? about competitve cheering or any competitive sport

[kidzmom3]

My daughters joined an all-star competitive cheer team this year. You could relate it too any competitive travel team for sports. This is the first year this team has been in existence. My question is, would you feel comfortable paying a lot of money, and doing pretty good, but seeing other teams are much more advanced. Our girls are doing their best, but I question if a more established program would allow them to progress faster.

pros:
-kids love it
-coaches are very nice
-feel safe with stunts and tricks/gymnastics
-appropriate facility with spring floor to practice
-coaches are proven-they have teams at another gym that do very well
-my girls have gained great self confidence

cons:
-coaches have teams at a different gym-split loyalties
-practice times have changed a lot
-some members of the team do not take it seriously enough (ie missed practices/fooling around)-and I don't think the coaches do enough about it
-money is a significant issue for many of the families on this team (all star cheer is expensive and some decisions have been decided by money) by the way money is an issue for us also, but if they are supposed to have something to be competitive, I think they should have it.
-very difficult parents of a couple of girls that make life difficult for us all
-tumbling coaches were not spending enough time doing conditioning so the girls are all a little weak

so, would you give the program time to grow? They say they will address some of the problems after our big competition at six flags in two weeks. Have you ever begun a sport with a new program and grown with it? Any advice would be great.

 

[kidzmom3]

I just want to add, that I do not think I am one of those crazy parents that live through their children. Its just that they love it, I am paying a lot for it, and I would like for us all to feel this is a worthwhile experience. In the end, I truly want my children to enjoy themselves and be physically active.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I truly want my children to enjoy themselves and be physically active.

then I guess you just need to ask, are they enjoying themselves and being physically active? Although I can't think that those goals are something that I'd personally pay alot of money to accomplish. I mean, the Rec Soccer league through the park districts costs $15 for the season.


I just don't know how to answer beyond that because this isn't a sport I know anything about. How old are the girls? Are they old enough to tell you whether or not they want to quit this team and find another?

Is this a gym that you are paying monthly membership dues to participate? Are you paying the Coaches a salary? If so, and you aren't happy, then I would say you have every right to leave.

 

[Amity 3]

welcome to my hell. my wife and daughter just came back from their formal end of season banquet.

I don't get the whole cheerleading thing, I don't want to. but my daughter has made really tight friends through her squad.

it's a lot of money, but she enjoys it. if we had a son it would be baseball and football equipment.

 

[mommasita]

I don't put that much thought into it??

Daughter loves to dance, she dances twice a week..

Son loves football, he plays football. Soccerr as well.

DH coaches football, I coach cheerleading..Works for us.,

 

[rie'smom]

My daughter is also an All Star cheerleader. Sometimes they win 1st place and sometimes they are beaten by a better team. There's one team in particular that is outstanding. The coaches are monsters and the parents are not much better. My daughter's team has wonderful coaches who love the girls. Do they expect the girls to do their best? Absolutely. Do they denigrate and scream bloody murder-no. I'd rather have my daughter on a team with great coaches who place the girls above the winning reputation of the gym.
My advice: Give them time. If the coaches weren't caring ,I'd say leave.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

DD does soccer all year around ( 2 to3 teams at a time) Some are not as good as others including the school team I helped coach. We take the good with the bad as long as she is enjoying it and learning something.

We had her in a few all boys (older then her) teams and now she is playing on a few all womans teams now getting her ready for HS .

I look at it as an investment in her future and she's not out running the streets

 

[KristiKelly]

DD does cheer through her dance studio. It is not expensive $48 a month and they practice 1-1/2 hours once a week.

This is a 1st year team and we only did 2 competitions, 1 small one at a high school and 1 big one at the Dean Dome @ UNC.

The 1st 1, there were only 2 teams at their level and they got 2nd place.

At the Dean Dome (the larger one), they got 3rd out of 5, I think.

The teams that got 1st & 2nd, were really good and from large cheer academies that practice 3+ times a week. I do not want to put that much time into it so I think DD is getting out of it what she should be.

I would look at how many days a week (and hours at a time) compared to the other teams that they competed against.

 

[jajuan]

I didn't read the responses so I hope I am not repeating too much.

DD joined competitive cheer two years ago and it is a huge expense...I almost didn't do it. BUT...she loves it and it is great physical activity. Our gym has been around 7 yrs give or take and has grown exponentially. There have been little bumps along the way. It takes up so much of our family time and my daughter usually has to cut her family vacations short or not go at all.

The fact that it is so important to her and she is willing to make the sacrifices needed, I do all I can to keep her in.

I think my main concern for you is that you said "there is not enough conditioning". With all of the tumble that goes on, I would be concerned about injury. Our gym actually added a strength training class for this spring/summer and put tumbling into the regular cheer class until fall when we will go back to a regular tumble time.

Sorry I am rambling...I think it is fine to allow time for the teams to grow...just be careful with the conditioning.

 

[Andy B]

I just don't know how to answer beyond that because this isn't a sport I know anything about.

Is it a sport at all?

 

[Sunscheermom]

:

Is it a sport at all?

A couple of years ago, I would have asked the same question.

Now I see all the conditioning, tumbling and sheer athleticism these kids need to perform. So, absolutely, it is a sport.

Some other gym parents recommended this site (hi cheercentralsuns parents) so, I have been lurking here for quite awhile, researching Disneyland for our trip to Nationals in Anaheim a few weeks ago. Then I saw this thread and decided what a good thread to get a screen name and get my feet wet. Hopefully, I won't regret this, as I am already addicted to the DIS with just lurking

I am a relatively new cheer parent and also come from a gym that has grown from one junior team of 16 kids six years ago to having our banquet last night with over 600 people. Maybe I can describe our gym to give you some perspective of a program that went from one tiny team to a powerhouse winning gym in 6 years.

Our gym is expensive, strict and wins. Wins a lot. Being new, I am either still naive or I must have the best of both worlds because although we do win, the coaches love the kids and there is some flexibility. The coaches know these are kids and have lives, so as long as a request for absence is reasonable, it is granted. Except right before nationals, then the rules get tighter.

One reason I LOVE our gym is the emphasis on sportsmanship. At nationals a couple of weeks ago, we brought 8 teams, and came home with 4 seconds, 4 national titles, a judges choice, a grand championship and the coveted sportsmanship award. What I loved is that the coaches really emphasized how well ALL the teams did. The 2nd place teams were encouraged to be just as proud of their placing as the national teams. Absolutely NO trash talking about the teams that beat them was tolerated. The kids are expected to win or lose with grace.

And the parents are told, threatened, etc. that they better be on their best behavior. Absolutely no badmouthing teams, judges, etc by the parents is tolerated. This is something that you don't see in all gyms, as brought up by rie'smom after also personally witnessing some of the screaming, yelling coaches and not much better parents. Makes me glad to be part of a program that not only works hard to win, but is expected to win and lose with grace and sportsmanship.

In Anaheim, both athletes and parents were threatened with our lives if there was a single whisper of a complaint about our team in the hotel, the venue or off site in our downtime.

So, in a way too wordy answer, this is the philosophy of the team and how it has evolved from one tiny team to a huge program, sought after by parents around the state.

As for the OP's program, the naive cheer parent in me has a couple of concerns. As stated above, my first concern when I read the cons was also the lack of conditioning for the tumbling. This just sounds like an accident ready to happen.

I also don't like the fact that the coaches have split loyalties. How can you possibly expect the kids to give 100% if the coaches are not 100% committed. Routines need to be consistent to win. How can you teach consistency if practices constantly change and the coaches aren't consistent? Kids learn not only from practice, but also by example.

But what bothers me the most is that they don't do anything about problem parents. As some other parents have told me about their former gyms, this is how the nightmare gyms with nightmare parents evolve. Better they put some rules in place right now on both athlete AND parent conduct, otherwise it will be impossible to rein in as the program grows.

FWIW, if you want to compare the philosophy of a program that has evolved from 1 little team to a powerhouse gym in 6 years, our gym has a video on its front page of its website on what its philosophy is and what it is like to be a Cheer Central Suns Cheerleader. Maybe by comparing some other gyms, you can make a better informed decision on the direction your program is going. cheercentralsuns.com

However, as a parent, you need to make the determination of what it is that you feel important that your kids get out of a program. Different gyms fit different needs and expectations, as many have expressed here. Only you can know what best fits your kids. Some gyms are a bit more relaxed, some are stricter. For us, I am glad we found a gym that teaches that some sacrifice is needed to achieve goals, that sportsmanship is just as important, if not more, than the actual winning, and that the coaches are loving and don't expect us to give up everything (just most ) in our lives just for cheerleading.

If your girls are happy where they are, the coaches are dedicated and the problems minor, then absolutely give it a chance to grow. All new programs have bumps and growing pains in the beginning.

But if you have some misgivings, especially about the safety of your child, as cheerleading seems to be one heck of a dangerous sport (I would be a basket case if my child was a flyer), then it is time to reseach other gyms in your area.

Wow - got to work on these long, long posts! Hopefully with more practice, I will become more concise. EEK. And I really have no excuse, as I may be new to DIS, but certainly not new to discussion boards

 

[Andy B]

I do not deny the skill or athletic prowess required but I cannot really accept an activity where you only know who has won after a vote as a sport.

Ballroom dancing, Ice Dance and synchronized swimming are all highly skilled physical activities but I do not think there are sports. My personal thoughts are that a winner in a sport should be able to be seen clearly, by being the fastest, jumping the longest etc.

 

[Sunscheermom]

I do not deny the skill or athletic prowess required but I cannot really accept an activity where you only know who has won after a vote as a sport.

Ballroom dancing, Ice Dance and synchronized swimming are all highly skilled physical activities but I do not think there are sports. My personal thoughts are that a winner in a sport should be able to be seen clearly, by being the fastest, jumping the longest etc.

Well then, by your definition, you can also throw out Basketball, Baseball, Football, Hockey, Soccer, Lacrosse, Boxing or any other game that has referees in it as a sport. As the refs also function in part as judges, and often their calls determine who wins or loses.

 

[Andy B]

Well then, by your definition, you can throw out also Basketball, Baseball, Football, Hockey, Soccer, Lacrosse, Boxing or any other game that has referees in it as a sport. As the refs also function in part as judges, and often their calls determine who wins or loses.

No it's my definition and I'll judge it.

The Umpires etc make calls on rules not scoring the teams. A spectator can tell who is winning.

 

[Abbie]

A spectator can tell who is winning.

After a few years a spectator can absolutely tell who is winning in cheer competitions. The "judging" is actually pretty cut-and-dried.

 

[RAZ24]

We have a DS20 who plays Div I hockey (they were in the NCAA tourny!) There were MANY years he was on a losing team, paying thousands of dollars. I am often embarrassed how much we have spent on his sport. But if they truly love it, and are dedicated to it (DS missed many homecomings, proms, field trips, socializing w/ friends, and school) I don't see a problem with it.

It may be different for sports. (Are there scholarships for cheering?) I ask because, we always hoped he would get a scholarship. Even though I just read only 2 percent of hockey players play Div I hockey. Didn't know that statistic prior, maybe a good thing. lol.

Just read money is an issue. With that statement, now I just don't know. I wouldn't go into debt for my child to play a sport, but I would do everything possible to try and fulfill his or her dream.

Christine

 

[denise5374]

My DD does competitive softball, same concept and there are different leveld of "competition" Some teams practice year round and are very "intense", DDs team practice from January on and their tournament season starts in May and will go through July. Last year they lost most of their games, but the coaches philosophu is different, it isn't all about winning, it is about teaching the girls and working as a team. This is their second year together and it looks better for this year. Their are many other teams around here that DD could play for but she likes this group of girls. SHe also plays soccer and basketball although softball is her love. All the girls on her team play multiple sports so they are "trining" year round.

Like any competitive sport there is a huge monetary and time commitment. The travel softball season is all spring and summer and they ONLY do tournaments on the weekends. DD also plays on a Little League team and her school team. She is a catcher so there is the equipment that she needs.

My thinking is, is that if DD likes it and wants to continue to play and is enjoying herself, then she will do it, when it isn't fun anymore or not competitive enough she can stop or find a different team.

 

[Andy B]

After a few years a spectator can absolutely tell who is winning in cheer competitions. The "judging" is actually pretty cut-and-dried.

But to the uninitiated it is hardly obvious.

I go with the Olympic motto 'Citius, Altius, Fortius' - Faster, Higher, Stronger.

With those type events you can see who is the winner by a measurable margin.

 

[Sunscheermom]

But to the uninitiated it is hardly obvious.

I go with the Olympic motto 'Citius, Altius, Fortius' - Faster, Higher, Stronger.

With those type events you can see who is the winner by a measurable margin.

Must be why Iceskating and Synchro are recognized Olympic sports.

This isn't really a thread about whether cheerleading is a sport or not. The OP had some concerns about her gym, not whether it is a sport. Unless you can add to the discussion and help the OP with her questions then perhaps it would be better if you start your own thread debating what is or what is not a sport instead of trying to hijack this one.

 

[Sunscheermom]

never mind - duplicate