Okay... this came up in another thread just now... and rather than scramble a perfectly good discussion on a great topic, I decided to begin a new thread.
Now... considering the KHSAA is the governing body for Kentucky High School Athletics... and has some sort of control over Cheer Leading...(an athletic activity they refuse to acknowledge as the sport it is...) Let's discuss how it is they are able to allow younger than high school aged cheer leaders to participate in game situation cheer and competitions. I would think since the KHSAA allows younger student-athletes in every other sport, except football & soccer, to take part in high school sports, this matter won't take long to cover. Let's hear your thoughts on the subject!
:ChairHit: Not the KHSAA and cheerleading as a sport issue???
What can you say! The KHSAA has not method to their madness! It is actually quiet hilarious!:lmao:
My question is why do we have 7th and 8th grade girls on the squad when the high school is fullllll of older girls who are just as talented...Do these girls just chose not to cheer so they have to take the younger girls or what????
to my knowledge, no schools do this, except Pikeville. the reason is said to be because the Jr. high is in the same building as the high school, ok but, they have fourth grade and up to 9th grade. AS far as I know, the 4th , 5th and 6th grade is located over at the elementary school, so that could not be the case, but as I stated my self on the other thread, it really doesn't matter as long as they get the job done.
Other schools do this.... there is one 7th grader and several 8th graders on another local varsity squad! Pikeville cheers their junior high squad during varsity games because they are good enough to be competitive with high school squads. Why does anyone have a problem with this? As far as I know, at Pikeville, if you have the talent to run with the big dogs, they let you.... no matter what age you are!
PHS95 Wrote:Other schools do this.... there is one 7th grader and several 8th graders on another local varsity squad! Pikeville cheers their junior high squad during varsity games because they are good enough to be competitive with high school squads. Why does anyone have a problem with this? As far as I know, at Pikeville, if you have the talent to run with the big dogs, they let you.... no matter what age you are!
I agree.
I stated this in another thread too.
As far as I know, this has NOTHING TO DO WITH HOUSING! (but that is an amusing tact to take... and one that I am certain many other schools would appreciate if true!)
I also know Pikeville has a wonderful program and it's working for them!
You're right, there is another school in the 15th, who cheers 7th & 8th graders on their Varsity with older girls (10th-12th graders)
(this is also a good topic for another thread....)
These 7th and 8th graders should be cheering with their fellow classmates on that MS squad... and building for the future... where they could be working to have another squad within that school, who could cheer girls varsity and relieve the burden.
At the school I am talking about, the girls are required to cheer junior high and varsity... that is the only way that they are allowed to do the older group!
I think it is just jealous people bringing this up. When I was an eighth grader, I was pulled up to compete in KAPOS because a girl got hurt, and it was a dream come true! It does suck for the other squads in the region since Pikeville only has to lift 4th and 5th graders and the rest of us lift 9th grade and up. Maybe they should change it to 7th grade and up if they were to change anything at all. Oh well, it should just make us all work harder.
On a side note, IMO, Pikeville's junior high squad was better than their high school this year.
These kids get to cheer up because of who they are or who they are friends with. There are girls on the Varsity that shouldn't be on there because they are too young and imature but because their parents hang around they get to. Middle school should cheer middle school because it is ruining too many girls.
The practice of using 7TH and 8TH graders is not uncommon and is practiced by alot of schools. Graves, the best squad in the state of KY and back to back National Champion, allows 7TH thru 12TH to try out for the competition squads. This year they have some. They still are allowed to cheer for their Jr high squad as well as being a member of the comp squad.
*SC*Cards*FaNaTiC* Wrote:I think it is just jealous people bringing this up. When I was an eighth grader, I was pulled up to compete in KAPOS because a girl got hurt, and it was a dream come true! It does suck for the other squads in the region since Pikeville only has to lift 4th and 5th graders and the rest of us lift 9th grade and up. Maybe they should change it to 7th grade and up if they were to change anything at all. Oh well, it should just make us all work harder.
On a side note, IMO, Pikeville's junior high squad was better than their high school this year.
School policy will not let fourth and fifth graders cheer on the junior high squad at Pikeville. They have their own squad that competes three times a year at the elementary along with squads from preschool to third grade. Everybody that competed at nationals and KAPOS were 7th and 8th graders.
TRUEBALLAHOLLA Wrote:These kids get to cheer up because of who they are or who they are friends with. There are girls on the Varsity that shouldn't be on there because they are too young and imature but because their parents hang around they get to. Middle school should cheer middle school because it is ruining too many girls.
Hmmmm.... interesting..... I have a daughter that is in the 8th grade and cheers varsity. I can tell you that it is not of who she is or who we are. We had several not so good years in elementary and one in Jr high. I gave her the option last year to try out for varsity because of this. she tried out and made it and if I do say so myself she does a good job!:rockon: She is not too imature, and gets along with all the older girls, in fact they are some of her good friends.
This is ridiculous. The notion that who you are determines whether or not you cheer. Pikeville's squads are too good for this to be a problem.... OBVIOUSLY these who get there based on who they are are extremely talented ladies!
This thread was not begun to take up the issues of "favoritism"... although that's a mighty tempting prospect... we're discussing age and what it has to do with cheering.
Well my opinion on this goes like this......I cheered varsity when I was in high school as well as I cheered on an allstar team. We had girls in the 4th and 5th grade and up on our Senior allstar team because they were good enough, but I know that part of the reason we were so good is because it is not as hard for a 16, 17 or 18 year old girl to lift a 9, 10, or 11, year old girl AND we had strong boys. This wasnt so bad because it was an allstar team that IS based on talent and not grade/age. But the way I feel about it, is I can understand that there are one or two girls that are good enough to move up to a varsity team IF and only if they are in the 8th grade and there are extra spots to fill on varsity, because this is what basketball and football teams do. What I don't agree with is if lots of ppl try out and 7th and 8th graders make it over the actual high school girls. I believe that the high schoolers should be first priority regardless of the younger girls talent, because these youngers girls will have their chance to be in high school and cheer varsity, where as the older girls chance is running out. If all of the high school girls make it however and there are still extra spots, then I can see where they would fill the team with these outstanding 8th grade girls. I think this would be the only fair way to do it, because put yourself in the shoes of a 10th,11th or especially 12th grade girl who gets knocked out of an opportunity to cheer HIGH SCHOOL VARSITY by a MIDDLE SCHOOL girl. Doesnt seem fair does it?? Because to me they have one more year before they will be in high school and can cheer then.
thank you, I was afraid that it just sounded like I was rambling, lol, glad I made sense
Good post & I see your point.
The discussion came up because some folks don't think Pikeville White should be allowed to compete against Varsity squads. Pikeville White is made up of middle school and 9th grade students. Their squad has met the requirements to allow them to get to cheer for their Girls Basketball team. These athletes cheer not only for their girls basketball team, but they cover their own middle school games. + They compete. Their AD makes them have tryouts almost as soon as their basketball teams buses pull back into the parking lot after the last loss.... I say in their respect, they aren't cheering middle schoolers with 10-12th graders during a season. Middle School aged children should not cheer the regular season with the older girls. I won't go into the reasons because that should be obvious. Pulling them up and allowing them to cheer in comps is okay in my opinion, if they bring something needed to the table.
Yeah I agree. Competitions and what not is fine, but I think it takes away from the high school experience if you are brought into that environment too soon. I know for me, it would have been hard to get into a high school ball game cheering as a 7th or 8th grader.
I fully agree with the both of you!!!
hillbilly Wrote:School policy will not let fourth and fifth graders cheer on the junior high squad at Pikeville. They have their own squad that competes three times a year at the elementary along with squads from preschool to third grade. Everybody that competed at nationals and KAPOS were 7th and 8th graders.
is this the first year that policy has been enforced , becuase in previous years, 4th and 5th and 6th grade students has cheered for Pikeville White.
I don't know, but I am sure you could call Keeno and ask him.
friendofbelfry Wrote:is this the first year that policy has been enforced , becuase in previous years, 4th and 5th and 6th grade students has cheered for Pikeville White.
I think that this is the third year for this. 4th graders have never cheered on the junior high. They had a fifth grader four or five years ago that cheered in a couple of competitions and some of the high school people complained about it and the powers to be cut it off at the fifth grade. The 6th graders are able to cheer on the junior high if they make the squad in tryouts. They have three squads at the elementary school (mini's are pre school and kindergarten- twinkles are first, second, and third grade, and the AAU is fourth thru sixth.)
As Snake stated above, they have already been asked to do the tryouts for next years squads.
hillbilly Wrote:I think that this is the third year for this. 4th graders have never cheered on the junior high. They had a fifth grader four or five years ago that cheered in a couple of competitions and some of the high school people complained about it and the powers to be cut it off at the fifth grade. The 6th graders are able to cheer on the junior high if they make the squad in tryouts. They have three squads at the elementary school (mini's are pre school and kindergarten- twinkles are first, second, and third grade, and the AAU is fourth thru sixth.)
As Snake stated above, they have already been asked to do the tryouts for next years squads.
wasn't it just 2 years ago that some girls left the belfry area to cheer for P-ville white and as I recall there was a 4th grader and a fifth grader................and I think she was not the only 4th grader. there was 2. I could be wrong, but I know the girls and one is only in 6th grade now
Just like in any sport, you put your best "team" "squad" on the floor to compete, age is just a number. If 7th and 8th graders can get the job done better than people older then so be it. You owe it to everyone involved to put the best that your school has to offer on the floor.
friendofbelfry Wrote:wasn't it just 2 years ago that some girls left the belfry area to cheer for P-ville white and as I recall there was a 4th grader and a fifth grader................and I think she was not the only 4th grader. there was 2. I could be wrong, but I know the girls and one is only in 6th grade now
Those girls are in the seventh grade this year.
Who cares? Those who CAN should DO!!! Go girls! All of you, young and old!