All-Star Stingrays Half Year Teams

[King]

And it goes from now until February/March ish? That would be a blast to coach. And I'm sure the amount of kids joining the next year is fantastic. You guys will probably have to blow out a wall and add spring floor #49.

While I do think the size of our full year program has a lot to do with our record and reputation I do not think our half year program does (or near to that level). The potential for cheerleading in many areas is probably a lot higher than what is being utilized (except for Dallas Tx... that area may be at capacity). I think we just advertised and built something the random female wants to do.

 

[fullpass]

Just to add, I believe I saw somewhere that ECE has close to the same number of kids for their half year program!

I heard 240 which is just crazy! Good for them

 

[My3KidsMom]

I know ACE has over 100 kids in the half year program this year and they will do 4 local competitions

 

[JulieP]

While I do think the size of our full year program has a lot to do with our record and reputation I do not think our half year program does (or near to that level). The potential for cheerleading in many areas is probably a lot higher than what is being utilized (except for Dallas Tx... that area may be at capacity). I think we just advertised and built something the random female wants to do.

Maybe I should post a different thread for this- I don't want to get too off track but just a couple of questions. I 100% agree that the potential for cheer is underutilized in many areas, including a lot of midwestern states, which is where I live. I get frustrated with cheer because I feel like it's inaccessible for many people because they either don't know about it or its too expensive. We are not part of the world of "regular" sports like soccer or basketball where kids can just "pick up" the sport and do it. I get that our facilities are more expensive and coaching too, but you guys seem to have drawn in kids for half season regardless of that. How do you advertise for half season? Do you do the same uniforms for these teams? We have a half season team in our gym that practices for 5-6 months and they wear the same uniform as the full season teams so I think the expense is still a bit more than most people would want to spend to just "try out" cheerleading... I think they do three competitions in the spring. Just wondering how other people do this stuff.

 

[My3KidsMom]

I know ACE has over 100 kids in the half year program this year and they will do 4 local competitions

I should have specified ACE Atlanta and our half year teams wear a different "basic" uniform than the full year teams

 

[CheerBabe8925]

I am friends with Cheryl Pasinato from East Celebrity Elite on FB and it says the gym got 264 new athletes !!

 

[JennayyBee]

Maybe I should post a different thread for this- I don't want to get too off track but just a couple of questions. I 100% agree that the potential for cheer is underutilized in many areas, including a lot of midwestern states, which is where I live. I get frustrated with cheer because I feel like it's inaccessible for many people because they either don't know about it or its too expensive. We are not part of the world of "regular" sports like soccer or basketball where kids can just "pick up" the sport and do it. I get that our facilities are more expensive and coaching too, but you guys seem to have drawn in kids for half season regardless of that. How do you advertise for half season? Do you do the same uniforms for these teams? We have a half season team in our gym that practices for 5-6 months and they wear the same uniform as the full season teams so I think the expense is still a bit more than most people would want to spend to just "try out" cheerleading... I think they do three competitions in the spring. Just wondering how other people do this stuff.

i know my gym has it so they rent the uniform and then give it back at the end of the season so it's not as expensive for the uniform!

 

[King]

I think it is important to separate and have clear distinction between half year teams and full year teams. I think you should look at your half year teams as your farm teams. Definitely a different uniform (and one that isn't as nice), level limited, and lower quality music and choreography. A half year team should be a half year experience. You don't expect as much out of the kids and they shouldn't expect as much out of you. Otherwise your half year can cannibalize your full year stuff. Now this doesn't mean you don't try with them or you don't give them a nice experience. But if high schoolers can do high school season, skip out on summer conditioning and practices during the fall, then you are going to find yourself with a LOT less kids in your full year program. Half year should be supplementary, not primary.

A half year Stingray kid will try out and get a nice little level 1 or 2 experience. Get a nice uniform, practice twice a week, only a few extra practices near the end, way less intense, compete once (maybe twice) at a small local competition and get a nice after school activity. Attendance at half year teams is worse and parents are more likely to pull their kids for bad grades or as punishment. It is less detrimental (notice I said less, not NOT detrimental) and the teams are built to handle that better.

I think we have found some kids move up to full year but a lot of kids stay half year. I think this is great because the kids who want to stay half year probably would not have enjoyed (and quit) the full year team. Now we offer something for both types of kids.

I HIGHLY encourage all gyms to do something to the way we have set this up.

 

[uwont4getme]

I just like seeing all the new color names they come up with

 

[retiredl5cheer]

I just like seeing all the new color names they come up with

I say they name teams "chocolate" and "vanilla" next.

 

[kristenthegreat]

Please tell me Cinnamon is a mini team...I just want to refer to them as cinna-minis..lol

 

[King]

Please tell me Cinnamon is a mini team...I just want to refer to them as cinna-minis..lol

Yes. And Peppermint was originally gonna be cinnamon (so nickname would be cini-mini's). My wife nixed the idea and went with peppermint. Still bitter

 

[Ashley]

Maybe I should post a different thread for this- I don't want to get too off track but just a couple of questions. I 100% agree that the potential for cheer is underutilized in many areas, including a lot of midwestern states, which is where I live. I get frustrated with cheer because I feel like it's inaccessible for many people because they either don't know about it or its too expensive. We are not part of the world of "regular" sports like soccer or basketball where kids can just "pick up" the sport and do it. I get that our facilities are more expensive and coaching too, but you guys seem to have drawn in kids for half season regardless of that. How do you advertise for half season? Do you do the same uniforms for these teams? We have a half season team in our gym that practices for 5-6 months and they wear the same uniform as the full season teams so I think the expense is still a bit more than most people would want to spend to just "try out" cheerleading... I think they do three competitions in the spring. Just wondering how other people do this stuff.

Our half year teams have much cheaper, more basic uniforms. They're actually nearly the same uniforms that our level 6 teams wear to keep costs down - thought half year is full top and skirt, and level 6 is crop top and shorts. Both are not nearly as nice as the full-year younger kids uniforms. They also compete only at a few small local competitions.

I'm not sure if they're rented or not, but I know the level 6 uniforms were bought by the athletes last year and then returned to the gym. If the athlete cheered the next season, they get their uniform back, if not, the used uniform is sold to a new athlete and the old athlete gets the money back for it.

 

[cheerfan27]

Well they do have the largest spring floor so its probably not that hard

Yes, but spring floors don't give you more floor space when you need to rotate that many teams. I think they have 19 or 20 regular teams plus 9-10 pre teams.

 

[retiredl5cheer]

Yes, but spring floors don't give you more floor space when you need to rotate that many teams. I think they have 19 or 20 regular teams plus 9-10 pre teams.

I don't know if Rays do it similarly, but my gym has three full size spring floors and we sometimes have 5 teams practicing at once. Two teams tumble on the main floor, whatever team is larger gets the back floor and two small teams are able to split the middle floor. The only time it becomes a problem is when full outs are being run, but all 5 teams are rarely running the routine full out at the same time.