Its Not Right

Xtreme Elite Mom · Veteran Member

RE: Its Not Right

cheerstoya · Senior Member

Xtreme Elite Mom wrote:

Since when does a HS cheer coach have the right to tell me what my child can and can't do outside of school? I understand making rules about missing practice (those exist in all star cheer too), but to specifically say you cannot be on an all star team is ridiculous!!! There are other ways to ensure commitment from your cheerleaders other than dictating the activities that they can be involved in.
It seems like such a loss to these HS programs.....all star cheerleaders are typically very commited to their sport.

So well spoken! What right do they have? Thank you!

AirborneOwner · GURU

This year we have multiple girls on three different teams that are involved in High School Cheer, I think the main thing is communication.

We have come across minor schedule problems. I think it can work if the right people are communicating the schedules and practices.

When it comes to stating that you cannot do both, that is hard to swallow as I don't think they have the legal grounds to follow through, especially if it is a public school. I would feel that it would fall under discrimation if they turned you away,especially if your child had the skill to be on the high school team. Has anyone challanged this?

I would love to hear the other side of the thought process, maybe from a high school coach that believes they should only do the school team, maybe they have valid concerns. Everyone is entitled to their own feelings, that does not mean everyone will agree, but I would love to hear that side. =)

VetMom · Newbie

I can see the hs coach's point. Especially if you live in an area that has several allstar gyms. When my daughter was a hs cheerleader, her allstar coach worked very hard to coordinate her comp schedule so it wouldn't interfere with the hs schedule. But, she had teammates from another allstar program who's coaches refused to compromise one bit. The other coach actually wanted her high school cheerleaders to miss a hs COMPETITION, so they could be at their allstar PRACTICE.

On more than 1 occasion, our gym would go to a competition, and one of our teams would not be there because too many of its members had hs commitments.

More often, our hs team, suffered because of allstar cheerleaders attending an allstar event. Fortunately, my daughter was allowed to do both... but I can honestly understand the coaches not wanting to deal with that.

As far as the argument of other sports being allowed to do that. None of the high school teams (non-cheer) would put up with the lack of attendence/commitment for any non-emergency reason, that high school cheerleading coaches have to put up with from their cheerleaders. When it came down to making a choice, most kids I know would choose allstar in a minute. Most high school coaches know that. So, if they are a little gun shy, its perfectly understandable.

Caspiritlala · Veteran Member

As a School cheer coach and an All Star coach I see both sides. I feel like you can always make it work if you are willing to try. In some areas the HS coaches make it so difficult for the girls to do both even going as far as to changing their practice and competition schedules once they get the all star schedule so that it does conflict. Not saying this is my personal experience but I have heard of this. I dont understand it because isnt all star making the athletes better? It's not like they are off partying on their free time like the 60% of girls on the squad are. Those coaches sure dont mind getting handed talent on a silver platter.
And dont try complaining about the way things are to the district and school administration!
It's frustrating but I have seen it so many times that the athletes of parents that complain are typically "black listed" their daughters dont make it and these coaches can & will come up with a ligitimate reason why. Example: Your daughter throws a full at tryouts. She doesnt make it. School coach will say something like "Motion scores were bad".
Try and fight it and you are looked at as "crazy parent"
Again this is not my personal experience but I have heard of this happening.
It sucks that it's this way and they can get away with this. These athletes are just wanting to excel and grow in the sport they love. As both a school cheer coach and all star coach it saddens me.

I have honestly never had a scheduling conflict.

cheerguru · Member

I think we have to remember the biggest difference between HS and All Star.

All Star cheerleading is a business. All Star Cheer gyms take everyone for several reasons but one of them, and a reason that is never admitted to, is because the gyms want to make money. In High School cheerleading the squads still cut athletes (perhaps not every HS, but the majority) because they are searching for the best.

All Star Gyms want to make it work. They want the HS cheerleaders to do their teams as well. HS Squads want the team to be solely commited to their team because there is so much on their plate. Football games, Basketball games (usually 2 games a week), rallies, competitions, other sports wanting support, etc.

HS Coaches have a lot of reasons for why they don't want their kids doing All Star as well. It could be that they are afraid of losing them to All Star, or they think their kid is going to get hurt (let's admit, there are programs out there that aren't helping the All Star cause in its quest for being deemed a safe sport), or they don't want any time conflicts to arrive.

I agree though, no one should be able to tell a child what they can do in their free time. All it will take is one egotistical parent to flex their muscles, find a lawyer and sue the school. Then I think most schools will just throw in the towel and cancel the school programs all together.

And that, will be a really bad thing for All Star Cheer gyms.

MrCommentary · Veteran Member

Where I live right here in the valley, the schools consider high school cheer a SPORT. Which means they get the same treatment as sport teams. What that means is that yes athletes are recommended to play their sport on a travel team during the off season however, high school cheer is an ALL YEAR sport. So it's not allowed to be on another team if your school considers cheer a sport. Getting an attorney won't do anything (sorry to say) if your school considers cheer a sport. It's school policy that you can't do two sports at the same time.

To be honest doing all-star and high school at the same time is A LOT of work. However if your high school team is strictly just a rah rah cheer at games and practice once or twice a week, then parents should schedule a meeting with the school's athletic director to try and get rules changed.
If it's competitive and your cheer team practice's a couple days a week, then you might want to really think about letting her do both. IMO.

Good luck with whatever you pursue.