All-Star Larger Gyms At Local Comps

[codycheerbabex]

Surely, knowing that a bigger gym will be competing should make the smaller gyms try harder.

 

[cheermommaRN]

Surely, knowing that a bigger gym will be competing should make the smaller gyms try harder.

Some of those small gyms can kick the heck out of a large gym if the large gym takes the small gym for granted. Spirit Extreme, Victory Vipers, Starz Vipers, CheerStrike...all smaller less known gyms that have given us a run for our money in Junior 2 and made us step up our game. In other words we can all inspire each other to try harder.

 

[cupieqt]

We are a small gym. We can't control who we compete against so we prepare and practice like WE are the big gym. Sometimes we beat Big Jim. Sometimes we lose to the Podunk all stars. Either way we still compete.

 

[SheCheers]

I have heard this before so I am going to ask.....
This weekend Fame attended a local comp in Richmond (soffe open- which you should attend if you are going to CANAM nationals in Myrtle Beach). We were the largest gym there and won every division we were in. I overheard parents from another local gym saying that we should no be there- that we were trying to make the other gyms look bad. That our gym was too big to compete at a regional competition. My question is why shouldn't we compete locally? That is how we get practice for bigger comps and is also a marketing tool for showing off our gym to maybe get more cheerleaders next season. Do you think that local gyms should not compete at a regional comp?

Coming from a small gym, who's been to a few small local comps over the years that had ginormous gyms come in from 3+ hours away with 20+ teams and quite literally win nearly the whole competition, it feels really horrible. I've heard people get a bit upset. i've even though "how can we compete with that?" People sometimes say things that they don't mean (or really believe) in the "heat" of the moment just to make themselves feel better. I would think that after they've gotten home and cooled off a bit, they recognize that it's not the case and surely everyone has a right to be there. That to be the best you would need to compete with the best...

 

[MomOf2ThatsMe]

I ran into this about three weeks ago. We have a sort of sister gym and we attended a competition in their home town that weekend. There were about four gyms there that I would consider legitimate allstar gyms. The rest were glorified rec teams, for lack of a better phrase. After the comp I took CP to McD's and there were girls in that restaraunt from the teams that didn't win anything just pitching an absolute fit that we were there, etc. Lots of sour grapes. TBH, one of those teeny tiny gyms beat our senior 3 and one of the other BIG NAME gym's senior 3, so it wasn't all about name at this comp.

 

[SparkleSpankies]

No matter the size of your gym, you should be able to compete everywhere.

At times, larger gym may attend smaller competitions or more "local" competitions. There are various reasons... 1: get them out on floor. 2: more freinds and family can come support. 3: easy to make it program wide so your lower levels and lower age groups who may not be doing the big traveling can still be a part of the program and cheer each other on.

To me this sounds like a case of Jealousy, also if a "big" gym shows up to a competition that you typically sweep and win, it would probably frustrate any coach, but at the end of the day, it's how each team performs...

AND I do understand the fear of losing kids to a bigger name gym, but to be honest, many familes are happy b/c of their own personal reasons.. every year there is change and turnover so this is not the primary reason...

 

[SharkDad]

Results at a competition don't determine the success of a program, the lessons they take from each trip to the mat do.

Good leadership at the program should reinforce that they are developing as athletes/a team with each performance.

From my experience dealing with parents, athletes, and coaches all over the country if you show you care about them they will stay no matter who you compete against.

 

[alexamarysouza]

I have heard this before so I am going to ask.....
This weekend Fame attended a local comp in Richmond (soffe open- which you should attend if you are going to CANAM nationals in Myrtle Beach). We were the largest gym there and won every division we were in. I overheard parents from another local gym saying that we should no be there- that we were trying to make the other gyms look bad. That our gym was too big to compete at a regional competition. My question is why shouldn't we compete locally? That is how we get practice for bigger comps and is also a marketing tool for showing off our gym to maybe get more cheerleaders next season. Do you think that local gyms should not compete at a regional comp?

I think being a bigger gym is all the more reason for you to compete in a local comp! It's less of a distance to take a LOT of people! It's probably just parents of one of those cocky small gyms that have never been too great...I've heard & seen many of those before!

 

[buffyyy]

I think everyone's entitled to compete anywhere they want considering the amount of money that they pay for cheerleading.

 

[wcsstilldeath]

If it was their child winning, it wouldn't be a issue. Nothing is stopping them from moving from their small gym to the larger gym.

 

[JulieP]

If it was their child winning, it wouldn't be a issue. Nothing is stopping them from moving from their small gym to the larger gym.

Agree on the first part. It definitely sounds like they're just upset that they didn't win. However, I don't think bigger is always better (maybe in this case though...Fame is pretty amazing). I coach at a small gym, and my teams can hang with the big gyms we compete against. Sometimes we win too. We're still building our name and our tradition though, so we're smaller...for now.

 

[retiredl5cheer]

My question is, do these parents get upset if a talented small gym comes to their competitions too? NOTHING is stopping small gyms from beating large gyms except themselves. A small gym can have the talent and routine to beat a large gym any day.

As a coach and former athlete at a "large gym" this is one of the dumbest things I've heard in a while. We have to take our kids to competitions too... Despite apparently popular belief, large gyms don't only attend Cheersport, NCA and Jamfest. If we did it would cost our kids a fortune to compete!

 

[taytaydaubs]

I think the smaller gyms should be excited to get a chance to compete against or even watch some larger gyms in person without having to travel and pay big bucks. Of course, they do not stand a great chance against them but you never know!

 

[AllHeartxo3]

The size of your gym doesn't matter. If you practice hard then you become successful and that's it. The big gyms have harder practices, they don't play around and push their kids to be the best. If you aren't doing that, you don't win. A smaller gym shouldn't be afraid just because Big Name Gym A walked into the building if you practiced hard and no that your teams are solid.

 

[east2westandbackagain]

To add to my earlier comment, I feel like there are plenty of small gyms that stay small and are very successful . GBE, Spirit Central and Spirit of Texas come to mind. Just because you are a small gym does not mean that you cannot be super sharp and fulfill the requirements in each level. =)