High School Game Team Vs. Jv

[SMacho]

Hi everyone! For many years we have had varsity and JV squads. My JV coaches are getting very burnt out with the constant overhauling of JV every year due to kids being pulled up or not coming back. We have been discussing the possibility of doing a game team and a comp team instead of Varsity and JV. Varsity, aka the comp team, would still cheer at most games because we have to in order to compete.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

[cheer25mom]

I have seen it done well, although never personally coached this way. A local school does it very well. They have the comp team cheer for all varsity football and boys basketball games. Game day team joins them for some home varsity games and does JV games and girls basketball. When both squads are together they split into two groups, one on each end of the home sidelines. Both groups get an opportunity to perform mid court at home basketball games.

 

[TealShades]

Uhm am I having Deja Vu or something. I could have sworn there's already a thread with this question.

 

[Tealxblack25]

My school is thinking of going this route next year

 

[coacha]

My only question is if the reasoning behind doing this is the constant rebuild of JV from pulling up or non-returning members of the JV team...what is to stop those same issues from affecting a Varsity game team that may still feel like "2nd best" to a competition team? Do you have cheerleaders who only want to cheer games and won't feel slighted if they don't make competition (ie will they quit)?

 

[Alexx]

Uhm am I having Deja Vu or something. I could have sworn there's already a thread with this question.

No I'm pretty sure I read this exact thing within the past couple days.

 

[Hscoach10]

Hi everyone! For many years we have had varsity and JV squads. My JV coaches are getting very burnt out with the constant overhauling of JV every year due to kids being pulled up or not coming back. We have been discussing the possibility of doing a game team and a comp team instead of Varsity and JV. Varsity, aka the comp team, would still cheer at most games because we have to in order to compete.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

If it is what works best for your program I'd say go for it but that is the nature of a JV team. You can lose to kids to varsity and kids don't always come back (we have experienced this when kids are going to be seniors and don't think they have a chance at varsity). Do you compete a lot with your Jv squad to think this would be a big change? We went through it all with our Jv but now have had a really strong team for the past few seasons this is what has helped:

1. Jv approved by school to compete at uca nationals
2. Seniors are on varsity game squad even if they are on JV for competition
3. We coach both Jv and varsity so to make decisions that are best for both squads if possible (if two girls are close in skill set but one would have a bigger impact if she left the Jv team, we will try other first etc)

 

[EWalsh1029]

I have:
A JV game team (compete & cheer JV)
A JV competition team (compiled of JV game team & V alternates)
A Varsity game team (compiled of varsity competition team & varsity alternates (aka girls who compete JV)
A Varsity comp team (compete & cheer V)

This is our first year doing it and it has worked really well. Obviously had a few kinks that had to be worked out, but overall it was great! I especially like doing it because it allowed my Varsity alternate to really work and improve their skills.

 

[LaurenYHScoach]

On average how many varsity alternates do you have?

 

[omgitssydthekid]

On average how many varsity alternates do you have?

When I was in high school, 20 competed (in the large division) and we had between 5-10 alternates.


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[SMacho]

This past year, we didn't have any alternates, we competed with 18 and had 16 on JV. This year we've been toying with just having a Varsity and then alternates. I just don't think we'll keep the kids motivated if all they're doing is games so I'm not sure a game team is a real option. So that's why we're thinking maybe just having Varsity with more alternates than normal.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

I have a stunt group number of alternates every year (4.)

They are not JV kids though. They are Varsity, cheer all games with Varsity, practice, learn the routine, go to camp, they just do not compete.

Kids are usually pretty happy to make alternate because:

1. The alternative is not making Varsity at all.

2. It doesn't mean you'll never see the mat. In the last 2 seasons I have used all 4 at varying comps in the season due to injuries.

 

[AScheer]

On average how many varsity alternates do you have?

I prefer 4-5. I like for everyone to feel that they have a role and contribute. A whole extra stunt group is my goal. When there aren't enough or there are too many, extra drama ensues and I find that they are more likely to quit or be unhappy. No one wants to be an alternate but to be an alternate with no day to day purpose is even worse. So an extra flyer, back and 2 bases is ideal. Front spot if I have that extra 5th girl I can't live without. I wouldn't take more than 5 unless I bumped up to 8 and made 2 extra groups.

 

[EWalsh1029]

On average how many varsity alternates do you have?

2016 (first year doing the V Game/V Comp/ JV Game/ JV Comp teams):
Varsity Game team had 26 girls; 13 Competed Varsity. 13 alternates; 8 Competed JV; 5 chose not to compete JV and just be Varsity alternates.
JV Game team 13 girls; 20 girls competed JV (JV Game & V. alternates); 1 alternate (due to a scheduling conflict she couldn't commit to competing)

2015 (Just one JV one V team):
Varsity 23 girls; 15 Competed; 8 alternates
JV 13 girls; no alternates

2014 (Just one Varsity team):
26 Girls; Competed 20; 6 alternates (our last competition we competed 15; so 11 alternates)

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

I'm trying something new this year. I'm tired of killing myself to give everyone a chance to get "on mat" and the ones who don't deserve to be there are the ones who cause the most problems. So we are going the following route:

1. Two game teams of 8-16
   1. Split in order to allow spread out the amount of games we do (we are adding soccer and maybe volleyball to our schedule)
   2. Will be separated as evenly as possible in terms of number of athletes and grade levels, skill sets, stunt groups, etc
   3. Will basically alternate games on the schedule with the exception of me giving special attention to our games with rivals so that everyone gets opportunities at "big" games
2. One comp team of 12-24
   1. Will basically take all of our standing or round off tucks with special attention made to make sure we have stunt groups that work
   2. Everyone in the program will be alternates (anticipate about 50% of the program)
   3. Each competition will select 4 alternates to be "official" for that competition based on acceptance of their role and effort put in to improve their skills
   4. Will use alternates liberally throughout season when people miss practices/games, etc. Our primary form of consequences for doing something stupid is loss of spot on team.

I've reached a point where I will never be held hostage by a kid who thinks they cannot be replaced ever again. I want to demonstrate all year long that if you don't live up to the standards of our program, you will lose your spot.