To Tall To Fly?

[eliteallstarcheerleading]

What I love about cheerleading is how inclusive of every individual it is. There is always a position for anyone wanting to work hard and learn. My question however is, when is a flyer too tall?

This has been tossed around alot in Australia in relation to the perfect height, the perfect weight for a flyer. I've seen my fair share of small flyers, who are only up there due to there size. Most of the time the bases struggle as that particular flyer isn't strong and therefore doesn't hold herself up in the air. There is a current situation which I thought I'd ask this group. The girl is an ex ballet dancer, so small in frame and build. She has the typical ballet body, very thin in the arms, legs, but also really flexible and has great body control/awareness. She has flown to Level 3 (trained level 4) without any issues, but upon moving up to level 4 competition she was told she was too tall and would have to move to a different position.

All those years of hard work were out the door. She was the lead flyer in Level 3 (every base wanted to fly her) and suddenly out of no where she found herself back spotting flyers who were complete beginners but small. Not complaining she went on about it, learning as much as she could. She was then told she would never back spot the higher levels because she wasn't 'strong' enough or tall enough.
She found herself in a situation where she had no place in the team. She was the main flyer and got told she was too tall, was then a back spot and got told she wasn't strong enough.

She is 5'8, and weighs in at 50kg (which is tiny here). Safe to say she left the gym and is now wondering what to do with her cheer career. It's pretty sad to hear, as I believe you can achieve anything you set your mind too.

Any comments would be amazing, as she is at a loss.

 

[cheerforeverever]

There is never a "too tall" or "too big" to fly. It just depends on what bases you have available on the team, which determines who is needed in what position. If she is needed as a backspot or side base this season because that is where the team needs her, that doesn't mean she has to stop flying forever.

 

[tbrooklyn63]

I agree with all of you. My daughter is petite but has been told she is too small to fly on the senior team even though she is going to High School. She has been told all the other flyers are tall. So she is flying on the junior team because her age allows.

 

[cloveranne]

There is no height limit. It's whatever works best, I knew a girl that was 5'7 and flew way better than her friend who was 5'1

 

[CYC diamonds]

What I love about cheerleading is how inclusive of every individual it is. There is always a position for anyone wanting to work hard and learn. My question however is, when is a flyer too tall?

This has been tossed around alot in Australia in relation to the perfect height, the perfect weight for a flyer. I've seen my fair share of small flyers, who are only up there due to there size. Most of the time the bases struggle as that particular flyer isn't strong and therefore doesn't hold herself up in the air. There is a current situation which I thought I'd ask this group. The girl is an ex ballet dancer, so small in frame and build. She has the typical ballet body, very thin in the arms, legs, but also really flexible and has great body control/awareness. She has flown to Level 3 (trained level 4) without any issues, but upon moving up to level 4 competition she was told she was too tall and would have to move to a different position.

All those years of hard work were out the door. She was the lead flyer in Level 3 (every base wanted to fly her) and suddenly out of no where she found herself back spotting flyers who were complete beginners but small. Not complaining she went on about it, learning as much as she could. She was then told she would never back spot the higher levels because she wasn't 'strong' enough or tall enough.
She found herself in a situation where she had no place in the team. She was the main flyer and got told she was too tall, was then a back spot and got told she wasn't strong enough.

She is 5'8, and weighs in at 50kg (which is tiny here). Safe to say she left the gym and is now wondering what to do with her cheer career. It's pretty sad to hear, as I believe you can achieve anything you set your mind too.

Any comments would be amazing, as she is at a loss.

1. If you are tall you can still fly, that means the bases just have to weigh more or be taller. I have a friend that is on Jr. 3 and she is bout 5'8 too and she flew and her bases either weighed more or were talller than her. LOL

 

[courtneyisfly]

I don't think there's such a thing as too tall with flyers. If you have good body control & flexibility, you can fly. There is a girl on our Senior 2 team that is about 5'5'' & she is one of the best flyers on the team. Another girl on my school squad is taller than all her bases, but looks wonderful in the air. In my opinion, it shouldn't matter how tall a flyer is as long as she does her job in the air.

 

[cheerstrong1]

Tall flyers all the way!!!!!

 

[eliteallstarcheerleading]

Yeah, that's true. But what if the flyer is one of the tallest in the group? But also one of the skinniest? Would you put her as a back base or as a flyer?

I guess thats the issue.

 

[cheerforeverever]

Yeah, that's true. But what if the flyer is one of the tallest in the group? But also one of the skinniest? Would you put her as a back base or as a flyer?

I guess thats the issue.

If you have 3 stunt groups and 4 decent flyers, then one is going to have to be something else, or switch in and out for parts of the routine.
Example scenario: If there are a bunch of short girls on the team and only 2 tall girls plus the tall flyer, then that flyer will have to step up and become a backspot for the season, as that is where her team needs her, skinny or not.

 

[retiredl5cheer]

Tall flyers don't need tall bases. I don't know where that mindset came from. I'm 5'5" and both of my bases barely reached 5' last year. My back spot was a boy but he was only like 5'4". It actually made me look like I was the same height as the other flyers.

 

[xemilyjane]

maddie gardner is 5'6'' and look how good she is!

 

[alexamarysouza]

I agree 100% with cheerforeverever . There's technically not really a height and weight limit. It depends on what kind of bases and backspots you have on the team. If you have strong bases and a heavier flyer, perfect. But if you have little wimpy bases, more than likely the tiny flyers will be put in the air.

 

[iflyinthesky]

I feel it's a matter of how well you can hold your weight up there.
If you can stay up without a problem and you have the technique and body control then you should fly regardless of your height. Maddie Garnder is super tall but she can stay in the air and has good body control and postitions.

 

[Matt Filroy]

You're alright...you got it!

 

[ceanz-victoria]

I'm from New Zealand and it's very surprising to me that she would be taken out of the air for being 'too tall' when she is only 50kg. That's very light! Two of my team's fliers are a little over this and they are both 5'1. I don't height or even weight is anywhere near as important as how she flies. If she is strong and is a good flier, then I think she should be in the air.