1/5/09 - (Eden) The only thing to fix poor attendance is good attendance. And alot of it if we're going to have any chance to be ready soon.

We've tried to work around all conflicts which included many basketball games. That is the reason for the late time of practice.

Juniors and Seniors 7:30-9:30 pm this Thursday, January 8th.

12/5/09 - (Burlington) Juniors will practice this Thursday, January 8th from 7:00-8:30

Seniors will practice this Friday, January 9th beginning at 10:00.

Both practice have been scheduled to try to work around basketball games and other conflicts. Hence the late times.

12/18/08 - We had planned to practice long this weekend, but due to some scheduling conflicts at the YMCA we will practice as scheduled this Saturday in the Main Gym.

10-12 Jrs (Eden)
11-12 Dance (Eden)
12-2 Srs (Eden)

12/17/08 - The Cookie Dough/Frozen Foods ordered in the last fundraiser will be delivered tomorrow at the gym at 5 pm. Since it is frozen you will need to be able to pick them up sometime Wednesday evening as I have no where close to the space needed to keep them frozen.

I will deliver the few Eden orders to the YMCA following my classes on Wednesday evening. But that will mean you will not get them til around 9 pm. So if you do not plan to pick them up at the gym be sure to let me know.

If there is a problem and delivery is delayed I will try to let everyone know as soon as possible through email, but right now the delivery is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 17, 5:00 pm at the gym.

12/13/08 - If I may I'm going to do something I don't do very often and that is brag on Carolina Elite. I'm quick to brag on the kids, the parents, my staff, but I usually let praise for the program come on it's own. But this I just have to share.

Times are not easy and money is definitely hard to come by. Carolina Elite has always found ways to keep things cheaper, but as things stand now just about everything cost more and we can't always control it. We don't control the cost of uniforms, shoes, or the ever rising competition cost. The only thing we have direct control over is the monthly tuition cost which has not risen since we opened the gym.

This year as in years past the cost of competitions has continued to rise. This year, however, we will compete ten times for an average of less than $50 a performance.

It's been four years since we last bought uniforms and this year we chose uniforms custom designed by us. Uniforms that continue to be full length tops and a mix that both the kids and the parents are proud of having. A trend that we have followed since our inception, but one that the rest of the all-star world is only now catching on to as evidenced by the USASF's (the governing body for all-star cheerleading) new "advice" on uniform choices. Despite that our new uniforms are actually $35 cheaper than our previous ones.

As I have already mentioned our gym cost have not gone up since we opened the doors. We continue to offer a monthly flat fee that covers all practices and tumbling. While other gyms around us continue to increase their fees, to say nothing of choreography fees, music fees, etc., etc., etc. we continue to try to find ways to save you money.

All-Star cheerleading isn't cheap, I won't try to argue that. But this year as in years past you can compete with Carolina Elite including gym fees, competition fees, uniforms, shoes, bloomers, everything you need to spend a year with us for less than $1500. For most the cost is even less. Any gym who does it cheaper is cheating you somewhere. They're leaving fees off the record, they're not competing as much, or it goes without saying they're not offering the same quality.

I'm not saying Carolina Elite is the best. There are some gyms out there that still do things that make my head spin. Cheer Extreme did things at the last competition I watched I'd barely know where to begin. There are some coaches out there that I still look up to. If I'm half the coach Kevin Brubaker from Charlotte All-Stars is I'll be a very happy person. The list goes on and on. But in this area, you won't find a better combination of cost, competitiveness, and care. There's no one who works harder to save you money. Only one gym in the area has received paid bids to nationals and that is us. And our staff cares more because I lead it and I make sure they follow my example.

Alright I'm done. I hope you find yourself as proud of this program as I am. Sometimes it's just important to know the facts so you don't get dizzy from the "spin" that is out there.

12/13/08 - The calendar for the rest of the year has been posted, including practices and competitions. I have also put a listing of our competitions on the website so you do not have to search through the months to find where we are attending.

As I understand it teams can win bids to the April 4-5 competition at our first two competitions. But either way the April 4-5 competition is one all squads are planning to attend.

The Feb 21 competition is where we won several paid bids to Savannah, GA last year and were not able to take advantage of it. That's why I have included March 28-29 as an option, only should we do so again. You can also win a bid to Savannah at the March 1 competition.

The May 1-3 competition in Virginia Beach is only an option if we win a bid at the Mach 15 competition. Otherwise we will be attending the Myrtle Beach competition.

I will have cost for the competitions shortly so you can plan ahead. Cost for the entire competition season is about $475 which comes out to less than $50 per performance. That's quite impressive for this day and time.

12/11/08 - (Burlington) This Saturday Dec. 13 is the Gibsonville Christmas Parade. Meet at the gym by 12:30 pm. The parade begins at 2 pm. We will leave from the gym and return to the gym following the parade. So you may both drop off and pick up your kids at the gym. Please plan to meet them there to make sure we don't lose any kids. We your blue sweatshirts and black sweatpants.

12/11/08 - (Eden) Thankfully the last parade we are participating in is this Saturday. I've enjoyed them, but it's played havoc with our schedule.

As we told the girls at their last practice both squads will practice at the Y from 10-12 Saturday, Dec. 13. Following practice anyone who would like to can follow me over to the gym to participate in the Gibsonville Christmas Parade. The parade begins at 2 pm and line-up is scheduled for 1 pm. Same as the past parades, blue sweatshirt and black sweat pants.

The calendar for this Saturday has been updated if you have any questions.

12/5/08 - (Eden Dance) I just spoke with Cassidy to find out the Dance team's plans for the weekend. These parads are alot of fun, a great celebration for the season, and even good publicity, but they've thrown our schedule into disarray so bear with us.

The Dance team will plan to practice Saturday at 2:30 following the cheer teams practices. The calendar has been updated with this as well.

12/5/08 - (Burlington) - It's been a while since we've practiced so wanted to remind everyone of the times for this weekend.

We also need everyone to pay their deposit for the Uniforms. This years uniforms are a bit cheaper than in years past, I know everyone appreciates that. Deposit will be half of the total cost, meaning $100 is currently due. The remaining $100 will need to be paid before you actually taken possession of your uniform.


Sunday, Dec. 7th (odd date, Seniors first)

1:15-3:15 Srs (Burl)
3:15-5:15 Jrs (Burl)

12/2/08 - Just a reminder that there is no tumbling tonight due to conflicts in the Youth Gym this month.

11/27/08 - Hopefully everyone has had an opportunity to pick up a brochure on the Cookie Dough/Frozen Food Fundraiser if they want one. The money you make goes into your personal account to pay for uniforms, shoes, competition registrations, etc. So the more you sell the less you have to pay for items during the year. You can pick up extras at the gym or by asking me for them.

You will make 40% profit on the amount you sell. Orders need to be turned in by Dec. 10th to insure delivery by Christmas. Please collect all checks/cash personally and then write one check to Carolina Elite for the price of the entire order. Otherwise we're inundated with more checks than we can keep up with, it also helps us insure the profits go to the correct account.

Thanks and good luck selling!

11/20/08 (Burlington) - Sweatshirts will hopefully be in by Sunday. Cost will be $22.

11/20/08 (Eden) - This weekend we're presented with quite a few conflicts. The YMCA is being used for a swim meet and so we will be meeting in the aerobics room once it becomes available. In addition I know many of you are participating in the Reidsville parade Saturday evening. In an attempt to weave between the two events we'll be adjusting the practice times. The two practices overlap intentionally.

Sweatshirts will hopefully be in by Saturday as well. Cost will be $22.

12-2 Seniors (Eden)
1-3 Juniors (Eden)

11/6/08 - The Calendar for November and December is now posted. There is a parade listed for Nov. 22 in Burlington at 10 am and Nov. 28th in Eden at 8 pm. They are both tentative as we make sure we have enough to participate, something to ride on etc. So please take the time to talk to your parents and find out if you can attend. We will be discussing it at practice this weekend along with asking if you can attend.

11/3/08 - Due to election day voting the gym will be in use and we will not be having Tumbling this Tuesday, November 4th.

Amy has offered to meet from 7-8 pm in the aerobics room to work on the dances. Be sure to take advantage of this meeting.

10/29/08 - Not really a warning, more of a teaser that we have alot of events coming up soon. You've been patiently waiting for uniforms, shoes, schedules, parades, lock-ins, and alot more...we've been working on quite a bit and I think alot of it will be coming together all at once. Not sure on everything yet, but wanted to throw it out there to begin preparing everyone. I will pass information along as soon as I can =)

10/24/08 - I've had computer problems that I once thought I had fixed arise again. As a result I have lost much of my email from the past few days. If you wrote and I didn't reply I apologize, it's simply because I had no idea you wrote.

I'm trying to get things fixed, but if I seem as though I'm ignoring you I'm not. Send it again and I'll try to reply to that one.

9/29/08 - Alright, we asked for it and you responded. It was a very productive weekend of practices. Attendance was much better and everyone appreciates it! Now just make sure we keep it up!

I also want to thank all of the parents for being patient with information. Despite little information from me no one has complained. We're not trying to keep you out, we just didn't have any to give yet. But I do want to share what we know. In fact we just want to get you more involved. I feel like the more involved you are, the more you'll be able to help us out. Being a parent to twenty or thirty teenage girls was nothing compared to ninety to a hundred. So all help is appreciate =)

So, we'll have a parent meeting this weekend just to let you guys ask questions. I should be able to answer everything except concerning uniforms and competition schedule. I'll let you know what I know about those, just won't be definite for another little bit. Following that, for those that want to stick around, I'd like to have a small discussion on what we can do to further reduce cost. We're already one of the lowest cost all-star programs around and while we feel we've cut all we can, we're still out for suggestions. With the way the economy is we can never do enough. And I also realize that while it may be to the girls, cheerleading is not what you could call a necessity to most.

The more parents in attendance the better. Even if it's just a few minutes to hear things you already know. Parents of girls returning, you'll ask the questions new parents wouldn't even think to ask. And Senior parents you're definitely needed to. Just cause you're kids can drive to practice now doesn't mean they don't need you in the gym...ok, fine even if they don't need you WE NEED YOU!!!

Parent meeting Saturday for Eden 11:30 am
Parent meeting Sunday for Burlington 3:00 pm

9/25/08 - It seems like every year about this time I need to remind everyone how important attendance is. I grew up in a different time where I didn't have to be told to attend practice. If I hadn't taken it upon myself to make sure I was at practice my parents would have and I rarely missed. I remember attending track practice in the mornings and soccer practice in the evenings. I remember playing football with a broken hand and running cross country on a broken foot. Perhaps not the smartest moves, but as I said it was a different time.

I've tried keep up with the changes and while there was a time when coaches expected attendance no matter what I've tried to be a little more understanding. And while I don't complain when someone misses practice for throwing up or running a fever, I do think too many miss because of a head ache or simply because they had a bad day. But this email isn't to lay out what is excused or unexcused.

This email is simply to ask for the support of the parents in making sure their kids attend practice. The parents are the single biggest factor in making sure the cheerleaders make it to practice. Each year we see attendance fall off from the Youngest to the Oldest, particularly once the girls get their drivers license. The girls need the parents involved and we want the parents involved.

As we always do we have a great group of girls this year. We have perhaps the best staff assembled we ever have. But no matter how good we are as coaches we can't teach the girls if they aren't there. And I doubt if the girls do not improve that the coaches as a group will be excused simply because of poor attendance. You pay us to teach your kids and it only makes sense to have the girls there so they can learn.

We have alot of new girls and alot of new parents. We have held off having a parent meeting as we try to arrange the new uniforms, etc. and so I'm sure there are alot still feeling their way out. So let me state this email is not a complaint, it's a request. I know many of you have had reasons for missing and I'm not looking for explanations. Taken one at a time I'm sure they're perfectly reasonable, but I wanted to share the whole from a coach's perspective. Sometimes it's best to just look at the numbers and so I'll end with the current attendance percentages for each squad and hope we can pull them up...way up! You expect A's and so do we =)

Juniors (Burlington) - 86% B
Juniors (Eden) - 84% B
Seniors (Burlington) - 81% B-
Seniors (Eden) - 74% C

9/12/08 - This Tuesday, September 16th at 5:30 we will have a meeting at the YMCA. This meeting will be to begin both our Youth Squad(which practiced last year) as well as to begin our All-Star Dance program. Our dance program has been absent for the past several years as our last Dance Director moved on to coach at the College level. We're very excited to be starting one again. The Youth will be for members K - 4th grade. The Dance is currently open to anyone interested, although obviously turn out will dictate how we proceed. Be sure to pass the word around!

9/10/08 - Lauren will be having a meeting at the gym, Thursday the 11th at 6 pm for anyone intersted in cheerleading in the Youth age. This is for anyone in the 4th grade and below. So if you know of anyone interested be sure to pass along the information! Thanks!

9/8/08 - Over the years Carolina Elite has done several things that the rest of the industry is only just now beginning to follow. Less make-up, more appropriate dances, less sound effects in music, etc. One of the biggest we have done is in the case of our uniforms. For quite a few years now we have been one of only a handful of programs that use full length uniforms. Our last trip to Cheersport Nationals I looked around warm-ups in a room full of over a hundred teams and spotted less than five teams with full length uniforms. So I was very pleased when I got an email today from the USASF (the governing all-star body) with a recommendation for uniforms. Now I'm not implying we were a trend setter or that this email pertains exactly to us, it's just nice to know that Carolian Elite is remaining ahead of the curve. I'm obviously very proud of our program and I wanted to share so you could be as well.

Uniforms Recommendation

The following recommendation is being made by the USASF as it pertains to uniforms for all-star participants. This is not a "rule," at this time, but only a recommendation. Therefore, it will be posted on the website and shared with membership, but it will not appear on the Age Grid.

Coaches should consider ALL squad members’ body types when choosing a uniform style. The uniform should comfortably fit the athlete, and the athlete should feel comfortable performing in the uniform. The skirt on female cheerleaders should cover briefs completely in front and back while standing; and should fit loosely enough not to “ride up” around waist during performance. Crop tops should reasonably cover the athlete, and not be so short that bra tops show during “arm over head” movements. This is not a mandatory rule for this season, but simply a recommendation. We must present our participants as athletes, and be aware that many children to not have the body type to make some uniforms fit the above criteria.


9/4/08 - Just a reminder that practices are listed on the Calendar.  If you're getting this email I'll expect to you see you there cause I haven't heard otherwise!

8/27/08 - Well, I hate to have one practice and then give you the next weekend off, but since we try to coordinate the beginning of our year with the beginning of the school year that is what we have to deal with. The extra time should allow us to get in touch with everyone to make sure they are there for the next practice. We also want to have a parent meeting to answer all of the questions about cost, schedule, etc. and hopefully now we can finalize that information before the next practice. The calendar has been updated with these dates and the next practices for September. A parent meeting will be added shortly.

We will have no practice this Saturday, August 30.
We will have no practice this Sunday, August 31.
We will have no tumbling class this Monday, September 1.
We will have tumbling in Eden on Tuesday, September 2.
We will have tumbling in Burlington on Wednesday, September 3.

8/20/08 - I can't believe the summer is already coming to an end. We've worked hard to make the coming year a great one and while will still have a few things left to tend to, we can't let chances for practice pass us by. So we have a few open practices coming up. An open practice means it isn't required, but the more we have in attendance the more we'll get accomplished. We realize some of you may be taking that last weekend vacation, but the sooner we get a look at everyone together the quicker we can begin working on routines.

This email is being sent to each squad individually. With the growth we experienced over the summer, we currently have only a handful of girls who have to cross compete. So be sure to check out your times for practice. The YMCA will be in use Friday evening and all day Saturday, forcing us to find another time to meet. Since everyone in our Tuesday tumbling class is an all-star we'll just use that evening as our practice time. Don't worry, we plan to continue the Tuesday tumbling a while longer for everyone =)

I've tried hard to include everyone's email, but if you are not receiving this email (either someone told you about it or you saw it on the website) be sure to let me know. Also if you have any questions about which time you should be there resulting from not receiving the email be sure to let us know. My apologies if you're a Senior in High School and get an email about Junior practice times. It doesn't mean we've decided to begin cheating in competitions, it just means I have you in the wrong group =)

Burlington Juniors - Sunday, August 24: 1:15 pm - 3:15 pm
Burlington Seniors - Sunday, August 24: 3:15 pm - 5:15 pm
Eden Juniors - Tuesday, August 26: 6 pm - 7 pm
Eden Seniors - Tuesday, August 26: 7 pm - 8 pm

Results for 2008:

Feb 2, 2008
Juniors - 3rd Place
Seniors - 1st Place, 2nd Overall
Seniors - 1st Place

Feb 23, 2008
Juniors - 2nd Place, 3rd Overall
Seniors - 2nd Place
Seniors - 1st Place, 1st Place Grand Champion

March 8, 2008
Juniors - 1st Place, Level Grand Champion
Seniors - 2nd Place
Seniors - 1st Place, Level Grand Champion

March 16, 2008
Juniors - 6th Place
Seniors - 5th Place

April 12, 2008
Juniors - 1st Place
Juniors - 3rd Place
Seniors - 7th Place
Seniors - 3rd Place

May 31st, 2008

Juniors - 1st Place
Juniors - 1st Place
Seniors - 1st Place
Seniors - 1st Place
Most Spirited Program Award



6/27/08 - Last thing I need to do is never fun, but always necessary. If you're not planning on returning next year, though I certainly hope everyone is, I need you to reply and let me know so I can take your name off our list and quit bothering you with my emails =)

The only further emails concerning last year will be outstanding statements. I will continue to try to work with everyone to get you caught up. Only if you do not make an effort concerning an outstanding statement will it be turned over to a collection agency.

6/27/08 - I know everyone has wanted to know what our summer plans are. Thanks for giving me a few weeks to sort things out after the banquet. In some respects it's hard to believe it's been such a short time since the season ended.

In Burlington we will do as we have done in previous years. We will not be practicing til later in the summer, but we will continue to offer tumbling classes as usual. The cost will be $40 a month for one class a week. This is usually a good amount for most, but anyone wanting more just let me know. Classes will be on Monday and Wednesday. 6 - 7 will focus on standing tumbling. 7 - 8 will focus on running tumbling.

In Eden we will be changing it a bit. Last summer we continued our Saturday morning classes, but who wants to get up early on a Saturday morning during the summer. So we'll offer tumbling classes on Tuesday at the YMCA. The cost will be $30 a month for one class a week (along with the Y membership will make the cost equal). 6 - 7 will focus on standing tumbling. 7 - 8 will focus on running tumbling.

Most consider the summer a great time to catch up, but I challenge everyone to use it as a time to get ahead. This is a perfect opportunity for individual advancement and the harder you work during the summer the more successful your squad will be next year.

6/27/08 - I know for many programs they simply wanted this season to end, but I for one really hated to let it go. It went so good, I just wanted it to keep going. But time waits for no man, or cheerleader, and so it came to an end in any case. There are still a few items to take care of before we can close the books on it. This email concerns our final competition.

I usually take the time to comment on each squad's performance individually, but this time I'm going to part with that habit. If not I'd simply be repeating myself. Each squad performed the best they have performed all year. The amount of progress from the beginning of the year til the end is what coaches, parents, and cheerleaders should want to see. You continued to look for progress even when you had success and never settled. Your performance at this competition was what I was expecting from the previous competition, but hey you certainly saved the best for last.

My only regret is that anyone who is tired of getting thrown out of competitions for cheating...any parents who have become convinced that the only way coaches can get results is through fussing and cussing...anyone who is looking for a program that does what is right not what they think everyone else is doing...didn't get to see you girls show what can be done when a program puts the emphasis on the kids. So now it's up to you to get them in the gym and show them what Carolina Elite can accomplish.