How Competitive Teams Are Made at CPA
Team Placements
We always endeavor to place athletes on teams that will make not only the athlete successful, but also the team. Our staff spend many hours discussing each athlete and team to find the best fit for everyone.
If you or your athlete are upset with the team/level they are placed on we will be happy to have a calm and level headed discussion.
CPA is a business, and if you choose to take your business somewhere else that is your right as a customer. The two main reasons families choose to leave any gym are because they are not happy with the level they have been placed on, or because of the position they will be placed in. Just make sure you understand the true reason you are leaving and accept the fact that the same decision (level/position) will most likely be made at the next gym.
For the past few seasons we have used Level Practices to be able to spend more time assessing athletes in different levels and roles. It allows us to start putting together teams and moving athletes around like puzzle pieces.
In order to make teams we look to the scoresheet. We have to make sure we are covering our ratios for both individual skills and building skills. Stunt groups need to be a big priority in this as building skills are 75% of the scoresheet. This means there may be situations where an athlete fits best on a team based on their stunting position vs. their tumbling abilities or may even be asked to try a different stunting position.
Expectations
Please make sure you temper your AND your athlete's expectations. Too many athletes, and far too many parents EXPECT certain things ending one season and going into the next.
- I/my athlete was on ASP last year so I expect to be on an All Star team this year
- I/my athlete was on a Level 1 team last year so I expect to be on a Level 2 team this year
- I/my athlete was a flyer last year so I expect to be a flyer this year
- I/my athlete has been on a Level 2 team for 3 years so I expect to be on a higher level this year
- I/my athlete has Level 3 tumbling and should be on a level 3 team
- We have been part of the gym for ‘x’ number of years and therefore we expect to be on ‘y’ team
Absolutely none of these are true.
Both ASP and All Star are competitive teams that practice twice a week and attend competitions. One is not lesser than the other they just offer different products.
Just because your athlete was on a Level 1 team (ASP, Coral, Cobalt) does not mean they will move to a Level 2 team the following season. For example, if they have okay Level 1 building skills, & no level 2 tumbling skills, you need to ask yourself what role they would play on a Level 2 team?
Would they be in the tumbling sections of the routine?
- No, they have no level 2 tumbling
Would they be in any of the building sections of the routine?
- Probably not when the rest of the team is more practiced or more skilled at the position.
So at the end of the day they would end up fronting a stunt/pyramid, be in jumps & dance, and that is it. So what are you paying for as a parent? Wouldn’t you rather pay for your athlete to build their skills, be fully involved in a routine than to pay for them to be filler of a routine on a team/level they will never move past. Keeping athletes at the same level when they are not ready to move on will set them up for success in the future. That is our goal. ALWAYS.
Just because we do not have a team listed does not mean we will not have that team or another team the following season. Every season we do our best to estimate what teams we will have and most seasons we end up adjusting those teams based on Level Practices.
The coaches at CPA have a combined 150 years of team making experience with quite a lot of success at all age groups and all levels. We ask that you try your best to trust the process and know that we will always have your athletes best interest in mind for all their potential years of cheerleading