Pardon me for ranting: Cheerleading coach!!

[always quiet]

I've mentioned before that my 12 yr old DD is a cheerleader this year. One of the items we "had" to order was matching long pants for cold days. I didn't have a problem with this....made sense. HOWEVER, it was 37 degrees this morning, the pants are not in yet (they had to be ordered), and the girls are not allowed to wear other matching long pants (blue) under their uniform because it would "look gay" (these are the coaches words!! ) On game days, the girls have to wear their uniforms all day in school. She fine inside, but it's getting down right cold in the mornings!! She is also not allowed to wear pantyhose under the outfit! Personally, I see nothing wrong with the girls wearing other sweatpants TO school (while standing waiting for the bus at 7 am), then changing out of them and putting the skirt back on.

How long will it be before my dd has one heck of a cold??!

 

[JetMom]

You know, if the coach was a professional coach, she would be forced to resign over her use of words that are insulting to certain segments of the population!

I agree, though, that they should wear sweat pants to the bus stop and just run to the locker room and pull them off when they get to school.

If it were me, I would probably have her do just that. If the coach has a problem, let her take it up with you.

 

[Girls Scout Leader]

Does your school have an athletic director? Or at least the principal... she has to report to someone. Blow the whistle. Have a talk with her superior. You won't be sorry.

 

[always quiet]

The middle school principal is currently SUSPENDED!! There are allegations that when he was the high school principal, last year, he and the football coach were FIXING grades to keep players on the team!!!! It's still under investigation but seeing how he has been gone since the 2nd week of school..... Makes you wonder why they moved him from the high school now.

 

[aahmom1]

I would just tell her to wear sweatpants to the bus in the morning and change out of them when she gets to school. There's no reason she should have to wait for the bus in a tiny skirt. Either that or I would drive her to school on those days.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

I understand your situation completely. both of my dd's are on the middle school cheerleading team.

I know the kids are using the word "gay" like we used "nerdy" but the coach should know better.

I'd have her wear the pants to school and change before homeroom, or I would drive her to school.

 

[AirForceRocks]

I would have her put the sweatpants on and then change at school.

As for the gay comment, I'm not seeing how that is such a big deal,personally. One of the most popular shows on TV right now is based on gay men telling straight men how to dress, so I don't see how the comment is demeaning to any group.

 

[SoonerKate]

That's ridiculous. When I cheered, we made a habit of wearing warm up pants under our skirts on cold days. It looked fine and our coach didn't care.

But not allowing them to even wear hose? Not even the thick, kind of shiny dance hose? That's ridiculous. We always wore that stuff, at least at competitions and definitely when it was cold outside.

 

[doxdogy]

Personally, if it was my daughter I would tell her to wear the pantyhose on cold mornings. Then I would also give her note to tell the coach that if she had a problem with it, that she could call me and we would discuss it at that time. Why in the world would she not allow the girls to wear pantyhose is beyond my comprehension.

 

[mhopset]

Shouldn't the hair on her legs keep her warm?

 

[KathyFP]

I agree, her health is moreimportant.

I would drive her.

 

[MICKEY88]

I would tell the coach that until she joins my daughter at the bus stop wearing a cheerleading uniform, my daughter will wear pants to school, for health and safety reasons...until the child gets to school the coach has no right to dictate what they wear..

 

[Tinkbell]

I don't think the coach has any authority to say your daughter can't wear sweat pants on the bus to school. As long as she's in the proper uniform when school starts, what's the big deal? Also, if enough parents get together and tell the coach that you would prefer if they wore the other blue pants while cheering until the new ones come in, she will probably change her policy.

 

[Cinders]

I dont think its just cheerleading coaches..its all coaches that need a reality check! DS plays football at the middle school and had to practice for over 1 1/2 hours in the rain Friday. He was frozen when DH went to pick him up. I've decided if he gets sick I will send a bill for any cold medicine he needs to the coach with a copy going to the head of the corporation's athletic program.

Can you imagine what the rest of the school staff would say to a child standing out in the rain or a cheerleader standing outside shivering? How many times have we heard kids getting yelled to get out of the rain or to wear a coat to school?

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Originally posted by Cinders
I dont think its just cheerleading coaches..its all coaches that need a reality check! DS plays football at the middle school and had to practice for over 1 1/2 hours in the rain Friday. He was frozen when DH went to pick him up. I've decided if he gets sick I will send a bill for any cold medicine he needs to the coach with a copy going to the head of the corporation's athletic program.

Can you imagine what the rest of the school staff would say to a child standing out in the rain or a cheerleader standing outside shivering? How many times have we heard kids getting yelled to get out of the rain or to wear a coat to school?

Hold on! I'm a coach and I am firmly rooted in reality.

My 11 year old was sent out to get a breath of fresh air (10 min) without a coat when the temp was in the single digits. This was a teacher's assistant that made this great decision.

I agree the kids wear the sweats or get rides to school.

 

[luvdzny]

DD is a varsity cheerleader and last Friday it was 37 and raining during the football game. Their uniforms have sleeveless tops and short skirts. That is what they wore during the game. I am sure they got quite cold (I know we were cold sitting in the stands and watching) but I can understand why there are rules about uniforms. If you have 8 girls on the squad you could end up with 8 different kinds and colors of sweat pants - kind of tacky I think. Were you aware of the rules before tryouts? Also I don't think being cold causes illness - I think it is germs. That is just my opinion though. If you are really upset maybe it would be best to talk to the coach.

 

[always quiet]

Maybe I wouldn't be so mad IF it weren't for the fact that I have paid for $20 matching sweatpants!! Even purchased the matching hoodie to go with it! The girls did need a long sleeve white body suit to wear under the sleeveless tops in the cool weather. At least her upper body isn't cold...but they really need to find out what's going on with the pants we HAD to order!!

 

[Pam]

Here's my take - my DD was a varsity cheerleader until she made the dance line two years ago.

Your DD should be allowed to wear sweatpants, etc. to the bus stop and then take them off at school. For cold weather our cheerleading squad and also the dance line have hoodies & sweatpants that they don. Cheerleaders also get raincoats, dance line does not.

always quiet - I'm with you on this one - you paid the $$$ for the hoodie and pants - if they haven't arrived - let the girls wear something else - it is not their fault that the items are somewhere in transit.

And I will just say that two years my DD was cheering in the cold and snow and about half of the girls, including my daughter, had to go to the doctor afterwards.....

 

[KimandBrian]

I was a cheerleader in HS and we wore sweatpants when it was cold. Why make the kids suffer? It sounds like a dumb rule to me.

 

[WDWAurora]

Ok, veteran cheerleader of 12 years, still coach All-Stars occasionally. Yeah, they can't blame the girls for their stuff not being there yet, so they should be allowed to wear other stuff. As for getting to school...technically they aren't under the coach's jurisdiction yet, so try some tear away sweatpants, or some that can be easily slipped off when she gets to school under her skirt. That way, she doesn't even have to go anywhere to change, she can just wiggle her way out of them right before she steps off the bus or something. Otherwise, try having her carry a small blanket with her. That's what we used to do. That way, she can bundle up in it on the bus, then if she were to get cold in class, she can use it there too. Make sure it's not too bulky and hard to carry though!