Hey here is a new topic. What do we think about crossovers ( when kids compete on more than one team with in a program ) ? Is is fair ?
At GSSA, I had to laugh because I thought I was seeing a team twice because a program had several of the same kids on their next team. I felt sorry for the little girls because they just went out like 5 minutes before.
I have to say that my program did it in the past, but we do not do it anymore and it has not hurt us. Everyone now works harder because they are not going to get help from " the programs elite kids".
I think it if fair if they are not using the girls as "ringers". Some of the gyms (even within the cheergyms programs) just dont have enough kids to make stunt groups or fill all the positions. In that case why not have a few kids perform on both teams. If the cheerleaders are practicing twice as much and are not being brought in just for one or two comps to make a less skilled team look better, I see nothing wrong with it.
I also think there is nothing wrong with it as long as no rules are being broken and the cheerleade is happy. If a child is willing and able to compete on two different teams I don't see what the problem is. If the situation is fair to everyone, the crossover cheerleader and the rest of the team then I'd say its okay! They are only placed on the team to better it not for anyother reason!
The practice of crossovers has been going on for a very long time and seems to have just caught on in Nor Cal. To me there is nothing wrong with and many competition companies allow it. The only negative is that at some nationals you can not double up and then you have to choose to only take one of the teams that you have people double on. I think that it shows a great deal of dedication from the families and kids yet, the athletes tend to get very burnt out.
I believe that cross overs are a bad thing. It causes burn out and in a lot of instances prevents a team from truly bonding. Plus it promotes unhappy customers who feel their daughter should be on certain teams.
HOWEVER: It's all pointless to discuss because the cheerleading world will never outlaw it because competition companies will never turn away an athlete that wants to pay them 4 times to be on 4 different teams.
We better get used to it.
The real question is HOW do gyms that have never crossed kids over before start doing it without making their customers angry?
Our gym has done this on a very limited basis. Mostly, I believe it's to fill spots in the routine for stunts and pyramids...and of course, if the person doubing has good tumbling, that's a plus.
My daughter doubled last year and I agree with the burn out issue. She was really tired at the end of the season. But, she loved both her teams and was proud to be helping out.
With doubling, attitude is everything. If the kids that are doubling go into a team with the attitude "I'm so good, you need me", then of course there will be problems. I believe coaches can overcome this and just not allow it. At our gym, the philosophy is that the all the squads make one big team...so everyone is on the same team and is expected to help out where needed and support each other always.
I agree that doubling up helps, but there are companies that do not allow it. UCA Nationals, NCA and this year Americas Best Spiritleader Nationals in Sacramento.
WHat do you do ? Make the worst team stay home or cheat ? How do you decide. It seems like teams that plan on going to AB have kids doubling up.
I am a person that is on 2 teams and all american. i did compete on BOTH teams for americas best..and they let me. so obviously it was ok nothing happened.
i have to agree that by the end of practice on monday..after BOTH practices..im pooped! and then i have to go home and do homework.
if you decide to be on 2 teams next year, make sure that you dont have a lot of homework and you have a lot energy and time cause it sure does eat ur time up! jus think about that..
You cannot crossover at Spiritleader Nationals this year. Im sure your coach know that and maybe you are not comepting there. We were going to crossover this year but we cant because all of our teams are going to Spiritleader Nationals ( AB).
Wait...so you're telling me the AB comp, and the ones in San Diego and Aneheim we arent allowed to have people that are on 2 different teams? Illusions has like 3 people on both of our teams....ARE YOU SURE? I hope Martiza has read this and knows what she is doing!
There are other teams within cheergyms.com that have crossovers. And I am positive that Maritza, as well as the other coaches, are aware of which competitions allow crossovers and which do not. As a matter of fact, Americas Best is the only company that cheergyms.com is attending that does not allow crossovers and that is at their Nationals only.
Why should anyone stop a cheerleader from cheering every day of the week if they so choose? I know several cheeleaders who cheer on 2-3 teams each season. They LOVE cheerleading. What is wrong with that and who should try to stop them from doing it? Already the majority of cheer companies allow crossovers, and I am sure the ones that do not will do so soon enough.
Cross-overs definitely benefit a program. Our program has a lot of cross-overs and it is a way of life in "big cheer states" like Texas and Kentucky.
We've used them in cases of injury, or in cases to "fill out" numbers, where maybe a team is just barely large and is a few strong bases short of another stunt group.
I think it's fine as long as the cheerleader is enjoying it. We have some cheerleaders who cross-over between three teams, and I've seen some programs cross girls over onto as many as 4 teams.
If it benefits the teams they cross-over on, and the program on a whole, and the cheerleader enjoys it, I don't see a problem with it.
