All-Star Cheer Vs Grades

[wildKITTYsofierce.]

I've found that cheer has made my grades BETTER. I drive a half hour each way, so I do homework then. It's also taught me time management because I know I need to get things done instead of lazing around all afternoon and remembering homework at 10 o'clock.

 

[Mamarazzi]

"Dear coach I regret to inform you I must...... because of my grades....."

I like that idea! Have it written, keep it posted up if necessary...very smart!

 

[Nothanks]

I guess, in my home, I have to applaud effort more than anything. I would love to see straight As, but I don't. What I have seen this year is my cp struggle with a subject, go in early for extra help, tutoring, etc. and pull a C in the class. I can't find fault with that. This isn't a black and white, right or wrong issue. I think much depends on the child's effort, which can only be measured subjectively.

That's always how my mom has always seen my grades. Everyone has classes that just suck for them. and you can study for hours on end, go see the teacher, study groups, etc., and sometimes you still just don't get it.. but if they're truly trying that high C or low B can sometimes feel better than an A.

 

[LoveOnTop]

I would take away everything I could think of before taking away cheer. I don't agree with taking away something your kids loves, in hopes of them getting better grades. Take away their cell phones, their going out privileges, or better yet, get them a TUTOR or talk to their teachers to see WHY their grades are bad. Especially if they got a "C." Oh boy, a C here is an 80%, which is definitely not bad to me.

 

[hannahx0xbananaa]

like some have said about their children if i don't keep my grades up things like my phone, computer, going out with friends, etc. will be taken away first seeing as that cheer is a commitment & affects the entire team so i always make sure i keep up my grades so i can keep up with cheer. my parents expect a's & b's only & with cheer as my motivation i've always made it possible. anyways here's a story about cheer vs. grades (it's a little long..)

one of my very close friends does not do well in school & it was to the point where her grades were so bad her mom didn't know what to do anymore & no one could get through to her. her mom & our coaches came up with if her grades were not up by a certain date she would be pulled from a competition that was awhile away thinking that that would snap her into it & get her grades up especially since it was more than enough time. she's very stubborn & was convinced her mother/coaches would never actually do that & kept pushing it with her grades & school effort. her mom saw how far she was pushing it & started getting nervous she would actually be pulled & started to actually DO her work FOR her. it was absolutely ridiculous we were away for a competition & her mother wasn't helping her but literally dictating her essay to her & doing her math for her.. i couldn't believe it. my mom has helped explain things to me when i don't understand or need help but has always made sure i do it myself. i've tried talking to my friend many times & have tried to help but she hates school & there's nothing to push her to try not even cheer since she knows her mother wouldn't follow through with her threats of no cheering. because her mom has been doing her work obviously her grades have gone up some so her mom told our coaches her grades were up & she could compete. the other long term thing about cheer was that if she got a d in one of her classes she could not try out again next season. getting higher than a d is NOT a hard standard at all & she's currently getting a d if not lower now but since "she knows i'm trying it's all my teachers fault he's giving me a bad grade he sucks" she's still able to try out again. this does not follow with what some have said about putting in a lot of effort, extra help, etc. & still not a perfect grade this is not trying at all & blaming the teacher. keep in mind this girl is only in 8th grade going into high school next year. she has no idea what she's in for & her mom can't keep doing her work for her.. this whole thing started not too long ago & is still on going now. it stresses ME out too since our families are pretty close & while i'm sitting doing my own homework & her mom is doing hers all she does is laugh about it like it's funny. she never asked her mom to do any work for her but once her mom started she never said to stop either & once she did her mom didn't since i guess she didn't believe she could do it herself & stay in cheer. it's sad but obviously there's nothing i can do i just don't want to see my friend mess up her life so young..

 

[mainestarsALLSTARS13]

i would definitely take away useless distractions, such as tv, computer, cell phone, ipod, ect before taking out of cheer. Cheerleading is a great way to keep healthy, meet new people/make good friends, it teaches discipline, and also teaches how to mangage time. only if cheerleading is the direct reason for doing bad in school then i would pull your cp out

 

[My3KidsMom]

I really think it depends on the child. You have to know your child and try to figure out what has happened to cause the decline in grades. There are kids out there who's home life is not the best and grades begin to slip but cheer is the only place they can get away. I feel like you have to step up and try to help them get through the tough times and losing cheer would probably worsen the situation. I know my child went through a tough time starting in 4th, then worse in 5th even though her teacher came to our house twice a week to tutor and she could answer all the questions correctly, she would go to school and still fail tests, and then almost failing the 6th grade. I tried everything, she was punished, not allowed to have company, no cell phone, no home phone, no ipod, no t.v., no going to friends, all the way to losing cheer. She cried and cried and insisted she was trying. Finally I took her to the doctor to try to see if it could be something medical and sure enough it was. She is a different kid now (not always on top of things) but just so much more relaxed. Every child is different and you just have to know what's best for them.

 

[Chayser Elisabeth]

cheerleading > school

 

[wcsstilldeath]

I totally agree that School comes first, since unless you tend to get a scholarship for cheering, grades help you more in life. I have noticed that my grades are actually better with cheering, its this fierceboard that detracts from my grades. I still get all A's and a few B's which I find acceptable, I think in life you need to have a balance of school/cheer/social. In my highschool a 92 is a B and I think that is a good grade. Most importantly if you can learn life lessons and stay on top of yourself while cheering, I dont see the problem.

 

[stuntjumptumble]

If I don't make honor roll, I don't get to cheer

 

[AllHeartxo3]

School always comes first before anything in my family. My parents wouldn't let me leave for practice unless all of it was done (I can't do homework in the car, car sick). A long time ago my peewee coach got fired because she made the whole team run 9 suicides because 9 of us were late because of school work. We all told her that we were doing our work but to her, cheer came up first. We did all nine and were practically dying when our parents asked what had happened and once we told them they went straight to the owner of the gym and had a talk with him. She left that same day in the middle of practice, it was crazy. I don't get to do anything unless I'm done or almost done with everything I have to do.

 

[pailum520]

My family has always seen straight A's (with the occasional one semester grade just a point below A in an Advance or AP class) from me so they expect nothing less no matter what I'm doing. They haven't even mentioned pulling me out of cheer (they've spent all this time and money to let me do something I love that they shudder at taking it away) but I'm sure if my grades were to slip cheer wouldn't be the first thing to go but it eventually would.

 

[pailum520]

I don't have the requirement to finish my homework before practice, but at 17 my parents that I will get it done no matter what. I drive myself to practice so I can't do it in the car.

 

[pailum520]

my parents trust*
again, post editing...sorry for the triple posting

 

[Mamarazzi]

Hate to tell yall, but the scholarship game has a lot more to do with the "total package" student than just a good cheerleader. You still have to have the grades, SAT scores, community service. And whether or not we think an 80% or a 92% is good, it's 3 points and an A is 4. A college app doesn't come with a part that lets you say "What had happened was..."
@hannahx0xbananaa, you're a good friend for being worried and seeing that your friend has no idea what she's getting herself into. And that's the WHOLE reason us cheer parents freak out on our cps.