High School Wwyd? - High School Uniforms Or Lack Thereof

[Tealxblack25]

Hello,

I am a high school coach and I am running into a snag with uniforms. We have 24 new uniforms from GK Cheer. They were first worn in 2014 and we are still wearing them now. When they were purchased they were purchased at custom fit for the current team, not thinking about the future. They are that sublimated/stretchy material.

My first snag is that now, as the years go on the athletes are getting smaller and smaller! Most uniforms are bigger sizes and the girls feel VERY uncomfortable in them.

Secondly, our JV Uniform we have a certain number of them, and more girls than uniforms. There are also 2 girls who are on the bigger side and our Varsity Rep has informed us that even if we did want 2-5 uniforms, we would not have them in time for competition in February. We are trying to rebuild our program by also taking cheerleaders who have little to no experience.

If I was a parent and my child came home and said well I made the team but they don't have a uniform for my size, I would blow a gasket.

My athletic director said that there is no money in the budget for uniforms or replacement uniforms and to seek help from boosters.

He also said if we buy new uniforms of the current uniforms we have now.. we can kiss getting a new STYLE uniform goodbye for another 4 years and, the program consensus is we do not like our uniforms so we hope to get a new style within the next couple years.

Do we, spend our available money on replacement uniforms, or if we are going to spend that much money do we just go with a new style? Obviously this is a preference question but I just am wondering what other coaches would do if they were in this situation !

 

[cheer25mom]

Why don't cheerleaders buy their own uniforms?? I see problems like this over and over and they just blow my mind. Our cheerleaders buy their own unis so they fit every time

 

[coacha]

Currently, our experience is that we try not to buck the system. We hate the uniforms that we have (chosen by the previous coaches) but we are making do so that when our time in the rotation comes up, we can get an entirely new style.

Do you have a good seamstress? We are lucky that the mom of one of our assistant coaches is a seamstress. We often use her to alter uniforms to fit better. (I should add that I have no experience with the sublimated/stretchy stuff and don't know how well it can be altered, but you can always ask...)

For the JV team, you might have to just cap your team at the number of uniforms. Yes, that means you have to cut some. The only other thing I would suggest is to scope out the supply closet. We have several old uniforms styles in storage and have mixed and matched if we were in a big bind.

My only other thought is to forego uniforms for the JV team and have them all get matching shorts (or a skort) and t-shirts.

Why don't cheerleaders buy their own uniforms?? I see problems like this over and over and they just blow my mind. Our cheerleaders buy their own unis so they fit every time

How do you justify this in a public school setting? What happens if the cheerleader can't afford the uniform? And we are under the athletic program and they provide uniforms to all the sports on a set schedule, we'd be turning down money that I guarantee would never be given to the program to be used in a different manner.

 

[quitthedrama]

I had the opposite problem and most of the uniforms I had on hand were too small. I second the suggestion of alterations - find a good seamstress who can alter the uniforms but ask them to alter them so they can be let back out/lengthened if needed. Involve your parents - let them know your desire to keep every kid but the struggle you are having with uniforms. My biggest issue with current CP and her high school coach was she refused to talk to parents and there were so many things we could have helped with/been willing to pay for.
I had to mix and match for the school team that I coached. I ended up getting similar uniforms on clearance from any place I could find. It came out of my pocket but since you have a boosters you could do a can drive/fundraise for them. They weren't perfectly matched but they were "good enough" which is about all you can ask for given the way school cheer is treated in our area.

 

[ScottyB]

Why don't cheerleaders buy their own uniforms?? I see problems like this over and over and they just blow my mind. Our cheerleaders buy their own unis so they fit every time

Not every school team has families that can afford uniforms so that is why teams re-use for a number of years before upgrading. Yes buying individually helps but isn't necessarily an option for all.

 

[ScottyB]

Hello,

I am a high school coach and I am running into a snag with uniforms. We have 24 new uniforms from GK Cheer. They were first worn in 2014 and we are still wearing them now. When they were purchased they were purchased at custom fit for the current team, not thinking about the future. They are that sublimated/stretchy material.

My first snag is that now, as the years go on the athletes are getting smaller and smaller! Most uniforms are bigger sizes and the girls feel VERY uncomfortable in them.

Secondly, our JV Uniform we have a certain number of them, and more girls than uniforms. There are also 2 girls who are on the bigger side and our Varsity Rep has informed us that even if we did want 2-5 uniforms, we would not have them in time for competition in February. We are trying to rebuild our program by also taking cheerleaders who have little to no experience.

If I was a parent and my child came home and said well I made the team but they don't have a uniform for my size, I would blow a gasket.

My athletic director said that there is no money in the budget for uniforms or replacement uniforms and to seek help from boosters.

He also said if we buy new uniforms of the current uniforms we have now.. we can kiss getting a new STYLE uniform goodbye for another 4 years and, the program consensus is we do not like our uniforms so we hope to get a new style within the next couple years.

Do we, spend our available money on replacement uniforms, or if we are going to spend that much money do we just go with a new style? Obviously this is a preference question but I just am wondering what other coaches would do if they were in this situation !

What about fundraising for replacements and fillers for both squads? With two squads you guys should be able to fundraise enough to get the fillers and new sizes without touching the main budget to allow for a new style to be added later.

 

[quitthedrama]

What about fundraising for replacements and fillers for both squads? With two squads you guys should be able to fundraise enough to get the fillers and new sizes without touching the main budget to allow for a new style to be added later.

I think she said it was a timing issue. The uniforms wouldn't be in until February which is the end of the winter season in our area.

 

[Tealxblack25]

I think she said it was a timing issue. The uniforms wouldn't be in until February which is the end of the winter season in our area.

Yes it is a timing issue, even if our booster program paid for a replenishment of new uniforms, we wouldn't have them in time for competition so we would be looking to order them but have them for next football season so I am looking for a quick solution :/

I think I might start with looking in the uniform closet and seeing what we have

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

Questions:

How many total athletes do you have?

How many compete?

Are any alternates?

How many uniforms are you "short?"

 

[tojofasho]

Hello,

I am a high school coach and I am running into a snag with uniforms. We have 24 new uniforms from GK Cheer. They were first worn in 2014 and we are still wearing them now. When they were purchased they were purchased at custom fit for the current team, not thinking about the future. They are that sublimated/stretchy material.

My first snag is that now, as the years go on the athletes are getting smaller and smaller! Most uniforms are bigger sizes and the girls feel VERY uncomfortable in them.

Secondly, our JV Uniform we have a certain number of them, and more girls than uniforms. There are also 2 girls who are on the bigger side and our Varsity Rep has informed us that even if we did want 2-5 uniforms, we would not have them in time for competition in February. We are trying to rebuild our program by also taking cheerleaders who have little to no experience.

If I was a parent and my child came home and said well I made the team but they don't have a uniform for my size, I would blow a gasket.

My athletic director said that there is no money in the budget for uniforms or replacement uniforms and to seek help from boosters.

He also said if we buy new uniforms of the current uniforms we have now.. we can kiss getting a new STYLE uniform goodbye for another 4 years and, the program consensus is we do not like our uniforms so we hope to get a new style within the next couple years.

Do we, spend our available money on replacement uniforms, or if we are going to spend that much money do we just go with a new style? Obviously this is a preference question but I just am wondering what other coaches would do if they were in this situation !

I had a similar situation that I walked into last year about non-matching uniforms. Don't know if this will help, but it's the best I've got:

We had a really amazing shirt guy who could basically duplicate the uniform style onto a tank top that looked similar enough to a cheer uniform. Up close they didn't look great, but they looked fine from far away. Then we purchased a tennis skirt and had a mom stitch a strip on the bottom to match the current uniforms. Far away they looked just fine, and up close they looked less-than-ideal, but it got us through competition season. The only other thing I could think of would be to look and see if you have old uniforms and just have the girls not fully match for a year or two until you can get new ones. Not ideal but may be worth it in the long run? :/

 

[quitthedrama]

Yes it is a timing issue, even if our booster program paid for a replenishment of new uniforms, we wouldn't have them in time for competition so we would be looking to order them but have them for next football season so I am looking for a quick solution :/

I think I might start with looking in the uniform closet and seeing what we have

Also check the on line companies like Omni, GTM or team cheer for stock uniforms that would be similar to what you have. I got about 5 uniforms for less than $20 each and I got them within 10 days. They were not customized but you could have the logo sewn on or something heat-pressed on to the front.

 

[cheer25mom]

Currently, our experience is that we try not to buck the system. We hate the uniforms that we have (chosen by the previous coaches) but we are making do so that when our time in the rotation comes up, we can get an entirely new style.

Do you have a good seamstress? We are lucky that the mom of one of our assistant coaches is a seamstress. We often use her to alter uniforms to fit better. (I should add that I have no experience with the sublimated/stretchy stuff and don't know how well it can be altered, but you can always ask...)

For the JV team, you might have to just cap your team at the number of uniforms. Yes, that means you have to cut some. The only other thing I would suggest is to scope out the supply closet. We have several old uniforms styles in storage and have mixed and matched if we were in a big bind.

My only other thought is to forego uniforms for the JV team and have them all get matching shorts (or a skort) and t-shirts.



How do you justify this in a public school setting? What happens if the cheerleader can't afford the uniform? And we are under the athletic program and they provide uniforms to all the sports on a set schedule, we'd be turning down money that I guarantee would never be given to the program to be used in a different manner.

Everyone who plays sports in our public schools has to pay for it. Players buy their gear, except for football helmets which are provided by the school because they must be certified. Some teams rent jerseys, but most buy their own. They also pay training fees for use of facilities outside of school, swim pays pool fees, baseball pays fees for the hitting facility etc. sports aren't a right, they are a privilege, and there is very little funding for them here. We have programs in place to cover fees for families who can show financial need. Cheer is VERY expensive at public schools here ($2000) but it doesn't have to be. CPs elementary school dance teams got a $180 package from Varsity that include a full uniform, bow, spanks, body liner, leggings, poms. It can be done on a budget.


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[cheer25mom]

Not every school team has families that can afford uniforms so that is why teams re-use for a number of years before upgrading. Yes buying individually helps but isn't necessarily an option for all.

It is a requirement here if you want to cheer. It costs about $2000 a season. Every sport is the same. You pay to play. Before I was on here I never heard of a school system providing cheer uniforms.

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[coacha]

Everyone who plays sports in our public schools has to pay for it. Players buy their gear, except for football helmets which are provided by the school because they must be certified. Some teams rent jerseys, but most buy their own. They also pay training fees for use of facilities outside of school, swim pays pool fees, baseball pays fees for the hitting facility etc. sports aren't a right, they are a privilege, and there is very little funding for them here. We have programs in place to cover fees for families who can show financial need. Cheer is VERY expensive at public schools here ($2000) but it doesn't have to be. CPs elementary school dance teams got a $180 package from Varsity that include a full uniform, bow, spanks, body liner, leggings, poms. It can be done on a budget.

We must live in a very different part of the world. There would be no cheerleaders here if it cost $2000 to cheer. I wouldn't pay $2000 for my own daughter to cheer for a school team. $200 would be a stretch for some of our kids.

And no, sports aren't a right. But in my mind they are a privilege earned through good grades and being a responsible student/team member - not based on whether their parents have the discretionary funds available. So, I guess I'll take scraping uniforms together/making alterations and only getting new ones every 4-5 years if it means every student who is eligible, is able to afford to cheer.

 

[CheerBank]

It is a requirement here if you want to cheer. It costs about $2000 a season. Every sport is the same. You pay to play. Before I was on here I never heard of a school system providing cheer uniforms.

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Our school district provides uniforms for every sport including cheer. Both JV and Varsity got new uniforms this season and they belong to the school just as all the other sports' uniforms do. A certain number of smalls, mediums and larges were ordered. They cannot alter them if they cannot be returned to to the original fit once the season is over. My cp was given a medium top and bottom when they were distributed but then had to turn in her medium top for a large (even though it was a little big) because they needed the medium for a girl who really needed a small.

Prior to cheer becoming a sport, the Booster Club bought new uniforms for the teams but they then also belonged to the school once the season was finished.