All-Star Best And Worst Of All Star Cheer

[DanaBurkey]

In my experience, overt bullying isn't so much the issue as some teams/gyms being very cliquy. It can be hard to break into a new team where the majority of athletes have been together for a long time. Again, not all gyms or teams though

Yeah, that's something a lot of sports can have, and I touch on it in book 1 and then again with a different sport in book 2. My hope is that with any of the "drama" and "bullying" and "issues" through the series it will be clear that these things happen because of the people themselves, not just the sport. I don't want people to walk away from reading my books thinking that cheer is this or that because of the one person who did one thing here or there. I want people to hopefully see the good in all star cheer, and after the response stating just that from non-cheerleaders who read book 1, I want to keep that going for sure! Basically anything I can do to help people see what they are missing if they don't love all star cheer will be done! haha

 

[BBinNCsMom]

I think $$$ is a huge dark side of all star. If you don't have $$ you can't do privates and extra classes, etc... To get your kid to the next level. And if you do get there somehow without those things, the travel and comp fees are out of control. Some people have their kids in the gym everyday and of course they are progressing. But if you can't afford that or you work and can't get your kid there four times a week, you are stuck.

My daughter has fallen in love with the sport again this year, but this will likely be her last because we just can't afford it and we aren't poor by any means. We are very blessed but my husband and I work full time and just don't have the disposable income or the time to keep this up. By time I mean driving back and forth to the gym. I work an hour away and we live 30 mins from the gym. That may not sound far, compared to some, but it's far for us.

From a program perspective, The larger gyms also have $$ to bring in top choreographers and buy custom music and uniforms. Which I would imagine would be hard for smaller gyms to compete with.


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[DanaBurkey]

I think $$$ is a huge dark side of all star. If you don't have $$ you can't do privates and extra classes, etc... To get your kid to the next level. And if you do get there somehow without those things, the travel and comp fees are out of control. Some people have their kids in the gym everyday and of course they are progressing. But if you can't afford that or you work and can't get your kid there four times a week, you are stuck.

My daughter has fallen in love with the sport again this year, but this will likely be her last because we just can't afford it and we aren't poor by any means. We are very blessed but my husband and I work full time and just don't have the disposable income or the time to keep this up. By time I mean driving back and forth to the gym. I work an hour away and we live 30 mins from the gym. That may not sound far, compared to some, but it's far for us.

From a program perspective, The larger gyms also have $$ to bring in top choreographers and buy custom music and uniforms. Which I would imagine would be hard for smaller gyms to compete with.


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Your words echo a lot of what I've been hearing from people, and have seen myself. It's a bummer for sure, since I think the confidence and healthy competition cheerleading can build up in an athlete is super important!

Does you gym offer any kind of scholarship for kids who can't pay? Or do fundraisers for the teams? I'm wondering if that's something a lot of gyms offer or not. In fact, it makes me think of Cheerhab season 2, where we got to see a non-profit gym and how it was run. Man....now I want to go back and watch that season! haha

 

[Cheer Dad]

Your words echo a lot of what I've been hearing from people, and have seen myself. It's a bummer for sure, since I think the confidence and healthy competition cheerleading can build up in an athlete is super important!

Does you gym offer any kind of scholarship for kids who can't pay? Or do fundraisers for the teams? I'm wondering if that's something a lot of gyms offer or not. In fact, it makes me think of Cheerhab season 2, where we got to see a non-profit gym and how it was run. Man....now I want to go back and watch that season! haha

Boys are more likely to get scholorships or reduced fees because they are a rarity in this industry and when they can stunt, tumble, jump and dance they are gold.


**j'applaudis avec mes cuisses de tonnerre**

 

[Pebbles49]

I think the darker side of cheer that can be explore the topic of Favoritism and the effects it have within a gym. Some good topics explore on favoritism can be between coaches and athletes, between the different teams, the different positions (flyers, bases and backspots) and cliques that forms and last, favoritism that form between gym owners, coaches and parents...

 

[cheermomforever]

Wow! I love the support and suggestions and sharing all around!

The info about bullying has been good, but I have a different questions/topic. Injuries!

When injuries happen have athletes pushed themselves to keep going too hard? Are the coaches applying that pressure? Is an injury ever met with happiness since it opens a spot on the team?

Thanks again everyone, and I love how open and willing to share people are. As much as I have watched every tv show, web series, and documentary out there, nothing quite beats hearing people give their reactions and feelings to something. I'm not using anything word for word or even using some things mentioned at all, but as I read what everyone writes I get to think through it as my characters and see how it would effect the flow and arc of the story, and I love it! So glad I found Fierce Board, and I just wish I found it sooner!!

I have found that most major injuries in our gym is just "flukes" not due to new skills or bad irresponsible coaching. My daughter got hurt on something she had been doing for a while. Just landed funky. Her teamate stepped on someones foot coming down from a stunt and had surgery..................of course their are daily minor bumps and bruising.

 

[DanaBurkey]

I have found that most major injuries in our gym is just "flukes" not due to new skills or bad irresponsible coaching. My daughter got hurt on something she had been doing for a while. Just landed funky. Her teamate stepped on someones foot coming down from a stunt and had surgery..................of course their are daily minor bumps and bruising.

Oh yeah. I'm sure the bruises and things are constant. Throwing people around can have that effect! haha

 

[DanaBurkey]

I think the darker side of cheer that can be explore the topic of Favoritism and the effects it have within a gym. Some good topics explore on favoritism can be between coaches and athletes, between the different teams, the different positions (flyers, bases and backspots) and cliques that forms and last, favoritism that form between gym owners, coaches and parents...

Favoritism is a good one for sure. I have a little of it in my book, or at least people perceiving things that way, so hopefully I can make it ring true for readers.

 

[cachoi]

I think the best thing about cheer is how welcoming it can be and how it can help you connect with people. I moved from Massachusetts to South Carolina right before my junior year of high school and couldn't participate in any school sports because they had tryouts the year before. I joined a gym after the season had started and they included me right away. I was even invited to team bonding camp before I had an official first practice! This was back in 2009 so it's definitely not the same industry that exists today but I would have been unbelievably miserable from moving had I not started cheering again and met girls from different towns that helped me explore my new surroundings. When I went off to college, being a former cheerleader helped me connect with so many people.

 

[DanaBurkey]

Boys are more likely to get scholorships or reduced fees because they are a rarity in this industry and when they can stunt, tumble, jump and dance they are gold.


**j'applaudis avec mes cuisses de tonnerre**

I didn't even think about that but totally should have! Growing up doing theater boys always got special treatment since they wer

I think the best thing about cheer is how welcoming it can be and how it can help you connect with people. I moved from Massachusetts to South Carolina right before my junior year of high school and couldn't participate in any school sports because they had tryouts the year before. I joined a gym after the season had started and they included me right away. I was even invited to team bonding camp before I had an official first practice! This was back in 2009 so it's definitely not the same industry that exists today but I would have been unbelievably miserable from moving had I not started cheering again and met girls from different towns that helped me explore my new surroundings. When I went off to college, being a former cheerleader helped me connect with so many people.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That is one of the things I really want to show in my books for sure. The way being on a squad can foster teamwork and confidence and help people meet new friends and have amazing experiences. Like you said, it might be a little different now compared to then, but I hope that for many they still that sense of belonging that comes with all star cheer teams.

 

[IACheerMom]

Another thing that happens is when a parent is way too involved in their child's cheer life. The parents that put so much pressure on the kids and are at every practice with their nose to the window. The parents that make snide comments about the other kids.

 

[ScottyB]

I think $$$ is a huge dark side of all star. If you don't have $$ you can't do privates and extra classes, etc... To get your kid to the next level. And if you do get there somehow without those things, the travel and comp fees are out of control. Some people have their kids in the gym everyday and of course they are progressing. But if you can't afford that or you work and can't get your kid there four times a week, you are stuck.

Depending on the age of your athlete, I would be pushing back on the coach for "privates" and "extra classes". They are a coach, not just a choreographer. If they want gym tuition outside of routine creation then they need to be teaching the athletes in practices as well. Privates are for tryout prep, the off season, skill building to give you some help if one of your skills is lacking, not supplemental skill growth.

Open gym can be used to get those reps once the coach has done the educating and demonstrating.

 

[quitthedrama]

so far, for 90% of what has been posted, the same can be said for nearly every youth sport. The main issue selective to cheer is with the industry leaders and/or governing body.

 

[DanaBurkey]

Another thing that happens is when a parent is way too involved in their child's cheer life. The parents that put so much pressure on the kids and are at every practice with their nose to the window. The parents that make snide comments about the other kids.

YES!!! So much yes!! I feel like sadly there is a lot of that in all kinds of sports, but in things like dance and cheer and other performance sports it's even more so. Fear not, that is one thing I have already talked about some in my books and will continue to build and show more and more. Now, keep in mind, I will make it clear that not every parent is like that and also that they are not always just these crazy mini van driving moms hopped up on coffee yelling and screaming. But.....I have one or two parents in mind that will help Max, the lead in my series, a little happier that she has a cheer dad who is supportive without going overboard!

 

[DanaBurkey]

so far, for 90% of what has been posted, the same can be said for nearly every youth sport. The main issue selective to cheer is with the industry leaders and/or governing body.

I agree about the other sports for sure. And I'm making sure to find a balance of everything in my series. I want to show some of the things people are bringing up, or things I know from experience. But, I have also made sure to show other sides of things like how great cheer is and also how other sports can be just as "catty" and "drama filled" as people might think cheer is. Book 2 in my series(out next month on Kindle) actually looks at softball a lot as well, and hopefully will give people a nice duality of the two sports in the book.