All-Star Trending Towards "mega-gyms"

AndrewSky said:

I'm probably going to get eaten alive here for saying this, but there are two divisions in level 5.
It's called restricted, where most of the teams that show up to worlds should go. No offense to anyone.
Yes, no one likes losing to the same big name gyms for a reason, but a lot of teams who are "non mega-gyms" are actually stepping up and showing they can compete and earn medals and top five placements.

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I don't think that most of us are arguing that there are a lot of teams that should be in restricted instead of the worlds divisions. Those athletes should clearly leave to go to a more competitive gym since theirs can't meet their needs.

I can't speak for everyone, but New England has a number of gyms that are pretty competitive at Worlds, they've made finals in the past, have full paid bids, etc. But they're not going to win Worlds any time soon. They can't compete with the teams from Cali/Texas/down South.

The last year or two I've heard of a number of athletes from the area moving to other parts of the country to cheer for a big name gym. And these aren't rinky dink teams they were on before - we're talking ECE, Pro Athletics, Sparks (which doesn't exists anymore obviously). Have those athletes really outgrown those teams? Or are they just desperate for a Worlds ring? (Truth be told, I don't actually know if athletes have left all of those gyms to move to a mega-gym, but I know athletes who have done so who used to cheer at least one of those)

That being said, I don't necessarily agree with splitting gyms into Divisions like that. I don't think that most other youth club sports do that.

I honestly think the whole situation is ridiculous. Like I get wanting to cheer at a certain gym and driving far for it( I've done it for 3 years) but when you live alllll the way across the country and tryout for a team in Cali that is a little crazy to me. But whatever floats your boat!

I just pray these athletes aren't going to these gyms to be on these teams to try to get "cheer famous" KARMA will bite them in the but if this is the case.

But hey if you have the money & can do it. YOLO.


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Ashley said:

I don't think that most of us are arguing that there are a lot of teams that should be in restricted instead of the worlds divisions. Those athletes should clearly leave to go to a more competitive gym since theirs can't meet their needs.

I can't speak for everyone, but New England has a number of gyms that are pretty competitive at Worlds, they've made finals in the past, have full paid bids, etc. But they're not going to win Worlds any time soon. They can't compete with the teams from Cali/Texas/down South.

The last year or two I've heard of a number of athletes from the area moving to other parts of the country to cheer for a big name gym. And these aren't rinky dink teams they were on before - we're talking ECE, Pro Athletics, Sparks (which doesn't exists anymore obviously). Have those athletes really outgrown those teams? Or are they just desperate for a Worlds ring? (Truth be told, I don't actually know if athletes have left all of those gyms to move to a mega-gym, but I know athletes who have done so who used to cheer at least one of those)

That being said, I don't necessarily agree with splitting gyms into Divisions like that. I don't think that most other youth club sports do that.

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In my opinion, if we don't split up the divisions sometime in the near future, it will ultimately hurt the industry. As so many have posted before, Worlds will eventually consist of maybe 10-15 gyms max. Mega-gyms will get even larger and small to medium gyms wil disappear or be eaten up by the "humongous" gyms. I don't think anyone wants that type of future for the sport we all love.

quitthedrama said:

Thank you - I started the thread, and it was more about people leaving gyms to go to the "big name gyms" and the talent pool becoming very skewed making it harder for a "regular" gym to be competitive at the National and Worlds level, hence the idea for two separate divisions in the small all girl and small coed if the trend continues to grow. It wasn't meant to discuss why they were leaving or what transportation they use, but perhaps I didn't communicate it that way!

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The biggest shame for me is to see athletes who spent their entire cheering career at a small gym learning and perfecting their skills, then turn around and leave for a big named gym. Although we are the consumers and have the right to leave or join any gym we want, it's sad when the time, effort, and dedication that a gym puts into an athlete are forgotten.

This will not be a popular opinion, but I think that it is OK to have 1 competition a year where the whole point is simply to see who has the best team in a small number of divisions - regardless of the how many teams show up & how many kids they have. It is fine to have 1 event where they don't keep splitting divisions to make everyone feel like they "have a chance". There are hundreds, if not thousands, of competitions where quite literally any team can fairly easily win a "national championship". You can find dozens of those nearly every weekend of the entire season.

They don't have to let everyone be a World Champion in order to keep the industry from collapsing. Is my viewpoint skewed because we have won more Golds than anyone? Probably. However, we have also probably sent more teams to Worlds that "lost" than anyone else, too.

BlueCat said:

This will not be a popular opinion, but I think that it is OK to have 1 competition a year where the whole point is simply to see who has the best team in a small number of divisions - regardless of the how many teams show up & how many kids they have. It is fine to have 1 event where they don't keep splitting divisions to make everyone feel like they "have a chance". There are hundreds, if not thousands, of competitions where quite literally any team can fairly easily win a "national championship". You can find dozens of those nearly every weekend of the entire season.

They don't have to let everyone be a World Champion in order to keep the industry from collapsing. Is my viewpoint skewed because we have won more Golds than anyone? Probably. However, we have also probably sent more teams to Worlds that "lost" than anyone else, too.

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I can see where you're coming from and do understand not wanting to further break down divisions and lessen the accomplishment of being a World Champion team. However, I think Worlds is the only competition that actually can break down divisions and maintain its prestige.

If Small Coed was broken down into two divisions, would anyone consider SMOED less of a World Champion team or see their accomplishment as less impressive because they were not in the same division as the teams who were not able to make finals before and who they would have beaten easily anyway?

I don't think this idea would take away from the teams who already win as much as it would promote growth by giving new/small gyms a better chance of retaining athletes and developing solid level 5 teams.

Personally I do not think it would be a good idea to have division 1 and 2 at worlds. As an athlete, it would really bother me to come in third in a "mega-gym" division while another team who my team could have beat gets to walk around and call themselves world champions. Also, I do not think this would have any impact on "gym hopping" because many people would probably consider being a division 1 World champion more prestigious then being a Division 2 world champ.

Valvalmom said:

The biggest shame for me is to see athletes who spent their entire cheering career at a small gym learning and perfecting their skills, then turn around and leave for a big named gym. Although we are the consumers and have the right to leave or join any gym we want, it's sad when the time, effort, and dedication that a gym puts into an athlete are forgotten.

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I'll try to be professional. If I miss the mark please excuse me but this one hits close to home.

We moved from a very small gym to a mid sized one. They took my princess from handspring multiples to a full and my son from literally nothing to just shy of a double. They also taught him from nothing to toss hands, extended lib with seniors. The issue was that they trained them right past the point they could serve them. Part of that is also that my kids worked THAT hard. Never missed practice, spent hours there over summer, privates, 2-3 tumbling opportunities a week for 4 years. Yes, they trained my kids but my kids also worked hard for every skill they got during those 4 years.

That gym was not able to field a competitive team for them this year and for as much as we love and adore those coaches....we moved to a "mega gym" where my kids could continue to work as hard as they do and still have room to move forward and improve.

One thing I disagree with is the generalization that because we left, we don't appreciate, remember or give credit to where we came from. That's simply not the truth. No matter where they end up, they (and I) have not forgotten their roots and the very first person they text their new videos to are the coaches that raised them. As a matter of fact were in the car right now on our 1:45 drive to the new gym to learn what team my prince made and he's already prepared for his first text to go to the old gyms coach.

I would venture to say we're not the only ones that feel this way. Just because you move on doesn't mean you forget.... Ever.

12stepCheermom said:

As a matter of fact were in the car right now on our 1:45 drive to the new gym to learn what team my prince made and he's already prepared for his first text to go to the old gyms coach.

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Good luck to your son!!!!

There are certain countries that dominate certain events in the Olympics and I certainly don't think anyone would dream of calling for division splits there. Actually it makes the win for the underdog team that much sweeter when they beat the big dog expected winner!

In gymnastic there are four countrys (Big 4-USA, Russia, China, Romania) that've won top 3 in all of the events at every Olympics. Should we have another Olympics division for other countrys? Defenetly not. If you're the best you will win. And that's it.

The Soviet Union won every Olympic gold medal in ice hockey from 1956-1988 with the exception of 1960 and 1980 (USA), and before that the Canadians dominated (with the exception of 1936, where Great Britain randomly won). Should we have made two divisions then?

Since the Soviet Union (which I've already drawn a comparison between them and a "mega gym") broke up, we've had the "Unified Team" (aka random former Soviet states), Sweden, the Czech Republic, and Canada win gold. Parity will develop over time. There's no need for divisions at a world event.

Those are poor examples of Olympic dominance. Before the USA became dominate in some of these sports, many of those other countries mentioned were dominate because their athletes were essentially professional in there own countries. They were housed, trained and developed on their country's dime. Russia and Romania were completely dominate in gymnastics most of the 20th century. The same with men's hockey. Basketball a whole other story prior to the pros it was essentially US college students against grown men. It was not until the US Olympic committee loosened the restraints on what an US Olympic athlete could do as far as endorsements etc to ease the burden on the parents that the playing field was changed.

I am not saying this to condone division splits at worlds. Frankly I am very proud of my daughter's team finish 4th out of 82 at worlds. Division splits at Cheersport are a prime example of the problems this can cause. A team that comes in 3rd in one division would have been 12th in the other division. Now with that being said, don't kid yourself into thinking it is a level playing field either when certain gyms seem to have unlimited resources at there finger tips. It is a slippery slope.

gofriars610 said:

Good luck to your son!!!!

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He made the team he wanted! So proud of him!


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12stepCheermom said:

He made it! So proud of him!


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omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg!!!!