All-Star Cea Chicago

[piglet]

I was hoping they meant CEA SEATTLE!!! Darn.

 

[cheermom19]

Yea it looks like the person who is going to be the main coach there is a very successful coach. It looks like she has multiple NCA and Summit Wins as a coach.

 

[12stepCheermom]

Once again correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe CA sent a coach that knew how the program was to be run and how to do things the "CA way" to run the new gym. As far as the public knows, CEA is not doing that.

I don't have anything to offer on how CEA does business but I can say CA Charlotte feels very much a part of Cheer Athletics, distance notwithstanding.

Our coaches are frequently visiting back and forth, training in the "CA way" is ongoing and deliberate across the organization and (especially with the pairing of sister teams) it really does have a family feel regardless of distance. Oddly more so a family than any other gym we've been in other than one small local one in its heyday.

We were the only CA team in Indy this weekend (Jamfest not Majors, obviously) which meant only one of our three coaches came with us (the rest of the gym was at SOH so our other two coaches were with their other teams). The music table sits back with the judges stand which meant we had no coach at the front of the mat (and like 15 fans....it was just us parents of a small team [emoji23]) because he had to "hit play." So Saturday it was very sweet (but not actually surprising since he's come to our competitions personally before) to see @BlueCat himself down front and center cheering them on.

No idea how CEA expands, but CA has done an amazing job making a gym 1000 miles away feel like it's next door. Shoot it even looks the same inside, sometimes when you see video I have to pause to figure out whether it's charlotte or Plano. And the branding is great. It's nice when we are at competitions with other CA teams that were all wearing the same gear.


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[King]

My guess is the burbs outside Chicago (the wife is from there). Aurora? Naperville?

 

[Mamarazzi]

Is this an established gym takeover/rescue? If so, which one?

 

[EmmytheFlyer]

My guess is the burbs outside Chicago (the wife is from there). Aurora? Naperville?

They have the big and big name gyms now in the south burbs (Lockport - Gymtyme) the west (Aurora - ICE) and the North (Wauconda - Ultimate Athletics and Ringwood - ICE) so I was guessing they may be shooting for the Schaumburg area. So many from Schaumburg area go to all these others that surround it. We will see!


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[coach12]

I may be in the minority here but I always hate to see things like this.
Are we going to end up eventually with just a few mega gyms having gyms in every state? I get its a business and nothing wrong is being done but I just hate to see so many smaller gyms getting put out of business because of things like this.

 

[purplecheer]

I may be in the minority here but I always hate to see things like this.
Are we going to end up eventually with just a few mega gyms having gyms in every state? I get its a business and nothing wrong is being done but I just hate to see so many smaller gyms getting put out of business because of things like this.

Honestly, I just think it's boring always having the same gyms versing each other. I like a bit of variety! And it's sad to look back at all the amazing teams that are no longer around(tsunami<3) Fun fact- this hiragana in Japanese つ makes the sound "tsu" in tsunami.

 

[Beans100]

Once again correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe CA sent a coach that knew how the program was to be run and how to do things the "CA way" to run the new gym. As far as the public knows, CEA is not doing that.

Sometimes cheer sounds like a "franchise" to me. I get that some gyms can do it well, but there are going to be some flops in the mix.

However, if this place is actually in the city, I'd be interested to check it out.

 

[tumbleyoda]

I may be in the minority here but I always hate to see things like this.
Are we going to end up eventually with just a few mega gyms having gyms in every state? I get its a business and nothing wrong is being done but I just hate to see so many smaller gyms getting put out of business because of things like this.

I hate to say it will happen, but it looks that way. Many smaller gyms are convinced that they have no option but to merge/sell out or go out of business. The whole you can't beat em, so join em theory. Some will survive of course but will take immense hits, unless they have a sustainable program that does not just rely on All Stars - which is what we are trying to educate small gyms on - and saying that is exactly what they don't want the small gyms to do - diversify their offerings so that All Stars is not the main/only product they offer. Many small gym coaches and owners talk privately if a mega gyms comes in their area closing or selling out is the only option. Whereas the many of the mega gyms at least publicly don't understand why the small gym won't fight to survive, even if it will only as a feeder to the mega gym. Again it is not a popular view, but I hear this all the time.

To be fair I must also say that just because a mega gym opens a gym in let's say Idaho, does not automatically mean that the Idaho gym will be as great as the main location. Yes they will get better pricing on uniforms, competition fees, and they get instant Brand recognition and what I call BOD - benefit of the doubt points at competition. After all they are_____ they are supposed to be good, win, be amazing, etc. Yet in many of the cases (Cheer Athletics being a notable exception) the satellite is not as strong competitively. If you have a sustainable business model that does not rely on All Stars to keep your doors open, can limit the amount of kids/parents that jump ship for the name brand because it has always been their dream to cheer for a mega gym but relocating was not an option, and be smart in your competition schedule (getting harder with the majority of comps being owned by the same company) you can get through it.

 

[DropAndRun]

Thrilled for my Chicago friends to have the opportunity if they desire to compete in teal.

That, and I think Kaley Collier is one of the greatest young minds in this business and she is going to do amazing things for this new program.

Can't wait to see what becomes of it.

 

[SL&AM]

I wish this gym all the luck in the world. While it took me by surprise last night---just because of sheer distance (I was equally as surprised when CA decided to venture out to NC), I think it'll do a lot of good for the families who need or want a new cheer home or maybe even a cheer home closer to where they are. I mean, Chicago traffic is terrifying and my measley hour drive would literally be three hours up there.

I do think it'll be an interesting to watch more gyms spread out west. I don't think that area has any real megagyms out there, does it? I know Cali is in Nevada but I can't think of anything beyond that.

 

[mollymags]

They have the big and big name gyms now in the south burbs (Lockport - Gymtyme) the west (Aurora - ICE) and the North (Wauconda - Ultimate Athletics and Ringwood - ICE) so I was guessing they may be shooting for the Schaumburg area. So many from Schaumburg area go to all these others that surround it. We will see!


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Rumor I heard is that they will be in the Tinley/Orland Park area... So south suburbs and not very far away from GTIL. Not sure how true it is but I guess we'll see.

 

[Beans100]

I wish this gym all the luck in the world. While it took me by surprise last night---just because of sheer distance (I was equally as surprised when CA decided to venture out to NC), I think it'll do a lot of good for the families who need or want a new cheer home or maybe even a cheer home closer to where they are. I mean, Chicago traffic is terrifying and my measley hour drive would literally be three hours up there.

I do think it'll be an interesting to watch more gyms spread out west. I don't think that area has any real megagyms out there, does it? I know Cali is in Nevada but I can't think of anything beyond that.

It would be ideal if they were accessible via the El or the Metra. I don't have a car so I rely purely on walking and public transportation, as do many people. If they are looking to field a team for older kids, having something easy to get to on the train would be excellent. And while a lot of families in the burbs have cars, a lot of those who live in the city don't, or there is 1 car to share between 2 parents.

 

[DaniV]

I was hoping they meant CEA SEATTLE!!! Darn.

As a coach in Seattle, no thanks (I don't want to be out of a job!) lol. I love how our "small" gyms can make a name for themselves in Cali and at Worlds without having a bajillion locations