All-Star "cheering All The Way To The Er" Article

[xtremeteal4life]

OK I am only basing this on the pic of the article posted here and the comments I've seen because the link doesn't have the article anymore. I know this is going to be unpopular, but it's 4am and I'm up...so here goes.

I have to say I don't understand what has everyone so mad. Yes, he's a jerk. Yes, he's playing into a lot of stereotypes. But the article is about high school cheer, which is, in many states, a disaster. (Apparently Idaho is one of them) It would have been nice if his article was aimed at getting better regulation, but it is what it is.

I guess my main thoughts when I read this thread are: if you don't want people to write things like this, stop talking about all the injuries you get as a way to justify why cheerleading should be a sport. I see at least 4 or 5 things every weekend on Facebook that say something like "And they say cheer isn't a sport???" and then they go on to describe some horrific injury (usually followed by praise for continuing on after the injury occurs, blood/concussion/torn-or-broken-whatever and all. Other sports don't do that. They stop the game, handle the injury, and then continue). It's not doing cheer any favors when we're the ones telling people how crazy dangerous it is.

If you want cheer to be seen as a legitimate sport by people, stop making it sound ridiculous. The "outside world" does not see continuing on with a concussion as a good thing - they see it as dangerous and stupid. Most people don't know the difference between allstar and school cheer. All they know is what you show them.

I'm not saying I love this article or this guy - he's obviously a complete @$$hat.. Just that I'm not surprised that this is how people see cheer when this is the image we created.

Or they have a guy who broke his leg really gnarly on national TV up and walking on it not even 24 hrs after the surgery..you know swelling and potential embolism- no big deal. The Orthos my husband has worked with say that surgery on your legs is one of the worst with regards to developing embolisms. He shouldn't be walking around-

Or NFL players who have a cortisone shot and some percocets for years and years so they can continue to play. I've been saying that for 10 yrs (bc I know the human body can only take so much and "work through the pain" but so many times before it becomes a "necessity") and finally a few months ago I see it on the cover of a major reputable magazine (like Time or Sports Illustrated- can't remember).

Or they use steroids and play baseball
Or they use steroids and "blood doping" to keep their body in "peak athletic shape" and win the tour de France over and over...

Etc, etc.

I'm not saying it's right. I'm just saying that even the REGULATED sports have more than their fair share of injuries and

Not saying it's right, just that those things are all equally dangerous (if not more so bc I'm hoping AS and HS cheer hasn't resorted to regular cortisone shots and pain killers on a regular basis to help them get through a routine, or guys using steroids to help improve their strength) ya know?

P.S. I DO get what you're saying, don't get me wrong; I'm just saying it's not like other sports don't have their fair share of things for which they don't hold themselves publicly accountable- until they get caught or someone does a big expose

 

[xtremeteal4life]

btw Just-a-Mom that rant wasn't really directed towards you- hope you didn't take it that way. It was just a rant in general about sports that are supposed to be safe but riddled w/their fair share of issues. Hence why I said I totally get your point. I think if anyone's had an injured CP at some point they get it (or should anyway IMO).

 

[sltAL]

I couldn't find the article in the link sltAL posted. Does anyone have it? I sent an email based on the first post since it referenced competitive cheer and was not specific to high school. I would like to read the whole article if someone has it.

Try this:

Cheering All the Way to the ER

 

[cheysmomager]

Rather than spamming this guy's inbox with "OMG YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT" someone needs to sit down and put together a rational rebuttal.

My daughter (the circus performer) read the pic of this article (as her face turned beautiful shades of red) and then she read an email (not sure where she got it) that was sent. It was from a cheerleader and I have to say, it was very well written.

So at least one person emailed with more than just anger!


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[Ashley]

Or they have a guy who broke his leg really gnarly on national TV up and walking on it not even 24 hrs after the surgery..you know swelling and potential embolism- no big deal. The Orthos my husband has worked with say that surgery on your legs is one of the worst with regards to developing embolisms. He shouldn't be walking around-

With all due respect, this is a terrible example of trying to prove your point. He's walking around in a hospital under close medical supervision. I'm more apt to trust his doctors than your recommendation. I think they know what they're doing, and doctor's usually get you up walking shortly after surgery. It's one of those things on their checklist before they can send you home.

There's a big difference between medical personnel giving an athlete the okay to keep playing with cortisone shots and an athlete (of any kind, not just cheerleading) not going to the doctor with a broken bone because she thinks she can just tape it up and compete this weekend. Or a cheerleader not listening to his doctor's advice following an injury and participating sooner than he or she should. For example, a girl in 2005 returning too soon after getting mono. She landed a double down on her stomach, burst her still-enlarged spleen, and died.

Not saying it's right, just that those things are all equally dangerous (if not more so bc I'm hoping AS and HS cheer hasn't resorted to regular cortisone shots and pain killers on a regular basis to help them get through a routine, or guys using steroids to help improve their strength) ya know?

Also, as an aside, steroid use is fairly common in college cheerleading because there's no regulation or testing. And I know quite a few athletes who have resorted to cortisone shots to keep cheering. It's not a long term fix, but at least it's being administered by a doctor.

 

[sltAL]

1st - he is referring to high school cheer. IHSAA stands for Idaho High School Athletic Association. He is NOT referring to the All-star community.
2nd - he is correct. Up until this year the competitive high school offering was managed by a small clique of high school coaches, not an organization. This year the IHSAA took over the competitions because of the money it can make, not for offering safety.

Quote from the IHSAA rep is below (with my notes) after discussion with them on their approach to better safety and certification of coaches to limit injuries. My daughter suffered a severe concussion week before districts and is done cheering. And might I note that in 10 years of all-star cheer, not one concussion. Another girl at a different school suffered a concussion in November and has yet to return due to complications, another girl from same school different gym broke both ankles in the middle of a competition and they dragged her off the floor continued to compete and even when not completing any of the pyramid sequence, they still got first.

No school in Idaho is required to have mats. They are expensive and can't always be afforded. Nobody monitors the teams to ensure they are practicing on proper surfaces. One team in the eastern part of Idaho performs on illegal surfaces consistently. They happen to be one the best High School teams in the state, but it's wrong.

This writer is not wrong. He has not stated anything that, as a strong All-Star cheer mom, I don't completely agree with. All-star is better set up and prepared to manage the elite skills performed. These high schools in Idaho are not.

Response from Idaho High School Athletic Association:

Our member schools have asked us to manage competitive cheer, and we will continue to do so. There were 1800 participants at last weekend’s State Dance and Cheer Championships, one of our largest state tournaments, and I believe that number will grow in future years. (only interested in the money)

If you are unhappy with the coaches at your own school, I would encourage you to share your concerns with the school’s administration. (I shared my concerns with you the IHSAA as you are the governing body trying to bring safety, but you let the $75 certification dimwit teach my kid) There are many, many cheerleaders who want to compete that wouldn’t have access to an all-star cheer program (or the financial means to participate outside of the high school team) in our rural areas. Creating opportunities for our high school students is a tenant of our association. That being said, individual schools have to discretion to eliminate competition for their cheer squads and only have sideline cheer. The patrons of each school, along with the administration, would direct that decision.
Their tenant is to provide opportunity not safety!! :banghead:

I disagree. I realize his point of reference is probably high school cheer, but he ends the article with, "and there should be no competitive cheerleading." I really believe he's making an across the board statement. Just look at the ignorant comments he makes based on what he believes a cheerleader should be. Do you think that ideal would really change if you asked him about "allstar" cheerleaders? I'm guessing not.

Either way, it's still insulting to refer to high school cheerleaders in the manner he did. He could have gotten a lot of support with a well written article questioning the safety of cheer (in school or allstar) or the need to recognize it as a sport for regulation purposes. Instead, he made a bunch of stupid, stereotypical statements that made him sound like a jackass, to me.

 

[Goosepatrick]

If he's such an ignorant person than why is everyone so mad. Sometimes the truth hurts and that is when part of it is true. Im a huge proponent of all star cheer. I've been part of the parent action committee. I judge. And no he probably doesn't know anything about all star. But this board and twitter have this small author in a state with less than 1m people a lot of power by posting and complaining about his ignorance.
The IHSAA is irresponsible when it comes to competitive cheerleading or these girls. And something needs to be done. I've been writing them and offering proposals along the lines of Allstar cheer.
Take your anger, take your facts, and help the world see all star cheer differently. fight for your sport don't fight him.

 

[ashscott41]

I'm not sure if you're defending the article, the author, or neither...but when it comes down to it, it doesn't matter if he's telling us rightfully that the sky is blue, or blowing smoke up our booty and telling us it's purple. It's the way he wrote it. These pieces, when done well, can bring the right attention to the right people and make things change. But pieces like this are awful representations of the sport--no matter what level it's portraying--and can only make those outside of our community look at us in a more negative light because it comes across like we're a bunch of invalids at our own sport and can't prevent injuries because no one knows how to teach it correctly.

I saved the PDF that was posted yesterday and it does have a heading at the top of the article denoting that it is a commentary piece. I completely agree with everything you have said about it being written unprofessionally though. Here is an article from last week in a Boston area paper addressing many of the same issues, but in a much more effective way Docs ask for cheerleading precaution amid injuries


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[sltAL]

If he's such an ignorant person than why is everyone so mad. Sometimes the truth hurts and that is when part of it is true. Im a huge proponent of all star cheer. I've been part of the parent action committee. I judge. And no he probably doesn't know anything about all star. But this board and twitter have this small author in a state with less than 1m people a lot of power by posting and complaining about his ignorance.
The IHSAA is irresponsible when it comes to competitive cheerleading or these girls. And something needs to be done. I've been writing them and offering proposals along the lines of Allstar cheer.
Take your anger, take your facts, and help the world see all star cheer differently. fight for your sport don't fight him.

I'm sorry that you think no one should call him out on his ignorance, but I think that's exactly what should be done when a man who writes about sports for a living makes the kind of comments he made in that article about our sport. And I believe making him aware of that ignorance *is* fighting for our sport. He wrote the article and put it out to the public. I don't understand why that should mean that no one can question him about it or disagree with him.

No hard feelings, but if you think his comments about cheerleaders were "the truth", then you and I will have to agree to disagree.

 

[krystynakrez]

I have to say I don't understand what has everyone so mad.

Yes, I agree. Maybe it's just me but I really wasn't as angry about it as everyone else seemed to be. I think some people took it a little too far.

 

[Cheer Dad]

Rather than spamming this guy's inbox with "OMG YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT" someone needs to sit down and put together a rational rebuttal. Be honest about the injuries, but counter that with all of the reason why cheer should be recognized as a sport, all of the pros of it rather than why it should be cut completely.

I really liked a lot of @ACEDAD's tweets on the subject from last night. The sport has evolved, traditional sideline cheer leading is sexist in a lot of ways.

too late. I fear most response were of this nature which will diminish the effectiveness of some very well written and informative responses.

 

[MomOf2ThatsMe]

I am going to assume that when he talks about "competitive cheerleaders" he is still referring to HS teams that compete as well as do sideline. Still doesn't make his article any more relevant or factual though.

Nor does it negate the fact that gymnasts, football players, etc., also run the risk of "waking up in intensive care with one tube up their nose and another down their throat.."

 

[gimmeoneminute]

When will schools get spring floors (or practice where at a gym with these floors) and have certified coaches work with our high school teams? Nothing scares me more than a teacher who was a sideline cheerleader in high school, now finds competitive cheerleading "fun" and is coaching athletes (some who have never competed allstar) on level 5 skills on a "dead" floor!

 

[Megan(:]

How do you get to the whole article? I couldn't find it even though I looked through the whole paper...

 

[Cheer Dad]

Try this:

Cheering All the Way to the ER

How do you get to the whole article? I couldn't find it even though I looked through the whole paper...

Use the link above.