Which MCPS school has the best cheer squad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cheerleading has taken second fiddle to poms. In the last twenty years the less athletic have been on the cheerleading squad where the real performers now do poms.

The Churchill Varsity squad was at event and entire squad was doing front and back no hand flips with twirler girls way up in air. Looked like whole group had formal gymnastics training.

I was just at a competition with Winston Churchill and they are amazing. They made the other teams look like JV. I think there are a mix of levels, but Churchill this year looks really strong even for a strong program.

The Churchill JV squad was as good as other teams varsity squad

If you think Churchill is amazing, you should see the Frederick and Anne Arundel county teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cheerleading has taken second fiddle to poms. In the last twenty years the less athletic have been on the cheerleading squad where the real performers now do poms.

Huh? The level is insane. The cheer squads have way more pressure on them during the fall season. Cheer has to learn sideline cheers and their competition cheer, plus cheer at all football games (home and away) during the one season. My DD’s team practices 15 hours a week in addition to the football games. Poms only performs at the home games and doesn’t do their competition dance until the winter season. I think you must have a very dated view of cheer.

Both are great forms of exercise and competitive, but saying that cheer is behind poms is ridiculous.

You might mean popularity. At some high schools, poms are extremely popular and some pom squads are very good and win accolades at competitions.

[Anonymous]

Damascus is great. A lot of these teams take the kids from all-star or DSA which is top notch rec cheer and they feed directly to the high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cheerleading has taken second fiddle to poms. In the last twenty years the less athletic have been on the cheerleading squad where the real performers now do poms.

Huh? The level is insane. The cheer squads have way more pressure on them during the fall season. Cheer has to learn sideline cheers and their competition cheer, plus cheer at all football games (home and away) during the one season. My DD’s team practices 15 hours a week in addition to the football games. Poms only performs at the home games and doesn’t do their competition dance until the winter season. I think you must have a very dated view of cheer.

Both are great forms of exercise and competitive, but saying that cheer is behind poms is ridiculous.

15 hours a week of practice is on par with what our Poms do. Also our Poms Squad performs for soccer and basketball. It isnt confined to football and is a true and active two season sport.

Fact is that these sports are very different. They have different rules and require different skills. One is not better than the other in terms of the sport but one might be more popular than the other in a particular school and hence train more and engage in more complicated routines. But that is about the school culture not the intrinsic nature of the sport. Both require a lot of practice, time and dedication.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cheerleading has taken second fiddle to poms. In the last twenty years the less athletic have been on the cheerleading squad where the real performers now do poms.

Huh? The level is insane. The cheer squads have way more pressure on them during the fall season. Cheer has to learn sideline cheers and their competition cheer, plus cheer at all football games (home and away) during the one season. My DD’s team practices 15 hours a week in addition to the football games. Poms only performs at the home games and doesn’t do their competition dance until the winter season. I think you must have a very dated view of cheer.

Both are great forms of exercise and competitive, but saying that cheer is behind poms is ridiculous.

15 hours a week of practice is on par with what our Poms do. Also our Poms Squad performs for soccer and basketball. It isnt confined to football and is a true and active two season sport.

Fact is that these sports are very different. They have different rules and require different skills. One is not better than the other in terms of the sport but one might be more popular than the other in a particular school and hence train more and engage in more complicated routines. But that is about the school culture not the intrinsic nature of the sport. Both require a lot of practice, time and dedication.

if schools put this kind of effort into academics, they win national Olympiads!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cheerleading has taken second fiddle to poms. In the last twenty years the less athletic have been on the cheerleading squad where the real performers now do poms.

Huh? The level is insane. The cheer squads have way more pressure on them during the fall season. Cheer has to learn sideline cheers and their competition cheer, plus cheer at all football games (home and away) during the one season. My DD’s team practices 15 hours a week in addition to the football games. Poms only performs at the home games and doesn’t do their competition dance until the winter season. I think you must have a very dated view of cheer.

Both are great forms of exercise and competitive, but saying that cheer is behind poms is ridiculous.

15 hours a week of practice is on par with what our Poms do. Also our Poms Squad performs for soccer and basketball. It isnt confined to football and is a true and active two season sport.

Fact is that these sports are very different. They have different rules and require different skills. One is not better than the other in terms of the sport but one might be more popular than the other in a particular school and hence train more and engage in more complicated routines. But that is about the school culture not the intrinsic nature of the sport. Both require a lot of practice, time and dedication.

I am the PP you are responding to. And I agree. That’s why I was surprised that posters feel that cheer is “behind.” Both are great options, but one is not behind the other. Cheer, like Poms, is a 2-season commitment.

I also think that practice times for all sports depend on the coach’s vision. At our school (MCPS-one of the highest ranked cheer teams mentioned in this thread), cheer is one of the most intense sports at our school with a grueling practice schedule. Yet, my DD’s friend who is on a neighboring school’s team has almost no demands and never even has Saturday practices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cheerleading has taken second fiddle to poms. In the last twenty years the less athletic have been on the cheerleading squad where the real performers now do poms.

Huh? The level is insane. The cheer squads have way more pressure on them during the fall season. Cheer has to learn sideline cheers and their competition cheer, plus cheer at all football games (home and away) during the one season. My DD’s team practices 15 hours a week in addition to the football games. Poms only performs at the home games and doesn’t do their competition dance until the winter season. I think you must have a very dated view of cheer.

Both are great forms of exercise and competitive, but saying that cheer is behind poms is ridiculous.

15 hours a week of practice is on par with what our Poms do. Also our Poms Squad performs for soccer and basketball. It isnt confined to football and is a true and active two season sport.

Fact is that these sports are very different. They have different rules and require different skills. One is not better than the other in terms of the sport but one might be more popular than the other in a particular school and hence train more and engage in more complicated routines. But that is about the school culture not the intrinsic nature of the sport. Both require a lot of practice, time and dedication.

if schools put this kind of effort into academics, they win national Olympiads!

Exactly. That’s the reason I hesitate to let my DD try out poms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cheerleading has taken second fiddle to poms. In the last twenty years the less athletic have been on the cheerleading squad where the real performers now do poms.

Huh? The level is insane. The cheer squads have way more pressure on them during the fall season. Cheer has to learn sideline cheers and their competition cheer, plus cheer at all football games (home and away) during the one season. My DD’s team practices 15 hours a week in addition to the football games. Poms only performs at the home games and doesn’t do their competition dance until the winter season. I think you must have a very dated view of cheer.

Both are great forms of exercise and competitive, but saying that cheer is behind poms is ridiculous.

15 hours a week of practice is on par with what our Poms do. Also our Poms Squad performs for soccer and basketball. It isnt confined to football and is a true and active two season sport.

Fact is that these sports are very different. They have different rules and require different skills. One is not better than the other in terms of the sport but one might be more popular than the other in a particular school and hence train more and engage in more complicated routines. But that is about the school culture not the intrinsic nature of the sport. Both require a lot of practice, time and dedication.

if schools put this kind of effort into academics, they win national Olympiads!

Exactly. That’s the reason I hesitate to let my DD try out poms.

I think you learn different things from being part of a team. Like academics, you learn about commitment, but you also learn about teamwork and sportsmanship. You learn about being a good winner and a good loser. You learn a lot about time management. In addition, you often feel a greater part of the community. This is not saying that you can’t get all of this without high school sports, it just means that it can be a nice complement for a kid’s schedule. I am glad that my child is on a team even on the crazy weeks! But each family has to decide whether the commitment is worth it, because it is a huge one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cheerleading has taken second fiddle to poms. In the last twenty years the less athletic have been on the cheerleading squad where the real performers now do poms.

Huh? The level is insane. The cheer squads have way more pressure on them during the fall season. Cheer has to learn sideline cheers and their competition cheer, plus cheer at all football games (home and away) during the one season. My DD’s team practices 15 hours a week in addition to the football games. Poms only performs at the home games and doesn’t do their competition dance until the winter season. I think you must have a very dated view of cheer.

Both are great forms of exercise and competitive, but saying that cheer is behind poms is ridiculous.

15 hours a week of practice is on par with what our Poms do. Also our Poms Squad performs for soccer and basketball. It isnt confined to football and is a true and active two season sport.

Fact is that these sports are very different. They have different rules and require different skills. One is not better than the other in terms of the sport but one might be more popular than the other in a particular school and hence train more and engage in more complicated routines. But that is about the school culture not the intrinsic nature of the sport. Both require a lot of practice, time and dedication.

if schools put this kind of effort into academics, they win national Olympiads!

Exactly. That’s the reason I hesitate to let my DD try out poms.

I don’t understand this at all. Our kids have so much time on their hands. School is 6 hours. Sleep is 8 - we’d all like it to be more, but it’s not. That leaves a full ten extra a day on weekdays and 16 on weekends. Everyone can fit in 3 hours five days a week for practice and the every second or third week performance.

Thing about Poms is that by HS eligibility, the kids have been on dance, gymnastics and acrobatics teams for years and all of that required far bigger commitments. The kids who make the squad are more than ready for this commitment and more - as are the families.

And this is not unique to Poms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cheerleading has taken second fiddle to poms. In the last twenty years the less athletic have been on the cheerleading squad where the real performers now do poms.

Huh? The level is insane. The cheer squads have way more pressure on them during the fall season. Cheer has to learn sideline cheers and their competition cheer, plus cheer at all football games (home and away) during the one season. My DD’s team practices 15 hours a week in addition to the football games. Poms only performs at the home games and doesn’t do their competition dance until the winter season. I think you must have a very dated view of cheer.

Both are great forms of exercise and competitive, but saying that cheer is behind poms is ridiculous.

15 hours a week of practice is on par with what our Poms do. Also our Poms Squad performs for soccer and basketball. It isnt confined to football and is a true and active two season sport.

Fact is that these sports are very different. They have different rules and require different skills. One is not better than the other in terms of the sport but one might be more popular than the other in a particular school and hence train more and engage in more complicated routines. But that is about the school culture not the intrinsic nature of the sport. Both require a lot of practice, time and dedication.

if schools put this kind of effort into academics, they win national Olympiads!

Exactly. That’s the reason I hesitate to let my DD try out poms.

I think you learn different things from being part of a team. Like academics, you learn about commitment, but you also learn about teamwork and sportsmanship. You learn about being a good winner and a good loser. You learn a lot about time management. In addition, you often feel a greater part of the community. This is not saying that you can’t get all of this without high school sports, it just means that it can be a nice complement for a kid’s schedule. I am glad that my child is on a team even on the crazy weeks! But each family has to decide whether the commitment is worth it, because it is a huge one.

Maybe but 15 hours of poms per week vs. 2 hours on some academic team suggests bad priorities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cheerleading has taken second fiddle to poms. In the last twenty years the less athletic have been on the cheerleading squad where the real performers now do poms.

Huh? The level is insane. The cheer squads have way more pressure on them during the fall season. Cheer has to learn sideline cheers and their competition cheer, plus cheer at all football games (home and away) during the one season. My DD’s team practices 15 hours a week in addition to the football games. Poms only performs at the home games and doesn’t do their competition dance until the winter season. I think you must have a very dated view of cheer.

Both are great forms of exercise and competitive, but saying that cheer is behind poms is ridiculous.

15 hours a week of practice is on par with what our Poms do. Also our Poms Squad performs for soccer and basketball. It isnt confined to football and is a true and active two season sport.

Fact is that these sports are very different. They have different rules and require different skills. One is not better than the other in terms of the sport but one might be more popular than the other in a particular school and hence train more and engage in more complicated routines. But that is about the school culture not the intrinsic nature of the sport. Both require a lot of practice, time and dedication.

if schools put this kind of effort into academics, they win national Olympiads!

Exactly. That’s the reason I hesitate to let my DD try out poms.

I think you learn different things from being part of a team. Like academics, you learn about commitment, but you also learn about teamwork and sportsmanship. You learn about being a good winner and a good loser. You learn a lot about time management. In addition, you often feel a greater part of the community. This is not saying that you can’t get all of this without high school sports, it just means that it can be a nice complement for a kid’s schedule. I am glad that my child is on a team even on the crazy weeks! But each family has to decide whether the commitment is worth it, because it is a huge one.

Maybe but 15 hours of poms per week vs. 2 hours on some academic team suggests bad priorities.

Life is about balance. Getting exercise is a good thing!

[Anonymous]

4 US Presidents were cheerleaders. None were on Poms

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cheerleading has taken second fiddle to poms. In the last twenty years the less athletic have been on the cheerleading squad where the real performers now do poms.

Huh? The level is insane. The cheer squads have way more pressure on them during the fall season. Cheer has to learn sideline cheers and their competition cheer, plus cheer at all football games (home and away) during the one season. My DD’s team practices 15 hours a week in addition to the football games. Poms only performs at the home games and doesn’t do their competition dance until the winter season. I think you must have a very dated view of cheer.

Both are great forms of exercise and competitive, but saying that cheer is behind poms is ridiculous.

15 hours a week of practice is on par with what our Poms do. Also our Poms Squad performs for soccer and basketball. It isnt confined to football and is a true and active two season sport.

Fact is that these sports are very different. They have different rules and require different skills. One is not better than the other in terms of the sport but one might be more popular than the other in a particular school and hence train more and engage in more complicated routines. But that is about the school culture not the intrinsic nature of the sport. Both require a lot of practice, time and dedication.

if schools put this kind of effort into academics, they win national Olympiads!

Exactly. That’s the reason I hesitate to let my DD try out poms.

I think you learn different things from being part of a team. Like academics, you learn about commitment, but you also learn about teamwork and sportsmanship. You learn about being a good winner and a good loser. You learn a lot about time management. In addition, you often feel a greater part of the community. This is not saying that you can’t get all of this without high school sports, it just means that it can be a nice complement for a kid’s schedule. I am glad that my child is on a team even on the crazy weeks! But each family has to decide whether the commitment is worth it, because it is a huge one.

Maybe but 15 hours of poms per week vs. 2 hours on some academic team suggests bad priorities.

Actually opposite. At our MCPS high school all athletes have to maintain a 3.2 GPA and have zero unexcused absences and less than 3 class tardies for the week, The AD and coaches are dead set on this and they check weekly. Cheerleaders and poms who don't meet this are not able to perform or cheer for the game or perform at a competition that week. They set these kids at a high standard and expect them to figure out how to prioritize both academics and their sport. That means less time on their phones, no hanging out with friends after school, etc. My daughter has a 3.8 GPA in the midst of this crazy fall football season while doing all star cheer. Her life is literally academics and cheer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:4 US Presidents were cheerleaders. None were on Poms

Both Abraham Lincoln and Martin van Buren were excellent cheerleaders!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cheerleading has taken second fiddle to poms. In the last twenty years the less athletic have been on the cheerleading squad where the real performers now do poms.

Huh? The level is insane. The cheer squads have way more pressure on them during the fall season. Cheer has to learn sideline cheers and their competition cheer, plus cheer at all football games (home and away) during the one season. My DD’s team practices 15 hours a week in addition to the football games. Poms only performs at the home games and doesn’t do their competition dance until the winter season. I think you must have a very dated view of cheer.

Both are great forms of exercise and competitive, but saying that cheer is behind poms is ridiculous.

15 hours a week of practice is on par with what our Poms do. Also our Poms Squad performs for soccer and basketball. It isnt confined to football and is a true and active two season sport.

Fact is that these sports are very different. They have different rules and require different skills. One is not better than the other in terms of the sport but one might be more popular than the other in a particular school and hence train more and engage in more complicated routines. But that is about the school culture not the intrinsic nature of the sport. Both require a lot of practice, time and dedication.

if schools put this kind of effort into academics, they win national Olympiads!

Exactly. That’s the reason I hesitate to let my DD try out poms.

I think you learn different things from being part of a team. Like academics, you learn about commitment, but you also learn about teamwork and sportsmanship. You learn about being a good winner and a good loser. You learn a lot about time management. In addition, you often feel a greater part of the community. This is not saying that you can’t get all of this without high school sports, it just means that it can be a nice complement for a kid’s schedule. I am glad that my child is on a team even on the crazy weeks! But each family has to decide whether the commitment is worth it, because it is a huge one.

Maybe but 15 hours of poms per week vs. 2 hours on some academic team suggests bad priorities.

Actually opposite. At our MCPS high school all athletes have to maintain a 3.2 GPA and have zero unexcused absences and less than 3 class tardies for the week, The AD and coaches are dead set on this and they check weekly. Cheerleaders and poms who don't meet this are not able to perform or cheer for the game or perform at a competition that week. They set these kids at a high standard and expect them to figure out how to prioritize both academics and their sport. That means less time on their phones, no hanging out with friends after school, etc. My daughter has a 3.8 GPA in the midst of this crazy fall football season while doing all star cheer. Her life is literally academics and cheer.

True of sports in general. Being a 3 season runner really helped my kid stay focused on academics, too.