Really, I haven't found anything on cheergyms, airborne, one-athletics, nor cal san jose, nor cal livermore, cheer with a twist, CA crush, Fame Athletics, or ultimate athletics?
Exactly. You didn't find anything on them then and you won't now. Ask after summer practice and choreography, I'm sure more gyms will know by then. Some gyms are still taking new members, it's just too early to tell.
Is that a West Coast thing, or just a Nor Cal thing. I notice alot of gyms in Nor Cal don't set teams. In the south, northeast and Texas, they set teams immediatley after tryouts. Why is it so different here , and how come coaches don't set it up quicker?
Sadly this not setting teams thing I feel is a cop out for a lot of gyms. I think the owners and coaches especially if they have been in the cheer game for any amount of time should be able to set the teams up right away, then make decisions after that. (if someone is not working out or needs to move up etc) I think dragging the process out breeds a lot of problems and sends athletes and their parents looking for new gym homes.
I guess I don't understand that logic. It seems to make more sense to wait until after summer to assess the skills you have, and to assess the commitment from the members, then form your teams. If you form your teams immediately after tryouts you end up moving them around anyway, so why not wait?? For example, wouldn't you have disappointed and frustrated members who were determined to be level 2 at the start of summer but have advanced to 3 or 4 only to still be stuck on a level 2 team because they have been working on their routine all summer and can't move everyone around? If the answer is yes they can move everyone around, again, what is the difference?
We currently have two teams with similar skill sets. One if our Non Travel team and the other is one of our full travel teams. My theory is that if I tell them what level they are they will stop pushing skills to better themselves as singlular cheerleaders and as a team.
Since we constructed a non travel team no matter their skill level they are on that specific team, this year many of them have level 3 skills....this goes for our glitz team that is full travel. So now for the next month we will push both teams to gain more team wide level 3 skills . In august I will then decide if one of them will be Senior 2 and the other Senior 3 or possibly have two Senior 3 teams, thankfully one would be able to be open, at the same time I dont want our teams to compete against each other which is what would happen if competitions dont have enough open teams to compete against each other.
I hope this puts out any fires or concerns about how or why coaches put together teams, in the end it always works out and everyone ( other gyms ) will have a great season no matter what teams they put on the floor.
Sorry to be so long winded, I just wanted to give a coaches view point on the team placement issue.
We are in Texas and the kids practice in skill groups which is awesome for pushing mine at least. She is in level 5 and young and the older kids inspire her tremendously to push herself. I have also seen a result I did not expect, but I am sure the coaches did, but there are also a few kids who had level 5 skills that could not mentally 'hang' with the level 5 skill group. These were younger ones who moved down a level because to them, cheer was no longer 'fun'. This is not criticizing them...they are elementary age kids, so it is better to know now than for them to get stuck on a team that causes them misery and doesn't work out for all. Now they are with level 4 kids and having a blast again cheering. This is not to say that some of these level 4 and 5 kids will not end up on a younger team together, but the coaches will have an idea of the kids' individual stress tolerances. I know that putting teams and skill groups together is so much more than I just discussed, but it gave me insights I did not have before as a parent on putting together levels.
Just some random comments...AND I CANNOT WAIT TILL THEY PUT THE TEAMS TOGETHER!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is not clear cut how it will play out at all.
Well yes, that can happen too. We have seen quite a few gyms have a handful or less girls with level 5 skills. But what can they do? The gym is hoping the level 4's advance during the summer, and if not the level 5's will be disappointed but the gym will have no choice but to go level 4. Same with level 3/level 4 teams. We have seen gyms mistakenly go up a level to please the higher skilled athletes and it just never works out. But then what can the level 5's do if they are stuck in a contract. Stick with it and make the best of the situation and move to another gym next season I guess? I don't think gyms intentionally mislead the higher skilled athletes, I think they just don't know at the time what level the teams will be.
We will stick with our gym for one more year if we end up on level 4 again, but we will have to move the next year if it doesn't pan out to 5. I have been patient every year for 4 years because the team has always been a level below my daughter's skills, but they have been moving up....so I figure one more year will allow enough of the ones around her age to catch up. They are really so close to getting enough to make a solid 5 team. Lots of the kids are progressing quickly all of a sudden. My fingers are crossed. There is a gym across town that would be perfect now (skill-wise and people there are nice). But the people are nice at our gym too, so no reason to upset the apple cart.
We currently set teams but reserve the right to change them throughout the season if need be. Our athletes push themselves because they know they can be moved up or down if the need arises. Right now we have a Mini 1/2 Junior 2 Senior 2 Junior 3 Senior 3 Junior 5 Senior 5 and International coed senior 5. 1 or 2 may change before we go to competition but we have noticed that if people know what team they are on they have a tendency to stay with the program because they feel we are being upfront with them as to where we see that team. We tried the not setting teams til later and it ended up costing us alot of athletes because they felt we were leading them on. But hey if it works for you it works for you. Thats the beauty of this sort of things. what works for you might not work for us and vise versa.
We are a new gym and we have one small team and we are planning to compete senior open level 3. The girls of course would love to be level 4. We chose our level based on the current skill of the cheerleaders at this point. We have stressed to them and their parents that they can work all summer towards a level 4. We split our practices into level 3 and level 4 training. that way they can practice and perfect those level 3 skills, but still work on those level 4 skills. I personally think it is important to set your level early on. That way it gives your cheerleaders a common goal to master the skills needed and you work on those through out the summer to be stronger. I found that when you wait to choose a level, you play catch up all season to the gyms who have been training all summer at the appropriate level. My opinion only. It is always easier to deal with moving a squad up then moving them down. For some reason this causes clients to leave. At the parent meeting we gave all the parents and cheerleaders what the minimun requirement was for each level and why and how we chose levels. A check off list as well. Our goal is that at whatever level we are competing more than 95 percent of the squad has to have all the required top skills. This made it so easy on us in explaining the level we chose and it allowed the parents/cheerleaders to see for themselves what was required to compete and be truly competitive in our level we choose. Now we are training level 3, but let me tell you these girls are pushing for level 4. It is exciting to see them at practice and watch each of them set goals and push each other to meet them. As we move down our checklist we are comfortable at a level 3 but some of those girls are already checking off those level 4 skills. AND THERE IS ALWAYS NEXT SEASON :) It is better to be competitive and do outstanding in a lower level than to stuggle all season in a higher level and watch the girls and their families excitement get sucked out of them. Not every gym needs to have high level teams, but every gym needs to be competitive. Stress that early on in your program and stick to it and everyone will be happy.
For those parents/cheerleaders who are looking for a higher level team. We are honest and upfront with them. We tell them we would love for tehm to particiapte in our program. To be part of our cheer family. We stress the importance of loyalty and the other aspects to cheerleading and being on a team. But we also understand that we may not meet their needs skill wise and if they are set on a higher skill leveled gym. We give them great options to choose from. It works out well. We had a family who was looking for a level 5 team and they eneded up back with us. Not because the gym wasnt great, but her daughter really loved the girls in our program, the coach and the enviroment at our gym. We have also sent a family to a gym and they love it there. It is exciting to hear all the new things their daughter is working on and what a great support system we established and relationship.
We will stick with our gym for one more year if we end up on level 4 again, but we will have to move the next year if it doesn't pan out to 5. I have been patient every year for 4 years because the team has always been a level below my daughter's skills, but they have been moving up....so I figure one more year will allow enough of the ones around her age to catch up. They are really so close to getting enough to make a solid 5 team. Lots of the kids are progressing quickly all of a sudden. My fingers are crossed. There is a gym across town that would be perfect now (skill-wise and people there are nice). But the people are nice at our gym too, so no reason to upset the apple cart.
I have a quick comment for this... It is so honorable that you are giving your already cheer family a chance. But it is also important to do what is best for your family and daughter. There is never a guarranty that the kids in your current program will get to a level 5. so you have to make a decision based on what your daughter needs and not what the other kids will do or be at. It is so important to remember that every gym is not equipped to be a level 5. They may not have the appropriate staff to coach level 5 or even the cheerleaders to be a level 5. And thats ok. If you and your daughter want to really compete level 5 then go for it. If that is at the top of your priority list of course. Dont sit back and be frustrated. Everyone has to do what is right for them and what is good for the team. Now if your daughter absoulutely loves and can care less if she stays level 4. She has friends and has built strong relationships there. welll then by all means a level 4 team is not too shabby to be on. Heck any level team as long as her needs are being met is good and she is happy.
And any gym that guarranties alevl higher the next saeson should never ever do that. You never know what talent pool will return or walk in the door. Honesty is the best policy Tough decision to make wish you luck with that
We will stick with our gym for one more year if we end up on level 4 again, but we will have to move the next year if it doesn't pan out to 5. I have been patient every year for 4 years because the team has always been a level below my daughter's skills, but they have been moving up....so I figure one more year will allow enough of the ones around her age to catch up. They are really so close to getting enough to make a solid 5 team. Lots of the kids are progressing quickly all of a sudden. My fingers are crossed. There is a gym across town that would be perfect now (skill-wise and people there are nice). But the people are nice at our gym too, so no reason to upset the apple cart.
As a coach I applaud your efforts to remain faithful where you are and to instill loyalty as a core value in your daughter. Is it possible that the gym you are at will allow her to do individuals so she can still perform her Level 5 tumbling ina competition setting? If after this year there is no change, I can fully understand your decision. All I would do is let the coaches know and let them know you harbor no ill feeling towards them or the program. One of the hardest things we as coaches deal with is seeing kids we have worked with competing for someone else. There is no guidebook on how to feel or react, and it hurts the more when it happened with circumstances we could of fixed if only we knew about them. Having that conversation in person makes it easier to handle in future meetings.
To become a soild Level 5 it is not all about the tumbling skills, contrary to opinion. The jumps, motions, dance, stunts, etc. There is just a certain expectation that once a child becomes a Level 5 they are no longer "working" on it they are it. Not perfect mind you, but in no way should a Level 2 or 3 be able to have better jumps or motions or dance than they do. A level 5 should not have to be berated or pleaded to get through practice or to do conditioning. A Level 5 should be an example in the gym to what the other athletes in the gym aspire to be. Sadly we have a lot of cheerleaders with Level 5 skills with Level 2 mindsets when it comes to cheer.
To be able to "win or compete well" at level 5 and not just show up, all of the athletes must be fully rounded. Any coach who takes a team Level 5 with only part of what is needed is doing a great disservice to that team. Yet coaches are pressured to do that all the time because the parents call for it, or else they will walk to another program who will give them what they want. So then money and not ethics drives the ship at that type of gym. Our gym learned the hard way don't move them up or call them that until they are ready. When they showed they could not stunt a a Level 5 capability we dropped them to Level 4. They had a great year but competed disgruntled all year because they wanted to be level 5. Basically the whole team left rather than work hard and give it one more year to be solid Level 5 athletes. (there were other issues but that was the core reason in exit interviews and that they were afraid that they would be dropped to level 4 again the next year)
We will stick with our gym for one more year if we end up on level 4 again, but we will have to move the next year if it doesn't pan out to 5. I have been patient every year for 4 years because the team has always been a level below my daughter's skills, but they have been moving up....so I figure one more year will allow enough of the ones around her age to catch up. They are really so close to getting enough to make a solid 5 team. Lots of the kids are progressing quickly all of a sudden. My fingers are crossed. There is a gym across town that would be perfect now (skill-wise and people there are nice). But the people are nice at our gym too, so no reason to upset the apple cart.
As a coach I applaud your efforts to remain faithful where you are and to instill loyalty as a core value in your daughter. Is it possible that the gym you are at will allow her to do individuals so she can still perform her Level 5 tumbling ina competition setting? If after this year there is no change, I can fully understand your decision. All I would do is let the coaches know and let them know you harbor no ill feeling towards them or the program. One of the hardest things we as coaches deal with is seeing kids we have worked with competing for someone else. There is no guidebook on how to feel or react, and it hurts the more when it happened with circumstances we could of fixed if only we knew about them. Having that conversation in person makes it easier to handle in future meetings.
To become a soild Level 5 it is not all about the tumbling skills, contrary to opinion. The jumps, motions, dance, stunts, etc. There is just a certain expectation that once a child becomes a Level 5 they are no longer "working" on it they are it. Not perfect mind you, but in no way should a Level 2 or 3 be able to have better jumps or motions or dance than they do. A level 5 should not have to be berated or pleaded to get through practice or to do conditioning. A Level 5 should be an example in the gym to what the other athletes in the gym aspire to be. Sadly we have a lot of cheerleaders with Level 5 skills with Level 2 mindsets when it comes to cheer.
To be able to "win or compete well" at level 5 and not just show up, all of the athletes must be fully rounded. Any coach who takes a team Level 5 with only part of what is needed is doing a great disservice to that team. Yet coaches are pressured to do that all the time because the parents call for it, or else they will walk to another program who will give them what they want. So then money and not ethics drives the ship at that type of gym. Our gym learned the hard way don't move them up or call them that until they are ready. When they showed they could not stunt a a Level 5 capability we dropped them to Level 4. They had a great year but competed disgruntled all year because they wanted to be level 5. Basically the whole team left rather than work hard and give it one more year to be solid Level 5 athletes. (there were other issues but that was the core reason in exit interviews and that they were afraid that they would be dropped to level 4 again the next year)
Good luck to you and daughter.
How professional and intuitive of your program to conduct exit interviews before a family leaves your program. I think many gyms could benefit from simply asking "why?" and "what would you suggest?"
I would much rather hear it from the parents/child face to face and upfront than to let the cheerleading gossip/rumor get a hold of it. Once they get it, it usually becomes too late to do anything about it and addressing it only seems to make it worse. To me there is no excuse for not sitting down and telling the owners/coaches honestly why you are leaving. How can they make changes if they do not know until after you leave? Likewise there is no excuse for owners and coaches who will not sit down and at least listen to parents who pay all that money we ask them to. It may not mean you make changes, but you at least need to give them that respect.
Every child/parent is not a fit for every program. There should be no shame in that, but often how that change is managed is what causes the drama to intensify. Exit interviews become a good way to assess your direction as a program and determine if any changes truly need to be made. Whenever programs make knee jerk reactions and change because one or two families leave or because a supremely talented athlete leaves without having solid credible information, they actually do a disservice to those parents who chose them in the first place.
