Since being a part of Ideal, she has learned what it truly means to be a part of the team. She said, “If you want to be successful, you HAVE to put in the work.” When we asked her what her favorite memory was, she said “Every time Alivia performs is my favorite, but coming in a close second was the look of excitement and shock when she was asked to join Black Ice in October.”
Katie’s Advice to Any Newcomers:
“Give it a chance. It might be outside yours or your child’s comfort zone, but give it a chance! You’ll be amazed!”
Michelle’s Advice to Any Newcomers:
“Have fun!”
]]>Missi had discovered Ideal directly from the source, our Owner Chelsie Hollencamp. Chelsie and Missi had met about 10 years ago through their mutual love for cheer.
When we asked Missi what she has learned from being a part of the program, she said “Skylar is a competitive kid and she really loves to learn new things. My favorite thing is hearing her say ‘Mom look what I learned to do at practice!’ Skylar has learned to follow directions, and I’ve learned I’m not her coach so I have to just go with the flow.”
“My favorite memory – which is also my least favorite – was Skylar’s first ever competition. She was just 3 years old and was so nervous, but she went out there and (kind of) smiled the whole time. Her team was the first performance of the competition, and they started early so we all missed the first half. I was really angry and definitely cried.”
Missi’s Advice to Any Newcomers:
“Stop into the gym and speak with someone so you can ask questions. They will more than likely be able to answer all of them or find someone who can.”
Melissa has two daughters involved in the Ideal Cheer program and is our current Team Parent for our Junior Level 2 team Black Ice. Her daughter Alison is an athlete on Black Ice and her younger daughter Quinn is on our tiny exhibition team Icicles. She had discovered Ideal through her friend Kelly whose daughter is also involved in the program and is on the same team as Alison. Her favorite part about being in this program is “to watch my kids gain strengths in skills and set (and meet) their goals.” Since joining Ideal, she has learned that “Practice at home helps. Tweens are difficult . Missing practice really costs the team.” She has two favorite memories, one for each child enrolled, and it is this: “each time they gain a skill. They work so long and hard at them that it’s amazing to watch them accomplish it!!”
Melissa’s Advice to Any Newcomers:
“These athletes work their butts off so go in supporting their goals and make friends with fellow parents as it can really help to share the peaks and valleys of the sport!”
]]>One of Steph’s favorite parts about being involved in the program at Ideal are the bonds that are created here. She said, “Between the parents and the kids, it’s like a second family.” Emma has learned the importance of confidence, sportsmanship, and team mentality.
Steph’s Advice to Any Newcomers:
]]>“The commitment is as big for parents as it is for the kids.”
Rebecca’s Advice to Any Newcomers:
“Make sure you know what you’re getting into before you start and are willing to practice.”
]]>She had discovered our program through the youth cheer program through Duluth East. Her favorite part about being in this program is making strong friendships. She shared that this sport is “more than cheering on the sidelines.”
A couple of her favorite memories are making the Senior 3 Co-Ed team (Snow-Ed) and becoming a junior coach for our Icicles team that is for athletes between the ages of 3 and 6.
Alexsia’s Advice to Any Newcomers:
]]>“Always be confident in yourself!”
She said that one of her favorite parts about being in this program is the team and how the team bonding moments bring the team together as one. During Bella’s time at Ideal, she has learned several important life skills such as confidence, courage, and strength.
Trista’s Advice to Any Newcomers:
]]>“You will not regret joining Ideal, such a loving environment, coaches are so encouraging!”
As a typical Hermantown Hawk, Amarah started playing hockey as a U8. While it didn’t come naturally for her, she worked hard and was determined to be the best she could be. She loved being on the ice and the camaraderie of it all and eventually made the A-team. When she was old enough to try out for cheerleading, she decided she would do both. Football cheer in the fall, and hockey in the winter. After an injury on the ice her freshman year, she decided to take some time off from the sport she had grown up with. Liza wanted to make sure her daughter stayed active and enrolled her into the competitive elite program at Ideal that season. They have been hooked ever since. This year she has dropped all other activities to focus on her training in all-star as well as coaching our Tiny Team, The Icicles.
Her favorite memories include watching the athletes’ reactions when they know they hit and the competition weekend team bonding parties. Her favorite part of Ideal is watching the athlete’s reactions to their own performance. She said,
“To see them after they know they “hit” and gave it their all is the best thing ever! The confidence they gain from the first competition to the last is night and day!”
Since being a part of the program, Liza has learned that:
Liza’s Advice to Any Newcomers:
“Go for it!!! This program has built my daughter into a strong, confident, and talented athlete. She had always been athletic, she had played softball and hockey for years. Some injuries had happened and those sports were no longer options for her. She had gone to a clinic at Ideal over the summer and was encouraged to attend one of the senior practices. Competitive cheer was something I never imagined would be an interest of hers but boy was I wrong. She instantly loved it! I never saw her flourish like she did at Ideal! The strength she has gained in her body and her mind is amazing! She has had wonderful role models as coaches that will continue to mold her mind for years to come! I cannot thank Ideal enough for all the love they have given her!”
]]>All-Star cheerleading, however, is independent of other sports, with our main goal being competition within our own division against other like teams. Our focus is on building skills, tumbling, jumps, dance, and showmanship. We have 7 different levels to choose from which allows us to assure a safe learning progression for our athletes while they continue to grow physically and emotionally. We’ll break it down a bit more.
When the time comes for tryouts, we choose to think of that process more as placements. For us, there is usually a team for everyone, no matter the skill level. Unlike traditional cheer tryouts where there are normally only one maybe two teams for the highest skilled athletes, we are grateful to be building different teams for all levels and age groups.
Don’t think tryouts, think a larger evaluation process based on multiple factors. Our placements happen throughout the month of May at up to eight practices with certified coaches. There are four days dedicated to jumps/tumbling skills and four days dedicated to building skills. This gives new athletes a chance to learn the sport a bit before officially starting while also focusing on allowing veteran athletes the opportunity to increase and polish their current skillets. But our favorite part of this placement process is the initial team building that happens in those first weeks.
At Ideal, our first step in creating teams is age-based. We take all of our candidates and split them into groups based on the top age of each division. For example, the youth age division is 11 and under, and the mini age division is 8 and under – so all athletes 9-11 get originally put in our “youth” bucket.
The next step in team placements is to review physical skills and abilities. We look at which building and tumbling skills kids have and make an effort to build out the teams to be the most successful. On our score sheet, building is worth the most points and is needed by 100% of the participants in one day or another.
The last consideration is mental and social capabilities. Different teams require a different pace of skill, level of dedication, and mental toughness than others. Our main focus is for athletes to have a positive experience and grow as individuals. Being placed on a team of like-minded and motivated athletes allows us to help foster success throughout the season.
Once teams are set, our season begins in June! The elite all-star season begins in June and goes through March. These teams practice twice a week. The first two months focus on team and skill-building. Choreography is taught in August and we start competing in October. Throughout the rest of the season, we consistently make changes to the routine to add confidence, difficulty, and to better hit our routines.
Our sport doesn’t have a bench, and every athlete is vital to a successful and efficient practice. While we do not have 100% participation in all sections, we do need our kids to constantly be working and improving throughout the season. Athletes are encouraged to put in work outside of practice, attend classes and participate in open gym.
Overall, All-Star is a unique sport that offers kids the opportunity to increase body control, awareness, and strength while developing teamwork, problem-solving skills and learning to face adversity. We love the way that the sport allows athletes the ability to be multifaceted, train in multiple areas of expertise, and develop life skills that will be vital to their success in life
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