Tall Flyer :(

[cheerfreakzee]

I recently left a gym that I've been at for years because its my last year of all star cheerleading and I desperately want to do a higher level. My old team was level 3 but I have level 4 skills so I went to a rival gym to do a level 4 team. I'm 5'2 and I've always been a flyer but they've been making me base at the new gym. To determine who will fly for the day, they line everyone up shortest to tallest and let the 4 shortest girls on the team go up (even though some of them don't have the skills). I don't want to sound conceited, but I am an awesome flyer and I'm insanely flexible. I don't think its right for them to only choose the shortest girls to fly. I've told them many times that I am a flyer and the one time they let me go up I hit everything they asked me to do perfectly. Yet still, they make me base and I'm getting really frustrated. Honestly though, basing would not be that big of a deal to me if the girls I was basing were good flyers. Its a senior team and they're letting a 10 year old girl be on the team and fly when she's not very good and doesnt even have any level 4 tumbling. It really pisses me off when they make me base her and she can't even do a show and go. I'm thinking about quitting. Would it be selfish of me to just leave? What should I do? I want to cheer in college and I'm not going to get any better by basing inadequate flyers.

 

[SmileCat]

I recently left a gym that I've been at for years because its my last year of all star cheerleading and I desperately want to do a higher level. My old team was level 3 but I have level 4 skills so I went to a rival gym to do a level 4 team. I'm 5'2 and I've always been a flyer but they've been making me base at the new gym. To determine who will fly for the day, they line everyone up shortest to tallest and let the 4 shortest girls on the team go up (even though some of them don't have the skills). I don't want to sound conceited, but I am an awesome flyer and I'm insanely flexible. I don't think its right for them to only choose the shortest girls to fly. I've told them many times that I am a flyer and the one time they let me go up I hit everything they asked me to do perfectly. Yet still, they make me base and I'm getting really frustrated. Honestly though, basing would not be that big of a deal to me if the girls I was basing were good flyers. Its a senior team and they're letting a 10 year old girl be on the team and fly when she's not very good and doesnt even have any level 4 tumbling. It really pisses me off when they make me base her and she can't even do a show and go. I'm thinking about quitting. Would it be selfish of me to just leave? What should I do? I want to cheer in college and I'm not going to get any better by basing inadequate flyers.

I had the same exact problem at my new gym too. Same way of picking flyers and everything! But I learned that they know what they're doing. It sounds like your team is just starting if they still pick their stunt groups day by day so maybe with time they'll get more adequate flyers in the air. I've also learned to base after 13 years of flying and I love it & so does my high school cheer coach because I do more stunts now! It's a major plus to learn to do all positions because you never know when someone might need you on a team
If you're reallly determined to fly, just show your coaches some more and how dedicated you are to flying. If they end up putting you as a base, DO NOT quit. Your coaches know what they are doing! To keep up with flying skills, just go to some stretch & stunt classes so you don't lose your skills. You never know when one day they'll want you in the air.
Just do NOT give up!

 

[CheerDadof2]

If you want to cheer in college it will be good for you to know how to base. Keep up your flying skills, learn to base and keep up with everything else. Oh, try to go to some college stunt clinics , especially if the school you want to go to has them.

Good luck

 

[stuntjumptumble]

I've never heard of coaches picking their flyers this way, it's horrible!! It should be solely on skill, there are incredibly talented tall flyers. And 10 year olds should never be on a senior team, I strongly disagree with that and I always have. Have a talk with your coaches. Tell them honestly how you feel, and ask them what they think and ask to fly at the next practice. You have to speak up. Btw, on my *senior team, 5'2 is a short flyer.... We have 5'4 and 5'5 flyers. Just saying! Hope I helped

 

[Zoey Dunlap]

Thats exactly how it is at my gym too! When I first started on this team there was only 1 like 10 year old girl who is a horrible flyer and now there is 3! Most of our best flyers are like 5'4 but noooo the 3 ten year olds of course get to go up even though they have none of the skills and experience we do! I have to base 2 of the tiny girls and sometimes i feel like they weigh just as much as us taller girls! Haha just wanted to let you know you arent alone

 

[cheerfreakzee]

Thanks for all of the advice everyone reading your comments made me feel a million times better!!! I had practice tonight and they still made me base but they also had me fly and it felt awesome being one of the only flyers to hit the stunts. Hopefully next week they'll let me do even more its really awesome to know I'm not the only one going through this!