All-Star Daughter just got taken out of flyer spot

[melisslc]

Hi Cheer world! I need help with this - as I am wondering if my assumption is correct about tumblers as you get to higher levels. My daughter is in her 7th season of allstar cheer. She was at one cheer gym for 5 years and left 2 years ago because she wanted the opportunity to fly. We moved to another gym and she flew on a L3 team. That gym didn't have a L4, so she tried out at another gym & made a J4 team. The coach told us she had a great chance of being a flyer and they would ensure her success - whether she flew on her J4 team or they moved her to S3. She had the elite flyer position on J4 and they JUST took her out of it. Now she isn't in elite or pyramid - not flying at all. I completely understand that they moved the other girl into her spot, but the fact she isn't flying at all is disheartening.
The bigger challenge - she's small and never based at her old gym and now still is a pretend back or front base and just tumbles because she weights about 80 pounds, isn't strong and has the body of a flyer. If I am looking at her path and she wants to be on a worlds team - what is the likelihood that a higher team would put a strong tumbler on it if she can't base??

 

[cheermomforever]

Hi Cheer world! I need help with this - as I am wondering if my assumption is correct about tumblers as you get to higher levels. My daughter is in her 7th season of allstar cheer. She was at one cheer gym for 5 years and left 2 years ago because she wanted the opportunity to fly. We moved to another gym and she flew on a L3 team. That gym didn't have a L4, so she tried out at another gym & made a J4 team. The coach told us she had a great chance of being a flyer and they would ensure her success - whether she flew on her J4 team or they moved her to S3. She had the elite flyer position on J4 and they JUST took her out of it. Now she isn't in elite or pyramid - not flying at all. I completely understand that they moved the other girl into her spot, but the fact she isn't flying at all is disheartening.
The bigger challenge - she's small and never based at her old gym and now still is a pretend back or front base and just tumbles because she weights about 80 pounds, isn't strong and has the body of a flyer. If I am looking at her path and she wants to be on a worlds team - what is the likelihood that a higher team would put a strong tumbler on it if she can't base??

Depends on the gym and what they need…

 

[CoachHannah]

Did she get taken out because she wasn't hitting the skills? Or because the other girl could do it better? If your daughter got taken out because she was struggling to fly her spot, then I would say her options aren't as great as they could be. Tumblers for Worlds teams are not only competitive spots, but they're heavily dependent on the team, what kinds of skills they need, and if they already have people in those spots (your daughter would truly have to be one of the most phenomenal tumblers/jumpers/performers on the team to make up for not stunting). It's not impossible, it's just not something you can really count on.

If your daughter got pulled because she COULD fly, but another girl was doing it better, that offers a little more hope. It kind of sounds like she's giving up on flying entirely, but I would be encouraging her to be doing flying privates during this time she's not in the air. You make it sound as though she's physically too small to base, which is normal for a lot of kids, but in that case, she needs to compensate by working on being the best flyer she can possibly be, since there are limited other options for her. Coaches talk to each other, and seeing your daughter still actively working on her skills even though she's not in the air is a big plus. If you can keep her in the air, even just in privates, and progressing, her odds at trying out for a Worlds team down the line become much stronger.

 

[WinstonsGirl]

Some more information would be helpful. How old is she? 80 lbs at 12-13 is a big difference than 80lbs at 16/17. She could still grow and be a great base if she's willing to learn. But it could come down to flexibility, needs of the team, ability, so many things. You should ask the coaches.

But to put it out there, there is a gym in my area who tells parents and athletes whatever they want to hear to get them to join their gym. You want to be on level 3, sure. You only want to fly, no problem. They make it happen for summer training, but then as the fall season gets started, chores happens, changes happen, and that athlete usually ends up fronting/nuggeting, pulled out of flying because they had no business being in that spot or team in the first place. By that point, a lot of families feel that have made their bed and don't go back to their old gym. Not saying this is your situation, but I have seen gyms who will tell families anything to make the switch.

 

[Keep_Believing]

If she is an excellent elite tumbler and the team needs a tumbler, she could definitely be added as a tumbler.

I am not against changing gyms. I have gym hopped for financial reasons/looking for scholarships, etc. but if you are switching to try and find a flyer spot for your daughter, it's doubtful it will work out in the long run. Cheer is a team sport and your daughter needs to go to the position where the coach see's her. People hate hearing it, but size also matters. Being tall is a bonus in basketball as being small is a bonus for flying. Technique and form definitely matter, but as more than one college coach has shared, I can teach most talented athletes technique and form. I can't teach tiny. I hate that this is true because I have seen it trigger eating disorders in athletes. Cheer as an industry needs to find a way to make all cheer positions/spots feel valued and important.

 

[catlady]

The painful truth, when it comes to any competitive sport is, there is rarely a guarantee when it comes to positions. The easy answer is, the most well rounded athletes will always have the best chance at making the team and being in their dream position. With that said, if something isn't working, whether it's because of skill, strength, stamina, physics, or routine aesthetics, they will often grab the first athlete that can make it work without affecting the scoresheet elsewhere.

As far as, "pretend" spotter or front spot...It may not be the dream position, but don't minimize the usage, or need, of a good spotter or front spot. I've seen some struggling stunts drastically improve (and saved) by the additional strength and support given by a good spotter or front spot.

 

[kayemm]

As far as, "pretend" spotter or front spot...It may not be the dream position, but don't minimize the usage, or need, of a good spotter or front spot. I've seen some struggling stunts drastically improve (and saved) by the additional strength and support given by a good spotter or front spot.

Thissss is so important! I have pretty much always been a front spot (apart from rare occasions flying) as I have a weak wrist so basing is always tricky, and I like to think I'm pretty good at it! I've on more than one occasion stopped my stunt from coming down and was always able to work out where my bases needed my additional help to keep things steady. I always coach my front spots to actually get in there and help out, push up and take the weight when it's needed. Even if you don't think you are strong. Plus it's more fun if you're actually contributing

 

[Oscar Stern]

Why not have them reinstate it?