All-Star Choreography? Point Dancer/ Flyer.... Etc?

[darlingsmomx4]

In dealing with the younger athletes and or routines do you typically find the the younger/ cuter ( I know that sounds terrible) children in the front of the routine? Or do you think that it is truly the most talented or really rotated with all athletes to allow all children ample time in the front?

I was just making observations during choreography and I am interested in what others typically observe.

 

[ultimatelegacy]

Honestly I have seen both.

 

[TheVipersMom]

I've seen the cuter kids placed over the others when skill was roughly the same.

However if someone is point jumper material they are point jumper no matter what even if they are not as cute??, if someone is point flyer that is usually because they are the most flexible/ and most consistent. They go hand in hand.


If you are a mom and you are watching choreo I would recommend a break. That place would make me go crazy watching my kids placement and analyzing everything they do! & we know I'm not a coach so I naturally think my kid should be point everything!!! (Jk I absolutely do not think my kid should be point flyer, maybe we can hide her behind the BLC stunt)

 

[DropAndRun]

I am BY FAR the cutest flyer, jumper, and dancer at my gym at they won't let me be point.

#itsnotfair
#cpaingotnothinonme

 

[AliciaM]

As a coach I always look at skill and then placement in the routine first. So if I'm working in order I can't have someone who is in the front for the opening, running all the way to the back for the section and vice versa. The routine has to flow well. When you're dealing with mini (and mostly new athletes) it's also easier to go back to the same spot. For example my minis last year had almost the same spots, minus a few people, for the band cheer and the jump section. They weren't back to back in the routine but it was easier for kids to remember spots this way. As the season went on and they were able to learn more and understand a routine better, so I was able to change sections and it wasn't a huge deal to them as long as we transitioned to and from the new spots a lot so they got used to it. If someone is also cute and can smile then great, that's just an added bonus.


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[mollymags]

I've had minis and youth the past few seasons and the majority of the time, the younger kids are tucked in the back because they have weaker motions. I think all my kids are precious but there have been a few extra cute kids who have ended up hidden because the skills weren't there to be more of a focal point. Strongest motions, jumps, tumbling, and stunts go to the front, regardless of age/appearance.


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[FlexyTumblerMom]

In pretty much every routine I've ever watched the point jumper is always the absolute best jumper. It is for this reason my CP thinks its one of the biggest honors one can get - cause you really do need to be the best to be point jumper.

Point flyer tends to be most flexible, but not always - I've also seen point flyer be the tallest flyer w/ the tallest bases, then they work out in descending size in both directions w/ the far left and right flyers being the tiniest - to do kind of a good visual balance. I've seen point flyers fall, so I don't necessarily think its always done by most consistent, but that would make a lot of sense too.

 

[Pebbles49]

I think, the placement of athletes may run the gamut, what I noticed with young teams particularly, Minis and Tiny teams cuteness and personality is an huge factor in where the athletes are placed. Some of the younger athletes have no distinguishable differences when it comes to skill levels, so if you have a cutie that likes to perform, more than likely they will be placed in the front.
However, as the athletes age, I strongly believe that skills outweighs cuteness. I have to agree with the poster who stated that height and size might play a role in placement, I noticed last year on almost all the teams at my daughter's gym, the tallest stunt groups were placed in the center and smallest stunt groups were placed outside. Luckily, on my daughter's team the tallest and oldest flyers were the most skill and had the most experience. Additionally, I believe that the most skill, with the most experience performing these athletes were placed in the front on every positions on my daughter's team. The same placement happened with jumpers, dancers and flyers, all the tallest were placed in the center with the smaller/smallest athletes were placed on the side or in back, without regard to cuteness. Hey, I must admit I really thought that all the girls were really cute. (bias, I know)
So, to answer the question, yes, when the athletes are young and have the same skill set, cuteness and personality probably play a part in placement. However, as the athletes age, I think, skill trumps cuteness every time....
PS: If coaches place athletes by skills, this will help when the problem parent (Susie's Mom) complains about her daughter not being in the front, the coach can justify their decisions and point to how the placement work for the team... Cuteness and exterior appearance is too subjective, but who can argue with an athlete with the skills...

 

[NJ Coach]

I don't care how cute your face is, if you skills are ugly, you can be cute from the back.

 

[Jessicaa]

I've seen the same 2 kids (small & cute) always being in center front row in EVERYTHING. They were sharing center during jumps, dance, stunts, did the hardest part of pyramid, one was last pass.. Even though they had other great jumpers & dancers.

Me and my co-coach tried last year to switch around and had different kids in the front middle in all the different sections. The strongest person should & will stand center, but at least make the effort the choose somebody else in some section.

 

[AliciaM]

Agree with the posts. With even mini though I go with skill because of the mom issue. If a kid isn't throwing a skill then someone who has the skill should be in the front not them. I had this issue with stunts and tumbling a lot this past year. Parents would be upset that their kids spot was moved or downgraded. What parents don't think about is the long term. If said kid gets theirs skill back and is consistently throwing it it goes back in. If anyone isn't throwing a skill stunt wise or tumbling the week before competition, it's getting downgraded or there will be some changes. I don't do it to be a mean coach lol I do it to put the best routine on the floor that will get the highest scores possible with 0 deductions.


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[AScheer]

I go off of where you're going and where you're coming from / skill. That girl in the back right corner may have a beautiful backhandspring but that's not worth it enough to get her to the front. That's why it's so important to have a well rounded / appropriate level team. If my best jumper is in the back, and there isn't a good way to transition her to point, then she's not point. There will always be someone just as or close to as good that is coming from a spot that won't look like a train wreck during the transition. That one added 10ths of a jump point won't make up for the transition and overall points I just gave up to get a girl there and then back to where she needs to go next.


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[Emily]

For a competition routine skill always wins over cuteness. "Cute" is not a category on the scoresheet and I don't care if your kid wins every pageant - if she doesn't have the skill she is not in the front.
I also don't care about giving every kid ample time to shine in front - if your kid works hard enough (s)he has the skills to be in front. The only thing that restricts placement in a routine is the transitioning to/from spots. But I'll always try to get kids to where they are needed most.
The only time where appearance will play a factor in routine placement is, if your kid looks a lot different than others. If I have two exceptionally tall kids, they will usually "mirror" each other, same goes for two very small kids, etc. If there is only one very tall kid she will usually be somewhere in the center (front, middle, back, depending on skills).

 

[coach12]

Cuteness gets you NO points on the score sheet....
Best skills gets it every time.

 

[youbetterwork]

I have never placed someone in front because they're cute (and I coach a youth team). If I have a hard time decide between two athletes I always pick the one that performs more.