Most gyms have teams that are year around (May- March) or half year, starting in November. The half year teams seem to consist of cheerleaders that are either new to the sport or have just finished up pop warner cheer. Why aren't there teams for girls or guys that want something inbetween? Would there be enough interest to form teams consisting of "those year around cheerleaders"? They would go to more comps than a half year team but not as many as a full time cheerleader. They would practice less than a year around cheerleader but more than a half year team. Cheer is expensive and maybe if gyms had something inbetween, then perhaps they would have less of an attendance problem?
I think thats a great idea. I think the great part about a full year team is working your skills, routine and choreography so you can really excel for that upcoming season. You can do that in September/October if you started a team, but the skills and talent wouldn't be perfected until December or January and they could only compete at select competitions. IT would also be one more "type" of team for a gym to handle. While I think its a great idea, I think the full commitment teaches dedication and also pushes cheerleading to its limits.
The new program is still in the works and we need to iron out some details. Here is a real general idea of what will be in place. We are trying to build a program that more cheerleaders can get involved with. For some families the full year teams are not an option due to cost or the time commitment. The teams will have less practice and competitions but at the same time they will still get the same great training that cheergyms.com provides.
I know you were wanting more details but that is all I have for now. We hope to have all the information out by the end of March at the very latest. I welcome anyone to e-mail me directly with other questions. I can also add you to my mailing list so that you are sure to the information as soon as it is available.
This Mom loves the idea. There are so many kids who can't join the full year teams for the reasons we hear all the time( money time etc) but there are also some cheergyms.com cheerleaders who love their team, but want to participate in other sports, school activities, and family vacations they have missed in years past. Maybe a once a week practice and fewer out of state comps would make it possible for these kids to do cheer and have time left for something else. So would it be possible to have a competitive level 5 team that meets once a week -in my opinion YES, just look at the AA team! Keep us updated with new info please, I'm sure there will be many families ready for this kind of team after the competition season is over :)
I love the idea! But I don't agree that you can have a level 5 team with less time commitment. The All American kids are different. They are already working on their skills outside of their AA practice. These kids also have an amazing work ethic and commitment. They were chosen for this team because of it. I think it is great that cheergyms is going to do an inbetween program. There is a huge need for it!!! I just think these will probably be more level 2 and 3 teams.
Gold Mom, I think your right. The teams will most likely be level 2 or 3 because of no summer practices and less time to get the skills necessary to be level 5. Anytime you use the word less , it means less all around. Less practice, less time to get things sharp, less time to get better, and less time to get everything just right.
Hey, I was the original poster on this topic, and my daughter thought it was stupid to write it! lol
Anyways, I believe there could be a level 4 or 5....... why not? Cheerleaders who have been cheering for years and are good but maybe not as serious cuz school comes first could form a team. And they would already have these skills. I am sure that there a lot more cheerleaders out there who could have been on the All American team, but they did not try out because of the additional time commitment. So, why not have more teams like them? My daughter would have liked to been on the All American team..... but school work does come first!
I think this will get a lot more interested cheerleaders into the program, who may want less commitment and who don't have the money... in our case, money is not the issue. ... but having to commute to the gym (1/2 hour not in light traffic) is a big pain.
We don't know if practices are eliminated in the summer or how much less practice or how much less money at this point... I think that good teams can happen if you just put all those experienced cheerleaders together on a team.
And how about only weekday practices? It would be nice to have weekends off like Cheer Xplosion from Livermore does. Let the high schools come on the weekends.....??
Respectful reply to previous post. It takes more than having indivdual skills. It takes time to build a team, the trust involved. So, I still respectfully disagree that you can have a level 5 team with practicing once a week.
I think Gold Mom is right once again. I think you will get sprinkle of cheerleaders who will have the level 5 talent,but even girls at the top of their game should be challenged. I can't think of a team who will practice once a week since most programs practice twice and thats the only direction to go. Plus most gyms went to Sundays due to letting kids do more activities at schools during the week and they can focus on their studies. I really think this is a strong idea, but I wouldn't go as far as putting a powerhouse level 5 team at this level.
You could have 18 teams if you had the right facility. I think some of the gyms are trying to cram too many team practices into a small facility which means they have to practice on weekends.
Of course, I'm going off topic here, but think about it..if your child loves cheer and stays in it for YEARS that means the family very RARELY gets weekends free. For our family that has been a very negative aspect of having weekend practices. Wow, to have the freedom to go away on weekends as a family. Just think!
We have 18 teams and our new gym will be open real soon!!! Yes, we are a bit squished right now but we pull it off WITHOUT weekend practices. We go in shifts right now, sometimes overlapping and sometimes sharing but it works! (1st shift begins at 4:15 and last ends at 8:30) Even with tumbling, privates, dance and team tumbling going on at the same time!!! Our new gym will be HUGE so watch our website to see it progress!!! Demo begins today!!!! We have some great leaders in our gym that pull it of so wonderfully. There are pics on our site of our current gym.
Regarding the no practicing on weekends. It is a catch 22...some people love it where some people hate it. At Colony in Livermore we do not practice on the weekend right now. We are a smaller gym but in a year or so we will have to move to weekend practices because we will have to many teams. At Colony we make sure there is time for different classes for non-all stars in our program.
I am excited to hear that there is interest in the new idea...details will be out soon!
Some people hate the idea of weekend practices but I hate the idea of spending 3 weekday evenings driving my child to the gym. I have 3 kids and if I have to spend many weeknights at the gym with 1 child the others never see me or get dinner. We live to far away to drive back home after dropping my daughter off. My husband is at work until late many evenings and I get home just in time to drive to the gym. This does not leave much time for family dinners or driving the other kids to their practices in other sports. It is a toss up weekends or weekdays, something has to give.
Yea, I know what you mean, it's a toss-up. Weekends free would be nice because you can make plans, go somewhere, you're not stuck at home on a Sunday because practice is in the middle of the day, for instance. But having them on weeknights makes for a stressful week. So I guess the choice is, get all the stress out of the way during the week so you can relax the entire weekend, or less stress during the week, but less relaxing on Sundays (or Saturdays). Oh, one more point -- I think you get MORE practices if they are on weeknights because competitions are typically over the weekend.
I bring dinner to the gym. I make it or bring pre-made dinners and cook them at the gym. (Micro) Then we sit at the table and do homework, eat and talk. What's cool is... when homework is tough, there's ALWAYS someone who knows how to do it. When the kids have to behave for a few, while I heat up the leftovers, there's ALWAYS another mom there!!! The gym has become our family and what better way than to have your HUGE family there too!!! You wouldn't believe how many kids do their homework at our gym and we have mom's who tutor (Motions former mom Dana is one), others who help feed the younger ones and some who are there to just support us all!!! Dads will come sometimes to take the kids somewhere or just to sit with us.... but it works out!!! Some of the siblings even take tumbling while the others are practicing just for exercise.
That's why they (owners) decided to put in a homework room AND a play room. This gives the kids a quiet place to work when the 3, 4 &5 year olds want to run and scream! I CAN'T WAIT FOR OUR NEW GYM!!! THANKS TO THE REINHARTS FOR MAKING IT POSSIBLE!!!
I know it's tough mom's but your kids are so worth it. I guess it's the sacrifice of having so many rugrats!!! hehehehehehe
