New Debate Topic!!

Date: Mon Nov 8 12:25 AM, 2004

New Debate Topic!!

Date: Mon Nov 8 7:50 AM, 2004

I agree that attendence is a huge part of cheerleading! It only takes one person missing from a stunt to make it not work. Every single person in the routine is important!!! There are some absences that may not be helped like if there is a death in the family or for a serious injury. i think they should be taken out of the routine so that the team is able to practice with the people who are there and don't have to wait and awit for the person to come back. When a new routine is made or when the coaches want to, the absent person can be put back in. Thats what i think.

Date: Mon Nov 8 2:42 PM, 2004

Well... at our gym, if you miss a practice the week of a competition or event, your team dosnt get to compete or perform. So that works pretty well.. cuz then not only will the coach be mad, but your team will as well.

Date: Mon Nov 8 4:28 PM, 2004

Why would you set it up for the whole team to be mad at one person? And the coach? Wouldn't that set up a bad attitude for the rest of the year? And why is it only important to be at practice the week before?

Date: Mon Nov 8 4:30 PM, 2004

There are excusable and unexcusable reasons for missing practice, and I'm not going to get into the difference, because I think we can all somewhat agree to what is an emergency type reason, and what is just pure laziness.

Non-emergeny abscences should not be tolerated once coreography of a routine begins, and people should be taken out or moved in the routine to make it so the rest can practice or perform to the best of their abilities. Members on a team should care enough about practice not to miss just because, or else they're in the wrong sport.

But if a fellow teammate were to have a personal emergency, shouldn't s/he have the support of his or her team and coach, not the opposite where they wouldn't want to even go back because the team would be "mad at them."

Once competition season starts, routines and teams should be strong enough to make changes quickly and fairly easily, so that the team is still that, a team.

And I've seen it happen already, at our gym (Motions), at Pyramids, and I'm sure at every one of our gyms AT LEAST once this season, where someone got hurt or had to have surgery or something, and the team was still able to perform, without turning the team against one individual.

I mean, when a teammate has something happen, isn't that when they friends and not enemies.

Date: Mon Nov 8 7:15 PM, 2004

I think that someone should be able to miss 3 pracitce and thats it! If more than 3 they should be kicked off the team. it is not fair for the team to suffer if someone is gone. although this may seem a bit unfair, there are many reason why people dont make it to practice. i've heard all sorts of things like food poisioning or my boyfriend broke up with me...but thats no excuse. if someone on the team is sick they should at least come to practice and watch, ofcourse if it is serious they shouldn't. i definatly think they should still be moved to somewhere were it will not enable the team to not compete. i definatly think some sort of rules should be enforced because many times people are gone from practice and dont get any sort of "punishment" and its not fair to the poeple like me who are there every practice!

Date: Mon Nov 8 9:22 PM, 2004

Danny,

What a great topic! I think this topic applies directly to the Illusions Teams right at this very moment. Two girls off a 11 person team have had injuries or sickness that is not allowing them to compete this coming sunday. But....the team has pulled it together, made the adjustments, and is competing 6 days later! So hats off to them.

All Girl- You have worked REALLY hard for the last two days and this routine doesn't look any different! I am proud of how far you all have come in just four hours! No matter what the turn out Sunday, you all impressed me this week!

Maritza

Date: Mon Nov 8 9:23 PM, 2004

Tiffany, that 3 misses rule seems good in theory but if every person on a 30 member team misses three practices each that would be 90 times that someone is missing from a practice. Since there are only about 80 practices in a full All Star year that makes it tough.

I think All star gyms should have 3 types of teams in their gyms. I define them like this. If individuals were split up like this rather than their tumbling level, the entire year would be so much better.

1) Semi dedicated teams: Come to practice if you can. No hard feelings. Sorta like High School Cheerleading.
2) Dedicated teams: Only miss practice for very good reasons. Illness, family emergency.
3) Ultra dedicated teams: Never miss practice unless it is straight up unavoidable. Cheerleading is your main priority within reason.

The problem is that everyone "THINKS" that they are dedicated. They want to be on the best teams so they lie to themselves and convince themselves that they are dedicated to the sport. Then when try-outs come and they don't make the team they wanted to because they missed 3 practices the year before because they were in Hawaii, had homework, and had the sniffles they're SHOCKED.

It's kinda funny I think.

Thanks! It's good to vent! :)

Date: Tue Nov 9 11:53 AM, 2004

Allright All Stars, ready for the ugly side of it?

The team isn't about you. No one individual makes up a team. So you got a split double full out of a standing full? Don't matter. So you can wrap your leg around your head fifteen times and then wave with that foot? Don't matter. The bottom line is that anyone, and I mean anyone, is replaceable so long as you have a good coach.

They say practice makes perfect, and in the world of cheerleading, perfect teams win competitions. So, why miss practice? As a coach, during your beginning months when you are teaching technique and timing, you are a little more lax on attendance. After all, competitive cheerleading is a pressure filled athletic activity (not a sport). You get an idea of who is going to do what. Are certain kids going to consistently be late? Are certain kids going to use idiotic excuses to miss practice? This is the time where you not only develop your kids, but you learn whether they are worth being on the team or not.

So when you get close to competitions, if the coach hasn't gotten rid of those that have a bad rep with attendance (or corrected the problem), then that's the coach's fault. But if you get close to competition, and someone misses because it's their sister's wedding, then you should probably expect to become an ornament or watch from the crowd. Regardless of what you do, or how good you think you are, the team will be better off practicing without you.

So what about emergencies? What about times when your mom is in the hospital or there is a death in the family? Here's where it gets difficult for the coach. If the coach is worth anything, by the time competitions are 1 or 2 practices away, they aren't hoping a stunt will hit, or that someone will stand up their tumbling. If an emergency prevents a person from missing one practice, then that coach should be able to slide on that if the team is ready. Anything more then one practice though, get ready to be an ornament.

But even the best coaches sometimes aren't quite ready that one or two before. So what happens in case of an emergency then? Well, get ready to be an ornament.

I think everyone can agree that the team comes first and if you are truly a team player, you'll put your personal feelings aside. That means not being hurt because you're not in the center of the dance. That means not popping an attitude because you're not the one flying. That means swallowing your pride when someone else is put in the center of the jump formation. And that means knowing that practice makes perfect, and if you're not there, the team will go ahead and become perfect without you.

Nelson

Date: Tue Nov 9 12:24 PM, 2004

I believe that the "Famliy" needs to be dedicated, not just the cheerleader. In some cases, the girls/boys are not old enough to get themselves to practice. Soooo, who is the lazy one? The kid or the parent?

In most cases (from past experience) it is the parent that says "hunny, I am tired, you can miss one practice...or lets go to dinner with grandma and you can miss just this once"

So my suggestion, hit them where it hurts MOST. The WALLET, start charging a fee when the girls miss. Use the money for new equipment that ALL the kids can benefit from, especially the ones that are there all the time.

Date: Tue Nov 9 12:40 PM, 2004

Instead of focusing on the negative, make it a positive. At my daughter's gym they have "Boo Bag, Boom Bag, Blue Bag" or what ever (not sure what it is called). This is an award that is given out at each pratice to the person that works the hardest and shows their dedication. If they miss pratice, they should not be eligible (where is the dedication if you are not there).

Monthly give out a little award (different colored ribbons) to each girl/guy that was at every pratice. At the end of the season they get a special award. 5 ribbons gets a $5 gift certificate, 6 ribbons gets _____, 7 ribbons gets _____, ect...

Kids LOVE to win things and be recongized!

Date: Tue Nov 9 1:10 PM, 2004

That last post is a great suggestion for some of the younger, less serious teams. I love things that are visual and tangible to motivate kids. Good idea!

For the older more hardcore teams I think the only thing that encourages them in their sport is "team progress". I've seen individuals leave a practice after just achieving a new skill such as a double down or a round off tuck. They should be ecstatic but they're not because several team members missed practice because of a school commitment or a September vacation. Something they should have seen conflicting way before joining the team.

Here's an idea.......what if the coaches had everyone fill out a form outlining their commitments for the year? Vacations scheduled, family weddings, school commitments etc. That way the staff could see how often they would potentially miss practice.

Upside: That person would be placed on the correct dedication level team and they would never have to appologize fo missing practice.

Downside: There might be just a few liars when filling out that form. You think?

Date: Tue Nov 9 3:47 PM, 2004

To "how about this" -

Compromise is generally a good thing...but why join a team or anything that costs several thousand dollars a year if you're not going to be dedicated or committed to it?

Date: Tue Nov 9 5:07 PM, 2004

For some, $3000 a year is a small price to pay for reliable babysitting.

Sad but true.

Date: Tue Nov 9 8:06 PM, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: cheergyms all star
"Why would you set it up for the whole team to be mad at one person? And the coach? Wouldn't that set up a bad attitude for the rest of the year? And why is it only important to be at practice the week before?

"

I wanted to reply to this...
-Sure people will get mad at the person missing practice, but everyone gets mad at everyone when the miss practice anyways right? (esp. if there in your stunt group or something) its not like we are not forgiving.. It dosnt create a bad attitude, and in my opinon it works, but every team is different so different things work for everyone.
-Also of course its not important to ONLY be at practice the week of a competition.. but that is when it is a crucial time.. making final changes and everything.
-One more thing, people realize about emergencies.. they dont happen too frequently so it is not really a problem, its not like someone is gonna bite your head off at the next practice if you missed b/c your mom is having open heart surgery.

Anyways.. again every team has different ways that work for them.. this is just ours and i think it is working pretty well :)

see everyone soon at the next competition!

Date: Tue Nov 9 9:01 PM, 2004

yeah, its not like the whole team gets mad at that person...but when someone knows that if they miss a practice its going to REALLY affect the team then they will do their best to never miss any practices. Also, its not like this rule is set in stone, we've gone out on the floor even when we had people missing that week, or had girls that needed to go to the hospital the day we competed and we still went out on the floor without them. We're not cruel, we understand emergencies. Sometimes if attendence or tardiness becomes an issue early on in the season we'll do some conditioning for it and usually the whole team will do it not just the people who were missing. But for the most part its not really a problem. Things happen, and some reasons are excusable and others aren't, but if people are missing practices for all the wrong reasons they do not deserve to be on the team when everyone else is busting their butts to get to every single practice.

Date: Tue Nov 9 9:09 PM, 2004

ALSO i was rereading the other posts and i think you really misunderstood what the first person from sbe said before.

we are NOT turning onto each other and no one is hating anyone...especially the coaches and the teammates. we are obviously there for each other no matter what and we do our best to support them LIKE FAMILY if they are having problems.

the whole thing about getting upset with someone for missing practices was if they are missing practices for all the wrong reasons and it is obvious to EVERYONE. then their commitment really isn't with the team. we weren't refering to other cases when its not the persons fault or injury or family/personal problems. thats a different thing.

Date: Tue Nov 9 9:43 PM, 2004

Hey thanks for the explanation. That totally makes sense.

SBE is an awesome program with a great Family reputation going back to Rainey.
It shows in your team performances and in the way you carry yourselves.

See you at a comp soon!

Date: Tue Nov 9 11:08 PM, 2004

thanks for such a sweet comment!

and Good Luck to all of Cheergyms.com as well! i'm sure you'll all do great! We look forward to seeing you guys at future competitions, actually I think the first time we will see you all is at GSSA in december....well, Good luck!!

Date: Wed Nov 10 11:47 AM, 2004

I am involved in a cheer program with gyms sac and the central valley. Our policy is once we start comp season--- there are no misses, In the summer we get 3 misses with no questions asked. The coaches really stress the team metality and actually no one even thinks about missing.

If we miss in case of a emerceny- we have to call before practice to clear it. If you have to call- there is no way that you would tell your coach that you were missing for some random reason. believe me- my coach would go crazy. I also respect my coach and would not lie to her.

I think if you value your team, you wouldn't want to miss and if you do miss- you would not be any great loss