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

[DisneyElite4]

Do you have to qualify for the All Star Nationals at WDW? My dd said her coach is thinking about having them go next year, so I was wondering about it. I'd LOVE to go and I'm sure they'd qualify if that's what's needed. They've taken first place at nearly every competition so far. I sure wish we were going this year!

All of their published materials state that you do need to qualify at a regional competition. With that said, I have known many gyms that do not attend a regional competition, either because of location or other reasons, and they still attend UCA All Star Nationals (this is All Star only, not High School). I doubt they would want to turn away paying gyms! If it is truly something your gym is considering for next year, your coach should call the UCA office and ask about attending without going to a regional event. There may be a regional event in your area that works out perfectly, though! For All Stars, most of the teams will get bids, so it should work out fine!

 

[missypie]

Our all-star team went to UCA Regionals in Dallas (school team did, too, so there was quite the clothes/hair/makeup change in the ladies' room.) The competition was "rinky-dink" if anyone uses that phrase anymore. A room in the convention center, with the lights on all the time, folding chairs instead of any bleachers. But the important concern was that the warmup/mat time was very short and disorganized. Then, right as our girls were getting ready to take the mat, they announced a 10 minute judges break (that was not on the schedule.) It was hard to believe that it was the same company that runs the terrific Nationals in Orlando.

 

[Family Fun Mom]

All of their published materials state that you do need to qualify at a regional competition. With that said, I have known many gyms that do not attend a regional competition, either because of location or other reasons, and they still attend UCA All Star Nationals (this is All Star only, not High School). I doubt they would want to turn away paying gyms! If it is truly something your gym is considering for next year, your coach should call the UCA office and ask about attending without going to a regional event. There may be a regional event in your area that works out perfectly, though! For All Stars, most of the teams will get bids, so it should work out fine!

Thanks for the info! I'm sure our coach knows exactly what to do, she's been in the cheer biz for many, many years. She's had teams compete there before. I was just wondering for my own curiosity.

My dd's only been doing this for three years. The first two years were more of a rec program. Even though they went to National competitions, they were never contenders. This year has been so different. She has a well known, amazing coach and they win just about everything. Competitions like Jamfest SuperNationals, Cheersport, and the UCA Nationals are totally new to us. It's exciting! I am loving this as much as my daughter does!

 

[Pixie Princess]

For those of you who have done this competition before, what is the best (Fastest) way to drive from the hpField House to Hollywood Studios. My worst nightmare is confirmed - my kids go on within 20 minutes of each other in 2 different places!

Any road maps out there?

The drive is very easy, but agree with pp who said the challenge is he parking lot from DHS to the Indy stage.

To get there just go straight out at the light at the entrance to WWoS. This is Victory Way (intersects w/ Osceloa). You'll pass Pop Century on right. Keep straight on Victory Way until you reach the intersection with Buena Vista Dr. At that light turn left. You'll go down to the next major intersection and turn left at that light. It is the entrance in to DHS.

I want to say the last time I was at Pop, the signage had you going a different way to DHS. If I am remembering that correctly, I don't recall that the way the signage sent you was any faster.

Good luck!

 

[missypie]

School cheer tryouts today. Lots of nerves. There is something about the process that makes even the terrific cheerleaders nervious.

 

[DisneyElite4]

Our all-star team went to UCA Regionals in Dallas (school team did, too, so there was quite the clothes/hair/makeup change in the ladies' room.) The competition was "rinky-dink" if anyone uses that phrase anymore. A room in the convention center, with the lights on all the time, folding chairs instead of any bleachers. But the important concern was that the warmup/mat time was very short and disorganized. Then, right as our girls were getting ready to take the mat, they announced a 10 minute judges break (that was not on the schedule.) It was hard to believe that it was the same company that runs the terrific Nationals in Orlando.

Yikes, that sounds terrible! I am sorry you had such a bad experience. The regional competitions are not run by the same event staff or judged by the same judges as UCA Nationals. They are run by regional directors for UCA, and they are kind of up to that area's discretion. The entire staff goes down for Nationals and the event staff there is huge - overall, I think they have very minimal amounts of disorganization. And it is definitely not rinky dink there. Although that certainly doesn't excuse the poor experience you had, I just wanted you to know that from my experience the Nationals is nothing short of amazing.

 

[goofy!]

For those of you who have done this competition before, what is the best (Fastest) way to drive from the hpField House to Hollywood Studios. My worst nightmare is confirmed - my kids go on within 20 minutes of each other in 2 different places!

Any road maps out there?

Although our gym is not going, I was talking to a dad in a different program who is in the same predicament.

However, he said it is easier this year as UCA is going to be running shuttle buses between the Milk House and DHS.

Don't know how accurate that is, but that is what he said their gym was told.

 

[goofy!]

warning...Mom Brag:

http://www.9news.com/news/article/185677/188/Cheerleading-champs-focus-on-abilities-not-limitations

 

[goofy!]

School cheer tryouts today. Lots of nerves. There is something about the process that makes even the terrific cheerleaders nervious.

How did they go?

 

[Family Fun Mom]

warning...Mom Brag:

http://www.9news.com/news/article/185677/188/Cheerleading-champs-focus-on-abilities-not-limitations

Totally and completely awesome, AWESOME, AWESOME!!!!!

 

[Family Fun Mom]

We had another great cheer weekend! We competed in America's Best Detroit Championship (local for us). Our Tinys won 2nd Place; Youth L1 got 1st and won a full paid bid to Nationals in California; Junior L2 (one of my dd's teams) got 1st Place and Best Stunt Sequence; Seniors L3 (my dd's other team) won 1st Place and Best Tumbling; and we parents won BEST FANS! Got a trophy for it and everything.

It was a FUN competition. We only have one more, a GLCC 2 day National in Detroit and then, after a two week break, we begin working on next season. Wow, I can't believe it's almost over! What a fun, exciting year this has been.

 

[woodkins]

We did Spiritfest in CT this weekend and it was a great day for the gym. Our Co-ed 4.2 won Grand Champions!! My dd's L2 team got 3rd, but they hit the routine perfectly just couldn't beat the other teams difficulty (one of the teams was a gyms L3 team that took out their tucks LOL). Our Junior L3 got 1st and Senoir L3 3rd, so everyone went home fairly happy.

Junior 3 & Senior 4 are heading to Disney Thursday for UCA Nationals, so we are crossing our fingers and toes over here.

 

[goofy!]

It was a good weekend for us too. It was our last in-state competition, a Cheersport regional. I was surprised to see some out of state teams as we hardly ever see anybody except the local teams.

All our teams took first, except for Y2, who took 2nd. We took home the levels 1,3,4,5 and special needs grand championships.

Nice way to end our in-state season on a high note.

 

[missypie]

Congrats to all!

D made school cheerleader for next year, but her two best friends on the squad didn't. Breaks my heart.

 

[woodkins]

Congrats to all!

D made school cheerleader for next year, but her two best friends on the squad didn't. Breaks my heart.

Congrats to your dd. That is a bummer that her friends didnt' make it. Stuff like that is so hard for teens.

 

[missypie]

Congrats to your dd. That is a bummer that her friends didnt' make it. Stuff like that is so hard for teens.

My D started gymnastics in preschool, retired after 6th grade, continued tumbling lessons and joined an All Star team. These two girls "picked up" cheer in middle school and I guess just didn't have the skills to move on. At large schools (probably at most schools these days) it is hard to make any team (sports, dance, cheer) without years of private training and/or club team experience. I hope they'll both join a team at D's all star gym. It is a sweet gym and they would fit in well.

I like both of the girls' moms but I'm not close to either. I'm wondering if I should send them each an email saying how sorry I am that their Ds didn't make the team. But I have no idea how it would be received...I have no idea how I would receive it if it was my D instead of theirs. What do you think?

 

[woodkins]

My D started gymnastics in preschool, retired after 6th grade, continued tumbling lessons and joined an All Star team. These two girls "picked up" cheer in middle school and I guess just didn't have the skills to move on. At large schools (probably at most schools these days) it is hard to make any team (sports, dance, cheer) without years of private training and/or club team experience. I hope they'll both join a team at D's all star gym. It is a sweet gym and they would fit in well.

I like both of the girls' moms but I'm not close to either. I'm wondering if I should send them each an email saying how sorry I am that their Ds didn't make the team. But I have no idea how it would be received...I have no idea how I would receive it if it was my D instead of theirs. What do you think?

Does your gym offer tumbling classes or open gym times? Many of the girls planning on trying out for their HS teams come to our gym for tumbling or privates. Maybe the 3 girls can do a few privates together during the year to prep for next years tryouts.

 

[missypie]

Does your gym offer tumbling classes or open gym times? Many of the girls planning on trying out for their HS teams come to our gym for tumbling or privates. Maybe the 3 girls can do a few privates together during the year to prep for next years tryouts.

Yes, our gym offers group prep classes and privates.

 

[woodkins]

UCA Nationals were a huge hit for our gym!!! Our Senior L4 team WON!! 1st place level 4 small gym small squad. Our Small Junior 3 team won 2nd place and were only .3 out of first The killer was that they ended up in 2nd because one stund never went up and the follow through of that stund also was fumbled...turns out that the reason why it didn't go is because one of the bases threw up all over the flyer as they were setting the stunt The coach couldn't see what happened because in the stunt group the bases back is to the crowd so it shielded her view...if she had seen it she could have stopped the routine and they could have marked the beginning and continued from there. They continued from there and hit everything despite a few girls being "soiled" GROSSSS.....

Anyway, we were sooo proud of our girls!!!


On a total side note, CJA's reality show Jersey Cheer will be debuting on Lifetime April 5th...can't wait to see it, they were filming at a UCA qualifier we went to in November & our team actually beat them so I am wondering if any of our teams footage will be shown.

 

[missypie]

The only sport I've ever seen where the participants seem to throw up as much as cheer is high school football.