Expert: Chris - 3/18/2011

Question
QUESTION: I am a coach of a small high school cheer team.  We have 7 girls.  Two of them are very good flyers who worked hard at summer camp and at every practice.  We have another girl who wants to be a flyer, but she is considerably larger than the other two, and much less experienced.  She claimed she lost weight before basketball season and then wanted to be a flyer. We can get her into prep and do a cradle, but it's not very good.  She can do a braced heel stretch at prep, but it's very wobbly looking.  It also hurts the bases to base her.  The other two flyers can do effortless extensions and full downs, toe-touch cradles, etc.  This third girl cries and pouts if we don't do a stunt with her at games and says we play favorites.  Now we are trying out for next year. Remember, we are in a SMALL town, and she is friends with a school board member.  Should I just tell her that we have two experienced flyers, and that she won't be one next year and avoid the drama and trouble of stunting with her?  It's been really hard on the team.

ANSWER: Honestly, I probably would tell her she won't be a flier. I'm sure you've already done this, but offer to teach her how to base or backspot. Depending on the situation you COULD "blame" the bases. You could tell this girl that the bases simply can't lift her, but then you run the risk of the girl running around telling everyone the bases aren't good. So I wouldn't suggest that unless you know the girl won't do anything like that. Tell her that you really need her to learn to base/back (unless you don't need her, but it sounds like you need girls to have a squad) so she can participate in stunts at games, pep rallies, etc.

Then if she does come back and agrees to base/back, one day at a game, when she's not expecting it I would put her up in a prep. Just do it once and it'll make her feel better. Cheerleading is supposed to be fun so throw her a bone once in a while.

I'm in a very similar position. I have a team of about 30 girls and we have 5 fliers that can do extended one leg stunts, and then a coach's daughter can't do an extended one leg stunt. She wants to base, but her mom, the coach, wants her to fly. It's a very difficult position to be in. I used to cheer with this girl's sister who was a great flier, but the sister did not get the same genes!

If I were in your position I would explain multiple times (because it will take a while to sink in for the girl because she won't want to hear it) that she needs to learn to base and accept the fact that she will not fly. Tell her she's a good base/back (even if she's not unless you don't want her back of course) and that you need her. I understand how hard it can be on a team and perhaps explain that to the girl. Explain that you don't have time to have everyone do every position so everyone must do what is best for the squad. It is a team sport and not everyone can get their way all the time.

It's a tough position and there isn't really a right answer. Let me know if I answered or if you could use more advice with anything. Don't hesitate to ask a follow up or another question in the future. Good luck with everything.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for your response.  I really can't use her as a base though, because she is so short!  She is about 6 inches shorter than anyone else on the team!  I will keep doing what I've been doing, which is pretty much what you said-- we throw her a bone every once in a while and do a prep with her.  She also can't tumble or anything.  I've tried to play up the fact that she can dance solo while we stunt to make her feel important, but she says that just makes her feel stupid!  I'll keep trying and do my best with her.  Thanks for the advice.

Answer
Well it sounds like you're handling everything very well. It's a tough position to be in. I have one girl on my team who's very short and a little pudgy and she bases. She's a really sweet kid and will do anything we ask, but she's too short to base with anybody so she just has to front spot all the time. I feel bad, but it's all we can do.

And I know this doesn't help, but this is just one of those things you have to deal with as a coach. If you didn't have this problem you'd have a different one. Trust me on that! There's always something.

I also understand her "feeling stupid" dancing by herself. When I was in high school I think I would have felt the same way. Girls are insecure so they don't want to do anything themselves. Eventually she'll grow out of that (or quit cheerleading if she has a bad attitude). Keep having her do what you think is best for the team whether it's dancing in the front, double back spotting, etc. Ultimately it's your decision and I've learned that as a coach you have to trust yourself to make the right call. I know it can be hard and you probably feel bad that this girl wants to fly and she can't, but like I said, trust yourself.

Good luck with everything and I hope you have a good season.