Should We Find Another Sport?

[KDCheerMom]

I really feel for you and your dilema. I have two daughters 13 and 16 - who between them have played soccer, softball, volleyball, basketball, gymnastics and now cheer with varying levels of success.
If she is young, she has plenty of time whether in cheer or somewhere else. But you may want to give her a chance to try a secondary recreational sport as well. My younger daughter was a catcher in softball - until she took a BHS clinic two years ago and then she found her calling in gymnastics and now cheer. My older daughter just stopped playing club volleyball this year to focus on school, work and preping for college. There are so many opportunties for girls in sports today (and yes, I consider cheer a sport), my advice if she wants to do it - just take a deep breath and focus her on being a team player and doing "her" best.

Good Luck

 

[BuegeSmalls]

If she still loves it and is okay with her team placement then I see no reason why she shouldn't continue.

 

[cheernerd5678]

I'd stay with it if i were you! Since she still loves it. If her team isn't challenging her, get her in a lot of tumbling classes that will. I've had that same issue, I was on a level 2 team for the longest time, even though i had a tuck. Maybe they are just waiting to have the right number of girls who are similar ages and skill levels and they don't have it yet. Maybe you could talk to her coach and say something like "we've been placed on level one again, and i'm just wondering, since she has a backhandspring, is there another reason she's still in level one?" as long as you ask nicely i'm sure the coach won't mind!

 

[iCheer247]

I stick with it. How old is she? If she is under age 8 and they put her on a mini team thats acceptable. there arent many all star athletes under age 8 in small gyms. If she is 13 or 14 thats a different story. Just ask the owners. They placed kids on each team for a reason, NOT to punish them.

 

[Deleted member 15407]

May I ask how old she is and how many levels does your current gym have?

 

[walkingdeduction]

I would say try a change of scenery! Different coaches and a new look may help.

 

[eri-bear]

She might be on the team for a certain reason. I am on a level 3 team just because my gym needs backspots. The coach probably put her on there because she has good tumbling/jumping/stunting

 

[EDDITpro.]

Take a second look at the coaching/tumbling staff.
Let me clarify...
I'm not saying second guess the coaches' decisions on team placement, more like check their knowledge of the sport. Are they correctly teaching skill progression? Are they using conditioning to target muscles that are NECESSARY for certain skills to even be possible? In my opinion anyone can learn anything when technique is taught the right way and the athlete is willing to learn. When I'm coaching these are the things I check for when kids aren't progressing as fast as I had hoped.

 

[omgitsemily10]

I've had my daughter in all star cheer since she was 3 1/2. I thought it would be a great way to gain coordination and balance and have some fun. We've loved it ever since. However, my daughter is definitely not a natural. She has to work VERY hard to learn her skills. She has a solid bhs and is hit & miss on her tuck but is close. We've been with the same small gym and she has been placed on a level 1 team AGAIN!! Should we cut our losses and find another sport? It would be hard bc she loves it so much but I just can't see being on a level 1 another year.

If your daughter loves to cheer, dont switch sports! I also am not a natural. I had to work so hard for my skills but im improving. If you put her in tumbling classes at least twice a week and she works hard, she'll improve! And if she does get placed on a level one team when she has level three or higher skills SWITCH GYMS! There are many other gyms near you that would place her higher. My only opinion is that there must be some reason shes not on at least a level two team. Maybe she needs to work on not only her tumbling, but her stunts, jumps, dance! Make sure she is a well rounded cheerleader!

 

[cccheermom]

Thank you all for the amazing feedback!
My daughter will be 10 in October and we are at a very small gym with just a few teams.....mini level 1 and a senior 2 and 3.
We have planned to stick it out and see what happens. My daughter does love it, BUT she is hurt by the fact that she works so hard and is still on a level 1. It's hard for her to understand the logic.
We sent her to Woodward this year and is starting to land that tuck more consistently. We've always done privates and will continue with those.
Wish us luck.....!

 

[TheVipersMom]

Thank you all for the amazing feedback!
My daughter will be 10 in October and we are at a very small gym with just a few teams.....mini level 1 and a senior 2 and 3.
We have planned to stick it out and see what happens. My daughter does love it, BUT she is hurt by the fact that she works so hard and is still on a level 1. It's hard for her to understand the logic.
We sent her to Woodward this year and is starting to land that tuck more consistently. We've always done privates and will continue with those.
Wish us luck.....!

I forget but I believe you have to be 10 to be on a Senior team.. Turning 10 in October would make her to young! So it may be 100% because of her age because even if the she had the most skills she still could not be on that team.

However if she turns 10 in October I also think that would make her to old for mini's. So either way it goes your daughter age wise can't be on any of those teams. I really hope your daughter is not on minis!!!

Someone correct me if I'm wrong!!!

cupieqt or anyone??

 

[CheerBank]

I forget but I believe you have to be 10 to be on a Senior team.. Turning 10 in October would make her to young! So it may be 100% because of her age because even if the she had the most skills she still could not be on that team.

However if she turns 10 in October I also think that would make her to old for mini's. So either way it goes your daughter age wise can't be on any of those teams. I really hope your daughter is not on minis!!!

Someone correct me if I'm wrong!!!

cupieqt or anyone??

You are correct and I was wondering about that as well. Minis are 8 and under; seniors are 10-18 for the levels she was talking about. Her cp should be on a youth (or a junior team if that was the only option) if she is still 9 on August 31st but her gym did not have either of these teams. Where are all the younger kids at this gym?

http://usasfrules.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/USASF-Age-Grid-12-13-Rev-6-27-12.pdf

 

[CheerBank]

* went to edit and responded to myself. I need an early night.

 

[cupieqt]

I forget but I believe you have to be 10 to be on a Senior team.. Turning 10 in October would make her to young! So it may be 100% because of her age because even if the she had the most skills she still could not be on that team.

However if she turns 10 in October I also think that would make her to old for mini's. So either way it goes your daughter age wise can't be on any of those teams. I really hope your daughter is not on minis!!!

Someone correct me if I'm wrong!!!

cupieqt or anyone??

This is 100% correct. Too young for seniors and too old for minis.

 

[cccheermom]

This age thing is really a bummer for small gyms!! I'm hoping the coach can figure something out. We have mostly younger and older girls so my daughter falls right in between. Not really sure what is going to happen at this point. There aren't enough to make a junior or youth team, without combining it with the mini's, but most of our mini's are new and would not be ready for a level 2. We are really stuck between a rock and a hard place here!!