All-Star Cheer
What is All Star Cheerleading?
All Star cheerleading is a competition sport that involves boys and girls performing a 2 minute and 30 second routine composed of tumbling, stunting, jumping, pyramids, dance, and cheer segments. This routine is performed and scored against other competitive teams at various local, regional, national, and worldwide competitions.
When we refer to tumbling, we mean gymnastic type skills like cartwheels and back handsprings. Stunting refers to a group of two or more individuals that elevate another cheerleader in the air. This also includes co-ed stunting that may only include one base and one flyer. Pyramids are a form of stunting but are done as a large group and are interconnected. Dance is a portion of a routine that consists of choreographed high energy dance moves. Lastly, the cheer portion is a part of the routine that team members perform precise coordinated motions.
The main difference between High School cheer and All Star cheer is that a High School cheerleading team’s primary purpose is to support a local school’s sports team and keep the crowd excited. An All Star team performs purely for the challenge, thrill, and competition of the sport. Other differences include All Star cheerleading seasons can be as much as a year long, All Star cheerleaders are not required to be from the same school or area, and in many cases the skill set required for All Stars is much more diverse.
The United States All Star Federation (USASF) is a governing body that is working to standardize and assist gyms across the nation. While it is not required for all gyms to belong to the USASF, most high quality gyms choose to belong and adhere to the USASF regulations. Michigan Cheer Company and all its coaches are USASF certified.
Why Should My Child Cheer At Michigan Cheer Company?
Cheer is unique in that it encourages individual development (i.e. tumbling) as much as team development (i.e. stunting, pyramids). Your child can feel pride in learning a skill completely on their own and at the same time learn the invaluable lesson of depending on their teammates to reach a goal. Likewise the confidence developed in performing in front of thousands of people is priceless. You will be amazed how quickly your young cheerleader adapts to being on stage. Also, because of the long practice hours, travel times, and competition weekends, your cheerleader will create friendships that will last a lifetime. Many All Star cheerleaders have friends they have met across the country as they have progressed into college and even career coaching jobs.
MIchigan Cheer Company has:
Teams for all ages and skill sets
All certified USASF coaches with over 100 years of combined experience
Proven track record of outstanding performance and major championships
Alumni who have cheered at Division I colleges
Staff that average over 9 years with gym
Proper team placement based upon skill set and age appropriation
There are thousands of all-star gyms across the country. MIchigan Cheer Company is widely considered a top All-Star program in the West Michigan area, with both Summit and Worlds championships. While not every program is a perfect fit for every athlete, we believe that we have a solid approach that is the right choice for the brand-new beginning athlete to the highly-skilled veteran. Regardless of the gym you choose, All-Star cheerleading is a great way for young athletes to learn new skills and improve teamwork, goal-setting, and sportsmanship, as they make lifelong friendships.
We strive to provide a positive athletic experience for all participants. We invite you to try one of our classes, or to come by and watch our teams practice, to help you with your all star decision.
What does it take to be an All Star Cheerleader?
To be an All Star Cheerleader, dedication to the sport, a commitment to hours of practice each week, and being a team player are all fundamentals of cheering for an All Star team. All Star cheerleaders are dedicated to the sport of cheerleading and it being seen as such to the public. Members are not chosen based on popularity, attractiveness, or familial status but on the skill they can offer the team. Team members are athletes in every sense of the word and work hard to dispel any biased assumptions of what a cheerleader should be. Parents and cheerleaders should be aware that cheering All Star is a large time commitment. It is akin to the commitment level of a club soccer team or a traveling baseball team. Normally, seasons begin with tryouts in the spring with light to heavy practices in the summer followed by a competition season running from fall to the spring of the following year. Practices can be 2-3 hours long and as often as 2- 3 times a week. These practices are usually mandatory since many elements of a routine cannot be done without everyone there. In addition, most gyms require and/or encourage tumbling sessions or other private sessions to improve skills. Most teams will attend 7-10 competitions a season, which usually consist of a total weekend commitment if not more. Lastly, every All Star cheerleader should be aware that this is a team sport. Decisions are made based on what is best for the team and the performance. There may be times when a parent or athlete may question a coach’s decision. Before discussing these issues with any gym staff, you should always ask yourself whether this decision was better for the team even though your child may not be in the position they had hoped. There will always be ups and downs in an All Star cheerleader’s career, but rarely are these decisions made with any bias..
We have discussed the cheerleader’s commitment to All Star, but it’s also important to know the commitment level for parents as well. Most parents minimally drive their cheerleader to the gym twice a week. In addition, depending on the location of your gym, you may end up spending many hours at Cheer Express waiting for practices to finish. This is outside of the weekends spent at the actual cheer competitions. As a parent of a younger, non-driving cheerleader, this can be quite taxing and often interrupts other activities like family night dinners. It can be especially tough on other siblings that are used to having that parent around more often. It is best to speak with a coach and other cheer parents who have children in an applicable age group and division about true time commitments and whether your family can make this sacrifice.
What Is Required of Me As A Parent?
Once you and your athlete have made the commitment to All Star there are a few extra things that you want to keep in mind. Because of the competitive nature of the sport, cheerleading can often encourage gossip and mean-spirited words. Many times this is coming more from the parents than the cheerleaders. It’s imperative to remember that as a parent it is your responsibility to remain supportive of your cheerleader, your cheerleader’s teammates, and Michigan Cheer Company. This means not talking about other children or parents, especially in gym waiting areas, and quickly dealing with your own child if he or she is encouraging gossip. We all would like to say that the world of All Stars is free of this type thing, but it can quickly get out of hand with a few bad apples in a cheer gym.
Also, there will be times when the coaches make decisions that you are not comfortable or agree with as a parent. If a problem occurs (barring a safety issue) we encourage you to step back and think through your issue for a few days. Ask yourself several questions like…Am I being overly protective? Was my child doing something to deserve reprimand? What could be the reasons for my child’s placement in a routine? Is there another reason this decision was made that I am not aware of as a parent? If you still feel strongly about the issue, your first conversation should always be with your child’s coach. The coach can explain why decisions were made and give you more insight into the process. We would guess that as many as 95% of issues can usually be resolved between coach and parent. For most gyms, the appropriate way to make contact with the coach is by a phone call or email. DO NOT approach a coach on the cheer floor during practice or some other cheer activity. This is one of the cardinal rules of being a good cheer parent! The coaches need to concentrate on our children and their safety and cannot be worried about an angry cheer parent approaching them during this time. Michigan Cheer Company asks you to please "Trust the Process."
Lastly, as a cheer parent, you will want to support your child with every up and down they experience in cheer; and there will be many of them. There may be skills your child masters in days and then there will be that one skill that takes two or more years to perfect. They may have what we call “mental blocks” where they just cannot perform a skill that they may have been doing for some time. Most times mental blocks happen after some type of injury or fall but typically there is not a physical reason preventing it. Also, there are times when your child may not make a team they expected or even worse see their friends go to higher level teams without them. Along with all these lows there are many highs though. The thrill of seeing your child perform a skill for the first time is incredible; while the pride of watching your tiny 5 year old son/daughter perform in front of thousands without any issues will bring tears to your eyes. There are great times and tough times but your support as a parent is priceless.
Evaluations
What Team(s) Will You Have? What Team Will I Be On?
Athletes progress from level to level based upon their ability to successfully execute defined skills in tumbling, jumping, stunting and dance. Just being able to tumble at a level, is not the gating factor of progression. Tumbling, although certainly important, is only a part of the score sheet. Jumps, dance, transitions, stunts and stunt building are of equal importance. An athlete must be proficient in all aspects of a cheer routine to be considered competent at a "level."
Sometimes athletes are placed on a level where they do not have all the desired skills, based upon team need. Most gyms do not have unlimited participant choices, and may have to allow non-fully skilled cheerleaders to move up a level when, for example, a backspot is needed to complete a stunt group, and no fully-skilled backspot is available. Sometimes a coach will use an athlete who competes on a higher level team and ask them to compete on two teams during the season, if no other alternative seems viable. This is refered to as "double-teaming." The age of a participant may also require they move to a different division. There are minimum and maximum age requirements, and a participant may be too old, or not be old enough for a certain level. All of these factors are used to determine proper level and team placement.
Many parents (and their children) define success by how fast they movie up levels. Some go from gym to gym on the promise of making the next level team. In most cases this is a mistake, as the child along with others who were given the same guarantee, cheer on a team that is not competitive at that level.
Michigan Cheer Company tries to place athletes at the appropriate level based upon both skills and age. Doing so allows for a much more positive athletic experience, and opportunity for individual and team success.
What are the age requirements, divisions and levels?
Michigan Cheer Company accepts athletes from ages three and up. There are many different combinations of age groups, divisions, and levels. So many sometimes that they can be quite confusing! These were all created to insure that like ages were competing with like skill sets. Levels were designed to make sure that each team competes and is judged by how well they demonstrate a standard set of skills expected for every team competing at that same level. The levels range from 1-7 in All Star cheerleading with level 7 being the highest and most difficult. Often the younger cheerleader competes at the lower levels, but there are also many cheerleaders that enter All Star cheerleading in their teens that may start at level 1 or 2 as well. Remember that levels based on skill and age. In addition, you may find your athlete has been placed in a level that is above or below what you expected. Coaches make these type decisions based on many different criteria. Divisions also determine which group a team will compete. These are based on the age of the cheerleader, however other divisions have been included that incorporate the number of male cheerleaders allowed on each team. These age ranges are very strict and must be adhered to by each gym. To see a list of USASF divisions please go to www.usasf.net.
How can I best support my athlete going into Tryouts?
We strongly encourage parents to help manage their athlete’s expectations before tryouts begin. In reviewing the options available for her/his age and skill level, try to avoid placing pressure on your athletes to make a particular team, and instead focus on what they really love about cheerleading, whether it’s the physical challenge, the friendships, the thrill of competition, or all of the above. Try to reassure your athletes that you are not emotionally invested in what team they make, and that they will always have your support.
How are the decisions made?
After tryouts our coaches go through what is known as "team deliberation." This is an opportunity for us to go through each athlete’s skill assessment page. From there we create teams based on age, skill, and the make-up of the team. We take into consideration all areas of the score sheet. Although tumbling is the most visible skill, we will also consider stunting skills, ability to pick up choreography, and mental fortitude. Our goal is the place athletes on a team where they will be most successful.
My athlete is going into 10th grade but is still junior age. Should we just come to the Senior tryouts?
No, please attend your age-appropriate tryout. Your athlete will still be considered for a senior team. Most athletes in 10th grade do prefer to train on a senior team, and that preference can be made known to us at tryouts, via email, or prior to team placements by phone.
What if an athlete disagrees with his/her placement?
While we are confident that every single one of our #BlueCrew teams is set up with amazing coaches and a great competition schedule, we do understand that some athletes will feel disappointed, and are sensitive to the pressures some athletes place upon themselves. For this reason, we call some athletes prior to team review to talk about their placement and provide some background on our decision. However, our team decisions are final, and we ask parents and athletes alike to trust our judgement. We put a lot of thought into the tryouts process, and truly have the best interests of every athlete at heart.
Why Do I Have To Pay For Evaluations?
Our evaluations do not require a contract signing at time of evaluations instead of paying registration fees and first months tuition you will just pay a flat evaluation fee. After your evaluation and level placement is when you can make the decision to continue with Michigan Cheer Company. Once you decide to continue you would just pay your first month’s tuition and registration fee to start practices. For more information on the Evaluation process click here.
What Should I Wear To Evaluations?
We ask that all athletes come in non-program specific plain colored sports attire (Sports Bra, Shorts, Cheer Shoes). This helps create a low stress environment for the athletes to not worry about the level of skill or program the athlete may be coming from. Hair should be pulled away from the face in a ponytail or headband. If you would like to wear makeup you are more than welcome, our gym colors are silver, blue and white!
Do We Have To Come To All 3 Days in The Session?
Absolutely not, we structure our evaluations to give athletes as much opportunity to show us their full potential. Some athletes may feel anxiety, stress, or pressure on day one of evaluation and that may affect the performance of their skills. Typically once they receive their feedback from the instructors they want to come back on day two to show us the improvement or show us skills they were hesitant to execute. If you decide on day one you were satisfied with your placement and showing then you do not need to return for the second day. At the end of each session we will facilitate an Open Gym for all the athletes in each session to begin bonding and working on skill in a more freestyle format. Staff will observe interactions and skills during this time and take into account this for final evaluations.
My Athlete Is a Flyer, Do We Have To Do A Flyer Evaluation?
Yes, all interested flyers at Michigan Cheer Company are required to do a Flyer Evaluation separate from regular evaluations. This ensure we can spend dedicated time with your athlete to see their full potential and skills.
Do I Have To Sign a Contract At The Time of Evaluations? Once I Sign Am I Locked In?
Not at all, once evaluations are completed and we send out team placements, you have 48 hours to complete the contract and pay your dues to secure your spot on the team. Once you sign you have 7 days to cancel risk-free,. If you decide to drop once the 7 days has passed we will assess a $500 Early Termination Fee up until Choreography week.
Once Choreography has been completed you will be responsible for all dues and fees associated for the season plus the ETF Fee.
I Cannot Make An Evaluation Session, Is Their Another Alternative?
We provide both private evaluations, and video evaluations. Please Email Info@MichiganCheerCompany.com to setup a time.
How Long is the Season and where do we mostly compete?
A gyms’ competition season can start as early as August and may last until April. Most gyms will start with local competitions, then attend regional or state competitions, and then save national competitions towards the end of the season. The norm is to attend between 7 and 10 competitions a season. Typically our Tiny Level 1 team will attend less events. Competitions are chosen based on cost of travel, timing, company affiliations, availability of teams in each division, and bid potential. We will give you a schedule of competitions at the beginning of the season. It is best to go ahead and begin looking into reservations at that time. Work with an experienced cheer parent or the gym to guide you through this process. Flights may be necessary or you may choose to carpool for a long drive. We may also have pre-arranged travel planned for you. The travel can become quite stressful between being a new cheer parent and the cost of events.
What Are The Total Weekly Time Commitment?
All of our practice schedules are based on how many teams we have during the season. We try to accomodate the schedule of the majority of the team to ensure majority attendance. We have two different schedules for competitive season a Summer Schedule, and Non-Summer Schedule. All-Star Cheer is a year-round sport, so in an effort to prevent burnout we want to provide all athletes time during the summer to enjoy vacations, breaks, and other events. Once Choreography is completed we will then switch into the Non-Summer months schedule to begin working on routines and
Tentative Practice Days:
Summer Practice Schedule: Weekday Back to Back (Mon/Tues)
Non-Summer Practice Schedule: One Weekday, and One Weekend Practice (Tues/Sun, Thurs/Sun etc…)
Practice Durations:
Prep/Novice teams practice is 2 times a week for 2 hours. (Typically 5-7pm, 6-8pm, 7-9pm)
Elite teams practice is 2 times a week for 3 hours. (Typically 5-8pm, 6-9pm, or 7-10pm for Senior/Open teams)
Worlds Teams practice is 3 times a week for 3 hours. (Hours will vary)
Additional practices may be required before major competitions, but will be communicated well in advance via BAND or All-Star Calendar. However, coaches may call a practice the week of competition.
What Time Will Practice Get Out?
At Michigan Cheer Company. we value our families time and want to make sure that you are released at a consistent time. So for our Mini/Tiny Athletes we work to end all practices by 7:00pm Youth and Junior athletes we work to end all practices by 9:00 PM and Senior/Adult athletes by 10:00pm. Rarely practices may run 10-15 minutes over but we will work to communicate that ahead of time via BAND. On weeks of major competitions practices may release later but will be listed in BAND or on the All-Star Calendar.
What is the Policy for Missed Practices?
During the Summer months we are flexible on missed practices. As long as you communicate to the office regarding prior commitments we will work with you. During Non-Summer Months we ask that you please inform us of any missed practices due to school, trips, or vacations as soon as possible so we can prepare accordingly. If any athlete misses practices in the 2 weeks prior to a competition due to an unexcused absence they will not compete. If an athlete misses any competitions due to an unexcused absence they will be pulled from the program.
How Do All-Star Competitions Work?
Competitions are where each team performs their routine against other like competitors. These events can be local, regional, national, and worldwide. In addition, some competitions can hold more prestige in winning than others. We compete in MIchigan, and in the surrounding states. Often this is determined by the amount of competition in our area and the level of our teams. The competitions can be 1 or 2 day events. Typically 1 day events are local and regional competitions, while nationals are 2-day events. However there are many exceptions to this rule.There are hundreds of cheerleading companies across the nation. Likewise each of these companies usually offers state or national championship competitions. Sometimes the same company may even offer multiple “national” events. It is important to realize that an All Star Gym can claim many national championships in just one season by attending multiple national events. There is not currently a system in place that crowns 1 state champion or 1 national champion. It is also important to know that different competitions are scored differently. While all require the elements of tumbling, stunting, pyramid, and dance within each applicable level, some may score certain skills with more weight than others.
Do You Enter Competitions When There Is no one else in the division?
Do not be alarmed if you see that your athlete’s team has no competition in their division. Unfortunately this can happen quite often especially for younger and Prep teams. We do not know what teams will be attending until the week before, or that same week of the actual event. While we try to compete against as many teams as possible, It is best to see this as an opportunity to perform and critique the routine without the pressure of placement.
What Are Bids?
Aaahh, springtime! The birds are singing, the trees are blooming, and cheerleaders all over are chasing bids. It is difficult to spend any time in a cheerleading gym without hearing about bids for The Cheerleading Worlds and The Summit. Figuring out what all these conversations actually mean is enough to make a newcomer’s head spin!
What is The Cheerleading Worlds? What is The Summit? What is a bid and where can bids be found? These are questions commonly heard from those who are new to the sport of All Star Cheerleading. The Cheerleading Worlds and The Summit are two of the most prestigious competitions in the sport. A win at either competition means that a team is the best of the best. It’s no wonder both of these competitions are so high on the list of aspirations for most all star cheerleaders.
The Cheerleading Worlds is an annual event held by the USASF. Senior and Open level 6 and 7 teams from the United States and 40+ other countries have the opportunity to earn a bid to compete at Worlds. The first Cheerleading Worlds competition was held in 2004, and since its inception, it has been held in late April at Walt Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida.
The Summit is also an annual event, and it is held by Varsity All Star. It was first introduced in 2013, and is also held in late April at Walt Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida. This competition includes Youth, Junior, and Senior teams of all levels 1 through level 5, thus providing a Worlds type of experience for teams other than those that are eligible to compete at The Cheerleading Worlds.
Both competitions require teams to earn bids. A bid is an invitation to compete, and must be earned through competing at an event that offers them. There are 120+ event producers who offer bids to both The Cheerleading Worlds and The Summit. A team cannot compete at either competition without earning a bid.
Three types of bids are available to compete at The Cheerleading Worlds. The most desirable and most difficult to get is a full paid bid. A full paid bid is exactly what is implied in the name. Teams who receive these bids get the privilege of competing at Worlds with most of their expenses paid. These expenses include lodging, passes to the Disney Parks, and registration fees to compete at the event. Full paid bids are awarded to only the highest scoring teams at the largest and most prestigious competitions throughout the season. Miss Silver, our Worlds team, has received a Paid Bid the last several years
The next type of bid to The Cheerleading Worlds is a partial paid bid. A partial paid bid does not include lodging, but includes passes to the Disney Parks and registration fees to compete at the event. A partial paid bid is also a prestigious bid to be awarded, and is the highest bid available at some competitions that offer bids.
Teams can also receive at large bids. An at large bid offers teams the opportunity to compete at The Cheerleading Worlds, however, teams must cover all of their own expenses. Teams in large divisions who are awarded at large bids must compete in a preliminary round to earn a place in the remainder of the competition. Only the top ten teams in each division may move on to semifinals.
Like The Cheerleading Worlds, there are three types of bids that can be earned to compete at The Summit. These bids are paid, at large, and wild card bids. A paid bid to The Summit works the same as a paid bid to The Cheerleading Worlds. Most expenses are paid for the team to compete, and it is not necessary for teams who earn these bids to compete in the preliminary round. Only the highest scoring teams at the largest and most prestigious events are awarded paid bids to The Summit, and getting one of these is a high honor. Senior Lov3 received an at-large bid to the 2020 Summit.
At large bids, again, offer the opportunity for teams to compete at The Summit, but without any expenses paid. At The Summit, however, teams who earn at large bids do not have to compete in the preliminary round. Diamonds, Royalty and Navy received At Large Bids to ther 2019 Summit.
Wild card bids are new to The Summit, and were introduced just recently. Wild card bids are awarded at select one day competitions to the highest scoring teams. Only the top teams in each division will earn the chance to move on. The Wildcard bid recipients compete on Friday, and the top 5 scoring teams move directly to Finals, bypassing the At Large bid semi-finals. Michigan Cheer Company does not accept wildcard bids.
All members of the championship team of each division of The Cheerleading Worlds and The Summit earn rings. Earning a ring is something that is highly valued in the world of all star cheerleading, and only a select few athletes achieve this honor in their all star careers. Coach Donovan earned his ring as champion at the 2018 D1 Summit competition. and Coach Kaitlyn is a Bronze Medalist at The Cheerleading Worlds.
Many all star programs consider it a main goal for their teams to achieve the honor of competing at The Cheerleading Worlds and The Summit. Bringing home wins at either of these competitions earns a large amount of notoriety to these programs and their athletes, and these athletes have the opportunity to make many happy memories with their teammates at these events.
Finances
What are the costs involved in All Star Cheering?
Costs for All Star cheerleading can be quite high, but can be managed with some planning. There are two different areas of cost for All Star cheerleading. One is the money you pay directly to the gym. This includes monthly tuition, competition fees, uniforms, make up, shoes, and apparel. Secondly, there is the cost of travel to competitions. This can include gas/mileage or airfare, car rentals, hotel rooms, food during the event, and any extra money needed for souvenirs.
Do you provide Scholarships or Financial Assistance?
Yes. Michigan Cheer Company offers a variety of benefits to our members, including Booster Club and sponsorship opportunities that can help to relieve some of the financial responsibility placed on our members. Many families who have taken advantage of these benefits have been able to significantly offset their individual out-of-pocket expense.
How do we pay our monthly expenses?
Starting in the 2020-2021 season automatic drafts will be required by all families by our parent portal system. Payments will be drafted by the 1st and 15th of each month. Payment arrangements and accommodations may be made on a case by case basis. We also provide financing through PayPal Finance.
What happens if I fall behind on payments?
You will be charged the late fee and if by the end of the month the account is not current the athlete will start sitting out of practices. If accounts are not current by competitions the athlete will not perform at the first competition and will be pulled from the team. The CheerCo. Booster Club may be able to provide Hardship assistance for your athlete on a case by case basis.
Do team expenses include travel and hotels for members and parents?
No, Parents are responsible for this expense. Some competitions require a “Stay to Play” which the gym will be required to setup a room block for families. We try to keep in mind the budget of all families and will send out information as the rooms are secured. Most travel expenses can be reimbursed with your Booster Club funds to alleviate financial burden. Please see a Booster Club Board member for more information.
Crossover Fees?
A crossover is an athlete that wishes to be included on more than one team to help out. The extra cost are the competition fee’s only. These will be charged to the families account.
How do we know what is due and when it is due?
You will receive a monthly statement. If there is a negative balance it must be paid by the 5th of that month. Late fees are applied after that. You may ask at the front desk for your balance at any time but we only print once a month. It is your responsibility to retrieve your payment at the front desk. You may pay by credit card, or Bank ACH
Michigan Cheer Company does not accept cash or check payments.
You offer instruction regardless of age and experience/skill level. How do you manage to provide quality instruction without sacrificing individual attention?
CheerCo uses the same training methods with our younger and/ or less experienced members that we do with the older and/or more experienced ones. The difference is that the intensity of training is appropriately modified for the group. For example: in softball, the same drills are used when training in clinics as for the college camps because the skills that are taught are important from the beginning to the end. Fundamentals don't change.