All-Star Brand New To All-star

[MightyGirl'sMom]

My daughter just completed her first year of all star on a prep team. She's hooked and is going to try out for a full year team. Knowing this and being a person who likes to know what to expect, I was on social media all weekend and watched the summit on varsity TV so that I got a sense of what it was all about. Now I'm officially terrified. It sounded like an absolute disaster and a horrible nightmare. The positive is that it was exciting to see some of our gym's teams make the finals and win their divisions but is that enough? Tell me, was it really as bad as twitter made it seems?

 

[XtremeWpg]

Not every event is run like Summit and it's not exactly the best way to know exactly what a season of all star would be. Twitter is also exceptionally unreliable as far as what an experience would be like. Any time anyone can remain anonymous it's problematic. Tho I say that as someone with a random user name....

By year end, everyone is cagey and because Summit is "THE" event for levels 1-5R, emotions seem to run really high about it.

How old is your daughter, what is her level? Is she going to be on a team that would be a Summit hopeful?

 

[SthrnCheerMom]

Please don't base the entire sport on one event. We have been part of all-stars/competitive cheer for going 10 years (wow, did I just type that?)! I have to say that for 97% of the time, we love it. The things that may bother me are just really part of the experience and I deal with it (paying outrageous entry fees to watch the competitions being one).

As for the sport it self, if you are in the right gym with the right coaches, your child will learn more than just the skills of the sport. They will learn more about themselves, discipline, time management and so much more. We moved gyms this past season and it was the best thing we could have done.

I realized that if she continues through high school, we only have 4 more season to go!

 

[MightyGirl'sMom]

Not every event is run like Summit and it's not exactly the best way to know exactly what a season of all star would be. Twitter is also exceptionally unreliable as far as what an experience would be like. Any time anyone can remain anonymous it's problematic. Tho I say that as someone with a random user name....

By year end, everyone is cagey and because Summit is "THE" event for levels 1-5R, emotions seem to run really high about it.

How old is your daughter, what is her level? Is she going to be on a team that would be a Summit hopeful?

Yes, I agree, twitter is exceptionally unreliable which is why I'm seeking actually actual input from people who have been there. Perhaps it was a bad year at the summit this year and in the past year's it ran smoothly? Is Varsity responsive to making improvements year over year and learn from their mistakes? Having 4 floors in one area and no parent viewing area seems to be a horrible idea and should be corrected next year I'd imagine.

My daughter is 10 and trying out for a level 1 team. The gym we go to had every eligible team earn a bid this past year and I believe the year before that as well. It is a very good gym so summit may be a possibility.

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[cheermommaRN]

Yeah, Summit seemed to be a cluster but that's Varsity...seriously they are a mess but own a majority of the industry. I have been doing this on and off for 14 years between 2 kids. You'll go to amazing events like NCA and then not so amazing ones like Cheer America where the setup was horrible and our athletes sat on cold concrete after warm ups for an hour. You'll go to events that charge $20 for parking and $20 to get in and then others that give free parking and $10 admission (thank you Dallas Cowboys).
10 is a good age to start because she's still youth eligible so you've completely bypassed the crazy mini mom crowd (I say that with love because I was one). She has plenty of seasons ahead of her and by the time she's aging out you'll be basing the success of a competition on how far the nearest Happy Hour margaritas are from the venue.

 

[MightyGirl'sMom]

Please don't base the entire sport on one event. We have been part of all-stars/competitive cheer for going 10 years (wow, did I just type that?)! I have to say that for 97% of the time, we love it. The things that may bother me are just really part of the experience and I deal with it (paying outrageous entry fees to watch the competitions being one).

As for the sport it self, if you are in the right gym with the right coaches, your child will learn more than just the skills of the sport. They will learn more about themselves, discipline, time management and so much more. We moved gyms this past season and it was the best thing we could have done.

I realized that if she continues through high school, we only have 4 more season to go!

I hear ya! We went to 5 competitions this year with her prep team and each was wonderful. Much less hectic than dance competitions!

It's really just the idea of Summit that is giving me such angst. Huge crowds of people are my nightmare. Add in the heat and grumpy parents and my heart races just thinking about it. I love the gym we are with and I've seen her blossom this past year. She's setting goals, managing her time between practice and school work, choosing to attend extra tumble classes instead of going to social gatherings, and seems more confident than before. And this was after only one year...on a prep team. I feel confident we have the right gym but the idea of Summit really gives me dread. Do they serve alcohol at summit?

 

[OnceUponACheerleader]

I hear ya! We went to 5 competitions this year with her prep team and each was wonderful. Much less hectic than dance competitions!

It's really just the idea of Summit that is giving me such angst. Huge crowds of people are my nightmare. Add in the heat and grumpy parents and my heart races just thinking about it. I love the gym we are with and I've seen her blossom this past year. She's setting goals, managing her time between practice and school work, choosing to attend extra tumble classes instead of going to social gatherings, and seems more confident than before. And this was after only one year...on a prep team. I feel confident we have the right gym but the idea of Summit really gives me dread. Do they serve alcohol at summit?

HAHA you can put some wine in your Disney mug!
I've never been to summmit - but speaking on my experience from worlds. You definitely make the best of it. It is as hectic as you make it. Make friends with the cheer moms, and relax by the pool while your kiddos have "team time". You will learn the ins and outs of cheerleading & all-star. There is good, bad, and ugly in every youth activity, but I've heard many parents say there is nothing more rewarding than seeing your kid do what they love. Heck - she will soon be old enough to even maybe travel without direct parental supervision (I think my first solo-travel comp was at 14 years old).
Worst comes to worst - you have a wonderful cheer-loving community on the boards for your support and reassurance. Enjoy the ride, she will be a senior before you know it!!

 

[Momx2]

My daughter just completed her first year of all star on a prep team. She's hooked and is going to try out for a full year team. Knowing this and being a person who likes to know what to expect, I was on social media all weekend and watched the summit on varsity TV so that I got a sense of what it was all about. Now I'm officially terrified. It sounded like an absolute disaster and a horrible nightmare. The positive is that it was exciting to see some of our gym's teams make the finals and win their divisions but is that enough? Tell me, was it really as bad as twitter made it seems?

You and I are in the same experience, though our CPs are different ages. My CP did a Tiny Prep team at a D2 gym this past season and is moving on to Tiny AllStar at a new-to-her gym that took all eligible teams to summit and a couple to worlds. Her prep team went to 6 competitions last year, including NCA. I’m glad we had the NCA experience so that I know what that looks like. I’m also thankful that she’s young enough that if she ends up on a Summit-eligible team in a few years Varsity will have had some time to hopefully work out the kinks, otherwise I’m not sure I can handle the chaos and Twitter-rumored bedbugs. YIKES!

Good luck to your CP at tryouts! I hope this season is amazing for her and I’m glad to see another AllStar newbie parent here to experience this with.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MightyGirl'sMom]

You and I are in the same experience, though our CPs are different ages. My CP did a Tiny Prep team at a D2 gym this past season and is moving on to Tiny AllStar at a new-to-her gym that took all eligible teams to summit and a couple to worlds. Her prep team went to 6 competitions last year, including NCA. I’m glad we had the NCA experience so that I know what that looks like. I’m also thankful that she’s young enough that if she ends up on a Summit-eligible team in a few years Varsity will have had some time to hopefully work out the kinks, otherwise I’m not sure I can handle the chaos and Twitter-rumored bedbugs. YIKES!

Good luck to your CP at tryouts! I hope this season is amazing for her and I’m glad to see another AllStar newbie parent here to experience this with.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's nice to know I'm not alone! Good luck to your daughter this season, it's going to be one heck of a ride!

 

[CheerBank]

My daughter just completed her first year of all star on a prep team. She's hooked and is going to try out for a full year team. Knowing this and being a person who likes to know what to expect, I was on social media all weekend and watched the summit on varsity TV so that I got a sense of what it was all about. Now I'm officially terrified. It sounded like an absolute disaster and a horrible nightmare. The positive is that it was exciting to see some of our gym's teams make the finals and win their divisions but is that enough? Tell me, was it really as bad as twitter made it seems?

Hopefully they will have learned from their mistakes - it seems they already have with the changes in schedule they quickly made to the D2 Summit - and you will not ever have to deal with it like the poor people who were there this last weekend. Cp got to go to NCA the last 2 years, and it went from being a great comp to a cluster f&@k and back to a great comp both years she competed there.

Good luck and welcome to all star cheer, or as we more seasoned parents lovingly call it, Hotel California.