New Debate Topic!!

Date: Wed Nov 10 12:11 PM, 2004

RE: New Debate Topic!!

Date: Wed Nov 10 2:35 PM, 2004

you are entirely correct that it is the coaches job to fix the problem of attendence it causes alot of hard feeling for those that come to every practice work their butt off, don't complain because they are still put in the back, and the person who misses comes back and is put front and center with no consequences. But what do you do when the coach allows it? who do you complain to? from experience you either just go with it because you have paid thousands of dollars and tell your child life is not always fair or you quit and you waste thousands of dollars. Parents and coaches need to set the example and make sure that there will be consequences for missing practice.

Date: Thu Nov 11 6:18 PM, 2004

absences are a huge problem for every team in comp. cheer. I know that kids on our team (pyramids coed) are missing practices in the summer months and even 2 weeks before a competition. Last year, on all girl srs, we had a severe absense problem, but it was dealt with. If you were not there, you were taken out of all your spots, and those spots were filled in with a cheerleader who actually came to practice. Now this rule could be modified for serious injurys, family death, car accidents, but was used strictlty when dealing with girls who did not call in, just had a cold, or were simply too lazy to come to practice. This rule left me never missing practice. I would never want to be taken from my spots in stunt groups i was in love with, or a good spot in a formation. To me, keeping my spots made coming to practice worth it (as did having a great year and winning nationals

), and actually kept me home from trips with friends or family, in order to cheer. I signed up to cheer, at every practice, and gosh darn i will go to those practices!

I just do not understand why kids cannot come to practice. You are given days at the BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, even before you try out, of when u need to be there, and when its a holiday. Its not too hard to manage planning vacations and resting days on days u dont have cheer. I have managed to do it and im not even in the school district they plan holidays around. I have the whole week off for thanksgiving but still go to practice that week. Its what i signed up for. Its what my family pays for. Its what i LOVE! so if you dont love it enough to sacrafice for it, maybe the solution is for you not to do Pyramids!

Date: Thu Nov 11 7:55 PM, 2004

Once again, Nelson is right. If the coach is smart, they'd find a way to make things work without the missing person...

...extra conditioning works too

Date: Wed Nov 17 9:05 PM, 2004

on the topic of absense..i think that kicking members off is the only way that would truly work...i believe that once coreography is done, the only way that it would be acceptable to miss practice is if it is an EMERGENCY..that the parents can vouch for! otherwise..i think that the people are hurting themselves and their teamates..and shouldt be allowed to miss! so..i believe..people should simply be kicked off!

Date: Sat Nov 20 7:49 PM, 2004

I agree that practices are really important especially during competition season, however i agree that you should be allowed to miss in an emergency situation, hey life is full of surprsies and things come up. But if it's for some lame excuse like homework or the sniffles, then we have a problem. The only thing is, is that when your gym is small you cant just kick people off without the team suffering major routine changes, which really are a bummer to have to do. Most people don't realize how important it is to everyone on the team that efveryone show up and on time! Stunts cant be done without a base or a flyer and it hurts yourself, as well as the team to be absent for no apparent reason. Look at it like this, if football players miss a practice, they get benched, i know we cant "bench" anyone but there should be some type of punishment if the abseence is not an emergency or was not cleared first. Maybe we can have them run laps, or maybe we can have them pay a small fee of like $25 or something for every unexcused absence they may have. well, thats all i have to say.

Date: Sat Nov 20 9:28 PM, 2004

that all sounds good. except for the 25$ thing...we are already paying a lot they should be simply taken out not have to pay and money because some people wouldnt mind paying the money but would mind if they were taken out! i also think that this rule needs to be enfored. it seems pople like me are always at every practice but even if someone is gone they dont get taken out....and that has been the "rule" on our team with the stunts and stuff but is neerv enforced!!!

Date: Sun Nov 28 10:53 AM, 2004

I think once a cheerleader has been with the program for a season, the coaches have a pretty good idea of their level of commitment, which is why during tryouts, there is much more involved than what skills they can do. No one, ever, should miss practice for less than a very serious reason. When you commit to a team of people to do your best, that is what you do. period. And any parent who allows this is not teaching them about responsibility. However, I do have issues with bullying kids to come to practice when they are sick. Why expose the rest of the team & coaches??? Why not stay home, rest, get better so they can be at the NEXT practice? Coming to practice weak and sick only leads to frustration, injuries, and postponment of health. THat is very foolish to my thinking. I am not talking about a cold, but fevers, vomiting, etc. do not belong "watching" a routine. And sometimes the guilt put upon a sick kid by the coach or team is inappropriate. Usually they are "moved" within the routine, to accomdate their absence, and to emphasise that missing is unacceptable. Ok. But once their penance has been done, LET IT GO. They get the message.
I am glad to see that a full schedule has been set well in advance for vacations this year. It will make being a "dedicated" cheerleader AND a family much easier to accomplish.

Date: Sun Nov 28 11:51 AM, 2004

I agree "mom." If you're that sick you need to just stay home, get well and not risk contaminating the entire gym. Too bad most people, especially overprotective moms don't know the difference between those conditions and a runny nose. I think that's why the staffs tend to go the pressure route more than not.

The thing I HATE about cheerleading more than anything else is that you absolutly need everyone at practice to get anything done. If there is any sport out their that needs alternates it is cheerleading. There's another debate topic in itself.

Why do "alternates" or "Team Members that don't perform one comp" seem to be IMPOSSIBLE in the world of competitive cheer?

Date: Mon Nov 29 12:22 AM, 2004

Just a note to all of you who haven't heard the news from the past 50 years or so... by the time your kid actually GETS sick... the entire team has already been exposed!!! Sniffles, sneezing, slight coughing will not "spread" to anyone because they already have BEFORE the onset of the symptoms. A low grade fever for a FEW days is the sign of something wrong, but being "warm" isn't. A fever is the body's way of fighting off germs inside the body. Sometimes parents panic at the slightest sign of a cold and want to shield the child from the world. Guess what... too late!!!! Guess what pretty things your child is exposed to at school??? School is the DIRTIEST place imaginable. So if your child truly doesn't feel well, of course they shouldn't be running and jumping. But I promise, no ones died of a runny nose. Practice should be attended unless this person needs to be in bed or on the couch with a blankie and soup. This is the commitment you made. Just like work, you get a certain number of sick days. Outside of that, you don't get paid. As a parent, get off your lazy rear and drive that child to practice. You signed him/her up and made a commitment to a team. You are now a part of that team also. Barring emergencies, practice shouldn't be missed. No ifs ands or buts. You're an adult, you know better!!!!!

Ok, getting off the soapbox now and getting ready for practice by washing practice clothes. Gotta do my part too!!!!!

Date: Mon Nov 29 5:45 PM, 2004

OK, this is a bunch of pooh. If your child has a fever, leave them at home. Even the school district does not want a child at school who is producing a large amount of mucus W/ a fever. The average person gets @ least 5 days in sick leave. I would think if a child is truly ill that their cheer gym could cut them a little slack.
I guess the best way to solve this problem is to require a child to have a "valid" note from a Dr. that they are truly ill.

The long of the short is there is no good answers, just opinions.

Date: Mon Nov 29 8:20 PM, 2004

Wow.....

Date: Tue Nov 30 10:53 AM, 2004

Ditto! Its pretty simple, you should "NOT" miss practice during competition season. You have the sniffles?? Tummy ache?? show up anyway bring your blanket and pillow- there may be changes that you need to be aware of - bottom line is you need to be there. If you know you have to go anyway, wouldn't you be less likely to call your coach when maybe you really are not sick?

Date: Thu Dec 2 10:04 PM, 2004

Practice should not be missed unless its an emergency... period. Germs are spread before the onset of symptoms and the girls are touching each other and the floor REPEATEDLY over and over and over. Bring your blankie and pillow and lay there if you have to. But this just shows the dedication from the cheerleader and parent. It won't make your cold worse by laying in the gym. Trust me, I have driven my child to the gym with 103 temp. Take some good Tylenol Daytime and you will be just fine. I always feel a bit better if I am out anyway. I just wash my hands and don't touch anyone or get near anyone. Then I go to sleep when I get home. And I am still here!!!!!!!!

Date: Thu Dec 2 10:06 PM, 2004

There are no good answers, just opinions and facts.....

Date: Fri Dec 3 3:58 PM, 2004

And we wonder why there is so many viruses in the world today.

Date: Fri Dec 3 4:32 PM, 2004

i agree with everyone who say practice should not be missed. you are a year round competition cheerleader and you singed up for year round! one of the reasons why cheergyms.com is so successful is becuase of the things the parents and the cheerleaders are willing to do....even if that means bring a blanket and pillow to practice....

Date: Sat Dec 4 2:06 PM, 2004

on the topic of debate. if a kid is truely sick their body is weak and they cannot function properly. also if a family memeber is in jeopardy that is going to spoil their attention and concentration. in this case they are at risk of injury. we all know that there are teams out there who have injuries on a weekly basis and it could be due to the fact that there is so much pressure on the kids to be at practice that they are risking their health for it. also, if you have people/kids getting mad at each other, what does that say about your program? try to make it positive and come to realize that everyone is human!! ya so you iddnt get to work on the stunt one day- that doesnt mean you cant work on your tumbling skills while the rest of the team is stunting. bottom line is that there is ways around someone being absent for being sick or having a family emergency. if you base too much on kids being absent, you are going to pressure them into physically hurting themselves...another topic with coaches making their kids practice with injuries....never let your kid pracctice with an injury- thats just inviting more kids to be injured.

if the missed practice is unexcused there should be consequences.

there are programs who are looked down upon because they put to much pressure on the kids in certain situations.

Date: Thu Dec 9 1:23 PM, 2004

No one's asking them to participate in practice if they don't feel well and could put someone in danger. But everyone needs to show up to practice unless it is an absolute emergency. There is no reason why you can't sit on the side of the floor during practice if you're sick. Like so many people have stated before, by the time your symptoms set in you've already exposed everyone else to your germs. There is no harm in watching a practice while you recover, but you NEED to be there. If there are any changes made you need to be present to witness them and you need to be there to set an example for you team. If one person shows that kind of dedication most other people will follow.

Date: Tue Aug 8 9:29 PM, 2006

Attendance is so important. If you are missing other than an absolute emergency, you are irresponsible. Plain and simple.