SL&AM
Cheer Parent
- May 13, 2014
- 7,081
- 11,625
I didn't take it that way. The people on this forum take cheer very seriously, I suspect I came off as ether a noob, or someone who was not showing due respect.
Just so you know where I am coming from Saturday night I had 2 upset moms in my hotel room ranting that their CPs had been told by their coach that they were in 7th place and she did not think there score would improve. She turned out to be correct there scores did go down they came in 8th. We had kids crying I have to be up at 3:30am to pack the car do hair and makeup. Then my wife tears up confessing that the coach and owner 2 months earlier attacked her and accused her of creating drama. So being the good engineer I am I stayed up most of the night reading and trying to understand what is going on.
I had to ask do people really spend this much money to be aggravated or am I doing it wrong.
I will now bring what I have learned to the now 4 irate moms and do what I can to defuse the situation. It appears there was nothing wrong with the situation and talking to the coach or owner would change nothing. This is just how this sport is done.
Funny side note, I told my neighbor that my daughter was in competition cheer. He responded that his daughter was also in cheer but no longer, and he was glad. He did not expand or say anymore about it. I thought it odd he did not offer advice.
Thank again to all of you
When the coach said they may not improve, it was probably not a result of the kids itself but because of the competition they had that weekend. You can be the absolutely best you can be as a team and hit with no deductions AND still not win if the team standing next to you was also the best they could be and had higher difficulty. About two weeks ago my CP competed at a competition where they were 1 of 3 teams. The first team took the mat and they hit their routine, second team did the same thing, CP's team got up there and had a stunt fall (flyer to her knees). At awards, CP's team took 1st---overall they had the more difficult, cleaner routine DESPITE that fall so even though it may not have seemed like they should have won, they did.
As for your wife, it's very easy for new cheer parents to get wrapped up in cheer drama without even realizing it. I was a new to cheer mom when my CP turned 4 (she came from dance, after deciding it was too boring and has been OBSESSED with cheer ever since) and it's very easy to get wrapped up into a world that doesn't make sense. Almost everything you laid is status quo at a lot of gyms, but not all of it. Each gym has their own way of doing things---my husband recently retired from the Army and because of moving we've experienced 3 separate programs---and none of them were the same. I currently drive past 3 All-Star Cheer gyms to take CP where she does. For her passion and dream it's worth it, but it does require a heavy sacrifice from me, her dad and her sister (who has to get toted around).
To be honest, it does seem like your child is spending too much time at the gym and that time could be spent elsewhere. Obviously team practices are a must, but I'd probably lower everything else to a level appropriate tumbling class (she's beyond the BHS one she's in) and then open gyms if she feels like she's missing the gym. The jump class, the stunt class...etc, aren't really needed especially if she is stretching at home. Those are the fun things my CP likes to do over the summer when the sky is the limit as far as time goes, but once school is in it's game over.
I just want to echo what a few have said about competitions not being vacation---I have turned my fair share of weekends away into mini vacation but it's much harder to do for 2 day competitions. The same weekend I spoke about above, I actually had my Dancer Child (she's at an All-Star Dance Studio) performing in Orlando on a Friday while my CP was competing in Tampa on a Sunday. When we left Friday morning, we just left and hotel hoped the two cities. We did add an aquarium trip but OMG I was dragging by Sunday---comps are fun, but exhausting and it's very difficult for the kids to be well rested and ready to compete if they can't relax, rest and focus.
As for your gym situation, I'm curious why you won't be traveling with the gym to Orlando in April? Aside from that, it doesn't sound like the GYM is the greatest fit for your family. I appreciate the fact that you want to learn---sometimes that is a blessing and a curse, so balance is key---but if you don't trust this coach, find a new gym next season. Try outs are virtually around the corner. Some coaches scream, threaten, go ape poop crazy---but not all of them. If your child is at a gym where you don't feel like you can drop them off and leave, knowing they're safe and sound, then it's not the right gym for you.
Otherwise, welcome to Fierceboard!!!!
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