Need Advice On How To Keep Older Kids In Our Area From Choosing Hs Sports Over Staying In Allstar C

[Cheer & Dance Galaxy]

Need advice on how to keep older kids in our area from choosing HS sports over staying in allstar cheer.

 

[crazeecheermom]

If you figure this one out let me know...where we live we cannot go to cheersport because of high school nationals. Also, the conflicts from the hs competition schedule are many.

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[laughAlittle]

Need advice on how to keep older kids in our area from choosing HS sports over staying in allstar cheer.

four letters. cost. the cost of doing all-star cheer is what keeps most people away from it. they would love to do it, but parents can't hand out +/- $6000 a season for one child.


i don't know what your gym can to do curve this problem, but its something to think about.

 

[Mamarazzi]

I'm going with the "don't bother trying" method.

You have 3 elements involved. Your program, the athletes/families, and HS cheer. You have control over only one of the elements.
If you offer a positive, challenging, high-quality product, people will want it. All the nastiness, politics, drama, foolery of HS cheer shouldn't be allowed in your program. Support those who choose HS cheer, whether they leave your program or not. Don't burn the bridge!! That family may want to walk back over it next season.
You can't stop them. So make what you have to offer so much better that they won't want to leave.

 

[cupieqt]

I'm going with the "don't bother trying" method.

You have 3 elements involved. Your program, the athletes/families, and HS cheer. You have control over only one of the elements.
If you offer a positive, challenging, high-quality product, people will want it. All the nastiness, politics, drama, foolery of HS cheer shouldn't be allowed in your program. Support those who choose HS cheer, whether they leave your program or not. Don't burn the bridge!! That family may want to walk back over it next season.
You can't stop them. So make what you have to offer so much better that they won't want to leave.

What she said.


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[Mom2Cheergirls]

I am going to take another approach then why bother.
Why not both?
And before anyone goes and tries to pop my Glenda bubble. It works well at our gym. Our gym director works with the area high school coaches and our coaches to make it work for MANY of our CPs - we are in an area with over 21 high schools easily. Does it work for all CPs and are all high schools easy to work with - no I have heard some parents say it has been VERY tough. Does it work for many - yes, I think they would say not always easy but have found doing both rewarding. Does it take a lot of work and time from our gym cheer director - yes, and because she came from coaching high school she gets both sides and understands the demands. I think she would say it is worth it and I think the high school teams that do the best in our area and often win or place high at state seem to have the highest % of All Stars not just from our gym but other gyms as well. Our gym also does a great 4.2 half year senior team as well and many high schoolers want to be on it. So my thought is why do you have to have one or the other when I see it work so well at our gym for both. Just a thought and maybe something that could work for you.

 

[KDCheerMom]

In Illinois, you cannot be on a HS competition team (it is considered a sport under HS rules) and an allstar team at the same time. Some HS will allow football only (which is outside of the competition timing) but not all do. So girls are forced into one or the other. Some gyms do offer late season teams - for when HS is done so that could be an option.

Other than giving athletes exposure to what all star is and what it offers - when girls basically have to choose one or the other (looks like you are in Illinois) - then it boils down to cost, desire for HS involvement, quality of HS program, and whether a girl enjoys sideline cheer (the biggest reason I hear for girls returning to allstart after HS seasons...they don't enjoy sideline cheer).

Late season teams may be the best option for drawing girls into allstar.

As a freshman - my CP chose allstar but I know she looks longingly at the cheerleaders around the school - knowing she could do that.

 

[CheerBank]

I am going to take another approach then why bother.
Why not both?
And before anyone goes and tries to pop my Glenda bubble. It works well at our gym. Our gym director works with the area high school coaches and our coaches to make it work for MANY of our CPs - we are in an area with over 21 high schools easily. Does it work for all CPs and are all high schools easy to work with - no I have heard some parents say it has been VERY tough. Does it work for many - yes, I think they would say not always easy but have found doing both rewarding. Does it take a lot of work and time from our gym cheer director - yes, and because she came from coaching high school she gets both sides and understands the demands. I think she would say it is worth it and I think the high school teams that do the best in our area and often win or place high at state seem to have the highest % of All Stars not just from our gym but other gyms as well. Our gym also does a great 4.2 half year senior team as well and many high schoolers want to be on it. So my thought is why do you have to have one or the other when I see it work so well at our gym for both. Just a thought and maybe something that could work for you.

On Long Island, the HS season runs until the first or second week of February and culminates at UCA in Disney. Most of the competitive teams will not accommodate an all-star's practice schedules, that's just the way it is. Plus between practice and games, you're talking about 5-6 days a week easily. Some schools even have practice before and after school, which makes doing both extremely difficult. There also seems to be a certain Us v Them mentality in regards to the varsity v all-star coaches, even though many of the schools do go to all-star gyms for choreography and tumbling, some even for their practices as competition season gets underway.


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[crazeecheermom]

On Long Island, the HS season runs until the first or second week of February and culminates at UCA in Disney. Most of the competitive teams will not accommodate an all-star's practice schedules, that's just the way it is. Plus between practice and games, you're talking about 5-6 days a week easily. Some schools even have practice before and after school, which makes doing both extremely difficult. There also seems to be a certain Us v Them mentality in regards to the varsity v all-star coaches, even though many of the schools do go to all-star gyms for choreography and tumbling, some even for their practices as competition season gets underway.


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This is has been our experience.

 

[Mom2Cheergirls]

On Long Island, the HS season runs until the first or second week of February and culminates at UCA in Disney. Most of the competitive teams will not accommodate an all-star's practice schedules, that's just the way it is. Plus between practice and games, you're talking about 5-6 days a week easily. Some schools even have practice before and after school, which makes doing both extremely difficult. There also seems to be a certain Us v Them mentality in regards to the varsity v all-star coaches, even though many of the schools do go to all-star gyms for choreography and tumbling, some even for their practices as competition season gets underway.


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Wow and Ugghh. Our high school teams just finished regionals and states will be in a couple of weeks - somehow this all fits with when most All-star teams really kick into high gear competing. Not sure if that was dumb luck or what here. The big thing here is starting to be super strong half year high school 4.2 teams. Have seen a number of gyms starting the push besides our own which has had a strong one for a couple of years already. The practice schedule the girls and guys who do both is definitely hard but the moms who I have talked with say that even though it is a juggle the kids love it. It really takes coaches on both side willing to work with each other and CPs (and parents) who can balance all of it and have what must be unlimited energy.
Our area the caliber of high school teams is growing exponentially really due to the growth of All-star here which is taking off. Even from last year to this. The stunting and skills of the CPs on high school has grown and not just like 1 strong team - watching it was wonderful and amazing and scary (dead mats) how far all these teams have progressed.
You all have had a strong All-star base for a while up in your area (I think) I wonder if it ever went through this supportive period and ours may not last or if we just lucked out? Meaning with everything growing at the same time here maybe this is the honeymoon period Well more than luck (that ignores what I have seen) because I know coaches on both sides many work hard to keep and build relationships between the other. Hope it lasts here and some other areas get this. I know some CPs who have found it to be really rewarding to experience both.

 

[KDCheerMom]

I don't know if there are other states where Cheer is considered a high school "sport" but I think once this is the case - then high school sport rules kick in. Mainly, no participation on outside competitive teams while within the HS competition season - same as volleyball, softball, and soccer. It is really not a coaches decision but rather state rules.

 

[crazeecheermom]

We never have more than a couple of girls at a time on any school cher team thst I know about. I do know that once a HS team gets good it gets harder to juggle both all star and hs. I'm pretty sure you aren't allowed to be on Rocky Point Varsity and all star. It would be almost impossible anyway. High schools up here haven't even started competing yet. HS and all star overlap until February. We made it work one year but are taking a break right now. The obvious resentment towards all star from the hs coach was difficult. I find it strange because 1) my cp gained the skills you pulled her up from middle school cheer for, from all star 2) the school teams practice at the same all star gym and you pay them for the expertise you are penalizing my cp for having the benefit of 2 to 4 additional days a week.

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[crazeecheermom]

We never have more than a couple of girls at a time on any school cher team thst I know about.

What I meant to say was, I have never known of more than a couple of all star people being on an individual hs team at a time. We have several all star people from our team that are also on high school teams. That is why all star here has a problem growing past a certain level imho.

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[SnapSnapNowUKno]

This has been a HUGE issue for our gym. In our area the high school teams place well at nationals and even better at state. 1/2 year teams are not an option for our gym but we have been able to "rope" some girls and guys in by allowing these high school teams to practice at our gym once or twice a week. They happen to practice at the same time as our upper level all star teams (4's and 5's). In the last month or so we have added 5-6 athletes to our all star program from high school teams because they saw our upper level teams practicing during their high school practices. It is also important to have good relationships with the high school coaches. If they feel like you are recruiting their athletes behind their back it usually doesn't end well. Anyway my 2 cents ;-)


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[CheerBank]

This has been a HUGE issue for our gym. In our area the high school teams place well at nationals and even better at state. 1/2 year teams are not an option for our gym but we have been able to "rope" some girls and guys in by allowing these high school teams to practice at our gym once or twice a week. They happen to practice at the same time as our upper level all star teams (4's and 5's). In the last month or so we have added 5-6 athletes to our all star program from high school teams because they saw our upper level teams practicing during their high school practices. It is also important to have good relationships with the high school coaches. If they feel like you are recruiting their athletes behind their back it usually doesn't end well. Anyway my 2 cents ;-)


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Is the high school season over in your region then? Otherwise I'm not understanding how the gym was able to add 5-6 athletes from the high school team if they were practicing in the gym at the same time as your higher level teams - or did they leave the HS team for all-stars? Additionally, how does your gym handle adding 5-6 athletes to a higher level team at this point in the season? That seems like a high number of new athletes to add in September/October. Regardless of their talent, it does not seem fair to those all-stars who have been working hard on their teams since the beginning of the new season if that many new athletes suddenly join.