Elite Storm All Star Cheerleading Information Packet 2014 2015 SEASON Thank you for your interest in the Elite Storm All Star Cheer program at Gym South. Our Mission is to provide competitive cheerleading to individuals by teaching basic to advanced fundamentals, as well as teamwork and other life skills to form humble, responsible athletes. We strive for a fun and positive learning environment. We want to build a strong foundation in every athlete. We will do this by teaching each athlete self confidence, leadership, positive attitude, character, commitment, hard work, integrity, and a love for the sport of gymnastics and cheerleading. Our families are important to us and our program. We treat our families as just that, family. Gym South offers a facility fully equipped for instruction in tumbling, stunting, and other cheerleading fundamentals. Most importantly, the program has an experienced coaching staff dedicated to the growth of each team as well as the individual development of each child. Every child that completes the tryout process has a spot in our organization. We attempt to place each athlete on the team that meets their skill level or best meets the team s needs at that skill level. The teams are chosen to be most competitive in each selected division. Placement is at the sole discretion of each coach. In this packet you should find all the information needed for the 2014/2015 competition year, including clinics, competition, competition pricing, attire, conduct, monetary obligations and more. Please note that all fees pertinent to the competition year (tuition, entry fees, uniforms, coaches fees, etc.) are paid directly to Gym South Gymnastics & Cheerleading. We take pride in our organization and we invite you to become part of our Storm family. We look forward to a fun and rewarding year.
All Star Cheer Policies and Expectations General Information: The Elite Storm management and coaching staff are looking forward to our most successful season yet. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact the gym or coach. Our door is always open. Do not leave personal items at the gym; valuables should be left at home. The gym is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Please mark all items with your athlete s name. i.e., shoes, warm up pants, etc. This will allow the item to be returned to the proper owner. GOSSIP about any other teams, athletes, coaches, other programs or policies and procedures will not be tolerated. Gossip is destructive and hurtful. If you have a concern it should be addressed with your coach, program managers, or the owner. Never post negative comments about the Elite Storm Program or Gym South on any websites or chat rooms. Anyone threating to quit will be dismissed from the program, without refund. Athletes can be dismissed from the program at any time after given 3 consecutive warnings due to bad attitudes, failing grades, disrespect toward coaches or team members, or any other threatening behavior. Any parents who treat the coaches or Gym South staff with disrespect or threatening behavior can cause an athlete to be dismissed from the program. If this were to happen, any fees that have been paid toward clothing that has already been purchased or deposits made to competitions will not be refunded. No profanity and/or abusive language will be tolerated. All squad and routine decisions are left solely to the discretion of the head coach and should not be questioned. Our goal is to create the most successful teams possible and squad placement is crucial to that success. Every season each team will have additions or a reduction in their roster. The dismissal or addition of athletes is the head coaches discretion. These decisions are not taken lightly and are always made in consideration with the success of the team and the training environment. Practices may be changed and/or added during the season, especially as competitions get closer. It is the athlete s and parent s responsibility to be aware of schedule changes, competition schedule, etc. Please check your email often as that is the preferred method of communication. Athletes and parents are not to speak with competition officials or question the placement of a team. If the coach feels the team was treated unfairly, he/she will go through the proper channels to address the officials. All athletes, parents, friends and family members must display good sportsmanship at all times. Please understand that the Team Mom position is a volunteer position. We expect that you will treat her respectfully. Please understand that she is chosen by and works closely with the coaching and management staff to provide you with information. Any questions or concerns should be directed to the program managers at an appropriate time. These volunteers will report directly to their team coaches. A parent s role in the gym is important. A parent should always support their athlete and their success in the program. However, a parent should not obsess over their child s progression or performance. This could hinder their success and place unnecessary stress on the athlete. A positive attitude from the parent is a must. At no time will a parent be allowed to cause a disruption or exemplify negativity. Athletes and coaches do take notice of this and it is imperative that the environment remain positive. If this type of behavior is observed, the parent involved will be addressed and may be asked to leave the practice or event. If this behavior continues that parent s child may be dismissed from the program and will not be refunded for any clothing or competitions that have been purchased. Bullying is not tolerated whatsoever, this means athlete on athlete bullying, parent on parent bullying, or parent on coaches bullying. We strive to treat our athletes and families with respect and we expect the same in return.
Attendance Each team practices twice a week. We recommend that if an athlete needs extra work that you register for a tumbling class at a 40% discount or schedule a private lesson. Your coach may recommend that your athlete register for a stretch or flyer class if needed. All Star cheerleading requires a great deal of commitment from every athlete, parent and coach. Athletes are expected to attend EVERY team practice. Practices may be changed or added at any time during the competitive season. It is your responsibility to keep up with changes in times and days. Tardiness is defined as five (5) or more minutes late to practice. You should arrive early enough to be completely prepared to go on the floor at your scheduled practice time. If your child is late, they will be required to stay after practice for extra conditioning. Starting August 1 s,t, excessive tardiness will jeopardize an athlete s position on the team and may result in extra conditioning, team suspension, placed as an alternate, or a dismissal from the program, without a refund. During the summer months, athletes are expected to be at practice unless on vacation. Summer practices are necessary for athletes to gain new skills. These practices are used to teach stunts, work on jumps, tumbling, and conditioning to prepare our athletes for choreography and the competitive season. Once summer is over most of our practices will be to perfect the routine. At that time, if the athlete needs extra help on their skills, they should register for an additional tumbling class at a 40% discount. Please complete the absence request form and notify your head coach immediately of any previously scheduled conflicts. This includes any weekly scheduled conflicts, events or trips planned prior to tryouts, etc. Once school resumes in August, athletes are expected to attend every practice. Excused absences include illness, involvement in car accident, funeral service, and other special events approved by your head coach (ex: grade required school functions, flu, etc.). If an athlete consistently misses practice, even if excused, it could hinder that athlete s position on the team, and can ultimately end in being placed as an alternate. Unexcused absences are any absences that are not approved by the head coach. Excessive unexcused absences may result in an athlete being assigned extra conditioning, moved to an alternate position on the team, or being dismissed from the team, without refund. Placement is at the sole discretion of each coach and is made with the success of the team in mind. Excessive (5 or more) absences, even if excused, could jeopardize your placement on the team. We function and train as a team and if one member is consistently absent, it could hinder our success. Remember, communication with your coach is important in this situation. We will do our best to work with each athlete, but will have to consider the team as a whole as well. In case of illness, please contact the front desk. It is important for parents and athletes to understand that this is a team sport and attendance, dedication, and hard work is the key to that success. Grading Policy Each athlete is expected to present their report cards to their team coaches at the end of each quarter. Failure to do so will result in the athlete sitting out during practice until their grades are presented for their coaches viewing. Education is very important to the Elite Storm program, so athletes must maintain all passing grades. Your child must then provide a progress report from their teacher within a two week period, stating that their grades have started to improve. If grades still do not reach passing status, then that athlete will be placed on a week probation period and could possibly lose his or her particular spot in the routine. Lastly, if grades still do not show improvement within the next scheduled
progress report or report card, that child will be placed as an alternate until further review by the head coach. We love the sport of cheerleading and enjoy practices and performances, but our program is not only interested in our athlete s success in cheer. We strive for excellence in all other areas of his or her life. Team Practice Each team practices twice a week. The coaching staff reserves the right to alter practice hours if necessary and reserves the right to close practices at any time for any reason. Closed practice allows the coaches and athletes to focus on their routine without distractions from observers. Closed practice means that no parent, affiliate, sibling, associate, and family of that child may be inside of the facility at any time during the duration of practice. Each athlete must follow the practice dress code. Assigned practice clothes must be worn at all practices. Your head coach will tell you what practice wear you should wear at each practice. This will be set at your first team meeting and remain the same throughout the season unless otherwise stated by your head coach. It is not mandatory for a parent to walk their child in to practice, however, it is mandatory that each parent comes in and make sure that the child s coach is aware that you are taking your child. If a parent is running late on pick up please communicate with your team coaches. Practice Dress Code Female athletes should wear bloomers under their shorts. Sports bras are required. No coats/jackets NO JEWELRY! Wearing these items could result in serious injury to your child or another child. Hair must be worn in a high ponytail or ½ up ½ down if hair is not long enough to stay in a high ponytail. Fingernails must be kept athletic short. These can cause serious injury and scarring. Cheer Shoes; athletic shoes are fine if cheer shoes have not arrived yet. All cell phones should be turned off and left with a parent or outside the practice area. Practice discipline is enforced with the 3 Strike System. The 3 Strike System is used as a result of practice disruption, such as excessive chatter, repetitive lack of focus, or any other behavioral problems. Please understand that an athlete leaving practice to check their cell phone is considered a disruption. It is up to the head coach of the team to give any strikes. First given verbal warning Thereafter, each offense receives a strike Upon third strike, athlete is dismissed from practice and coach discusses dismissal with athlete and parent. 3 practice dismissals = team dismissal Every practice starts with zero strikes Disciplinary actions are at the head coach s discretion. Only coaches and athletes are allowed in the practice area. No parent is allowed on the practice floor at any time. No one is allowed to yell on to the floor or speak to any team member or coach while practice is in session. This is extremely distracting to all involved and takes away from the athlete s practice time. Please allow the coaches the opportunity to coach your child.
Injuries Parents should note that cheerleading is a highly competitive and dangerous sport. Safety is our top priority, but as with any sport, stunts and tumbling could lead to injury. The coaches and staff at Gym South and the Elite Storm program take every precaution to limit these injuries from happening. Unfortunately, we cannot prevent them all. We ask that only coaches, staff and athletes that are practicing be on the floor. Athletes should never practice any stunt without the supervision of a coach. Anyone observing unsafe behavior or stunting without a coach will be assigned extra conditioning. This is to protect the athletes, coaches and the gym. In the event of an injury we will make every effort to ensure your athlete s well being. Conditioning All star cheerleading is a strenuous sport. All athletes in our program are expected to be in top physical shape. This includes flexibility, strength and endurance. If a team member is lacking in an area they could be asked to take an additional class (flyer, stunt, stretch) or private lessons. All team members are expected to take care of their bodies. This means no drugs, alcohol, tobacco or other items that could harm you. If anyone is caught drinking, smoking or using drugs their parents will be immediately notified. Further, the athlete will be dismissed from the team and advised to seek help for their issue. Extra conditioning is sometimes given as a consequence to an athlete making a poor decision, an unexcused absence, poor grades, etc Please understand, this is not given to cause any harm. Conditioning makes every athlete stronger and is a necessary part of practice. Proper conditioning is necessary to maintain their skill level and needs to be maintained for the success of the team. 2014 2015 Fees Each team member must pay a $300 NON REFUNDABLE commitment fee. This will be due upon registering for the program and will cover practice wear, a team bag, and tuition for April 2015. Tuition & Fees/Payment Schedule Monthly tuition for Tiny/Mini ($85) and all other squads ($105) is due on the 1 st of each month. A $20 late fee will be added to your account if payment is not made by the 15 th of the month. Competition fee payment is due by the 20 th of each month. A $20 late fee will be added to your account if payment is not made by the 20 th of the month. An example of the competition fee schedule is below and based on 10 athletes. The more athletes on a team, the lower the shared expenses will be per family. Tiny/mini (based on 10 athletes & two coaches) Total fixed fees: $1435 Total Shared fees: $ 310 $1745 $195 (clothing fee deducted from commitment fee) = $1550/9 months (June Feb.) = $173 All other teams (based on 10 athletes & two coaches) Total fixed fees: $1435 Total Shared fees: $ 330 $1765 $195 (clothing fee deducted from commitment fee) = $1570/9 months (June Feb.) = $175
It is the parents' responsibility to ensure these payments are made on time, regardless of these dates falling on a Sunday, holiday or the gym being closed. We are able to take payments over the phone. Please plan accordingly. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS FOR LATE PAYMENTS. PLEASE ENSURE YOU ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN PAYMENTS AND ABIDE BY THE PAYMENT SCHEDULE TO AVOID TERMINATION FROM THE TEAM. If you fall one month behind in tuition, your child will not be allowed on the floor until your account is brought current. If you fall 2 months behind in tuition or competition fees, your child will be terminated from the team and you will forfeit all fees that have been paid. *Competition fees for the program cover the costs of uniform and accessories (not covered by the commitment fee), the participation fees for the competition, as well as coaches' expenses and administrative fees. Again, Gym South is not a collection agency and will not tolerate parents who avoid past due correspondence. Your child will not be allowed to participate in team practices if your account is past due. If you are experiencing a financial hardship, please make an appointment to meet with the gym owner and/or a fundraiser officer to discuss fundraising opportunities or solutions. Gym South will attempt to work with you; however, you are encouraged to be proactive in handling your account and everyone must be willing to do their part in order for your account to function properly. Outstanding balances could result in your athlete losing their spot on their team. There will be NO refunds (competition fees, clothing costs, gym fees, etc.) to anyone who quits or is asked to leave the program. Anyone who leaves or is dismissed is responsible for all debts and legal fees. All Star Team Financial Summary: All Star Team fees listed below are combined and broken into equal monthly installments for convenience. Description Female Male Clothing Fees $ 866* TBD Competition Fee s $ 354 $354 Admin fees $ 215** $215 Total $1435 The following will be divided between the total number of athletes on each team. Choreography $300 $300 Music $400/700*** $400/700** Coaches fees (2/team) $2300**** $2300*** Total $3000/3300 Total at 10/team $300/330 *Clothing fees include, Custom uniform, bow, shoes, makeup, embroidered warm ups, two sets of practice wear, embroidered backpack and all shipping. **Admin fees include but are not limited to the time spent choosing, sizing and ordering clothing, registering for competitions, communicating with the parents, making travel arrangements for themselves and the teams (if necessary) and end of the year parties. ***Music fees are for Mini and Tiny/all other squads respectively.
****Coaches fees: represent all fees paid to the coaches including travel expenses. There are also TWO coaches per squad with a minimum of 10 athletes participating. (a single coaches fee is $1150 and will be added if the squad is larger and needs a third coach) Additional items will be available for purchase In the Pro Shop. Sponsorship/Fundraising A great way to finance each athlete s all star career is with sponsorships and fundraising. Sponsorships are donations written toward an athlete s account from outside sources (family, friends, business, etc.). For an official sponsorship letter with the Elite Storm letterhead, please contact management. Fundraising opportunities are available at your disposal throughout the season. Fundraisers can be an individual activity or a team effort. We offer numerous fundraising opportunities as a group and we strongly encourage each team to participate in fundraising events on their own, when possible. All fundraising efforts will be credited directly to the athlete s account. Community Service Elite Storm is a firm believer in giving back. Our vision is to help build strong foundations in every athlete. We want to help every athlete learn self confidence, leadership, positive attitude, character, commitment, hard work, and integrity. We believe that those who volunteer gain a type of growth that they could not get elsewhere. When volunteering, athletes are given the opportunity to see life from a variety of different perspectives, giving them a sense of humility for their own lives. When a person volunteers, they are able to give as much of their time as they want, making the commitment their own. We believe that these selfless acts of kindness can help manifest our vision for our athletes and program. Throughout the competitive season there will be numerous community service events and every athlete is encouraged to participate in at least two of them. Gift Exchange Teams perform at their best when they all respect, love, and get along with each other. Each athlete will randomly choose a secret sister/brother on their team. Throughout the season this person will secretly motivate, and encourage this person throughout the duration of the competitive season. We believe that a team divided will not perform well with each other, so we highly encourage relationship building within our program. Also secret sisters/brothers will do gift exchanges on specified days throughout the year. You will be given those dates and instructions at a later time. Competitions Each all star athlete must follow the competition dress code. Athletes must wear the assigned competition T shirt. The uniform top may be worn underneath. Athletes must wear the assigned warm up pants or uniform skirt. Both should not be worn together. Hair is performance ready with bow/headband upon entering the competition arena. Headwear is part of the uniform and should be treated as such. If headwear is lost or forgotten, you will be responsible for the cost of a new one. Athletes must wear cheer shoes indoors. No jewelry this could result in your team being disqualified. No visible body jewelry or tattoos. If you are not competing or have been dismissed from your team obligations at a competition, you may wear your Elite Storm warm up. You are still representing the Elite Storm program, please show good sportsmanship and polite manners.
Every athlete must have a chaperone at every competition. Athletes and parents are required to follow the times published on the competition itinerary unless otherwise instructed by your head coach. Tardiness or absences from a competition will result in dismissal from the team, without refund. All team members are expected to support and cheer on the other Elite Storm teams. We encourage you to watch every team; however at a minimum you will be required to watch your assigned team. It is expected that all athletes, parents, friends, and family exhibit good sportsmanship and polite manners while attending competitions. Please be respectful of other teams. Parents, we ask that you not consume alcohol while wearing any Elite Storm attire. Athletes, parents and/or friends should never approach the competition officials or judges. Hotel accommodations during competitions are the responsibility of each individual family. These charges must be paid directly to the hotel. The Head Coach and/or the Team Mom will reserve a block of rooms for all out of town competitions. It is not mandatory for athletes to stay at the chosen hotel; however it is highly encouraged. Travel to and from competitions (plane, train, automobile) and all travel expenses are the responsibility of the parent. Carpooling, if possible, to competitions is highly recommended. Competition Dates Teams may attend some or all of the competitions listed below and some may attend competitions which are not listed. We reserve the right to change/modify this schedule at any given time. 1. November TBA: Exhibition Performance Location: TBA 2. December 7 th 2014: Cheersport Atlanta Grand Championship (1 Day) Location: Atlanta, GA 3. December TBA: Winter Recital Location: Gym South 4. January 24 th 2014: Cheer Sport Atlanta Grand Championship (1 Day) Location: Atlanta, Ga 5. March 7 8 th 2015: American Royal (2 Day) Location: Atlanta GA 6. April 11 th 12 th 2015: The American Superstarz Location: Myrtle Beach, SC 7. May TBA: Spring Recital Location: Gym South Available Holidays and Vacations July 1 7 (Fourth of July) November 26 30 (Thanksgiving) December 20 January 2(Christmas and New Year)
2014 2015 Elite Storm Absence Request Form Absence Request Form Date of absence Team Reason for absence I, am requesting to be absent from practice on the date(s) above. I know that missing practice places complications and difficulties on the whole team. I understand that an unexcused absence or continual excused absences can result in being placed in an alternate position or removal from the squad. I acknowledge that by filling out this form, it is in no way an automatic excused absence. The gym or head coach will send written notification if this is to be an unexcused absence. Excessive unexcused absences are reason for dismissal from the team. Athlete name Parent name Date
Dedication and Financial Contract I (parent's name) Have read and clearly understand all financial responsibilities. I understand that it is my obligation to take care of all financial responsibilities including tuition, competition fees, and travel expenses. I (parent's name) understand that if my child does not drive and/or does not have a car, it is my responsibility to arrange a reliable source of transportation. I (parent's name) have read The ELITE STORM ALL STARS Information Packet and understand all Rules and Regulations outlined therein. I have discussed them with my child and we are aware of any consequences that may come if any of these rules are broken. I (parent's name) understand that the monthly tuition is separate from the Competition fees and is due on the 1st of each month. After the 15th of the month, a $20 late fee will be added to my account. No exceptions. I (parent's name) understand that the Competition fees are separate from the monthly tuition and is due by the 20th of each month. After the 20th of the month, a $20 late fee will be added to my account. No exceptions. I (parent's name) understand that all Competition fees are due in full by January 20th, 2015 and know that my failure to pay in full will result in termination from the team and fees will NOT be refunded. I (athlete's name) accept my place on the 2014 2015 ELITE STORM CHEER TEAM, and understand that I have to dedicate my time and give my best effort to this team in order to make it the success that it needs to be. I will represent GYM SOUTH and ELITE STORM and be placed on the team with respect and honor. I (athlete's name) have read and/or discussed with my parent(s) the rules and regulations for this team and I know and understand the terms if I were to break any of the rules. My place on this team is very important and I will work hard to keep my place on the team. Parent or Guardian's Signature Date Athlete's Signature Date