Well... wrote:

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too but wrote:

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But how will they know if they NEVER try anyone else because they are determined that no matter what, this girl will FLY regardless. Especially if that is the sole purpose of why she was brought to the team. She does not tumble....

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Is there someone else skilled enough to even bother to work with? If so, then all the coaches are doing is hurting the team, and in the end, the program, because unhappy kids will leave to go elsewhere. Sometimes people have to learn the hard way.

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Thats funny, I think that you are from my program. Correct me if I am wrong Level 4. And yes there were other people ablr to fly on that team

Coach John- Club Spirit Rockets wrote:

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There was a comment made earleir about girls needing to be a triple threat (base, back, and fly). While that is very desireable it is somewhat uncommen for a girl to do at the college level in one competition routine. It is required that a girl trying out for the Small Coed or all-girl team to be able to do two parts, whatever that may be. (base and back, back and fly, base and fly). But ultimately coaches have to put together the best all around team and fill positions with people that will most benefit the team.

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(I'm sorry this is the Cheermom in me coming out.) My daughter based, backed, flew, midlayered and threw a combo tumbling pass for one of the big NCA schools this year. I guess somewhere in the back of my mind, I really didn't appreciate how rare that is.

Anyway, as everyone has said, you can't put a stunt up without bases. Although my daughter loves to fly and I love to see her fly, I think her experience as a base has helped her immeasurably as a flyer. Everybody brings something to the table. And each position is necessary to put together a routine.

Some of you may have heard this...

2 cheer seasons ago, we joined OC. My daughter has always been a flyer since day one. (at age 6, she's now 15) She was tiny and had no fear. She learned her bhs but that's as far as she went because she flew in everything. Even during the tumbling sequence, she would be in basket tosses, etc. She never based nor did she tumble unless it was during the routine and everyone did it.

I would hear parents complain, "Well, you don't have to worry. Your daughter is a flyer." Worry? About what? My daugther doesn't just magically go up in the air, pull her scale, then float to her next spot, magically fly up to do a basket, then float to the next spot. She doesn't have wings. Her wings are her bases. So that year, she gave her bases a small gift with a card that said,"You are my wings that help me fly." She would have been NOTHING on that team if she didn't have the angels below her. And maybe this is what these people who complain to their coaches need to know. Everyone wants to be the quarterback. But he's DEAD without his linemen. It takes a team. And everyone is important.

I was lucky enough to hear Nelson's comment a few years ago about the flyer vs tumbler getting in to college and it's stuck with us ever since. When we moved to OC, Em could fly like an angel. She did almost everything. But she was put on a level 3 team because of her tumbling. She was very disappointed at the time, but I reminded her of what Nelson had said before we moved and she spent that entire year working on her tumbling.

She does kick doubles, doubles out of EVERYTHING (and has even hit triples while playing around with her "angels" below her) but this year she's on a level 4 team. Why? She has a triple tt-back, a layout, etc. but no full. The level 5 team has fulls. It's a sacrifice in her flying but she wants to get in to college. She needs to train and be at her level in order to get better. It's up to HER to move up.

I trust the coaches, their decisions, etc. They care more than we do about how their team does out on that floor. And the best part of it all? This year she bases on her high school team and has excelled in that too! AND she has BEGGED her coach to let her base. She's the most advanced flyer on her team but she doesn't want to fly. She WANTS to base. Why? Because, Nelson told her so and she knows that it's not the flying skills that will get you in, it's your OVERALL skills that will. And this is what drives her to get better ON THE GROUND.

And if she complains, or hears anyone complain about not flying, this is what we tell them. Be the best in your position, then BECOME the best in the ones you are NOT put in. Put in the time, not the complaints. Complaining gets you no where. Hard work and dedication does. If you cannot change the circumstances, change your perspective.

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there and complain."

I still don't understand, why people think colleges only need flyers. Honestly, chances are, you're probably looking at a sm coed or all girl team. They need bases.
If you want to go to a large coed program, they tend to look for the itty bitty tiny girls, if you're an itty bitty tiny girl, you're probably flying already. And if you're an itty bitty tiny girl who's not flying, there's probably a reason. That reason, will probably be the reason you don't fly on a college team. Not just your lack of experience.

But still, if your heart is set on it. Find a guy and practice. The college stunters I know will stunt anywhere and anytime with "almost" anybody. If you can't find one of them, there's always privates.

Even If wrote:

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IMO wrote:

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But still, if your heart is set on it. Find a guy and practice. The college stunters I know will stunt anywhere and anytime with "almost" anybody. If you can't find one of them, there's always privates.

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Even if you take privates and can fly like an angel without a coach that will give you a chance to show them that you can, its all for not. And with the gyms playing favorites its hopless unless you can also get your parents to kiss up.

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Are we still talking about girls flying as allstars to get experience to fly as college cheerleaders? Because, if they come with the skills to college, it won't matter if they flew on their allstar team. So, if they can get a guy to practice with, I don't think its all for naught.

And, if you are only referring to her HS years. Ask the bases of various teams who have been basing for years if they think it was all for naught.

Coach John wrote:

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Cheer Mom,
In no was it my intention to insult anyone in my post. I think it is great that your daughter is skilled in all areas of cheerleading. If you would read my comment once again, I said was that is was desireable to find a kid that has these abilities, but at the same time it is rare that you find a child gifted enough to do all three well. I am not spectulating about anyone specifically, but stating my feelings about what is a reasonable expectation for the college level. I wish your daughter the best in her cheerleading career and hope that I have not offended you, as that was not my intention.

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Coach John reread my post. I wasn't offended at all. I was saying the cheermom in me came out when I realized "Hey, my daughter really did everything in her routine, she's one of those rare ones he was referring to" (you know how cheermoms love to brag ;)

Anyway, I agree, that both parts are important. You can't do one without the other. Bad bases can make the best flyer look bad, and a bad flyer can make good bases look bad. You need talented cheerleaders for all positions. Don't be mad cause you can't fly, be glad that you're on the team.

California Allstars

Chelsea Knight – BYU – Utah
Casey Anderson – University of Hawaii
Lori Busby- University of Louisville
Amy Dickey- University of Louisville
Madison Bettis- University of Louisville
Ashley Brady- Palomar College
Kristen Nason- Palomar College
Briessa Moen- Palomar College
Kim Vinateri - Palomar College
Katie O'Donovan - University of Louisville
Alex Gandara, SDSU
Cathy Hanford, SDSU
Lindsey Stabe, SDSU
Christie Scarborough - University of Louisville
Nicole Tamayoshi, SDSU
Kelli Malin, U of Ariz.
Lauren Braun, Arizona State University
Caroline Lopez, Univ. of Louisville
Jessica McQuilliams, Arizona State Univ.

Amanda Lucero who was a former pyramids allstar cheers for Hawaii university!

Looking for college bases wrote:

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Fan wrote:

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Amanda Lucero who was a former pyramids allstar cheers for Hawaii university!

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UH is a large coed team. Is she a flyer?

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But, congratulations to her though. UH has a great program.