All-Star Favoritism?

[AllHeartxo3]

It all has to do with perception. At our gym, the level 5 team is perceived to be the "favorite" team. I have one daughter on the level 5 team and one who is on the level 4 team. The level 5 team is held to higher standards than the other teams - they are required to come in and do extra practices, work harder, etc. However, this is also by far the most "mature" and dedicated team in the gym. I don't think they are favored any more than the other teams, but it is perceived that they are favored because of the level of attention given to them.

This! I think that's what I was looking for, the level of attention give to them.

So now my question is, based on what Garrett said earlier, is it the fans who bring this level of attention to them first and now they have all these expectations they have to meet? Or is it just the luck of the draw and team A is the special team of the gym?

 

[ShoWStoppeR]

Coaches dont create this favoritism...
Fans create it.

i'd just like to point out that i am personally shimmying your avatar x10000.

now, carry on with ya'lls discussion

 

[kristenthegreat]

But WHEN did SE become the fan-favorite? It WASN'T when they won worlds...If you think that, you were NOT on the boards the whole season leading up to it. I think it was sometime between '09 worlds and the showcase when they FIRST filmed it and showed it..I think you could argue for CEA that SE is the FAN favorite, because Sharks and CE seem to do exceptionally well with half the hullaballoo. It's just the nature of large senior..

I would say that most of the perceived/explicit 'favorites' are all-girl teams, although there are plenty of high-profile coed ones. Although I'd argue that the coed ones were teams who dominated in Large Coed back in the day (TG, Warriors, Georgia, CA Wildcats Large Coed)..

Although I wonder if spending your current season wanting to be on another team in your gym affects team cohesiveness and season outcome..I mean this legitimately, not as a slam. Do coaches find that to be a problem? If you've got a girl on..idk Cheetahs but wants to be on Panthers 'cause she thinks they're the favorite (idk who would think that- ALL the CA teams did exceptional this year), does that drag down your season? Is that a common problem for gyms with more than one level 5 team, particularly one who seems to shine more than the others?

 

[tucknduck]

While its no secret that the SS are the premier team of WC, I doubt that any of the coaches or athletes on the Odyssey, Suns or any of the other L5 teams expect any less out of their athletes on the L5 Senior teams and to make the cut on any of those L5 WC teams, you gotta be very good at what you do and do it at a high level. The athletes on these teams are driven to succeed and do well and compete at the highest level ; and I'm pretty sure that all the Worlds eligible teams only go on full rides so it would seem the expectations are the same for all the teams. I'd doubt athletes on the other L5 teams are spending the season wishing they were on the SS because you got to be an exceptional athlete to make these other teams and if they did worry about it, the focus would be off of their team which has the same opportunity to go to Worlds.

Actually, the athletes on these other L5 teams have the opportunity to make their team, a primetime team by focusing on what they need to do on their team and not worry about what team they're not on. Think about it, everyone expects the SS to finish among the top teams in the world and for good reason. However, if the Suns & Odyssey do what they're capable of, they'll get their due. And for a team like the Suns, who are relatively new, the current athletes a great opportunity to set the high standard for this relatively new team and put that team on the map and further add to the depth of the talented athletes at WC for years to come.

 

[Emily Stalions]

or the fact that the younger girls have a shorter attention span and physically can't push themselves as long or as hard as the senior girls. of course the 18 year olds perfecting layouts, fulls, standing tucks, toe backs, etc. need a more veteran coach than the ones that only know how to spot basic elements. plus the little kids need to have it kept "fun" for them, or they'll lose interest. a game here and there is their way of keeping it fun. I know when i coached tinys, if they had a very good practice, we spent the last 10 minutes playing a game as their reward for working so hard and perfecting the part of the routine we were working on. 4, 5, 6, 7, even 8 years old generally don't have the discipline for it to be "all work and no play".
besides, if a 19-20 year old "junior" coach is coaching a group of girls that are 17, 18 and 19, are they really going to take her as seriously as the 30-40 something coach who has been in the industry longer?

What about the level 3,4, and 5 youth and junior teams, even level 2? Those are made with younger girls and boys. They also need the attention of a verteran coach. Those on level 5 teams have to do a 2:30 routine that has the difficulty of a senior 5 routine that involves pushing themselves to the limit when it comes to tumbling and stunting and everythin else that goes in a routine. No there aren't as many of those teams out there but there are enough to know that they are just as important too. I guarantee you that they push themselves as hard as those girls and boys on senior teams and they look up to them.. and yes the mini and tiny teams don't have the attention span to do routines like senior 5 teams so I see where you are coming with that.

 

[Deleted member 8658]

i can honestly say i feel like no one knows which teams actually get more favortism because were not actually in the gym with them. even though some teams are fan favorites doesnt mean that the gym favors those teams more.

 

[brandnewstyle]

What about the level 3,4, and 5 youth and junior teams, even level 2? Those are made with younger girls and boys. They also need the attention of a verteran coach. Those on level 5 teams have to do a 2:30 routine that has the difficulty of a senior 5 routine that involves pushing themselves to the limit when it comes to tumbling and stunting and everythin else that goes in a routine. No there aren't as many of those teams out there but there are enough to know that they are just as important too. I guarantee you that they push themselves as hard as those girls and boys on senior teams and they look up to them.. and yes the mini and tiny teams don't have the attention span to do routines like senior 5 teams so I see where you are coming with that.

sounds like someone isnt on a level 5 team...

 

[Emily Stalions]

sounds like someone isnt on a level 5 team...

No i'm not, I don't even do all stars anymore, I take private lessons so that I can prepare for college. I'm also 17 years old. This is talking about little kids...

Also, I'm stating my opinion, not trying to start an argument.

 

[Fameous MOM]

I think that alot of times that the teams that get all the attention are made up of all the athletes that train harder to be there. We have 4 level 5 (3 senior and 1 junior) teams and I think all of them are amazing.

 

[MNCheerMom]

This! I think that's what I was looking for, the level of attention give to them.

So now my question is, based on what Garrett said earlier, is it the fans who bring this level of attention to them first and now they have all these expectations they have to meet? Or is it just the luck of the draw and team A is the special team of the gym?

Neither, IMO. I think a lot of it has to do with perception of kids that are not on the "best" team that the coaches/gym/fans whatever "favor" the best team. I mean, usually the favored team is a level 5 team. It reminds me of the 'favorite child' syndrome. Usually the siblings have an inferiority complex to the child that is the "smartest" or the "best athlete", etc. when in reality the parent does not have a "favorite" child - the parent loves each child in their own unique way, but does not love one child more than the other. The same can be said of coaching different levels or different cheer teams. There is always going to be one "sibling" (cheer team) that feels that another one is being favored.

 

[BuegeSmalls]

Side note: I think Cali coaches and fans do a great job of keeping all of the teams even.

I so agree! They have great high level teams and also some of the best lower levels, like their senior 2

 

[WorkToWin]

I so agree! They have great high level teams and also some of the best lower levels, like their senior 2

yes! also for a lot of gyms there is an "elite" team that is the very top of the program and everyone's ultimate goal... but it seems like Cali SE, Coed, and Smoed are all equally valued not just by the gym but by fans as well. there isn't a team that is better than the other two

 

[Nothanks]

What about the level 3,4, and 5 youth and junior teams, even level 2? Those are made with younger girls and boys. They also need the attention of a verteran coach. Those on level 5 teams have to do a 2:30 routine that has the difficulty of a senior 5 routine that involves pushing themselves to the limit when it comes to tumbling and stunting and everythin else that goes in a routine. No there aren't as many of those teams out there but there are enough to know that they are just as important too. I guarantee you that they push themselves as hard as those girls and boys on senior teams and they look up to them.. and yes the mini and tiny teams don't have the attention span to do routines like senior 5 teams so I see where you are coming with that.

regardless of level, a 7 year old will not have the attention span of an 18 year old, and should not have practices run the same way--they have to have practices run differently. yes, a y5 team will have a harder practice than a y2, but no where near as hard or focused as a senior 5 team.

 

[Emily Stalions]

regardless of level, a 7 year old will not have the attention span of an 18 year old, and should not have practices run the same way--they have to have practices run differently. yes, a y5 team will have a harder practice than a y2, but no where near as hard or focused as a senior 5 team.

I just think that they have to work just as hard on stunting and tumbling. They still push themselves hard and put pressure on themselves. They will still need to have an experienced coach coaching them, I didn't say they would have a harder practice than them. They have to remember there routine without their coach feeding it to them while they are on the mat like younger teams.

 

[canttouchthis]

You have Shooting Stars, the prized possession of WC

if your team won 3 globes im pretty sure your team would be prized as well.