call in top 3 in each division tends to stick in athletes and parents minds

I'd also consider our choreography a factor for growth as a high entertainment level tends to stick as well,

Lastly good business sense is always favorable and nice for parents to see you understand what needs to be done behind the scenes


Ps your growth numbers gives me hope we can follow CA footsteps! At year 9 with 230ish


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android || Upgrade Your Account!