High School Girls Who Are Flyers...

[SparkleSpankies]

Just something to think about, do you think that girls have an issue when they may have been a flyer but then they need to do a different role?

Just been thinking about it b/c all of the years I have been coaching, as everyone knows not everyone can be a flyer, but at the same time, do you think more or less embrace that?

I would say my success rate of having someone base if needed without complaint is about 50/50! Some completely know they grow, their bodies change, etc and understand for safety, they may have to become a base, others seem to have the adverse reaction. One said she was going to all-stars, did and became a base there too b/c she was on a team w/ 11 year old flyers that were also more flexible..

 

[Oxx3rinxxO]

I was a base in pop Warner and my coach made me fly my freshman and sophomore year. I flew one day at camp this year (junior year) and then a girl came on the team late and came into camp and basically took my place and I'm basing now. Yeah i do miss it sometimes but it's a thousand pounds of stress off your shoulders and your not as worried at comps about your stunts and I doing myself worrying about my tumbling more than that. I feel like some people get angry and some don't it just depends maybe on if they love flying or something.


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[GreenStormLucy]

I´d go with the 50/50 - some understand and do the same great job they did as flyers as bases.
Others just can´t accept that they are as important to the team as they where - who will fly when there are no bases?
But it is really difficult.
Once a girl told me: Why did i put so much effort in stretching and being flexible when i have to be a base now?
You can explain, but some girls just struggle with a new position to the point, where they quit to be on another team where they can fly.

 

[LeahofthePack]

I think you just have to know that sometimes you need to do a certain roll to help the team, and even if it's new to you, practice can make perfect. Obviously a coach isn't going to put a girl in the air who is not meant to be a flyer or put a girl as a base when she has what it takes to be in the air and vice-versa. I think being part of a good team is the ability to change positions when it's needed, and to make yourself well rounded.

I started cheer 6th grade and 7th as a flyer, 8th grade I needed to base until someone got hurt then I was in the air. Freshman year they needed a base so there I was until someone got moved up and they needed a flyer again. But then until college I stayed as a base.

 

[ashscott41]

I flew for 8 years in allstar, several of those point on a level 5 team, and I'll tell you nothing sucks more than being told you are too big to fly at school. It was devastating to me and a few other girls. I could hit any stunt you'd ask me to do, but I wasn't given that chance on my school team very often. I had to learn to back because there were so many 80 pound freshman Suzies. I completely understood why it had to happen, but that didn't make it any easier. We have enough body image issues in our society and coaches not being sensitive to things like that only leads to more problems


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[cydcydchick]

I flew for 6 years on all star and was very short and tiny, and when I took two years off and just did pop Warner and tumbling classes I grew a significant amount in height weight width, all of it. I even flew occasionally on my pop Warner team despite being the biggest one. But when I came back to all star in 8th grade I had to learn how to base and back, and I can't even explain how awful I was. It was tragic. No one trusted me. I never caught my flyer. I was always put with the two strongest bases when I had to back and back spotted or based the half in the pyramid cuz quite frankly, that's all I could do. I resented myself for a while, for quitting cuz I told myself if I hadn't then I'd probably be small enough to still be a flyer. But now three years later, I can say that while I do still miss flying, I'd much rather be basing and backing. I still fly occasionally in a half or two or do coed stunting with the coaches at open gym sometimes, but I feel like flyers have so much pressure on them to be flawless, and I don't think I could handle that. Plus, I love food way too much to worry about being small enough to fly

 

[UltimateAlexis]

This past season at call backs a girl on my team had been at the gym for about 4 seasons I think? She flew every season except one I believe and she got the news that she would not be flying this past season. She was beyond upset and complained every single day. Some things to take into consideration is the fact that all the flyers (myself included) were under 5ft and she was a little over 5ft. I know it doesn't matter how tall you are but it's not like any of the flyers could have based her! None of us are very strong or good at holding people up in a stunt! She eventually quit and now does dance. I am so glad she quit because all she did was complain and didn't even try when basing! It was basically a two man. But the coaches made the right decision because I got an amazing new base and we had no more negative energy on the team. Sometimes they aren't going to be happy but you have to do what is right for the team!

 

[CheerRehab]

A lot of coaches baby their flyers because they're the smallest (and often the youngest). When the coach brings in someone new to fly instead its like a parent bringing a new baby home. The older child is grumpy and jealous because the spotlight isn't on them.

I have coached girls who quit when they couldn't fly anymore. I've cheered along side girls who didn't get that cheering is a team effort. These were also the girls who didn't hold their weight and never tried to help a stunt from falling, instead they just blamed the bases.


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[CheerBank]

How about the reverse? My ex-cp was always on the shorter side yet for whatever reason the coach decided she was a base not a flyer from the get-go which was fine with us. Until she was in 6th grade and he decided that going into her 4th season in all-stars that she was now too small to base and needed to fly...quite the miserable season. After 3 seasons of being an insanely strong tumbler and base, flying was not what she wanted to do (she was scared plus not flexible) and and she was never so happy as the following season when both feet were back on the ground.

 

[SparkleSpankies]

The nice thing is that I am a person that in a given year, this may happen once! Its just when it does, wondering how everyone feels!

 

[catlady]

I have seen this twice where the child is a very good flyer, however, they grow/gain weight to the point a flyer with less experience has been put in their place because they weigh less than 100 lbs. Did they become a base/backspot without complaint? Yes, in both cases. However, the parents of both girls said that they have been battling body image issues ever since they were removed from flying and both girls are at a good weight for their height.

 

[SparkleSpankies]

What do you do when you have 30 girls show up to an open workout and 10 think they are flyers?

I let everyone fly and also asked some to base/back to try it out. At the end of the day, a competitive team needs to adjust and some need to understand that it's for the team!

 

[MyDaughterCheers]

My CP is almost 17 and has never been anything but a flyer. She hasn't grown since puberty. My main concern if she were not to fly, is that since most teams are chosen based on tumbling, how safe would it be for a level 4 or 5 team to have a base who has never based before suddenly basing a stunt at that level? Is that something a girl can learn in a few practices?

 

[SparkleSpankies]

Honestly, I find flyers very good bases, but they have to want to! However, most cases, your daughter is the norm where that is what they do!

 

[Tosh]

My CP is almost 17 and has never been anything but a flyer. She hasn't grown since puberty. My main concern if she were not to fly, is that since most teams are chosen based on tumbling, how safe would it be for a level 4 or 5 team to have a base who has never based before suddenly basing a stunt at that level? Is that something a girl can learn in a few practices?

I agree with SparkleSpankies. This happened to my daughter last season. All she ever did since 1st grade was fly and her senior year is actually bases. Not that I am SM, but I was more annoyed than she was.....she was so mature, but she wanted to and that was the difference. She turned out to be a banging base. So have no fear, if she wants to learn, she can and she will.
Also, it looks very good on a college resume when you are more versatile.
Good Luck!