All-Star Why Do Some Cheer Families And Cheerleaders Take It Personal When You Change Gyms?

[Sharkie]

funniest reason to leave: I wanna go to a team that wins first place at competitions! --> said by our flyer that dropped every single stunt at nationals and did a faceplant tumble pass.

 

[Pebbles49]

funniest reason to leave: I wanna go to a team that wins first place at competitions! --> said by our flyer that dropped every single stunt at nationals and did a faceplant tumble pass.

She definitely will be back in that case--> because you will be the team winning 1st place and in this situation, I will only take her back, but have her nugget in the back because you just can't bear to change the routine and plus now we are winning, so I am sure she will stay because she likes winning!

 

[DropAndRun]

@Sharkie I have certainly learned the hard way over the years that past a certain point, thinking of your athletes as a family more than a business will only cause you heartbreak. I've been coaching (officially) about 10 years now and it's hard to take a step back so they don't hurt your heart when they leave, but it's definitely best.

Take it as a compliment that people are upset that you left. If they didn't care, or didn't think you were relevant, they wouldn't miss you.

 

[Helen uk uni cheer]

With whatever sport or activity I have done if I have left for another program I always try to leave on good terms when ever possible because I still want to be friendly it just might mean that at this time in my life it isnt suitable

 

[CheerBank]

With whatever sport or activity I have done if I have left for another program I always try to leave on good terms when ever possible because I still want to be friendly it just might mean that at this time in my life it isnt suitable

Never burn bridges! It amazes me sometimes how small cheer world really is.

 

[liz_the_friz]

In my area, Topgun is only an hour and 45 mins away. When our girls would leave to go there we were proud of them. We understood that most of them wanted a worlds ring and to compete at a higher level since we didn't have higher level teams and not enough athletes. However when some of our cheerleaders would leave to go to the rivalry gym, it hurt, ill be honest. I was bitter at first. But i noticed most of the time it wasn't the kids decision but more the parents. But realizing that everyone wants to better themselves makes you realize that not everyone can stay on a team just because of close relationship etc. etc.

 

[Cheer Dad]

as a coach/former gymowner I Always feel hurt when someone leaves the program. I consider them as my kids and care about them and when they leave I Always wonder what might have happened that they no longer wanna stay, were they unhappy and was there anything I could do?

Sometimes there are kids that tell me they plan on leaving and give a reason why. Others come to practice and shout the whole "we're one family"-thing with their teammembers while in fact the day before they did tryouts at another team but don't tell anyone. then I Always feel like they are stabbing me in the back.

The past year I learned to see my team rather as a business i'm running, than a family. It helped me in coaching, but also with kids leaving, i see them as employees that apply for another job because they have different plans with their career.

good thing is, most kids that left, came back at one point

You're an adult? I had a preconceived notion based on your user name you were still a cheerleader. I'm sorry.

 

[Sharkie]

You're an adult? I had a preconceived notion based on your user name you were still a cheerleader. I'm sorry.

yes when i was in high school, there were no mobile phones yet and internet was not something every Household had access to

 

[THEJOEL]

Speaking from experience -

When someone leaves a gym for whatever reason and is able to move on to another gym and be happy, it can increase insecurities in people about their own program (kids and adults alike). It makes them question things that perhaps they did not want to question, and that's never a good feeling.

Others are more concerned about how they are perceived by the gym owners if they maintain a friendship with someone who left. They would rather show loyalty to a program than to a friend.

Finally, as already mentioned, sometimes there are just hurt feelings at being left behind or feeling they are not good enough, and people do not know how to express them in a functional manner. There may also be a degree of jealousy that you left a small program for a bigger well known one; you may have done exactly what they'd like to do as well but can't or won't.

Leaving a program absolutely lets you know who your true friends are very quickly. It also makes you more cautious about getting close to people in your new program.


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That last part couldn't be an truer. When we left our last program I had parents who "loved my CP so much", came to me for advice and had kids that I help mentor not even bother to pick up the phone and ask me why we weren't there anymore. I am sure we got killed in the rumor mill but some people drink whatever flavor Kool-aid they are given and gladly ask for more. I was grateful for the 3 people that did though. But out of the hundreds of parents only 3 did.
It's definitely a learning experience when you leave a program and start at a new one.

 

[Helen uk uni cheer]

I am quite worried about going to a new program because in the short time I was there they taught me so much and gave me the passion for cheer. There is a strong possibilty that I will be competing against them with the programes I am trying out for and it worries me I am only moving programmes because of university

 

[Sharkie]

I am quite worried about going to a new program because in the short time I was there they taught me so much and gave me the passion for cheer. There is a strong possibilty that I will be competing against them with the programes I am trying out for and it worries me I am only moving programmes because of university

talk to your gymowner or coach and tell them why you are leaving. also mention you learned so much from them and enjoyed your time there. I'm sure they will apreciate that.

 

[megaflipper]

Never burn bridges! It amazes me sometimes how small cheer world really is.

Never forget on how small the REAL world is, forget cheer.

 

[Helen uk uni cheer]

talk to your gymowner or coach and tell them why you are leaving. also mention you learned so much from them and enjoyed your time there. I'm sure they will apreciate that.

I have spoken to them already and they even gave me some direction in which programmes to look at but I don't know because they are now just had tryouts and all excited about what teams they have made I dont have that in common so feel im already drifting away as the 2 programmes im trying out for are not till september

 

[cheerisloving]

In my area, Topgun is only an hour and 45 mins away. When our girls would leave to go there we were proud of them. We understood that most of them wanted a worlds ring and to compete at a higher level since we didn't have higher level teams and not enough athletes. However when some of our cheerleaders would leave to go to the rivalry gym, it hurt, ill be honest. I was bitter at first. But i noticed most of the time it wasn't the kids decision but more the parents. But realizing that everyone wants to better themselves makes you realize that not everyone can stay on a team just because of close relationship etc. etc.

This was how my gym was. If someone went to the biggest gym in the state, no one really held it against them. The gym actually grew overtime, so someone leaving wasn't a huge deal. Some girls wanted to leave but couldn't because of their parents position in the program (coach, front desk ect). But when someone had a full and was senior aged, and there's a top world's team 45 minutes away it made sense. No one ever judged anyone. But when someone went to another gym that had a reputation of 'recruiting' athletes, and a different coaching attitude, it was highly frowned upon.

 

[liz_the_friz]

This was how my gym was. If someone went to the biggest gym in the state, no one really held it against them. The gym actually grew overtime, so someone leaving wasn't a huge deal. Some girls wanted to leave but couldn't because of their parents position in the program (coach, front desk ect). But when someone had a full and was senior aged, and there's a top world's team 45 minutes away it made sense. No one ever judged anyone. But when someone went to another gym that had a reputation of 'recruiting' athletes, and a different coaching attitude, it was highly frowned upon.

Exactly. The rivalry gym in my area is known for that. Most of the girls/guys who left my gym were awesome level 5 tumblers. So why would a level 5 athlete want to be stunt on a senior 3 team when they could go to Tg. You hit the nail on the head