All-Star Dangers Of Cheerlebrity

BowsnBling · Jan 21, 2013

I guess for me if there are 8-12 year old kids that know everything about said cheerlebrity then the parent needs to monitor the usage of their computer time. I just find it hard to believe that these young kids crying and carrying about are not being supported by their parents. Giving an 8 year old an Iphone is part of the issue that could be discussed for days but all of this could easily be locked down on the part of the 'crazy fans' parents.

Cheer_Explosion_Coach · Jan 21, 2013

TheUltimateFan said:
I like this, in concept. But if some gyms were to do this, there would be another that would say "come here and we will praise, promote and exploit your cheerlebrity-ism". If the athlete wants to be a cheerlebrity, they will find a place to be exhalted.

Unfortunately, I think the one thing that has a chance of stopping this is across the industry is going to be an incident or situation that crosses the line and goes beyond horrible.

I agree. It's gonna take something horrible to happen. I've been saying the same thing about girls walking around in little to nothing at competitions and being taken. I seriously hope that the cheer community gets it together before either of these happen.

FierceIsTheName · Jan 21, 2013

Cheer_Explosion_Coach said:
I agree. It's gonna take something horrible to happen. I've been saying the same thing about girls walking around in little to nothing at competitions and being taken. I seriously hope that the cheer community gets it together before either of these happen.

i hate to compare this to something so tragic, but i will.
The sandy hook shooting happened and THEN people worried about gun control.
Lets say something happens to the cheerlebrity "Susie", THEN people will worry about their safety and lay off a bit (hopefully)

fullpass · Jan 21, 2013

kingston said:
But if that athlete did not have a twitter account, was not on a magazine cover, and did not post amazing videos in threads pushing how amazing they are no one would be asking for their autograph. I know plenty of potential cheerlebrities in different programs and I can tell you it has to be nurtured to get anywhere. Some of the things that do nurture it don't seem harmful at the time, but eventually lead to it.

I agree. I know one of the most talented kids that cheer has ever known but she doesn't buy into the cheerlebrity scene and I don't think many know her name but I'd bet 70% of the cheer world would 'know' her if I cited her skills.

L5cheermom · Jan 21, 2013

NEliteSteven said:
Confession: I walked next to BlueCat and Brad Habermel and had a total fangirl moment, but I didn't ask for a picture....It's called self control.

Definitely good parenting.

kristenthegreat · Jan 21, 2013

Cheer_Explosion_Coach said:
I agree. It's gonna take something horrible to happen. I've been saying the same thing about girls walking around in little to nothing at competitions and being taken. I seriously hope that the cheer community gets it together before either of these happen.

So, since being proactive about an entire group is much more useful then trying to individually police what a teenager does (Oh the mischief I caused online

), what are people's suggestions?
*PAC could maybe say something about it?
*EPs not allowing ANYONE in the warmup area unless they are an athlete covered by a coach from a team scheduled to be there.
*Gyms could set up meet and greets or not, that's a gyms call, but either way a policy has to be set and everyone needs to respect it.
*Maybe go over social media behavior and how to handle it if something DOES happen.

Any other constructive ideas welcome.

coachrah · Jan 21, 2013

1. A Cheerlebrity and their status is an unknown phenom to the general public. If a reporter were to run a story on this craze, I can only imagine the comments that would follow the article.

2. Cheerlebrity status is contained only to the cheer world and its life span will be brief for the athlete. When these kids go off to college...their new friends will not care...let alone understand it. Does anybody out there know if the "Cheerlebrities" who have entered the collegiate arena make it known that they were once a "Cheerlebrity"?

3. If they have handled their "cheerlebrity" status with grace and put a smile on a young child's face than so be it. If they end up being raging narcissists than so be it.

4. When they go off to college for cheerleading no one will be storming the floor at a football/basketball game as the sidelines are protected by University staff and game officials.

5. If they go to an school where they have Varsity status...no one will be allowed to interrupt their pre-game or game time as a University would not allow it. A coach would not have to stress over an entire team or a single athlete being disrupted.

StarshipTrooper · Jan 21, 2013

Look, there is more than a bit of "gym culture" and "personal preference" woven into these discussions on many levels. I do not speak for our staff, but I think I can say this safely. Since I have known them our staff has always cultivated the concept of a team being a group of individuals coming together to be a team. But she specifically has always been very open and actively supported kids and parents who not only wanted to be part of a team and a gym but who were comfortable expressing themselves individually if the athlete chose to do so. She always attracted the kids and parents that wanted to do individuals and stunt groups along with teams and incorporated them into teams becauses she has told me over and over that those are the kids that will push themselves to be their best in an individual and group setting. You may disagree and that is fine.

Again, she is very progressive politically, very, but ideologically she is very much aligned with the conept of protecting the individual athlete, team, gym from the heavy hand of the collective group. I think that is obvious. That may be why she has kids who feel free to puruse individual routes while being part of a team and gym. I do not criticize or fault athletes, parents, teams and gyms that stress the team over the individual even to the point of conformity to rules and regulations limiting the individual in the gym. But those of us who tend to support the right of the individual are not necessarily exploiting the athlete, team or gym and I do not see us in general complaining about the negative aspects of being recognized for self expression or individual recognition and have not seen us criticizing those that feel the opposite in a negative or derogatory fashion. There is room for everyone in my opinion.

aggie1983 · Jan 21, 2013

I already had a WAY too long post on my feelings, but one more thought. This has already been somewhat addressed, but a gym could take the heat off all its athletes by stating on their websites something along the lines of:
"We at XYZ gym appreciate the hard work and talent of all our athletes and recognize that it is the TEAM made up of individuals that wins championships. As such, it is the policy of our gym that our athletes are not permitted to sign autographs or pose for pictures at competitions." Extreme, absolutely. Could lead to a reputation of arrogance, possibly. Just a thought.

And then after writing this, I thought - how ridiculous that such extreme measures could even be considered reasonable in order to protect young athletes. The more I think about it, the more I realize I have no answers. It is just sad that it is getting to the point that it is reasonable to fear for the safety of some of these young people.

yojaehs · Jan 21, 2013

My gathering from reading BlueCat and StarshipTrooper is that the "cheerlebrity" status wasn't asked for, it was given. Now, what to do about it? I have a few kids that I wouldn't put to the "elite" cheerlebrity status but they have a mild following and as a coach I am very weary of how it's handled. I don't know the "right" way to do it. I don't think any of my kids "asked" for it, they are on a high profile team and have talent and are attractive. They signed their first autographs this past weekend and were just as tickled to be asked as those that asked. I think "cheerlebrity" has a place in the cheer world. I can't tell you how many times I've heard "I want to work hard so I can tumble, stunt, basket like X,Y,Z". I think the point is how is the best way to handle all of this?

It's frustrating to read "they asked for it" or "I can't stand cheerlebrities, all they are doing is self promoting"
Personally, I follow a few "cheerlebrities" on twitter (only those that I have met, worked with etc.) and I personally don't feel they "ask" for any more attention than any others. It is perceived that way bc they have a name.
Does Justin Beiber tweet any more often than your BFF? No, but when he does it's a big deal.

Let me also add, I don't know the answer, I've been able to see both sides of this, I feel now we have some kids with some "recognition" but I've also been in warm ups in between TG and WCSS and getting my kids to focus on MY team was very difficult. I think coaches of both sides just have to realize this exists and needs to be controlled from both sides. Idk exactly what that means but it's not going to go away. Hating a cheerlebrity isn't the answer, understanding time, place and appropriateness is very important. Just not how sure to get that across to every kid, gym in the country.

12stepCheermom · Jan 21, 2013

ashscott41 said:
To try to come up with some possible solutions to the Beatles-like mobbing these kids are facing, rather than debating silly things:

Specific meet and greet times planned by the gym. Post on twitter and the gym website that athletes from your gym will be available for pictures for those interested from time A-B at place C. Don't say which athletes will be there or which teams, etc. It could be point jumper on panthers or it could be back left corner on IBK (not that anyone would ever subject a five year old to this madness, but you get what I'm saying). Include a statement about this being a team sport and that if you are a true fan of Team X, you'd be happy with a photo of any of them, not just Suzy Superstar. Anytime outside the planned meet and greet time is designated "team time" and all athletes will be unavailable for photos. People said negative things about CA for years because they didn't allow videos to be posted, or they never left Texas, or whatever other nitpicky reason they had. People will say negative things no matter what, but at least this way any negativity will go to a business rather than a 16 year old kid. I highly doubt BlueCat will lose sleep over what a 13 year old says on twitter.

I know some athletes from CEA have shirts that say "no pictures please." It's sad it has come to needing things like that, but if people could see from a distance it wasn't a good time for them, hopefully people would respect their privacy while wearing something like that.

Policies could be set in place by EPs. I'm sure Justin could get something put on the NCA website regarding athlete decorum. If anyone is found to be stalking, harassing, etc athletes, their team will be subject to a deduction or possible disqualification. If I knew my behavior could cost my team a jacket, I'd certainly be toning things down. And hopefully having a statement like that would get gym owners to talk to their kids about what is ok vs what is not.

These are just a few ideas that popped into my head while reading this thread. By no means are they perfect, but hopefully they could be a jumping off point for improving safety of these kids. I think the more information people put out ahead of an event about what is ok, the less mobbing we will see.

Given how out if hand it was this weekend, I'd love to see ASCheerMan pilot something at NCA from the EP side....especially with how many high profile athletes will be there.

StarshipTrooper · Jan 21, 2013

12stepCheermom said:
Given how out if hand it was this weekend, I'd love to see ASCheerMan pilot something at NCA from the EP side....especially with how many high profile athletes will be there.

At NCA you get into those big long hallways and walk really fast.

12stepCheermom · Jan 21, 2013

StarshipTrooper said:
At NCA you get into those big long hallways and walk really fast.

Never had the pleasure of watching my kids at that competition

maybe someday. Le sigh.

StarshipTrooper · Jan 21, 2013

12stepCheermom said:
Never had the pleasure of watching my kids at that competition maybe someday. Le sigh.

I think a simple and straightforward thing for Varsity and NCA to do would be to post in warm up that approaching athletes in warm up for pictures or autographs is forbidden and will result in removal. Simple to do, lets the EP be the "bad guy" and gives the athletes a quick out and the staffs the ability to ask someone to move away without seeming rude. And begins to set some limits and precedent, no harm no foul.

Callmeboots · Jan 21, 2013

I'm kind of mindblown by the fact that people other than the athletes warming up are even allowed in the warmup area in the first place. When I cheered for Pop Warner, our coaches had cards with our pictures, birthdate, name etc. on them that the official's checked before we were allowed to go into warmups. All coaches had to have official badges with their pictures on them. And we had to tell them our first and last name, and our birthdate. It may take a little bit more time and effort, but it would control people that aren't supposed to be there from getting into warmups...among other issues.

All-Star Dangers Of Cheerlebrity

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