*** 2010-2011 *** Cheer Parent Thread

[njmom47]

My middle dd cheered for 5 years, all-star and Pop Warner....I miss it!Cheering is a foreign world to those who are not involved! (The one year my dd switched from all-star to PW was the year they went to WDW! )

 

[goofy!]

My middle dd cheered for 5 years, all-star and Pop Warner....I miss it!Cheering is a foreign world to those who are not involved! (The one year my dd switched from all-star to PW was the year they went to WDW! )

That is funny that you say that. Our owner always tells the new parents at the first parent meeting of the year that there is a whole crazy world/sub-culture out there that you absolutely cannot imagine exists, so be prepared.

No Disney World comps for us this year, but we are going to Anaheim in April, so will be able to go to Disney Land for a bit.

 

[mommy2allgirls]

I somehow have missed this thread for this season until now. I have two daughters that are on a special needs team. They are 5 and 4 years old and love cheering. My 5 year old is really into it, this is her second year. She will probably move off of the special needs team next year and onto the show team and then move up to the different levels. Here is a picture of them with 2 of the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders. They attended a competition at the Cowboy stadium back in November!

I also had a question. My almost 7 year keeps telling me that she wants to cheer next year. Well, she has never done gymnastics or cheer and I wasn't sure if it is too late for her. I believe she would start off on the show team which basically allows anyone ages 5-8 on the team. What are your thoughts? Right now she is in ballet, tap, and jazz.

 

[Eeyores#1Fan]

well, we are quitting cheer as of tonight! I will not let a coach abuse my child. This season has not been the same as the last two and the kids only got their music two weeks ago! They competed yesterday and had five falls! We all knew they were not ready. I had a parent come up to me and say that was the worst performance they ever saw but my DD was awesome the whold time. She is a base/backspot and isn't going to let her flyer fall. However in the pyramid, the middle girl (who fell 3 of the 5 falls) pulled her flyer over and made her fall.
DD11 was scared to go to practice today because the coach told them they were going to have to run the entire time and do suicides until they puke. I told her to stop anytime it was inappropriate and call her dad to come get her. DD has gastro issues (she had her gall bladder removed and still has other issues that the coaches know of) and was diagnosed with Sever's Disease last week. This is where you have extreme heel pain cause by constant pounding of the feet in sports and the cartiledge in the growth plate cracks. The did hard running and suicides, push ups etc. for an hour and a half. Oh, and they came in 5th place. She made them run by the 5th place plaque and yell "5th place" as they ran by it. When DD and another girl started crying, the coaches asked why they were crying. She tried to leave to call us but the coach wouldn't let her out of the room! And they coach told them if anyone didn't like it they could quit because it would not hurt her feelings. This is her second year in her own gym. It wasn't like this last year. I have always told my kids that they signed up for a year and they have to stick it out but I draw the line when the kids are being abused. I have 3 kids at they gym and one crosses over so her routines will feel the absence!
Does anyone here cheer for Charlotte Extreme or know anything about them? We are thinking about making the hour commute to them next year. I'm going to enroll her in a tumbling class so she maintains her skills. She is just now getting her tuck.
There has been a LOT more going on this season and this was just the final straw. Until tonight, we were just going to find another gym at the end of the season.

Hey Donna! I hate that that happened to the girls. That really isn't right. Our coaches do make the girls do push-ups or crunches when they mess up but like 25 or 50 and then they move on. That's just CRAZY to make them do that stuff for over an hour!! And then humiliate them by running past the trophy??? That's just not right at all. I thought we were having a rough year going to Nationals this weekend in Charlotte with only 2 comps under our belt (we canceled going to one cause we wasn't ready and then another org. canceled one) but not getting music til Nov. 15th...just crazy. I'll ask our coach about Charlotte Extreme ( I do know they are good ) and also other gyms he thinks are good (skills as well as professionalism) in that area. There is only so much you can take as a mom. Luckily our owner recognizes when one of the coaches has had a rough day and might be 'losing' their mind and he'll give them the night off. Heck he's given some a week off. With her being the owner though...who can you really go to. Only way to hit her is in her pocket! Best of luck to you and the girls!

 

[Eeyores#1Fan]

I somehow have missed this thread for this season until now. I have two daughters that are on a special needs team. They are 5 and 4 years old and love cheering. My 5 year old is really into it, this is her second year. She will probably move off of the special needs team next year and onto the show team and then move up to the different levels. Here is a picture of them with 2 of the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders. They attended a competition at the Cowboy stadium back in November!

I also had a question. My almost 7 year keeps telling me that she wants to cheer next year. Well, she has never done gymnastics or cheer and I wasn't sure if it is too late for her. I believe she would start off on the show team which basically allows anyone ages 5-8 on the team. What are your thoughts? Right now she is in ballet, tap, and jazz.

How cute are your girls!!! So preacious!

As for your 7 yr old....if your gym is supportive of girls that have never cheered before but are wanting and willing to learn then I say go for it. Our youth team has 5 new girls this year that have never cheered and the remaining 15 have at least 2-4 yrs of cheering behind them. Let me tell you, when they mess up they all get spoken to. They do take time at first to ask the newbies..do you know what this or that is but after that everyone is treated the same. No one is better than anyone else. They make sure the old girls don't act like they know everything too. If you have the support and positive thinking like that then I think she'll be fine.

 

[goofy!]

I somehow have missed this thread for this season until now. I have two daughters that are on a special needs team. They are 5 and 4 years old and love cheering. My 5 year old is really into it, this is her second year. She will probably move off of the special needs team next year and onto the show team and then move up to the different levels. Here is a picture of them with 2 of the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders. They attended a competition at the Cowboy stadium back in November!

I also had a question. My almost 7 year keeps telling me that she wants to cheer next year. Well, she has never done gymnastics or cheer and I wasn't sure if it is too late for her. I believe she would start off on the show team which basically allows anyone ages 5-8 on the team. What are your thoughts? Right now she is in ballet, tap, and jazz.

back! Love the picture of your girls.

My daughter is the one who is also on a special needs team. In fact, we are headed off to practice here in a bit. Our first competition for the special needs team is Feb. 5. Then we have one every weekend (except the weekend before we leave for Dallas) through the second weekend in March. Practices have been extended to 2 hours each, 2 to 3 times per week. Is it April yet? Our special needs team is pretty hardcore and is not treated any differently than the other teams in regards to practices, competitions and traveling.

My niece (who for all considerations is my other daughter) transitioned off the special needs team to J1 this year, like your daughter is going to do next year. They they tried her at S2 for awhile, but while her dance and tumbling was there, she wasn't quite there with her flying yet. And she was too tiny to base the seniors. It has been a great experience for her and she is loving it.

7 is definitely not too old to start cheer. That is why they have a level 1 - for the kids just starting. Her dance classes will give her experience in the movements and dance and the tumbling will come. Can she do a tumbling class between now and the start of next season? Or a few privates to get her started?

Hope everybody has a great new year!

Off to practice and the parent meeting for our trip to Anaheim in April.

 

[donnajon]

Hey Donna! I hate that that happened to the girls. That really isn't right. Our coaches do make the girls do push-ups or crunches when they mess up but like 25 or 50 and then they move on. That's just CRAZY to make them do that stuff for over an hour!! And then humiliate them by running past the trophy??? That's just not right at all. I thought we were having a rough year going to Nationals this weekend in Charlotte with only 2 comps under our belt (we canceled going to one cause we wasn't ready and then another org. canceled one) but not getting music til Nov. 15th...just crazy. I'll ask our coach about Charlotte Extreme ( I do know they are good ) and also other gyms he thinks are good (skills as well as professionalism) in that area. There is only so much you can take as a mom. Luckily our owner recognizes when one of the coaches has had a rough day and might be 'losing' their mind and he'll give them the night off. Heck he's given some a week off. With her being the owner though...who can you really go to. Only way to hit her is in her pocket! Best of luck to you and the girls!

We finished choreography November 15 - didn't get the music until 2 weeks ago!
Thanks for checking about Charlotte Extreme. We are in Columbia and they are an hour away. I don't think I want to go any further. There are some gyms on the other side of town but with traffic, it would take about as long to get there. CE is off of exit 1 and would almost be a straight shot off the interstate from my house. I'm hoping I can get some other girls to commute with us. I know about 20 aren't returning next year. That is the ones I know about. I still haven't told her we aren't coming back yet. They haven't had practice this week because of the snow. Part of it is making absolutely sure DD is done - I think she is (she is concerned about her friends) and part of it is being passive aggressive on my part and giving the owner less time to fill in my kids' spaces. I really think all the parents need to talk with her together for her to hear it. I'm not sure if they are all willing to do this. I do know some are.

 

[donnajon]

I somehow have missed this thread for this season until now. I have two daughters that are on a special needs team. They are 5 and 4 years old and love cheering. My 5 year old is really into it, this is her second year. She will probably move off of the special needs team next year and onto the show team and then move up to the different levels. Here is a picture of them with 2 of the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders. They attended a competition at the Cowboy stadium back in November!

I also had a question. My almost 7 year keeps telling me that she wants to cheer next year. Well, she has never done gymnastics or cheer and I wasn't sure if it is too late for her. I believe she would start off on the show team which basically allows anyone ages 5-8 on the team. What are your thoughts? Right now she is in ballet, tap, and jazz.

Your girls are adorable. My DD didn't start until she was 8. She loves it. Well, she loved it until her coach lost her mind this season. She is absolutely not too old to start. We have some teens that are doing it for their first year.

 

[missypie]

She is absolutely not too old to start. We have some teens that are doing it for their first year.

Right...there are even Senior Level 1 teams.

 

[mommy2allgirls]

Thanks for the responses gals! I think if she is still interested when signup/tryouts are we will let her do it.

missypie-where in North Texas are you? I live just outside of Denton

 

[missypie]

Grapevine. We're at the sweet nice gym in Southlake.

 

[mommy2allgirls]

Grapevine. We're at the sweet nice gym in Southlake.

I grew up in Southlake! You do have a nice gym We are the Achiever Gymcats or team is the special needs one called Superstars!

 

[missypie]

Is anyone else going to UCA Nationals in Orlando on Feb. 12 and 13th?

 

[goofy!]

I grew up in Southlake! You do have a nice gym We are the Achiever Gymcats or team is the special needs one called Superstars!

Will the Superstars be at NCA Dallas in Feb? I would love to see your girl's team.

 

[mommy2allgirls]

Will the Superstars be at NCA Dallas in Feb? I would love to see your girl's team.

Nope, we wont be there. :-(

 

[goofy!]

Nope, we wont be there. :-(

Oh, that is too bad. I was hoping that if since you were in town your team may have ventured over.

Special Needs is my favorite division. Of course, I am very biased

 

[missypie]

Special Needs is my favorite division. Of course, I am very biased

Isn't it everyone's favorite division? Everybody in the arena gets to stand up and cheer, just for the pure joy of the sport.

 

[Family Fun Mom]

Isn't it everyone's favorite division? Everybody in the arena gets to stand up and cheer, just for the pure joy of the sport.

It brings a tear to my eye each and every time

 

[goofy!]

Isn't it everyone's favorite division? Everybody in the arena gets to stand up and cheer, just for the pure joy of the sport.

Pure joy of the sport, meh, maybe 60% pure joy The other 40% - pure competitiveness. Our girls want that jacket in Dallas so badly they can taste it. A good majority of the team is pretty much as competitive as the rest of the kids in the gym. I am glad that some of the competitions are now scoring special needs, because our kids always want to know their scores, what place they came in, etc.

DD does love the sport. She eats, breathes, and lives cheer, so, yes, she mainly does it for the pure joy of it. But she also definitely wants to win!!! She was watching tv tonight sitting on our bed. I happened to be on the bed too, trying to do some work on my laptop. It was rather difficult to get anything done with the Disney channel blaring and this young lady with Down syndrome chanting 5,6,7,8,1,2,3,4, and doing her motions, asking me "Mom, do I go up on 5 or 6 (sorry honey, I don't know your routine), all while bouncing on the bed watching Good Luck Charlie.

Does anybody else find that during competition season, everything seems to be done to an 8 count? Vacuuming, dusting... That little string of numbers seems to be as difficult to get out of your head as "It's a Small World After All"

 

[missypie]

Pure joy of the sport, meh, maybe 60% pure joy The other 40% - pure competitiveness. Our girls want that jacket in Dallas so badly they can taste it.

LOL, because you have a kid being scored...the rest of us can just enjoy the performances!

We do Nationals on Sunday and Monday. Last year, every team but my D's team won jackets. It's so hard to get all the girls together for practice when they're in high school...even this weekend, no Saturday practices before the competition because some of the girls' school teams are competing. I'm very nervous, just because it's D's stunt group that keeps falling. I don't want to place blame BUT it is totally the flyer. She's been a fantastic flyer forever and now she's falling. My personal view is that her body is changing so she can't balance the same way she used to and after a couple of falls, anyone would just get more and more rattled. Last night they had to do their stunt over and over again until it didn't fall....and on the last time, the flyer fell in such a way that she gave D a fat lip. We need pixie dust for the flyer and our team!!!!