All-Star How Much Is Too Much?

[fullpass]

Here's a question for you all- how much is too much? No matter how much you love cheer there has to be a line in the sand somewhere, right?

If asked to double or triple team would/could you? How many days would you do? How many total hours per week?

 

[MissCongeniality]

Honestly I don't think cheerleaders practice all that long compared to other sports. So double teaming or triple teaming (from a time perspective) may not be much more than a sport like swim team where the kids do 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening every.single.day. If a cheerleader can manage his/her school work and gym time.. more power to them. That said...I don't think it is ok to pick and choose to skip certain teams practices because "you have too much homework". If you sign on for all... you treat all the same regardless of level. And truly I think the real problem is when a double/triple teamer gets hurt. Then you have 2/3 teams looking for a fill-in.

 

[RaRaMama]

My daughter is doing Youth and Junior team this year. That (including her tumbling lesson) puts her at the gym 9 hours a week. She just started middle school this year, so we'll see how it goes. I dont really have a problem with it as long as her grades stay up. It keeps her active and busy and she's always asking to go to the gym anyway

 

[cheerheart4life]

When you no longer enjoy the sport and wanna quit or your body starts to breakdown, then its too much. You should never cheer so much that it makes you end up hating it

 

[krystynakrez]

Honestly I don't think cheerleaders practice all that long compared to other sports. So double teaming or triple teaming (from a time perspective) may not be much more than a sport like swim team where the kids do 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening every.single.day. If a cheerleader can manage his/her school work and gym time.. more power to them. That said...I don't think it is ok to pick and choose to skip certain teams practices because "you have too much homework". If you sign on for all... you treat all the same regardless of level. And truly I think the real problem is when a double/triple teamer gets hurt. Then you have 2/3 teams looking for a fill-in.

I think it's different because Cheerleading is all year round... while other sports such as swimming, basketball, and soccer etc only last a few months during their season.

 

[KatieMcLaughlin]

Last year I tripled team.. I started off on just one but by first competition I was on 3 -__- I was at the gym everyday but friday.. I would say it began to be too much!

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[cydcydchick]

Last year i was on 3 teams( sr 4, int 5, and hs) and for a while also the jr 2 team in my gym... i was in the gym 20-30 hrs a week sometimes more for classes and private lessons and it definitely took its toll not just on my body but on my academics.. i did a lot of cross competing in 4th grade(4 teams) and 8 th grade( 4 teams) and this past season and while i now have the knees, ankles, back, and wrists of an old lady... my grades suffered just as bad. I started to realize it when i went from an A average to a B/C average was also always tired, sore, and irritable(probably from the lack of sleep ) thank goodness my sched isnt nearly as crazy anymore i think im only in the gym 15-18 hours a week I think this is much better for me and i dont think anymore days/hours/teams would be a good decision.....although i will admit i miss being a gymrat

 

[kristenthegreat]

Whatever you are capable of handling in a way that doesn't affect your school performance, your performances for your teams, and your personal health. I'd have gladly double-teamed when I could have (didn't realize I was a 2-year super senior )

Oh, and I disagree with those who say 'X' sport isn't year round. For those who want to make something major out of it, it's year-round. When my brother isn't doing HS volleyball, he's doing AAU/allstar, playing on the sand courts in the summer, or even helping out my mum coach JV at my old HS. Or if you're Faith Martin (she just graduated from my HS- her mom was an Olympian and you can bet she'll be one too! She's an unbelievable swimmer and could have basically picked where she wanted to go to school), you're in the water every day, all the time. The girls who play basketball at my HS are constantly playing, either school, AAU, summer ball, fall workouts or a cross-training sport (like volleyball). I can name at least 3-4 other kids I know who played other sports who didn't stop just 'cause their season was over..even if it just meant team workouts or doing a little free play (very similar to our summer practices). Heck, some played 2 different sports at once!

 

[cheeeeer93]

Your coach should know your limits and how many teams is too much for you. I know for a fact that when my coaches ask kids to crossover they take into account any popwarner programs, school teams, ect. that the athlete does and also academics. I know that they try to stay away from high school freshmen crossing over because they already have enough stress with a new school, one allstar team, and maybe even a school team. Your coach should know what is too much for each athlete and discuss it before any 'crossing over' is official.

 

[SheCheers]

as a parent, i'm not going to be driving to the gym more than 3 days a week...so when my cp WAS asked to double team and really really wanted to (2 seasons ago), i reluctantly said yes and when they didn't end up needing her anymore, i was jumping for joy...LOL.
so, if she was double teaming on a team that practiced the same day, i *might* be ok with it.

 

[cheeeeer93]

Your coach should know your limits and how many teams is too much for you. I know for a fact that when my coaches ask kids to crossover they take into account any popwarner programs, school teams, ect. that the athlete does and also academics. I know that they try to stay away from high school freshmen crossing over because they already have enough stress with a new school, one allstar team, and maybe even a school team. Your coach should know what is too much for each athlete and discuss it before any 'crossing over' is official.

ETA. You should also know when to say enough is enough! Your coach can't read your mind and know if you want to do two or three teams. Stand up for yourself and say that it is just too much and you can't do it!

 

[My3KidsMom]

My daughter double teamed for a couple of years, the last time being when she had broke her Femur. She was already on the team so she ended up staying on the team. She really took a beating that year and I think it was just to much. She doubled from Sr 5 to Sr 4, and she said she would never do level 4 again because level 4 is harder on her body than level 5 is. She was also in High School and competes for them as well so it was just all to much for her. She LOVES cheer but she has to have something else besides that in her life as well. YOU have to know YOUR limits and stick to them.

 

[Keep_Believing]

She doubled from Sr 5 to Sr 4, and she said she would never do level 4 again because level 4 is harder on her body than level 5 is.

That shocks me. My kids are on level 2 & 3. They haven't gotten to level 4 yet. Why is level 4 harder on the body than level 5? I thought it would have been the other way around.

 

[My3KidsMom]

She doubled from Sr 5 to Sr 4, and she said she would never do level 4 again because level 4 is harder on her body than level 5 is.

That shocks me. My kids are on level 2 & 3. They haven't gotten to level 4 yet. Why is level 4 harder on the body than level 5? I thought it would have been the other way around.

Honestly i'm not sure why as I never went into detail with her, however I have heard several of the level 5 girls that I have known say the same thing.

 

[socratesofcheer]

thank goodness my sched isnt nearly as crazy anymore i think im only in the gym 15-18 hours a week I think this is much better for me and i dont think anymore days/hours/teams would be a good decision.....although i will admit i miss being a gymrat

Let me get this straight. Averaging 3 hrs per day for 5-6 days per week is NOT considered a gym rat?
And last year you would average up to 5 hrs PER day for 6 days PER week?