All-Star Level Up Or Down?

[cheermeup]

I would want my daughter to be on the team the coaches thought she belonged on. At my gym, parents have very little input into what team their child is placed on. We have been on teams that weren't so great, and usually it's because all of the athletes didn't have the skills to be on the team. Cheer is expensive, and I want my kids to be on the most competitive team possible. I also want my kids to feel good about themselves, being able to contribute to the success of their team. I currently have a level 4 tumbler who is working on her level 5 tumbling on a level 3 team. She had her level 4 tumbling at tryouts, but she needed more work as a flyer, so they placed her on level 3. She loves her team, loves her place on it, and they are amazing! I think the coaches knew what they were doing when they put this team together.

As far as small gym vs big name gym. There are several factors to take into account. Does your child take this seriously, or is it simply a hobby? If it's a hobby then I vote smaller gym. I drive 45 miles for my kids to cheer at a bigger name gym because they are serious about this sport. Another consideration when making your decision, how much input do you as a parent like to put in? In my experience, the smaller gyms usually allow parents to have input, but the larger gyms don't. I think the problem of a gym treating their lower level teams as peasants is an internal problem and it's unfair to paint all large gyms with that paintbrush.

 

[Just-a-Mom]

I shouldn't have said the peasant thing. I really was only joking. We came from a HUGE gym (probably one of the hugest--30+ teams, 800+ cheerleaders). And we loved it there. I will have to drive at least an hour no matter what--big or small gym.

We're sort of leaning towards smaller more because of other factors (scheduling, money, etc) than anything else.

And again, I know I don't have any real say in where she is placed. I was actually just curious how other parents felt. Actually FELT about their child's placement, not just what the gym feels. I know its a team and everyone wants the whole team to be good, but come on...you KNOW sometimes inside you feel like your child would be better off on another team--whether a higher or lower level.

 

[texas2010]

Confidence plays a huge role in this sport! If given a choice I would choose for my child to be the star on the lower level team. It is a huge confidence booster. By the way... Been there, done that, both ways.

Tryouts are still a ways away. If she has already based level 4 and is good at it, then work that tumbling if that is all she is missing. If she has a strong core, then then once she gets the tuck she is not far from a layout! And if she is fierce at everything else, then a tuck on a level 4 team is not an issue. I know at our gym you also have to have a standing back too. That may be a little harder to get and if they do full squad standing backs then I would lean to the gym that has a Level 3 team. There is a point when a kid gets bored if they are too far ahead so, if she has that tuck and is level 4 everything else she may hate level 2. You may also want to look into future seasons. If they don't have teams to meet her need now, is she always gonna be that in between kid as their teams level up? If so you might pick one where she will always have a team that meets her needs.

Also large gyms don't become large by putting all the peanuts with out a full in the corner over there to work by themselves!

 

[cheermeup]

I shouldn't have said the peasant thing. I really was only joking. We came from a HUGE gym (probably one of the hugest--30+ teams, 800+ cheerleaders). And we loved it there. I will have to drive at least an hour no matter what--big or small gym.

We're sort of leaning towards smaller more because of other factors (scheduling, money, etc) than anything else.

And again, I know I don't have any real say in where she is placed. I was actually just curious how other parents felt. Actually FELT about their child's placement, not just what the gym feels. I know its a team and everyone wants the whole team to be good, but come on...you KNOW sometimes inside you feel like your child would be better off on another team--whether a higher or lower level.

My younger daughter has a June birthday, her first year at the gym we are at now, she was 8 on May 31, so she was placed on mini 2. I was kind of like eww? She is 9, she need to be on a different team. I emailed the gym owner and told her my concerns about my daughter's placement. I was nice about it, but just concerned. She told me, just give it a chance, the coach has great things planned for her, she's going to learn a lot and shine.

Let me tell you about that mini 2 team. At the beginning of the year they were a typical mini 2 team. They had the most amazing set of coaches, in the beginning of the year, they were usually placing near the bottom, but they loved themselves so much, as a group. By WSF nationals, they were getting it together, I think they may have gotten second place. By February they were the first team in the history of our gym to have full squad level standing and running tumbling. By the end of the year, they owned mini 2.

Let me tell you about my daughter's experience. She got to be one of the older kids on the team, she learned how to put on a show, because she was up front for a lot. She learned how to sparkle and shine that year, she learned how to be on a team and how to encourage her team mates and work together. She got to be a leader. There were probably 6 kids her age on that mini team, and they all bonded and became great friends.

Now she is one of the younger ones on a senior team. She is mature and fits in just fine with her team. She sparkles and shines from the back, and she doesn't care, she just loves what she's doing. Fireceness from all angles and spots is needed in every cheer routine.

There are little things to be gleaned from every level of cheerleading. I am thankful that I trusted my child's placement, because she wouldn't be half the cheerleader she is today if it weren't for that mini 2 experience.

So the long way around your question about how I felt, I felt blessed that my child had such an awesome experience. She still talks about those mini days, even though they were 3 years ago.

 

[Just-a-Mom]

Confidence plays a huge role in this sport! If given a choice I would choose for my child to be the star on the lower level team. It is a huge confidence booster. By the way... Been there, done that, both ways.

Tryouts are still a ways away. If she has already based level 4 and is good at it, then work that tumbling if that is all she is missing. If she has a strong core, then then once she gets the tuck she is not far from a layout! And if she is fierce at everything else, then a tuck on a level 4 team is not an issue. I know at our gym you also have to have a standing back too. That may be a little harder to get and if they do full squad standing backs then I would lean to the gym that has a Level 3 team. There is a point when a kid gets bored if they are too far ahead so, if she has that tuck and is level 4 everything else she may hate level 2. You may also want to look into future seasons. If they don't have teams to meet her need now, is she always gonna be that in between kid as their teams level up? If so you might pick one where she will always have a team that meets her needs.

Also large gyms don't become large by putting all the peanuts with out a full in the corner over there to work by themselves!

Well, she just turned 16, so I think she's only got 2 more seasons.

And her tryouts are next week!

She's trying out for a mini "quarter season" team (post high school season), and they are offering 2 levels (I think 2 and 4) so I'm hoping they put her on the lower level for now, as that will be her best spot for such a short time (only 2-3 months)--assuming they get enough girls to make 2 teams. Then, yes, we'll do LOTS of tumbling classes for the remainder of this spring and see where she lands in May. I think she'll be happy no matter where they put her--she loves cheering and knows she's not a strong tumbler, so she's usually happy just to be on a team.

 

[cheermeup]

Well, she just turned 16, so I think she's only got 2 more seasons. And her tryouts are next week! She's trying out for a mini "quarter season" team (post high school season), and they are offering 2 levels (I think 2 and 4) so I'm hoping they put her on the lower level for now, as that will be her best spot for such a short time (only 2-3 months)--assuming they get enough girls to make 2 teams. Then, yes, we'll do LOTS of tumbling classes for the remainder of this spring and see where she lands in May. I think she'll be happy no matter where they put her--she loves cheering and knows she's not a strong tumbler, so she's usually happy just to be on a team.

Awesome, and that's what it's all about. Maybe they will end up making a level 3 instead of a level 2 and a level 4, haha. Keep us posted on what team she makes!

 

[socratesofcheer]

I shouldn't have said the peasant thing. I really was only joking. We came from a HUGE gym (probably one of the hugest--30+ teams, 800+ cheerleaders). And we loved it there. I will have to drive at least an hour no matter what--big or small gym.

Just curious, What gym has 30+ teams and 800 athletes? Or, are you adding up different locations to get those numbers?

 

[newcheerdad]

So basically would you rather your child be placed on a level at or below where they are so they'd be the "top dog" or a level above so they'd be where they're trying to get?

If your child was younger, then I absolutely would suggest the former. Unless a kid's skills absolutely demand that they be put on a higher level team and they'd be bored otherwise, then it's better to be a leader on a level/age-appropriate team.

It's a little trickier when it's a teenager (it always is) but I still think that it's better for someone to be on a team where they have the skills than one where they don't. I know that at our gym they often put kids on a team above their level if they have the "potential" to obtain those skills by competition season, but it's normally the difference between a 2/3 or 3/4 team.

 

[Just-a-Mom]

Just curious, What gym has 30+ teams and 800 athletes? Or, are you adding up different locations to get those numbers?

Oh definitely different locations!

But still, all at one comp...that's a LOT of black and red outfits!

But still a huge gym even just at one location. But they were definitely one of those programs that is strong from Tiny 1 all the way to Senior 5--and good coaches for each age group. I did love it there. I think if we go small gym here it will really just be scheduling (we have to drive from the city so practice has to be late enough for us to get there)

 

[Just-a-Mom]

If your child was younger, then I absolutely would suggest the former. Unless a kid's skills absolutely demand that they be put on a higher level team and they'd be bored otherwise, then it's better to be a leader on a level/age-appropriate team.

It's a little trickier when it's a teenager (it always is) but I still think that it's better for someone to be on a team where they have the skills than one where they don't. I know that at our gym they often put kids on a team above their level if they have the "potential" to obtain those skills by competition season, but it's normally the difference between a 2/3 or 3/4 team.

My younger one is only turning 9 in May, but she's definitely right at the skill level for her age so it's perfect. And she can go to any gym I take the older one to and be perfectly happy (she's 8--aren't they always happy at 8?

Not so much at 16...) The little one doesn't care if it's mini or youth. As long as we go somewhere cool for comp