Cheerleading Try Outs...Fair?

[Abbie]

I agree the girls should be trying out by number and not name, and should have more impartial judges (ones who don't have any preconceived ideas about any of the girls and their skills). However, I would not address ANY of that with the coach. What I would do, and I know it's something the coach would respect, is to email him/her and express disappointment that your daughter didn't make the squad and ASK where her weaknesses were so she (your dd) can address those and work on improving them.

Unfortunately, as others have said, sometimes there's just too many girls and not enough spots available. Encourage your DD to work on whatever was pointed out as a weakness and by all means, try out again!!! The coach will respect her perseverance and efforts.

 

[Just Jan]

OP: I am so sorry your daughter didn't make the team this year. Do the girls get their evaluation sheets? This may guide her for next year's tryout. Is she able to observe some practices. I know she probably has no interest in this at the moment. Maybe she can see where she can tweak things next year.

I know both of your hearts are breaking and I'm sure your trying to put a positive spin on this to your daughter.
Jeesh it certainlyisn't as simple as cheerleading back in the early '80s

 

[donnajon]

I think your DD should approach the coach, rather than you, and ask what improvements she could work on over the next year to better her chances. I think that would leave a positive impression on the coach rather than a negative.
How far upstate are you? If you're not too far away, have your DD come cheer with us at Carolina Crossfire Cheer allstars in Columbia. We're right off of I-20 on Clemson Road - just past Camden. We'd love to have her.

 

[kc10family]

OP- I am sorry for your DD, I would see if you could get the eval sheets and see what is needed to improve for next year IF-- she wants to try again and IF they will let you have them.

I do understand the "could it be becuase we are not the favorite family" (that's what I call it) in school... My DD (the older one) is in first grade and the past two years (she did pre-school at her current school) she has not been picked for any parts in the class/school perfomances yet the same kids do get picked. I think it's because we are not part of the "in families" at the school. It stinks, but we like the education so we will stay and hope that one of these years she will get picked for a part.

PD to your DD that she gets picked next time or finds something else she loves and gets to participate in.

 

[rie'smom]

Last year at my daughter's school, it turned out that the judges were all from a local gym and they picked their girls. There was a huge stink and the girls had to try out again and some did not make it through the second judging. This year, the moderator went out of town for the girl who taught the routine and went to the very westernmost part of the state for the judges. My daughter did make the squad.
OP, I'm sorry that your daughter didn't make her team. One year my daughter didn't make it and was very upset. She was determined to get on the squad the next year and so she took private tumbling classes and really ratcheted up ther tumbling skills. It paid off for her. Encourage your daughter to try again next year. Sometimes, girls can just have an off day.

 

[JPN4265]

Warning- Long

When I was in HS, cheerleading tryouts were completely a popularity contest b/c students voted for the candidates. That's why I was relieved to hear that things had changed now that it was tome for my DD to try out.
First, they had to attend an informational meeting with a parent to see exactly what is expected from the cheerleaders and to explain the try out process so they would know up front what they are committing to. Next, all their teachers are sent recommendation forms to find out more about them, etc. Next, they are encouraged to attend conditioning practices so the coaches can observe thier flexibilty, stamina, attitude, etc. Finally, there are 4 afterschool sessions for try outs where they learn thier dance and cheer routines. On the final day, they perform these routines for the coaches and a couple of "judges". Then they pick the teams and we return the following day and pick up an envelope that contains the results that isn't supposed to be opened until we leave the school property...to avoid the ones who are crushed by not making it enduring the squeals of delight of the ones who do, I suppose.
At the original meeting, we were told that the girls would be assigned numbers that they would wear throughout tryouts. I was glad b/c that helps remove potential bias. Instead, they were given nametags with thier first and last names on them! I feel that this wasn't impartial and feel that some of the girls had an unfair advantage b/c of thier names(or thier parents name should I say.) Example: Head football coaches daughter, etc. Plus the "judges" were from local gyms that have been teaching some of these girls for years and of course could be biased. I'm frustrated and you can guess by now that my DD wasn't chosen although she is well qualified. I can't help wondering just how much "politics" are involved in making the team. I'm afraid to voice my concerns about the process for fear of damaging her chances next year. Then again, if I don't , the process may not change. I feel they should bring in judges that are completely impartial...maybe from a local university.
I know life is full of disappointments and DD will be even more determined next year... but I wonder if she'll really have a chance since DH and I are not big booster club donors or a member of the faculty at any of the local schools, or popular local business owners? Do you think I should say anything or let the chips fall where they may next year?

Did you ever think that just maybe, she didn't make it because the others were just better?

 

[missypie]

In our district, the cheerleaders have an adminstrator in charge of them. If it were me, and I had serious concerns about the process, I'd talk to the adminstrator, not the cheer coach/sponsor. Cheer is so highly charged in Texas that the cheer sponsors/coaches are not even in the building when the squad is chosen, and teachers at local gyms are not used for judges (they use coaches from further away) AND at least one school adminstrator is always in the room during tryouts.

Sometimes girls who are "known" are given the benefit of the doubt and that's not always a horrible thing. If your child can do her standing back 9 times out of 10, but doesn't do it at tryouts, it would be nice to have someone in the room who could say, "But she almost always gets it."

One time my DD was in open tryouts for a rec basketball team. She made something like 9 free throws out of 10 - it was a total fluke - had not happened before and didn't ever happen again. Of course, all the coaches wanted her, but if they knew her they would have known it was a fluke.

DD went through drill team officer tryouts a few days ago and I think a very very bad decision was made. But DD is only a junior, then I have another D coming up behind her - I figure that in 2014 I can give the coach a piece of my mind!

 

[Justanopinion]

I would not talk about your disappointment with anyone. I agree with other PP's that your daughter should look at her evaluation sheet but do not under any circumstances so anything to anyone.

I'm in Texas and Cheer and Drill are just different here. I don't know how cheer tryouts works but I haven't heard complaints. I do know that about 4 years ago we had a girl get kicked off the Varsity squad for too many demerits. Her parents complained to the school board and they let her back on. The director quit. If the school board wasn't going to back her up she wanted nothing to do with it.

My daughters were both in drill. For our particular squad it was very biased. Everyone knew that the director had her pick especially for Officer way before tryouts even began.

My daughter tried out after her freshman year just for the experience and so that the following year when she was more ready she would know what to expect going in. Then she tried out after her sophmore year. She did not make it and there was absolutely nothing wrong written on her evaluation, nothing. I could go on and on about how our director is biased but I won't on here.