All-Star Switching Gyms

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It may just be my personal experience at the moment but there's something to be said for honoring a commitment at this point in the season. We stuck out a year from you-know-where, but we made the commitment and we finished it only for the sake of their teammates. During that time they just worked extra hard to get skills for themselves that they could bring with them when we left.

Last year, the absolute worst year in cheer history for one of my CPs and as much as she fought us to quit basically all year long we wouldn't let her. She made a commitment and unhappy or not (and she was not) you promised your teammates you'd be there until April. In a strange turn of events, she actually thanked us for not letting her quit after her run at worlds ended in the semi-finals.

My cp16 had one of his stunt group bases quit.....LAST NIGHT. The week of competition. For a team that's already had massive changes and isn't quite up to speed yet....11 days before their first bid competition. My cp14 had two that left the team this week...the week of competition. And at this point I don't think many teams are ever more than a week or two away from a competition. I'm just not a fan of that. Summer is one thing, before showcases is one thing...when the season already started and you're ramping up (we compete 6 of the next 8 weekends) I don't have a lot of positive mojo for people who bail on their commitment in those circumstances. And I've been there. Twice. Yes, you have to do what's right for you, but you can choose the timing of that when you're a member of a team.

If you've never cheered before, use this year to learn. Tumbling is less than half of the scoresheet. You need to learn everything else. If you don't like how they condition. Go running. Do it for yourself. Learn how to stunt, how to perform, how to dance, and jump etc. then after you've finished your commitment, go somewhere else with the experience you need under your belt.

And as a side note, the overwhelming majority of cheerleaders will never make level 5, the majority of those that do will not medal at worlds let alone win....and some of these kids mayve done this for 4,8,12 years and not bring home worlds hardware. If you're only in this to win a worlds ring, the probability of success in that goal is minute (to say the least). I suggest you broaden your overall goals a bit because if you're only chasing a worlds ring as a first year cheerleader, you're not likely to be happy anywhere.
Can I just say that this is hands down the best post I have ever seen written about all star cheer since I have been involved in the sport (and I'm old and have been in this forever!). If every parent and cheerleader understood this then we would be in much better shape. One million shimmys to you!
 
Can I just say that this is hands down the best post I have ever seen written about all star cheer since I have been involved in the sport (and I'm old and have been in this forever!). If every parent and cheerleader understood this then we would be in much better shape. One million shimmys to you!
Woooooo! Earnin' my "best parent" FBA today!! :cheering:
 
It may just be my personal experience at the moment but there's something to be said for honoring a commitment at this point in the season. We stuck out a year from you-know-where, but we made the commitment and we finished it only for the sake of their teammates. During that time they just worked extra hard to get skills for themselves that they could bring with them when we left.

Last year, the absolute worst year in cheer history for one of my CPs and as much as she fought us to quit basically all year long we wouldn't let her. She made a commitment and unhappy or not (and she was not) you promised your teammates you'd be there until April. In a strange turn of events, she actually thanked us for not letting her quit after her run at worlds ended in the semi-finals.

My cp16 had one of his stunt group bases quit.....LAST NIGHT. The week of competition. For a team that's already had massive changes and isn't quite up to speed yet....11 days before their first bid competition. My cp14 had two that left the team this week...the week of competition. And at this point I don't think many teams are ever more than a week or two away from a competition. I'm just not a fan of that. Summer is one thing, before showcases is one thing...when the season already started and you're ramping up (we compete 6 of the next 8 weekends) I don't have a lot of positive mojo for people who bail on their commitment in those circumstances. And I've been there. Twice. Yes, you have to do what's right for you, but you can choose the timing of that when you're a member of a team.

If you've never cheered before, use this year to learn. Tumbling is less than half of the scoresheet. You need to learn everything else. If you don't like how they condition. Go running. Do it for yourself. Learn how to stunt, how to perform, how to dance, and jump etc. then after you've finished your commitment, go somewhere else with the experience you need under your belt.

And as a side note, the overwhelming majority of cheerleaders will never make level 5, the majority of those that do will not medal at worlds let alone win....and some of these kids mayve done this for 4,8,12 years and not bring home worlds hardware. If you're only in this to win a worlds ring, the probability of success in that goal is minute (to say the least). I suggest you broaden your overall goals a bit because if you're only chasing a worlds ring as a first year cheerleader, you're not likely to be happy anywhere.
From you know where??????????


**It is obvious you misunderstood me**
 
Hey guys!
So this is my first year doing all star cheerleading. I was a gymnast (working level 8 & 9 skills) for the last 13 years of my life so it's a whole new ball game. I am loving it. However I'm not loving my gym and not sure of what to do. I'm from Pennsylvania in a really rural area. There are no all star gyms in my area and I drive one hour and fifteen minutes each way 2-3 times a week for practices and tumbling. The team just isn't what I expected it to be. They don't condition or pay attention at practice and I feel like I'm being held back. I have talked to the coach and she said she would put her foot down, but I have yet to see it. I am on a level 4 team with all of my level 5 skills with the exception of a double full (but I'm working on it!) I'm honestly willing to relocate anywhere to find a team that has a level I can excel with. But with only 5 months into the sport I don't quite know all the ins and outs of it yet. So I'm just looking for some advice and guidance on what to do! Thank you so much!

I think a lot of people have said it but you are better to stick at that gym until the end of the season. Firstly you need to build your skills up to compete on a higher level team. A random Joe Bloggs off of the street couldn't walk in and do a level 5 routine overnight as it takes time to gain the skills. It may take less time stunting wise if you are a base or a back but if you are flying then it'll take a lot longer because you would have to learn from level 1 and then progress from there. Also when you joined the team you essentially made a committment until the end of the season and I think you owe your team your committment until the end of the season. By all means super senior next year but I just think that it's too late in the season to bail now. Hope that helped!
 
Have you competed with the team yet @nellie ? I think you need to give a chance. You may be comparing your gymnastics regimen with that of your new cheer gym and that may not be realistic.
 
I'm just floored that anyone thinks they can just walk on to a worlds team. Gymnastics is an individual sport. Cheer is a team sport. Your tumbling skills mean basically squat if you've never competed in cheer before. There are thousands of athletes out there already doing level 5 tumbling, with years of cheer experience behind them. And those are the people on Worlds teams, all vying for a ring. If you want to take their place on a team, you need to have skills, skills which you've likely never learned. That's not saying you won't get there, but an open team is probably a more realistic goal.
 
Shoot, I can think of several gyms in this area where you could walk onto a worlds team tomorrow just because they need your full. They are not ring contenders though, they are in fact likely to never make it out of prelims.

If you want to be a contender, you probably need another year or two of experience and/or a specialty to double, combo pass, toe full, etc.

My daughter has had a full for quite some time but is on a level 3 team. She's at a gym that won worlds last year and people with fulls are a dime a dozen. Everyone has them- even some of the 7 year olds. No one is impressed.
 
Can I just say that this is hands down the best post I have ever seen written about all star cheer since I have been involved in the sport (and I'm old and have been in this forever!). If every parent and cheerleader understood this then we would be in much better shape. One million shimmys to you!

We're not old we're seasoned! ;)
 
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