All-Star The Ultimate Guide To Preparing For Tryouts.

[BuegeSmalls]

Yes, lipstick and jumps to cowboyed back tuck.........you're in! I'll write you a recommendation.

Never heard the term cowboyed before, is that like the same thing as frogging (if you know what I mean)?

 

[Cheer Dad]

Never heard the term cowboyed before, is that like the same thing as frogging (if you know what I mean)?

Definitely do not know what your mean

 

[BuegeSmalls]

Definitely do not know what your mean

When you open your legs super wide as your tucking so you can land! One of my biggest pet peeves lol

 

[cheermommaRN]

Never heard the term cowboyed before, is that like the same thing as frogging (if you know what I mean)?

Landing your tuck with your feet a miracle mile apart like your sitting in a saddle.



The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

 

[BuegeSmalls]

Landing your tuck with your feet a miracle mile apart like your sitting in a saddle.



The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

Yep same thing. Ickk, not pretty!

 

[Cheer Dad]

When you open your legs super wide as your tucking so you can land! One of my biggest pet peeves lol

ty. not sure i'd ever heard that before

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

I mean this in the nicest way possible.

Let your kid's skills speak for themselves.

Meaning do not constantly "campaign" for your child by talking coaches ears off about what she can do.

I want to see it.

When I meet a kid for the first time or they're new to the program, I believe like 10% of what their parents say that they're ready for or what skills they're going to have or what they can do.

It never fails every year, kid's parents will say "Suzie is coming in with solid full and we are looking to be on an L5 team."

Murphy's Law states that if a new parent says that, her daughter is most likely still Level 4 and her "solid full" is more like a death spiral.

No offense, but we believe and make decisions about teams based on what we see. Not on what you say.

Same thing goes for "Kelly is injured and hasn't taken the mat in 6 months but she had layout before her injury. So she's still going to be Level 4, right?"

She is still in an AIR CAST and evaluations are in 2 weeks. She has not cheered in 6 months. I cannot just give her a spot based on tumbling she had before a massive knee tear. It's sad, sure. But I can't.

 

[BuegeSmalls]

Same thing goes for "Kelly is injured and hasn't taken the mat in 6 months but she had layout before her injury. So she's still going to be Level 4, right?"

She is still in an AIR CAST and evaluations are in 2 weeks. She has not cheered in 6 months. I cannot just give her a spot based on tumbling she had before a massive knee tear. It's sad, sure. But I can't.

THIS! A former friend and teammate of mine had been out because of her shoulder and she couldn't tumble or stunt at tryouts so she put together a video I guess for the judges to look at at tryouts. She made varsity as an alternate and was livid, but she hadn't done anything for a few months so my old coach wasn't sure when/if she would get those skills back. Made sense to me (and everyone else) but she and her mother were so mad.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Same with: "Well at our old gym, she was Level _."

That's great. But levels don't transfer. Skills determine level. Not what you say you were doing last season.

Then there's new kids coming in and their parents are like: "Well, she had a BHS before her mental block."

That's great but at this moment, she is Level 1. This is rather controversial, but I can't put you on a team based on tumbling I've never seen you throw. Especially when there are kids in front of me who have BHS ready to go now. If you get it over summer, we'll reconsider but I can't hold a spot based on your past tumbling.

 

[Mamarazzi]

Tryouts don't happen on tryout "day."

Unless you're new to the gym, in which case, do werk.

 

[mstealtoyou]

If I had a $1 for every parent I've heard (always new to the program, God Bless them!) say to their CP......"Tell her you're a flyer.......all you've ever done is fly. Tell her. She won't know unless you tell her" Me when I hear it...."Please don't tell her. She's a very smart woman, she will figure it out the first practice"

 

[Cheer Dad]

If I had a $1 for every parent I've heard (always new to the program, God Bless them!) say to their CP......"Tell her you're a flyer.......all you've ever done is fly. Tell her. She won't know unless you tell her" Me when I hear it...."Please don't tell her. She's a very smart woman, she will figure it out the first practice"

must be a lot of girls named Susie in your gym

 

[mstealtoyou]

must be a lot of girls named Susie in your gym

You have NO idea!!!

 

[DaniV]

Some of the coaches (not the gym) at my gym started posting this last year and I put it up again this year. I always prepare myself for a little backlash but even the gym hopper parents have commented how true it is.

"This is somthing that I found posted last year from another gym and I am re-posting this representing MYSELF only. As tryouts are quickly approaching and people are starting to prepare for next year these are some very important points to keep in mind. The reason why we had such a successful year at NWX is because we ACCURATELY and APPROPRIATELY place our athletes based on their skills, dedication..., and maturity.

From ACX:
For those of you trying out for an All Star team at any gym.....here are a few tips and thoughts to help you understand the placements in case you don't agree:

1.) You are trying out to be a member of that program....not for a specific team. Most gyms (Not all) don't even know what teams they will have until after they see who is trying out.

2.) Just because you were on a specific team the season before ---doesn't mean that's the team you will be on in the new season. Younger kids may have been on an older team the prior year because there weren't older kids to fill those spots and they may have them to do so this season.

3.) Just because you are a younger talented athlete....gym owners need to place everyone where they will be on the best team to make ALL team successful. They will not bump an equally talented older kid off a team if they can place you on the same level younger team and place BOTH athletes in the correct levels / placements.

4.) You may have switched gyms and be trying out at a new gym this season. You may have been on a higher level than you should have at the old gym and not had a great season. So DO NOT be discouraged with you are on a lower level team at the new gym. (There is a reason you left your former gym)

5.) Opting to be a crossover can help you get the position you are wanting. (i.e. you may want to fly....well you can base on the appropriate age / level team they place you on and you could cross over on a older team to fly---so ask your coaches at tryouts)

6.) All 12 yr olds can't always be placed on a WORLDS team. There has to be some people to fill the JR aged higher level teams. So if all the younger kids are on the older team the younger teams will suffer. Please do not leave your gym and go gym hopping because you are not on a WORLDS team at 12 yrs of age. The Summit may help this problem.

7.) Just because you have 1 of the skills in a level DOES NOT make you that level. (i.e.--if you have a standing tuck you are not necessarily a level 4 athlete.) You must have ALL ALLOWED Level 4 skills. Standing tuck, TT BHS Tuck, Standing 2 to a layout, and specialty to a layout. If they gym places too many kids that only have 1-2 level skills they are setting them selves up to lose. LEVEL DOWN!!!!! Also there are more then tumbling skills that are needed. (Obviously there are exceptions that will need to be made.....might need a smaller athlete to fill a open flyer spot or a bigger girl to base but not too many of these exceptions can be allowed or team will not win) Look at it as a POKER HAND. You don't go ALL IN with a pair of 2's because you know someone else will have a pair of 3's of better.

8.) Coaches look at performance from the season before. Did you constantly bust skills, fall from stunts, miss practices, give attitude? These all factor in to your placement in the new season. Also, did you improve your skills? New tumbling skills? Better basket tosses, increased flexibility? Work ethic shows thru your performance and skills from the beginning of the season to the end. What was the results?

9.) Don't pull the "I don't want to be on that team with the babies" card. If you are 12 on a Jr team with 8 yrs olds and unhappy----it’s no different that bumping you at 12 on a Sr team with 16-19 yrs olds and they could say the same thing about you. If they are the same level then you all deserve where you are. Also Jr age is 14yrs and below.

These are just some of the justifications as to why you are placed where you are. This is not specific to my gym but I believe across the board for all gyms. Trust your coaches....they would never set up a team for failure or to set out to hurt your feelings.

There are many safety issues that are considered NEGLIGENCE by placing the kid on the wrong team by skill level or age. Coaches consider all these when placing ( Or at least they should)

Work hard, be dedicated and you will be rewarded. Coaches want your kids to compete the skills they have MASTERED not the skills they want really bad some day.

I am excited for our tryouts and can not wait to see what everyones teams look like next season. This sport is evolving so fast. I love Cheerleading."

 

[NJ Coach]

Some of the coaches (not the gym) at my gym started posting this last year and I put it up again this year. I always prepare myself for a little backlash but even the gym hopper parents have commented how true it is.

"This is somthing that I found posted last year from another gym and I am re-posting this representing MYSELF only. As tryouts are quickly approaching and people are starting to prepare for next year these are some very important points to keep in mind. The reason why we had such a successful year at NWX is because we ACCURATELY and APPROPRIATELY place our athletes based on their skills, dedication..., and maturity.

From ACX:
For those of you trying out for an All Star team at any gym.....here are a few tips and thoughts to help you understand the placements in case you don't agree:

1.) You are trying out to be a member of that program....not for a specific team. Most gyms (Not all) don't even know what teams they will have until after they see who is trying out.

2.) Just because you were on a specific team the season before ---doesn't mean that's the team you will be on in the new season. Younger kids may have been on an older team the prior year because there weren't older kids to fill those spots and they may have them to do so this season.

3.) Just because you are a younger talented athlete....gym owners need to place everyone where they will be on the best team to make ALL team successful. They will not bump an equally talented older kid off a team if they can place you on the same level younger team and place BOTH athletes in the correct levels / placements.

4.) You may have switched gyms and be trying out at a new gym this season. You may have been on a higher level than you should have at the old gym and not had a great season. So DO NOT be discouraged with you are on a lower level team at the new gym. (There is a reason you left your former gym)

5.) Opting to be a crossover can help you get the position you are wanting. (i.e. you may want to fly....well you can base on the appropriate age / level team they place you on and you could cross over on a older team to fly---so ask your coaches at tryouts)

6.) All 12 yr olds can't always be placed on a WORLDS team. There has to be some people to fill the JR aged higher level teams. So if all the younger kids are on the older team the younger teams will suffer. Please do not leave your gym and go gym hopping because you are not on a WORLDS team at 12 yrs of age. The Summit may help this problem.

7.) Just because you have 1 of the skills in a level DOES NOT make you that level. (i.e.--if you have a standing tuck you are not necessarily a level 4 athlete.) You must have ALL ALLOWED Level 4 skills. Standing tuck, TT BHS Tuck, Standing 2 to a layout, and specialty to a layout. If they gym places too many kids that only have 1-2 level skills they are setting them selves up to lose. LEVEL DOWN!!!!! Also there are more then tumbling skills that are needed. (Obviously there are exceptions that will need to be made.....might need a smaller athlete to fill a open flyer spot or a bigger girl to base but not too many of these exceptions can be allowed or team will not win) Look at it as a POKER HAND. You don't go ALL IN with a pair of 2's because you know someone else will have a pair of 3's of better.

8.) Coaches look at performance from the season before. Did you constantly bust skills, fall from stunts, miss practices, give attitude? These all factor in to your placement in the new season. Also, did you improve your skills? New tumbling skills? Better basket tosses, increased flexibility? Work ethic shows thru your performance and skills from the beginning of the season to the end. What was the results?

9.) Don't pull the "I don't want to be on that team with the babies" card. If you are 12 on a Jr team with 8 yrs olds and unhappy----it’s no different that bumping you at 12 on a Sr team with 16-19 yrs olds and they could say the same thing about you. If they are the same level then you all deserve where you are. Also Jr age is 14yrs and below.

These are just some of the justifications as to why you are placed where you are. This is not specific to my gym but I believe across the board for all gyms. Trust your coaches....they would never set up a team for failure or to set out to hurt your feelings.

There are many safety issues that are considered NEGLIGENCE by placing the kid on the wrong team by skill level or age. Coaches consider all these when placing ( Or at least they should)

Work hard, be dedicated and you will be rewarded. Coaches want your kids to compete the skills they have MASTERED not the skills they want really bad some day.

I am excited for our tryouts and can not wait to see what everyones teams look like next season. This sport is evolving so fast. I love Cheerleading."

yup, I stole this and posted it on my fb