The 'catch The Flyer At All Costs' Mentality. Realistic?

[xomckenzieee]

I've been on both ends of it and falling/catching falls are both tough. I've topped in a pyramid and sometimes falling forward is inevitable. If both sides you're holding onto go forward, that's where your momentum goes and there's not a lot of defying physics you can do. As long as you make a valid effort to catch your top, I don't think you're doing anything wrong!

 

[Leithal Weapon]

I'm a main base and I've been really lucky this season in particular, as I've got a very strong stunt group who almost never lets our flyer hit the floor. We always tell our flyer that she 'falls well', meaning that she stays super tight and usually falls right to us so it's relatively easy to catch her. But there's another flyer in my team who has issues with confidence so falls a lot, and often takes her bases out on the way down because she panics and goes loose.

I'm huge about never letting your flyer hit the floor, but in saying that, the flyers have a responsibility to keep their bases safe as well. When a flyer bails on a stunt and comes down with their body flailing all over the place, that could unnecessarily injure her bases.

 

[DeltaForce]

Personally, I am a huge proponent of this mentality bc I have been that flyer that got dropped to the ground and put my arm down to brace my fall since no one was there. Clearly a bad choice in hindsight; had to have a metal plate implanted in my arm bc of it. My view on the catching flyers at all costs is that it is not always possible, but it is always better to try and catch her than just watch her fall.

 

[caitlin.lee]

I was always told the same thing, that flyers shouldn't hit the ground at all costs, but I was also taught that if a flyer does start to fall and you can't save the stunt, just to sweep and cradle her. Flyers know their body the best and should be taught how to even sweep themselves if they fall. I get on my girls about stunts falling but sometimes it is the flyers fault for falling forward and I call them out on it. It's not fair to others to always assume the backs or bases didn't do all they could to catch a girl.

 

[rockymountainthigh]

When my flyer falls forward, I just lurch for whatever I can grab, which usually ends up being the seat of her shorts/skirt.. Awkward, but I can generally slow down the fall, usually giving her a wedgie in the process though... Better a wedgie than a broken bone though!

 

[SmileCat]

Being a flyer for 12 years, I always thought how hard could it be for a base to catch me if I fell in her way? But this being my first year as a base, I totally understand how difficult it is. In some situations it can be almost impossible to catch the flyer rather than them hitting the ground. I've had my flyer fall while kicking my face and my body to the ground. But there are also two other people that can catch her. It's all on how skilled and aware the whole group is at all times.

 

[GreenStormLucy]

I totally agree to "Try to catch her - no matter what".
I'm a side-base and back and sometimes mainbase.

I spot every new skills we try because i would rather throw myself under the flyers before she hits the floor.

Getting hurt or injured is bad, but i HATE the feeling when my flyer/the flyer i spot gets hurt. It's even worse than getting hurt myself.

I broke my nose two times doing stunts and baskets, but my flyer was safe.
That's my job.

But, and i hate to say this: Sometimes you have no chance.
Doesn't matter which position - if your flyer is falling away from you (like sidebasing and the flyer falls over the mainbase or steps out of the stunt), it's really hard to get her. And yes there are two others that have the chance, and everone should do her/his best.
I'm doing push ups for dropping a flyer to the floor, even if it was her fault or the spotters fault.

Again: My job is to hold the flyer in the air and catch whatever happens.
My injury risk is not as high as the flyers.

I was dropped to the floor two times beeing a middlelayer in a 2,5 high pyramide. One time i catched the highflyer while falling and she fell on me.
This was the worst injuries in cheer i had, and i still have problems with my ankle (something was broken, just don't know the right word).

 

[Haley J.]

Funny this thread pops up right after my flyer fell from her stunt...
Me and my friend Kellee have to lift this other girl (who is about 5 years older than us and a lot taller) in a prep for like 5 eight counts during the pyramid section, and after awhile she starts to feel really heavy. One of the other flyers almost fell and threw down really hard on my flyer and sent her forward. I (being the main base) dove forward to grab her, but she LAUNCHED forward. She was okay, but there was really nothing we could do about her falling. Yet, we had to run around the gym IN THE HAIL/RAIN 5 times, when it was the other flyer's fault.

Okay Rant over.
It depends on the fall. She falls back, you better catch her. She falls forward, not much you can do. If she falls straight down (rare yet it sometimes happens) she should slowly hit the ground. I really hate when the coaches blame the bases. Its like; you want me to injury myself so my flyer can be okay? Why is the flyer never blamed for her own fall? It doesn't make sense to me...

You took the words out of my mouth on that one. I hate sounding rude, but I don't think it's fair. It's a stunt GROUP, not The Flyer Show, ya know what I mean? Yes, the bases or back should be blamed if it IS in fact their fault. However, if it's all on the flyer, it doesn't seem right to blame others for somebody else's mistake... Just my 2 cents.

 

[Carly H.]

genrally i attempt to grab the shirt or sports bra and yank upwards, the bases should catch the rest

 

[IAGX_cougar]

if the flyer falls foward, i feel its the bases responsibility, not the backspots. If the flyer is within reach though, you should dive under her even if it means injury to you.

 

[samala20]

yes..its a great mind set

 

[housel]

as being a male in cheer sports i am supposed to have super strengh, super fast reaction and catch everyone everywhere it seems..
but as being back for most of my career i can tell you, it is fairly easy to catch a flyer falling backwards /sidewards to the back and thats your job.
if the flyer falls over the main/ side base or in front... there is not much you can do and for this case the bases are responsible for it.

 

[CCA_Nicole]

First post, but have been lurking for a looong time

I base and backspot on Level 4 All-Girl, mainly backspot. A couple of days ago at practice, my flyer fell out of a one-leg extension stunt forward and landed on the floor, on her elbows. We got yelled at for dropping our flyer and extra push-ups. I felt really bad about it, obviously.

My specific question is this: as a backspot, when my flyer is falling forward, away from me, how in the hell am I supposed to catch her safely, without injuring myself or her? That is a serious question by the way.

I have some more general musings, on whether the whole 'OMG you should never ever not ever let your flyer touch the ground before you or you are the worst cheerleader in the entire world' is over-the-top (unrealistic? unhelpful?). Personally, I think it is slightly off-putting to new bases/backspots. I'm just interested in what other people think, and I'm not looking to start a fight club. I've never flown, so it would be cool to hear a flyer's perspective.

ok i'm a flyer and if i am falling forward my front spot should catch me, if you dont have a front spot in your stnt your side bases should defiantly catch you. i do back sometimes and theres really nothing you can do if the flyer falls forward.

 

[Jess_Pascale]

As a backspot I'm faced with the same question, how would I catch my flyer if she fell forward? The answer is, I'll let go of your foot and pray a base catches you. Let's be honest, there's not a great chance of me plowing my bases over to catch my flyer. I would do everything I could to catch her if she falls to the side or to the back of her.

 

[mgullicksen]

Theres always a way to at least mostly keep the flyer from hitting the ground. Clearly the flyer falling backwards is the best scenario and easiest save. If it comes to a case where she is falling off the front of the stunt though, the bases should be letting go of her feet and grab her body. As a coach ive seen some pretty bad falls, and some pretty awkward ones to catch, it just comes down to how quick your reaction is to what is happening and the whole group knowing what to do in the case of the flyer falling in an awkward way. Hope this helps.