High School Missng Practices - What Do You Do?

[MHSCheercoach]

I hope that if any of you "coaches" ever, EVER in your natural lives try to prevent a child from going to a Beyonce concert because they have "practice", you get taken out by the Beygency.

Now when I coached middle school, I legitimately did not care if they missed. I had 25 girls... replacements were a dime a dozen. Bye Felisha...go home and study... color with your dog... Erin don't care.

That's fine if you have a huge team, but I'm lucky to get 10 girls on a team, this year I will only have 6. When one person is missing then it's ridiculous to practice.

 

[MHSCheercoach]

Whoa. First of all... I'm the operations manager for a dance studio, with 200 child students, 3 competitive teams, 2 professional adult companies, and over 20 adult classes per week. So I don't need to do your job. Trust me - I've heard it all. And believe me... you don't know "little pay" until you see my check.

Second, I didn't say boyfriends are an excuse to miss practice. She posts a LOT of disdainful comments about the girls she coaches. And it just sounds like she is constantly annoyed by everything they do. They're teenage girls. They're going to do dumb things - including think their boyfriends are important. It's not just this thread - this is just the one I chose to reply to. No, I don't think girls should be missing practice to go on dates. But I also don't think it's happening as often as y'all make it sound like. I just think she often posts fairly derogatory things about these kids and their parents and sometimes it's over the top.

Furthermore, she said doctors note. If my child is sick enough to miss SCHOOL, she's sick enough to miss practice. I don't need a dr note for school so I'm not getting one for cheer. Both my kids have been in cheer or dance as long as I can remember. They never miss practice. (For example, in 3 seasons of driving 2 hours each way, 5 days a week, my older cp only missed 2 practices because I was in the hospital for a week) - so I get it. There are annoying people who suck. But I was merely asking why she coaches when it seems, from reading her posts (not just this thread, but overall), that she either
a) has nothing but horrible rotten brats on her team,
b) hates kids and parents, or
c) both.
I've not seen one positive post about her athletes since she started posting.

Lastly, to answer your question, no. My job does not allow me to miss work for dates or concerts. Oh wait... yes, they do. My job allows me to miss work for whatever I want as long as I give notice. Most jobs are like this. It's called "personal time" or "sick time" or "vacation time" and even adults get it.

I'm with @alexacheer2010 - sometimes people just need to get over themselves. It's a high school sport. It's really not that serious.

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Wow. If you have a problem with one particular poster then you don't need to take it out on everyone else. And pay...yeah I get paid once a year it's less than what I spend in a season for Christmas presents for the cheerleaders, gas going back and forth, and eating out when we have road games. If high school cheer isn't serious to you then great, you're not in high school. But it is serious to some of us high school coaches and cheerleaders.

In one year alone, I had 3 cheerleaders (on a squad of 10) skip practice for a hair appointment, 4 cheerleaders skip practice because they wanted to spend time with their boyfriend, and 2 skip practice because they were laying out and didn't want to come. That's not to mention all the other excuses I received of being "sick" and then seeing them post on Facebook that they are at a game, shopping, etc. Maybe it doesn't happen that often at other schools, but I've been in that situation and it tore a team apart because the other girls who were there resented the ones skipping. Are my cheerleaders horrible rotten brats, no, like I said I love them dearly even the ones who have pulled some of the stunts. They are teenagers, they are going to make mistakes, but it's important that there are consequences for their bad choices...that's how they learn.

 

[ErinS]

That's fine if you have a huge team, but I'm lucky to get 10 girls on a team, this year I will only have 6. When one person is missing then it's ridiculous to practice.

A productive coach could make a productive practice with one girl and a bag of skittles if need be.


It annoys me to no end when people act like one person missing is the end of the world and nothing can be worked on


Truthfully with a squad of 6 there's really little to no difference between 5 and 6 so I fail to see how practicing would be "ridiculous". But that's just me.

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[MHSCheercoach]

A productive coach could make a productive practice with one girl and a bag of skittles if need be.


It annoys me to no end when people act like one person missing is the end of the world and nothing can be worked on


Truthfully with a squad of 6 there's really little to no difference between 5 and 6 so I fail to see how practicing would be "ridiculous". But that's just me.

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Try building pyramids when you only have 6, now take one away....yep it doesn't work out well.
Until you've coached a small team then you don't know what it's like. As coaches, you should support and help out others, instead I feel like I'm getting read the riot act cause I make girls follow rules, take cheerleading serious, and don't use a bag of skittles to practice with. Sorry, but we apparently have very different beliefs when it comes to coaching.
Now I wish you the best, good luck with coaching, and have a great weekend.

 

[AlwaysLearning]

Our school adopted a policy for all sports. You sit out one game or competition for every practice or game you miss. You must attend the next game and remain on the bench/sidelines the whole time. If you miss the game then it counts as another absence. It doesn't matter if it's football, basketball, track, or cheer.

The rule comes from the AD and applies to all sports. Some coaches have come up with ways for you to make it up (cleaning equipment, etc.) so you don't have to miss a game. Exceptions include documentable emergencies: death in family, doctors note, etc. It's really cut down on kids skipping practice and takes the pressure off of the coaches.

 

[Just-a-Mom]

Wow. If you have a problem with one particular poster then you don't need to take it out on everyone else. And pay...yeah I get paid once a year it's less than what I spend in a season for Christmas presents for the cheerleaders, gas going back and forth, and eating out when we have road games. If high school cheer isn't serious to you then great, you're not in high school. But it is serious to some of us high school coaches and cheerleaders.

In one year alone, I had 3 cheerleaders (on a squad of 10) skip practice for a hair appointment, 4 cheerleaders skip practice because they wanted to spend time with their boyfriend, and 2 skip practice because they were laying out and didn't want to come. That's not to mention all the other excuses I received of being "sick" and then seeing them post on Facebook that they are at a game, shopping, etc. Maybe it doesn't happen that often at other schools, but I've been in that situation and it tore a team apart because the other girls who were there resented the ones skipping. Are my cheerleaders horrible rotten brats, no, like I said I love them dearly even the ones who have pulled some of the stunts. They are teenagers, they are going to make mistakes, but it's important that there are consequences for their bad choices...that's how they learn.

Good lord... calm down. No one is saying 99% of what you're reading into these posts. I legit only said that as a parent it's disheartening/annoying/whatever-word-you-want-to-use to see coaches that NEVER have anything to say except snarky comments about janky tumbling and boyfriends. It's petty and unprofessional.

Considering I quoted her, it was pretty obvious I wasn't talking to or about you. You are the one who made it about you. So I wasn't "taking it out on everyone else" - I replied to you because you quoted me.

I'm really not going to keep repeating myself. But here goes:

I didn't say it wasn't serious. I said it's "not that serious," which is just a way of saying "it's not life or death" - which it isn't. Sure, it's as serious as any other sport. But I would say the same thing to any coach for any sport.
I also didn't say "no one should have rules." Or that no one should follow rules. I said ONE rule seemed ridiculous (counting the game that was missed as another absence)

I'm really not sure what on earth is making you think that I feel like hair appointments and laying out are good reasons to skip practice - or that I think teenagers don't need consequences. But for real, if you are having that much problem with your girls, then whatever rules you are making obviously are not working.

I see you edited your post to not tell @HeresAThought to "get off her high horse" - but I'll reply to that anyway. I'd say you could do the same, since telling anyone, let alone someone you know nothing about, to "try to do your job" is quite condescending.

I just think you're way overreacting. No one is saying let your team run rampant and never make rules. We said these rules were stricter than my ex husband's job in the Navy, and to chill out a little. It's like parenting - the stricter I am, the more bad my children act. There's a nice happy place in the middle, between letting the kids do as they please and boot camp.

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[ErinS]

Try building pyramids when you only have 6, now take one away....yep it doesn't work out well.
Until you've coached a small team then you don't know what it's like. As coaches, you should support and help out others, instead I feel like I'm getting read the riot act cause I make girls follow rules, take cheerleading serious, and don't use a bag of skittles to practice with. Sorry, but we apparently have very different beliefs when it comes to coaching.
Now I wish you the best, good luck with coaching, and have a great weekend.

So building 6 person pyramids is all you do at practice?

You couldn't stunt with the 5 others?

Work on jumps?
Motions? Band dances? Make banners and spirit signs for games? Work on cheers? Condition?

I've coached a middle school team of 25 and a college team of who ever bothered to find time to show up to practice today. Ranging from 7 to 20 depending on which way the wind blew

As I said, and stand by. A productive coach can make any practice productive.

Don't get in your feelings just because people aren't agreeing with everything you say. Lest I remind you you're the one that replied to my initial post about my old middle school team...which made no mention of a demerit system as I don't and never have used or agreed with them


And no girl. I will remain on my high horse....since you went there

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[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

A tad miffed that this thread has turned into "coolcoach is Stalin with a clipboard."

I cannot impress upon you more that the vast majority of my kids and parents have told me that I am the most kind and understanding coach they've ever had. Parents also appreciate the fact that I go out of my way to keep costs low and make sure that I follow a schedule.

I will admit that my style is not for everyone and varies by context. Ex: I handle absences much differently with all stars because it j as not been as big of an issue for them.

Example: This season, my all star kids get 5 absences. (Senior 2) They can be used for ANYTHING with two rules: Not for a comp week, comp weekend, or choreography week. No questions asked. However, that's all you get (unless it's an illness, death, something big.) After that, you will be an alternate. (Note: gym takes 2 weeks off in summer so you really needn't use them for vacation.) No one complains. If anything, it makes kids think more about how they use them!

Ex: You know you and your mom need a day to go Homecoming shopping and practice day is the only day she can do it. So you choose not to waste a day on "Let's go to the pool!"

 

[MHSCheercoach]

Agree to disagree, you run your teams the way you like, I'll run mine the way I like. To the original poster, sorry this turned into a cat fight, you were asking for advice, I and onecoolcoachturnedmom offered it. That's where it should have ended. Good luck with your team!

 

[alexacheer2010]

That's fine if you have a huge team, but I'm lucky to get 10 girls on a team, this year I will only have 6. When one person is missing then it's ridiculous to practice.

Just a thought, maybe you don't have a good turn out for tryouts because kids talk and if "the coach is crazy with her rules" that would deter kids from trying out... From a coaching standpoint yes, rules are needed and yes you are doing the correct thing with making rules and regulations, but from a high school kid's standpoint (your potential team) "the coach is crazy" isn't going to make anyone even consider trying out.


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[MHSCheercoach]

Just a thought, maybe you don't have a good turn out for tryouts because kids talk and if "the coach is crazy with her rules" that would deter kids from trying out... From a coaching standpoint yes, rules are needed and yes you are doing the correct thing with making rules and regulations, but from a high school kid's standpoint (your potential team) "the coach is crazy" isn't going to make anyone even consider trying out.


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I guess that would apply if I was at a bigger school where kids were plentiful. It's not just my team that is tiny, it's every team. No junior high basketball (lack of interest), no junior high cheer, barely enough for junior high baseball, barely enough for high school softball, and barely enough to field a team for high school cheer. And thanks, but my rules are approved and written with my AD so this is what the school expects so call me crazy, but it's the way it is.

 

[TheCheerleadingQueen]

my high school cheer coach handles it pretty well. she gives us 8 total unexcused absences for the whole year. that includes all summer vacations, etc. we only have practice Wednesday Tuesday and Thursday. she requires a doctors note for any injuries or illnesses. she also excuses all practices and competitions for Allstar Cheer (during basketball season) if you go over the 8 absences you're in danger of not getting your varsity letter or removal from the team. we already have schedules for the whole year. this system seems to work very well so far.


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[Ems]

I guess that would apply if I was at a bigger school where kids were plentiful. It's not just my team that is tiny, it's every team. No junior high basketball (lack of interest), no junior high cheer, barely enough for junior high baseball, barely enough for high school softball, and barely enough to field a team for high school cheer. And thanks, but my rules are approved and written with my AD so this is what the school expects so call me crazy, but it's the way it is.

I understand. My high school team had about 6 girls every year. Our coaches weren't crazy or awful, but we had no junior high team, our pop warner cheer had just come back after a few years hiatus so we had no one to feed into the program. And we live in a small town that consists mainly of retired folks. There's just not a lot of kids here. And on my high school team, all of our sizes were pretty different and so we really all had set positions, so if our one flyer was absent to "study" we would have to throw our smallest base in the air and start with basics. Can't go over any new material because then we spend half of the next practice teaching the absent one. So while we could condition and work on jumps and stuff, it really sucks when you need to be working on a halftime or rally routine that has to be performed Friday. And while there is the option to take Suzie out, one girl missing is a big difference when you only have 6 girls as compared to 20.


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[Cheer Dad]

A productive coach could make a productive practice with one girl and a bag of skittles if need be.


It annoys me to no end when people act like one person missing is the end of the world and nothing can be worked on


Truthfully with a squad of 6 there's really little to no difference between 5 and 6 so I fail to see how practicing would be "ridiculous". But that's just me.

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Sounds very MacGyverish

 

[MHSCheercoach]

I understand. My high school team had about 6 girls every year. Our coaches weren't crazy or awful, but we had no junior high team, our pop warner cheer had just come back after a few years hiatus so we had no one to feed into the program. And we live in a small town that consists mainly of retired folks. There's just not a lot of kids here. And on my high school team, all of our sizes were pretty different and so we really all had set positions, so if our one flyer was absent to "study" we would have to throw our smallest base in the air and start with basics. Can't go over any new material because then we spend half of the next practice teaching the absent one. So while we could condition and work on jumps and stuff, it really sucks when you need to be working on a halftime or rally routine that has to be performed Friday. And while there is the option to take Suzie out, one girl missing is a big difference when you only have 6 girls as compared to 20.


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Yeah, when you have such a small team and you've conquered the basics it's hard to move on when someone is absent. The high school I coach at has a total of about 85 kids in it, tiny. There's just not many interested especially when we don't have a pop warner team and again no junior high team. I wish it was different but at the same time only having 6-10 I get to know the girls well and do treat them as family which is awesome to bond with them.