Cheer Competition Drop-Out

[cl1067]

I agree with Nancy also. There is such a huge difference between recitals and comptetitions. My daughter is 9 and is in her 3rd year of dancing competitively. The first year we went to competitions, I was blown away. And these were just local competitions, nothing national or anything. This year we are attending a national competition and we have been warned by our coach that it is nothing like we have ever seen before. And we do not have a coach that puts a lot of pressure on the girls, she just tells them to have fun and who cares if we get a trophy, but even the young team (kindergartners and 1st graders) know that they want to win and put the pressure on themselves.

What I might suggest is talking to her coach and not having her compete, but still taking her to the competition to support her team and that way she can see what it is about. This will of course cost you the travel costs as if she was competing, but I don't think its fair to ask her to make a decision on something she is so unsure about without her having the facts. If after being at the competition, she still does not want to do it, then I would probably talk to her about looking for a different activity. Its obvious this is a competitive team and even if its ok that she doesn't participate in the competition, she will probably end up feeling left out at practices when the other girls are talking about the competitions.

 

[pattyT]

U r in MA??

Our next comp is Saturday November 5, 2005
New England Cheer & Dance Competition
Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center
Roxbury Community College
1350 Tremont Street
Boston, MA

 

[PatsGirl]

pattyT: Yes, we are from the Cape and the competition on 11/5 is the source of our/my anxiety.

For everyone who replied: My DD and I discussed at length, with no bribing or begging , her unwillingness to compete and agreed that I would call the coach in the a.m. and we would look into another activity that does not include competing. I thought it funny that she mimicked another post by saying "there's a big difference MOm between a recital and a competition" and I am now wondering if there has been conversation between the girls and/or coaches that I am not aware of that may have her feeling uptight about the whole thing. Regardless, I'll call tomorrow and that will be the end of it.

She loved going to her Jazz classes and her art classes and especially enjoys the activities w/ her Brownie troop so this is not a real loss, unless a loss of stress counts

Thanks Everyone. Brenda

 

[CharlesTD]

I'm begging for help here. My DD8 just started with a cheer dance group two weeks ago. When I signed her up I asked about competing and told the instructor that my DD doesn't like to compete or do recitals, that sort of thing, and she assured me that it wasn't a prereq. If I remember correctly, it was something like "yeah, I know, some of the kids get a little nervous but most of them usually end up loving to compete, but we don't require it".

Well, now two weeks into the practices (and we started two weeks late) they are practicing for a competition on November 5th. It's obvious that each girl has their "part" to perform and that not having one of them show up will jeopardize the routine. So, I mentioned it to the asst coach last night and again today just in passing and told her I was trying to convince DD to compete.

Well, my DD has made it clear tonight that she is in no way competing. I have even tried bribing her (this is a first for me) because I feel like she is putting all the girls in a predicament. Of course, she keeps telling me that she said this right from the beginning. And she did.

To make matters worse (can they be?) I'm not sure I should pay for the cheer sneakers and hotel payment for the competition and just hope she changes her mind. I even went so far as to tell her to call the coach and tell her she won't compete but then she started crying... and OMG, how did we get into this mess?

Help.... Brenda

Our oldest is the same way she does her gymnastics and she is in Power cheer much to my disliking. She said going into both she would not compete and I was fine with that now her gymnastics club has no problem with it but her coach at power cheer has ridiculed her and left her out of some of the training etc because she will not go to competitions with them. I have no problem with that but my DD is killing herself over it and thinks her coach hates her because of it. The coach was told in no uncertain temrs that it was going to be like this and yet she now has a problem with it after telling my DD it was fine there would be enough girls to fill in the spots. For 585.00 dollars I don't expect them to ridicule my child because she has chosen not to compete.