All-Star Poor Sportsmanship At Cheer Events

[Mamarazzi]

Under the guise of competition I think this is sportsmanship. If not what would you call it, vengeance?


Cheer Dad = broke dad

No, THIS is Vengeance.

 

[Cheer Dad]

No, THIS is Vengeance.

Well played Mama.


Cheer Dad = broke dad

 

[Mom2Cheergirls]

I appreciate the candid responses from everyone, especially the coaches and owners. I was not sure if this happened in other areas of the country.
I think it is very interesting that some people chose to attack me. You can attack the messenger all you want, but it made our gym look bad. It seems like some of you are going on the offensive or have your own agendas. As for the supposed bad blood between the programs, I saw plenty of pictures of kids from both teams together at this competition. The kids get it, it is about cheer.
I have posted plenty of positive information about our program. But I can't sit here and pretend that what I saw didn't happen. We had people cheering when a stunt fell with a kid in it who was on our national championship team last year. It did not sit well with me and other parents. Should we address it with coaches and owners? Maybe, but that is kind of hard to do when some coaches were involved. It is a delicate situation.
Coaches will coach what ever way they want and owners can do whatever they want. As a parent, my job is to ensure that my kid know that this type of behavior was not acceptable. This is what I can control.

Okay my 2 cents. I have become pretty open about my opinions at my gym although I work very hard to be respectful with it and never say something I would never say to someones face. I love my gym but like every gym there are things I like and don't like and things I feel important enough to share my opinion about in a very vocal manner at times.

Hindsight is 20/20 but what I would have done in this situation is go up to those coaches IMMEDIATELY who cheered and ask to speak to them privately (no kids around) and said I was disappointed by their behavior and how they are modeling poor sportsmanship especially as they were with cheerleaders. If I hadn't done it then I would do it still do it now. They are important adults in these kids life and cheering for someone falling is a no go regardless of reason and they should be called out for it directly in person.

As parents we can not control others behavior but we can point out to other adults in our children's lives if their behavior is not acceptable when they are with our children and why we feel that way. Directly addressing teaches kids how to stand up for themselves and beliefs - they will be in difficult situations where we are not present and have to be able to speak up for their beliefs. To me this situation is a great opportunity to show your kids how to directly handle something with a person.

 

[chyeeaaa69]

This always happens when I stop paying attention to a thread...

 

[THEJOEL]

I appreciate the candid responses from everyone, especially the coaches and owners. I was not sure if this happened in other areas of the country.
I think it is very interesting that some people chose to attack me. You can attack the messenger all you want, but it made our gym look bad. It seems like some of you are going on the offensive or have your own agendas. As for the supposed bad blood between the programs, I saw plenty of pictures of kids from both teams together at this competition. The kids get it, it is about cheer.
I have posted plenty of positive information about our program. But I can't sit here and pretend that what I saw didn't happen. We had people cheering when a stunt fell with a kid in it who was on our national championship team last year. It did not sit well with me and other parents. Should we address it with coaches and owners? Maybe, but that is kind of hard to do when some coaches were involved. It is a delicate situation.
Coaches will coach what ever way they want and owners can do whatever they want. As a parent, my job is to ensure that my kid know that this type of behavior was not acceptable. This is what I can control.

You're absolutely right. We set the example as parents but the sad thing is the parents usually are the ones that ruin it for the kids. It happens in ALL youth sports regardless if it's baseball, football or cheer. Every parent of a kid that plays baseball, football or cheer thinks their kid will be the next Tom Glavine, Cam Newton or Kiara Knowlin. Truth is for the 99.9% that will never ever happen. So let them enjoy TODAY and the thrill of being told by mom/dad that they did a GREAT job and that you're proud of them. That will mean more to them in 10 years than the trophy or medal they earn at a competition.
I am not 100% innocent nor will I claim to be. I think WE, the parents, need to not only police ourselves but our peers. If WE can follow our kids examples by leaving on the mat than this will be a great sport.

 

[catlady]

Personally, nothing brings me more joy than kicking some Itty Bitty Kitties or stomping some Grapies when they're down. Love making a Tiny cry. Five to seven years separate our Tinies from our Seniors in the age grid depending on whether it's a World's team, or not. Well, gotta go, I have puppies to kick.

 

[cupieqt]

@Hotcheerfan were these people full on jumping up and down clapping and high fiving each other? Were they in front of the stage or sitting in the stands? I'm just trying to picture a scenario where coaches from any gym would be doing this at a competition in full view of everyone.

 

[chyeeaaa69]

Maybe I'm just a bit of a jerk, but the first thought that goes through my mind when a competitor falls is happiness, and if I don't see their run, the first thing I say when I'm off the mat to anyone that saw the run was "did we hit better than them?" Then again, I'd never cheer during their run if they fell, though I've probably cracked a smile more than once.
I'm curious as to how vocal and obvious these "celebrations" were, though. Maybe I do disagree with the actions the OP brought up.

 

[Cheeranswers]

Personally, nothing brings me more joy than kicking some Itty Bitty Kitties or stomping some Grapies when they're down. Love making a Tiny cry. Five to seven years separate our Tinies from our Seniors in the age grid depending on whether it's a World's team, or not. Well, gotta go, I have puppies to kick.

 

[mommadonna]

A bit off the subject, but still pertaining to the topic at hand....
If you are a parent, and you are standing around or sitting in a somewhat populated area in the venue, watch your volume when you're talking smack about a program. You might just be standing behind a team mom who is with the team/program you are talking smack about. Just because we aren't wearing our gym's T-Shirt and/or colors that day doesn't mean we can't hear you. ...and don't roll your eyes when I give you "the look". That is all. :cow:

 

[yooolizzi]

Maybe I'm just a bit of a jerk, but the first thought that goes through my mind when a competitor falls is happiness, and if I don't see their run, the first thing I say when I'm off the mat to anyone that saw the run was "did we hit better than them?" Then again, I'd never cheer during their run if they fell, though I've probably cracked a smile more than once.
I'm curious as to how vocal and obvious these "celebrations" were, though. Maybe I do disagree with the actions the OP brought up.

At least I'm not the only one. Reading through this thread made me feel like I was gonna go to heck for all the times I "celebrated" over a team I competed against having a problem. I will openly admit I sat staring at one of the front runners in our division at worlds fall apart and squeezing my mom's hand to try and hold it in. It's human nature (but I'm probably still going to heck for it)

 

[SoAena]

At least I'm not the only one. Reading through this thread made me feel like I was gonna go to heck for all the times I "celebrated" over a team I competed against having a problem. I will openly admit I sat staring at one of the front runners in our division at worlds fall apart and squeezing my mom's hand to try and hold it in. It's human nature (but I'm probably still going to heck for it)

It's okay to be happy to have a shot at winning, and the way you described seems respectful to the opposing struggling team. It's not like you started cheering, chanting, openly celebrating during their routine (or did you ? you actually only said you tried to hold it in )

 

[cheermomforever]

I think all of us have silently celebrated when a team had a mistake, and we have all cried when it is our team who had the bad day. No one is perfect every single competition, even the best of the best. We all need to remember the athletes are human and anything can happen in those 2 1/2 minutes. They already feel bad and don't need another team cheering when they r at their lowest. I am at the time where my daughter is out for the year due to a knee injury and would love for her to be able to just compete!


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[LabbyGirlMOM]

We had an incident a couple weeks ago at a comp where our senior coed 4 team was getting ready to go on and another gym was in the vip area when we asked them to move we were met with " I need to see this team" and while we all got a chuckle out of the fact that they were so interested in our gym it was still rude they would not move for our parents of the kids on this team.

Me and another mom pushed our way up front and then gave our seats to level 4 mommas.

 

[yooolizzi]

It's okay to be happy to have a shot at winning, and the way you described seems respectful to the opposing struggling team. It's not like you started cheering, chanting, openly celebrating during their routine (or did you ? you actually only said you tried to hold it in )

I tried to hold it in, only squealing (you couldn't hear it over the roar of everyone else though) but by day 3 I was full out sobbing during everyone in our division so that is a different story...