Keeping Kids On All Star When They Hit High School

[cheerdiva]

what is the best approach to keeping your all stars when they hit high school? I have a handfull of girls that i fear will leave all star cheer if they make the high school team, i know they will hands down make the team so what is the best approach with the parents to keep them at the gym? I want the kids to do what is best for them but would hate to see them leave a team they have worked so hard on! any advice is appreciated! Thank you!!

 

[Mamarazzi]

Wish them nothing but the best of luck, support them by going to their games or comps and let them lovingly go. Make sure they know they're welcome back at any time.

 

[catlady]

My daughter found HS cheer to have overwhelming drama, and I found it to have overwhelming injuries. Varsity teams are doing level 3-5 skills with girls that, often, only have the tumbling experience and no stunting background. I don't think there is anything wrong with educating parents on the differences of HS vs All Star competitive cheer, however, after that, I'm with Mamarazzi, wish them the best of luck and let them know you are always happy to have them back.

 

[cheernerd5678]

Most of us where I live leave all star when we get to HS, because HS is such a big time commitment, and, especially for me, I take classes that are really hard so I need all the time I can get. Even w/o allstar I have to stay up late to get my HW done.
Everyone's situation is different, and just be understanding if they do leave, and make sure they know that they're welcome back if they want to come back! Some people need a year of HS and then they decide to come back b/c either they didn't like HS, or after experiencing it they realize they do have enough time to do both!

 

[Mclovin]

Funny that this thread was started ... my oldest daughter is a freshman in high school this year. Really wanted to do high school cheer. She made the competition squad as well. She also competes with 2 teams at Twist & Shout. She is only a month into school and has decided she does NOT want to do school cheer next year. Says it's WAY too hard on the body to tumble on the hard floor, not to mention how many practices at T&S she misses due to games. She is mentally and physically wore out from it. So it doesn't surprise me that kids are choosing one over the other. If she didn't love T&S so much, I would imagine she'd choose school cheer, too. It's also much much cheaper on the parents to do school cheer.

So, as a coach myself, when I have an athlete that decides to quit all star for school cheer, I let them know how much I'm going to miss them but wish them the best of luck and tell them I can't wait to see them compete with their school. I always let them know we would love to have them back if they decide to return. But I hold no ill feelings towards them because I understand first hand how incredibly hard it is to do both.

 

[cheernerd5678]

Says it's WAY too hard on the body to tumble on the hard floor, not to mention how many practices at T&S she misses due to games. She is mentally and physically wore out from it.

oh. my. goodness. Tumbling on hard floor.... I hate it sooo much! I can be so confident in my skills at the gym but then I get to dead mat and it's just like "...nope!"

 

[Mclovin]

oh. my. goodness. Tumbling on hard floor.... I hate it sooo much! I can be so confident in my skills at the gym but then I get to dead mat and it's just like "...nope!"

I kid you not...she can do an arabian to double and 2 to double EASY on spring floor. She couldn't do a 2 to full at all on the hard floor and her running full was bent legged...IDK why but she says it just kills her...Unfortunately, that means college cheer just went out the window.

 

[youthcheercoach]

My CP has been an all-star since she was 5. She is now 16, on a SR5 all-star and a HS junior on her Varsity squad (1st time). Initially she did not want to try sideline cheer because of her competitive past. The most challenging part for her was learning and saying the cheers and tumbling on a dead mat. She does have the highest tumbling skills on her team but she is really enjoying the change of pace. We were thankful that her all star coach & school coach work together to make sure there are minimum conflicts. Communication is the key! Good Luck xoxo

 

[KDCheerMom]

Is there an option to do High School cheer and a partial season with All Star? I'm pretty sure pretty sure in Illinois - they cannot do both during the same season. My CP is 8th grade and planning on HS cheer next year, but I too wonder which would be better.

 

[Mclovin]

Is there an option to do High School cheer and a partial season with All Star? I'm pretty sure pretty sure in Illinois - they cannot do both during the same season. My CP is 8th grade and planning on HS cheer next year, but I too wonder which would be better.

I think you're right. In Illinois you cannot do both. I know some all star gyms have "pick up teams" that start after State/Nationals is over. But in Illinois I think State is in like March, right? So I doubt any gyms would have pick up teams that late into the season.

 

[KDCheerMom]

I think you're right. In Illinois you cannot do both. I know some all star gyms have "pick up teams" that start after State/Nationals is over. But in Illinois I think State is in like March, right? So I doubt any gyms would have pick up teams that late into the season.

thanks - just reread my post "pretty sure pretty sure " - looks like I got caught in a loop...

 

[5-6-7-8]

I agree to let them leave with a wide open door for return.

Ways to get them to stay (just random ideas...may or may not apply):

1/2 year team
Special HS team with fewer practices / competitions
Offer HS tumbling classes / stunt workshops

 

[bestbackspot]

I did all star all my life. My freshmen year I made the varsity high school team and did all star as well. I then made the decision my sophomore year to just do high school. My high school team is growing and is getting better and better, and I love it. I love being a part of the tradition of friday night football, and I feel much closer with my high school team than I did with my all star team. We all get ready for games together, spend every friday night and 3 days a week together, see each other in school, and they are all my best friends. No regrets