All-Star Competition And Illness

[kymmied]

This isn't just a cheer thing. I have 3 kids, two of them boys who have both had kids on their football and baseball teams play while sick. If there's a team depending on them and their not contagious ~ most kids still want to participate to the best of their ability

 

[Just-a-Mom]

basically, but i'm saying that kids can often push through things that adults wouldn't expect. so, assuming one's daughter only has a cold/flu(and not scarlet fever), it is likely that they will be able to push through it. however, this depends on the kid. and like someone said, each parent knows their own kid.

and, i have a really high pain tolerance. i guess even as a kid pain didn't affect me too much.

I think most people on here were talking about being contagious, not about whether or not the kid can push through. Most kids can get through 2 and a half minutes with enough medicine. It's a matter of how many other people you're passing something on to. Because, again, schools don't tell you to stay home because they think you're too sick to sit still at a desk, they tell you to stay home because you're contagious.

 

[kristenthegreat]

I think with sports we get so caught up in proving we're 'tough' and 'hardcore', especially in cheer where our status as 'sport' seems contingent on how many injuries we have- "I've broken 5 bones in my face and competed through 2:30 minutes of non-stop standing doubles, I'm an ATHLETE competing in a SPORT." If I got sick/hurt because someone was insistent on competing when they weren't 110%, I'd be pretty ticked.

 

[Deleted member 382]

I wonder what unintended effect the new proposed crossover rules could have on if kids feel pressure to compete when they are sick. If it is put in place that a small team can ONLY have 4 crossovers (for illness, injury, or team numbers), it may be much more difficult to just pull someone in so the stunts go up, thus making some feel more obligated to try to push themselves, who would have otherwise chosen to stay home.

 

[cheergirl09]

I have pushed thru sicknesses many times to compete. I couldn't let my team down.

6 months ago today though a girl from my town who was 15 had come down with a cold. Her parents took her to the dr and the dr just gave her some basic cold meds and told her to rest so she went on with her normal intense cheer practices not thinking anything of it. Three days later she had a seizure and went into a coma and died 2 days later. Turned out what the dr thought was just a simple cold was actually bacterial meningitis. Such a sad sad story and a huge loss for our community. Goes to show drs aren't always right and that a miss diagnosis can be fatal. After this happened I do regret not letting my body rest when I was sick bc what looked like to be a simple cold really could have been something very serious..
RIP Mckenzie 8/17/10

 

[Angelica]

well down here in east texas...if your sick the day of competition, you best believe you will be competing still. unless your in the hospital. its national season, i cant see a cheerleader down here not wanting to compete even if they were sick. thats insane! the flu is going a around like crazyyyy, but i know me personally wouldnt want to let my team down. So if i could stick out 2 mins and 30 seconds and give it all i got, i would do it in a heart beat

 

[legexmom]

I think the basic point is that there is sick, and there is SICK. We've all let our kids go to practice as well as compete when they are sick -- it's just part of the sport. But if they are sick to the point that competing could be dangerous, that is where the line must be drawn.

 

[hopskipandjump]

I guess the first time it happens with my cp, they're just going to have "to deal".

I think "new dad" that if you gave your child's coach a heads up during the week, it would be helpful. I coach a mini team and this year our center pyramid flyer got sick about 2 days before a competition. Her mom texted me to let me know on a Thursday evening so that I could try to re-arrange the routine. I really appreciated that. I have kids so I think that the parent is the best person to judge whether or not their child should compete. However, especially with little ones, illness can come on fast, but also leave fast, so I just tell the parent to get me updated on how they are doing. BTW, she came to the competition, competed and left. I was glad she was able to do that, but I also know if she wasn't, then there is always another competition!

 

[newcheerdad]

I think "new dad" that if you gave your child's coach a heads up during the week, it would be helpful.

I think that's just common courtesy, really.

 

[NJ Coach]

I think that's just common courtesy, really.

you'd be surprised...

 

[omgitssydthekid]

you'd be surprised...

YES. One day I had to fill in on a Junior team and backspot (I normally flew and had never backsotted before)because a girl texted our coach day of the competition that she had strep throat and could not compete. We had gotten to the competition at about 8 in the morning, and this competition was in Arkansas...so I'm assuming she knew before that day but just didn't tell the coach. It was so annoying and stressful because the coach had three new fillins that day for various injuries and sicknesses but we ended up getting first at the competition so it's okay haha

 

[lianne]

this past weekend at beast of the east (spirit cheer) i got the stomach bug day one i couldnt eat or drink and i had a fever. i threw up about an hour and a half before i competed and got through the routine doing everything even the dance cuz im actually in the front this year and after i got that out of my system i was EXTREMELY dehydrated and my throat was killing me, i thought it was just from throwing up, and then on monday i got the flu. lucky me.
another girl on my team also had the stomach bug that day too, we both competed and it all worked out in the end

 

[vipergirl]

last weekend one of our girls on senior 5 was throwing up with a fever, but came and tumbled, and hit all of her stunts...in the past i had shattered bones in my ankle and needed surgery, and insisted i had to finish the competition season before i would even think about getting surgery....the things we do now-a-days for cheerleading! haha

 

[cheerenvy]

If our kids don't practice the week of competition, they will be pulled...

 

[vipergirl]

If our kids don't practice the week of competition, they will be pulled...

us as well...unless they have a legit excuse, such as they put in a vacation form ahead of time