All-Star Trinity

[ICEcheerGuy]

All I know is at nca they looked like a restricted five team with like one double. I don't see the attraction to go there at all other than to cheer for free. Nothing bout them wowed me and I would not leave GA OR RAYS knowing they have a good history/chance of doing well for a team that was not impressive at all. I understand they are new but it will take time to get to where other gyms in the area already are.

Um if I'm thinking of the same trinity your talking about didn't they do 3 full up immediates and a tic toc variation, I'm sorry but I don't ever remember seeing a restricted team do that this year, and I do believe there have been teams that have done well without many doubles

 

[My3KidsMom]

Trinity in Dallas last year, not the entire routine and I believe they had an injury. I don't think they were bad they just never quite came together completely, and now they are under new management so lets all just wait and see what they put on the floor.

 

[lovecheering]

From what I have heard and seen there are several reasons that athletes left GA for a new gym. Sure cheering for free, if that is the case of these athletes, would be a great incentive but I think there is more to it then that for these athletes and I don't blame them.

There is no more to it than cheering for free (and I mean everything ... tuition, travel expenses, uniforms) and a chance at being on a new reality tv show. That is the reason they left. For a chance at something that another gym could not possibly match. And for the kids, I sincerely do wish them luck and hope that they get everything out of it that they want!

 

[MyDaughterCheers]

Wow, is this the latest in cheerleading??? I'm not sure what to think. Are there other gyms besides Trinity and Poison that do this?

PITTSBURGH POISON-VENOM SCHOLARSHIP
Pittsburgh Poison will award up to 20 tuition scholarships for the 2012-2013 season! Scholarship winners will receive free tuition for the entire season, as long as they maintain a high standard as an athlete, student and person. Details will be discussed at the scholarship winners meeting on May 21st at 7pm.

This program is not designed to “steal” athletes from other programs. It is set up to reward our current athletes for reaching the highest level in allstar cheer, as well as attract new members that have the talent, but struggle to afford to participate in this amazing sport. We are looking for athletes that are dedicated and determined to take Pittsburgh Poison to the next level!

 

[cheermommaRN]

Scholarships for kids who can't afford this sport I am 100% behind.

 

[WorkToWin]

Wow, is this the latest in cheerleading??? I'm not sure what to think. Are there other gyms besides Trinity and Poison that do this?

PITTSBURGH POISON-VENOM SCHOLARSHIP
Pittsburgh Poison will award up to 20 tuition scholarships for the 2012-2013 season! Scholarship winners will receive free tuition for the entire season, as long as they maintain a high standard as an athlete, student and person. Details will be discussed at the scholarship winners meeting on May 21st at 7pm.

This program is not designed to “steal” athletes from other programs. It is set up to reward our current athletes for reaching the highest level in allstar cheer, as well as attract new members that have the talent, but struggle to afford to participate in this amazing sport. We are looking for athletes that are dedicated and determined to take Pittsburgh Poison to the next level!

Honestly it doesn't bother me at all. Maybe I am a terrible person, but I have never been against recruiting at all. It's a business, I have never understood the problem with 'advertising'. Same as this free tuition. Yeah, it may cause problems within the gym and drama, but in the end it is their choice and their money. It shouldn't affect anyone not involved in those gyms.

 

[CoachMandiCF]

Wow, is this the latest in cheerleading??? I'm not sure what to think. Are there other gyms besides Trinity and Poison that do this?

PITTSBURGH POISON-VENOM SCHOLARSHIP
Pittsburgh Poison will award up to 20 tuition scholarships for the 2012-2013 season! Scholarship winners will receive free tuition for the entire season, as long as they maintain a high standard as an athlete, student and person. Details will be discussed at the scholarship winners meeting on May 21st at 7pm.

This program is not designed to “steal” athletes from other programs. It is set up to reward our current athletes for reaching the highest level in allstar cheer, as well as attract new members that have the talent, but struggle to afford to participate in this amazing sport. We are looking for athletes that are dedicated and determined to take Pittsburgh Poison to the next level!

Being from and knowing the Pittsburgh area - I dont' know what to think about this from Poison. You have FCA, Fire & Ice and Pittsburgh Superstars all with (hit or miss) strong Level 5 teams in the area. Poison has never been known for their cheer programs. They are a dance organization. I'm completely 100% behind giving scholarships to kids who can't afford the sport, but I don't know about all this. Especially since it's specifically adressing the "stealing" aspect in it directly. We'll see how this goes. Pittsburgh has such a crazy cheer dynamic, kind of like DC. A ton of gyms all within driving distance of each other.

 

[CHEER4LIFE!!]

I don't have a problem with it either, it's when it affects the gym and it closes down because they can't pay their bills. That's when it affects my child and i have a problem with it. Our old gym tried this, and closed down because kids were cheering for free and they couldn't afford it. We were out competition fees, new uniform and a host of other things. I hope it works for them and other kids aren't out of a gym in the long run. Good luck!!

 

[Cheeriomom]

At the end of the day, it is up to each family to make a decision that is best for their athletes. I am not sure ethics are even at play here; if a situation is not best for a family, they have the right and responsibility to choose an appropriate setting. There could be any number of reasons why this might occur, including basic geography. My point is, it really should not matter. When all is said and done, regardless of what a program offers, it is the family who makes the choice. No one is forcing anyone to do anything.

As for the question of scholarships and incentives, that is a business decision, and it is solely the business of the business owners.

I also don't see why a gym can't market themselves any way they choose, or why families are under any scrutiny for their choices. If they lose respect or gain it via whatever means they employ, that is on them, and they will be the ones affected by the choices. I happen to love to see as many talented teams as possible in a division; it makes the victories sweeter, and the challenges greater. And we all know that healthy challenge breeds a positive work ethic and higher athleticism, and that is why my child is involved in competitive cheerleading in the first place.

When you think about it, it really isn't all that different than schooling choices. I teach in a magnet program that loses and gains students to similar programs, as well as charter schools and home schooling. When families choose to leave, we wish them well, and we reflect often, as a staff, what we can offer to retain our current students as well as attract high degree of incoming students. I would hope no one would consider us shady or unethical for trying to make our program competitive and attractive to prospective families.

 

[ztaprincess]

Like I said it doesn't bother me if they are handing out scholarships for kids to cheer for free that can't afford it, the only time I have a problem with it is if they are lying about the motives behind it. I still have yet to find any proof that ESPN gave out 20 scholarships to only males and the real reason they would do that. Had they just said "we have 20 scholarships for male athletes who cannot afford all the costs of cheer" then I would have felt 10x better about it. I know what it is like to not be able to afford to do something you really want to do because your parents are going through a rough time so seeing scholarships to give kids like that the chance is great and is a blessing. I just want gyms to do it for the right reason and not to steal athletes because they have almost like a vendetta against the other gym.

 

[cinderella]

At the end of the day, it is up to each family to make a decision that is best for their athletes. I am not sure ethics are even at play here; if a situation is not best for a family, they have the right and responsibility to choose an appropriate setting. There could be any number of reasons why this might occur, including basic geography. My point is, it really should not matter. When all is said and done, regardless of what a program offers, it is the family who makes the choice. No one is forcing anyone to do anything.

While what you're saying is all well and good, I think you need to understand that some of the families/athletes under scrutiny (unwarranted or not) have put themselves in this position. In the past, they have set up fanpages for their cp's, done public appearances at major competitions, done photo shoots etc, etc. So for them to be all like, "Follow me on twitter, I'm fabulous!" and then do a complete 180 when people start asking questions and being all "LEAVE ME ALONE!" is just absurd. Basically, what I'm trying to say can be summed up in two cliches:

1. It comes with the territory.
2. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

You want your kid to be a cheerlebrity? Fine. But, don't get all hot and bothered when the attention you're receiving isn't all rainbows and butterflies.

 

[JulieP]

Being from and knowing the Pittsburgh area - I dont' know what to think about this from Poison. You have FCA, Fire & Ice and Pittsburgh Superstars all with (hit or miss) strong Level 5 teams in the area. Poison has never been known for their cheer programs. They are a dance organization. I'm completely 100% behind giving scholarships to kids who can't afford the sport, but I don't know about all this. Especially since it's specifically adressing the "stealing" aspect in it directly. We'll see how this goes. Pittsburgh has such a crazy cheer dynamic, kind of like DC. A ton of gyms all within driving distance of each other.

I don't know anything about the programs in question being a Midwesterner and all, but addressing the "stealing" athletes thing is funny to me. I am not trying to make a philosophical argument about athlete recruitment BTW, but this reminds me of when someone says, "No offense" before saying something incredibly rude. Saying "no offense" doesn't excuse your words- nor does it make them any less offensive. Call it what it is. If you're trying to recruit athletes, then so be it. It's a business, and I get it, but let's call a spade a spade.

 

[fullinitup]

I am just s

ztaprincess is right. You just don't know the circumstances. There has been a lot of drama with GA, and there is only one athlete from RAYS going to Trinity that I know of, and her mom is coaching at Trinity next year. Don't try to speculate the reasons athletes are switching, they are just doing what's best for them and will hopefully have a successful year at Trinity.

I am just saying that RAYS has won before and a great chance at doing it again and same with GA. They have proven themselves to know how to get to the top so chances are they will be able to do that again before Trinity. Although Angels mom may now be in the gym its not like every girl with a full is going to be doubling in a week no matter how good you are. I just dont see the draw to really go there. If I was unhappy at GA because of some so said drama I would be leaving for RAYS... thats all.

 

[My3KidsMom]

I am just s
I am just saying that RAYS has won before and a great chance at doing it again and same with GA. They have proven themselves to know how to get to the top so chances are they will be able to do that again before Trinity. Although Angels mom may now be in the gym its not like every girl with a full is going to be doubling in a week no matter how good you are. I just dont see the draw to really go there. If I was unhappy at GA because of some so said drama I would be leaving for RAYS... thats all.

Despite what EVERYONE seems to think WINNING is not EVERYTHING. My child cheered at Stingrays for one year and honestly had the time of her life, but that drive was just not what was right for our family. She went from and undefeated season on Stingrays Teal to a Season at GA Heat on Small Sr 5 with an up and down season and a top 20 finish at Worlds with a team full of kids who had never cheered Sr level 5 before but she didn't walk around sad and wishing she had still been at Rays because she was happy where she was then too. Rays is an AMAZING program and she wouldn't trade that year for anything but their success does not mean that everyone should go there and the rest of the programs are useless.

 

[MyDaughterCheers]

Being from and knowing the Pittsburgh area - I dont' know what to think about this from Poison. You have FCA, Fire & Ice and Pittsburgh Superstars all with (hit or miss) strong Level 5 teams in the area. Poison has never been known for their cheer programs. They are a dance organization. I'm completely 100% behind giving scholarships to kids who can't afford the sport, but I don't know about all this. Especially since it's specifically adressing the "stealing" aspect in it directly. We'll see how this goes. Pittsburgh has such a crazy cheer dynamic, kind of like DC. A ton of gyms all within driving distance of each other.