All-Star Trending Towards "mega-gyms"

I'm probably going to sound dumb but here I go.

I feel athletes who move to a "mega gym" is great for the sport of cheerleading. I believe its making cheerleading that much more of a relevant sport in the wide world of sports.

I did gymnastics at a "small gym". We never had a big elite program but our coach has trained many athletes to the elite or close to elite level and happily sent them to "mega gym" so they could achieve an Olympic or world
championship title. I've also seen in tennis where most of all coaches I've worked with have personally sent there athletes to another academy for this same reason.

I do acknowledge that these examples are individual sports and that becoming an elite athlete in tennis,track or gymnastics is much more of a bigger deal. By bigger deal I mean you make millions of dollars and such for being good.
But this shows that cheerleading is evolving into something great. I see trying out across the country for a "mega gym" as just baby steps to the draft in the NBA or NFL. Yes we are not there yet where cheerleading is as big of a deal but how else to get there?

I mean its truly a great concept if you think about it. Im all for a select teams having level 5 teams instead of everybody. How relevant would the NBA or NFL be if any athlete with some type of skill can go play on a NBA or NFL team half an hour away?

The only thing That I see holding cheerleading or my argument for that matter back from being recognized as a true sport is focus on senior level 5 teams instead of International 5/6. If cheerleading ever becomes a big sport the "pro" and "famous" athletes of the sport can't age out of "relevance" at 18. Then it leads to the controversial of moving across the nation in high school simply cause its your last years of the chance to be a worlds champion,icon to many or the team of your dreams.

CAPheebersMom said:

Not one of the above the posts mentions SMOED...not one. In fact this thread has been nothing but a discussion on the very apparent trend this season of athletes being hosted by families at other gyms and why it has become so big. There is a difference between being Sally from Idaho with a double full who wants to live her Worlds dream and Jenny who already has 3 Worlds rings moving to another program. And it's not just Cali, I have seen on twitter kids moving from Washington to Texas, California to Florida, Florida to Texas...some kids moving every year. Why? That is what this thread is about...not "bashing" any certain team or gym.

Click to expand...

Preach!


Ashley

12stepCheermom said:

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.

Click to expand...

Ok. I will try to be professional too...lol...but I coach mostly from my heart and not my head. My gym is 5 years old. I just lost a girl to a gym that is opening and will most likely have a great deal of success (offering half and free tuition will definitely get them that level 5 team they so desire but won't work for; but that is another discussion) ANYWAY. My gym is small. I will not be able to field a decent level 5 team in the near future (although I desperately would love to). I just don't have enough talent and the parents at my gym do not have the money to put into extra tumbling, stunting, etc. So I am resigned that I will have kids leave me to go to the mega gym. But I will tell you it hurts me deeply to my very soul. It hurts (selfishly) that I will not be the one taking this cheerleader to Worlds. That someone else will get the credit and the experience. I have always said and I will support all of our kids decisions to move to a higher level gym. I would love however, to see more emphasis and prestige given to those lower level teams... I think that is why the Summit will be successful. Most of us (especially small gyms) will not be at Worlds. But that does not mean I don't have great teams at my gym at other levels. As a matter of fact, I think a ton of small gyms are masters at the lower levels. Forgive me if I am rambling. This topic hit home to me so hard this week. I am trying to always put the kids first, but I am alas, only human.

hopskipandjump said:

Ok. I will try to be professional too...lol...but I coach mostly from my heart and not my head. My gym is 5 years old. I just lost a girl to a gym that is opening and will most likely have a great deal of success (offering half and free tuition will definitely get them that level 5 team they so desire but won't work for; but that is another discussion) ANYWAY. My gym is small. I will not be able to field a decent level 5 team in the near future (although I desperately would love to). I just don't have enough talent and the parents at my gym do not have the money to put into extra tumbling, stunting, etc. So I am resigned that I will have kids leave me to go to the mega gym. But I will tell you it hurts me deeply to my very soul. It hurts (selfishly) that I will not be the one taking this cheerleader to Worlds. That someone else will get the credit and the experience. I have always said and I will support all of our kids decisions to move to a higher level gym. I would love however, to see more emphasis and prestige given to those lower level teams... I think that is why the Summit will be successful. Most of us (especially small gyms) will not be at Worlds. But that does not mean I don't have great teams at my gym at other levels. As a matter of fact, I think a ton of small gyms are masters at the lower levels. Forgive me if I am rambling. This topic hit home to me so hard this week. I am trying to always put the kids first, but I am alas, only human.

Click to expand...

I totally understand and our coaches are dealing with the same thing you are. The situation in general is just unfortunate all around. All of them are hurt. Two are dealing with it like adults and love my kids because they love my KIDS, some of the others have shown my kids an entirely different side of themselves. And that's unfortunate as well.

It's just painful (more than it should be) for everyone involved. But at the end of the day, we had to make a decision for us.

And you were very professional


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android || Upgrade Your Account!

I haven't decided exactly how I feel yet about this whole topic.

But for now ill just say that pro sports have "farm teams," in college BB there is an NIT tournament winner and a D1 winner, there are many cases divisions in all sports. If something similar happens in cheer, I don't think it cheapens Worlds.

Maybe the Summit will fill that need with more teams staying R5, or maybe a new division is offered at the Summit to crown a "smaller gym" level 5 champion. (Not thinking through specifics / logistics at this point.)

The reason I started thinking about this was imagining some athletes who do move to mega gym, only to start at maybe level 4 when at old smaller gym they could have been on a level 5 worlds team (thinking this because as athletes start flying to mega gyms, the requirements to be on MG worlds team will jump up.). Would it be better to stay at smaller gym and actually get the level 5 competition experience then move to mega gym? Similar problem, when do you call a baseball player out if the minors? Is it better to be a benchwarmer in the majors or a stud in the minors. (Sorry that went off on a tangent!)


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android || Upgrade Your Account!

5-6-7-8 said:

But for now ill just say that pro sports have "farm teams," in college BB there is an NIT tournament winner and a D1 winner, there are many cases divisions in all sports. If something similar happens in cheer, I don't think it cheapens Worlds.

Click to expand...

My school is a smaller Big East DI program. We made it to the Elite Eight of the NIT this year, and while I guess there was some "excitement" among the student body, the general feel was, "ha. we're one of the top eight of the not-good basketball teams." We referred to the NIT as the Loser Bracket.

I would have rather my school been crushed 180-40 by Duke in the first round of the NCAA tournament than made it to the Elite Eight of the NIT. Fact.

AndrewSky said:

For me, our area of the country... gym switching is unfortunately TOO common. My opinion has been shaped by where I am in the country. I don't judge these athletes - if you live in Washington and want to fly to Maryland to shake your sugar jello then do it. But in my eyes, half the kids leaving don't appear to be leaving because they outgrew a program - some of course are, and that makes complete sense. But, a lot aren't. And that's mainly what I'm taking about here. The difference between ring chasing and leaving for outgrowth reasons.
A coach around here has led well over 50 athletes to a worlds ring without ever winning one himself. Why? The minute these kids get taught how to do everything, they leave. When the programs they're leaving are just as competitive. If even half of those kids had stayed, where would these other programs be? I think there would be a lot more diversity in finals that's for sure.

Click to expand...

I like the way you stated this and I totally agree. I think kids leave one gym that has had success and places well at Worlds year after year for a gym that might have had a little better season and placed a little higher at Worlds and they look at it as if they leave they will get the instant gratification at the other gym (talking about levels 4 and 5 teams in this case) instead of putting in the time and work at their original gym. It is their option to move gyms but it is sad when it hurts a program that has the potential to be just as fabulous.

Cheerkid33 said:

I did gymnastics at a "small gym". We never had a big elite program but our coach has trained many athletes to the elite or close to elite level and happily sent them to "mega gym" so they could achieve an Olympic or world
championship title. I've also seen in tennis where most of all coaches I've worked with have personally sent there athletes to another academy for this same reason.

Click to expand...

I believe this could be a model that cheer one day follows and still allows the owners of all sizes to still make a living. Outside of really remote locations, gyms who have difficulty fielding skilled teams across the board, will focus on levels 4 and under, establishing a program that shows successful progression; while mega gyms and their branches will do what they've always done, but be the place high level athletes choose to move on to.

rosebud said:

I like the way you stated this and I totally agree. I think kids leave one gym that has had success and places well at Worlds year after year for a gym that might have had a little better season and placed a little higher at Worlds and they look at it as if they leave they will get the instant gratification at the other gym (talking about levels 4 and 5 teams in this case) instead of putting in the time and work at their original gym. It is their option to move gyms but it is sad when it hurts a program that has the potential to be just as fabulous.

Click to expand...

So true on the instant gratification part!

one other thought of kids leaving for a mega gym, in order to make the team they desire at the new gym, they work harder to ensure that happens at tryouts and when practices start. Why couldn't they have tried that hard the whole season at their previous gym? If they would have, maybe their old team would've had the success they are seeking elsewhere!!! :banghead:

I think there should be set requirements to even be eligible for a worlds bid. If they set tumbling and stunting requirements as in a certain percentage of doubles in a routine or having elite stunting it would prevent from teams with just a handful of doubles or stunting that is not up to par from receiving bids in the first place. It would lessen the teams going to worlds and keep the teams that don't have the chances of even coming close to maxing out on the scoresheet from making it. I know many teams go for the experience of worlds but if you don't even have a chance at making finals because you lack the skill then you don't belong there. There needs to be stricter requirements to make it to worlds so that they stop handing out left over bids to teams that aren't ready to compete at that level.


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android || Upgrade Your Account!

stinchky said:

I think there should be set requirements to even be eligible for a worlds bid. If they set tumbling and stunting requirements as in a certain percentage of doubles in a routine or having elite stunting it would prevent from teams with just a handful of doubles or stunting that is not up to par from receiving bids in the first place. It would lessen the teams going to worlds and keep the teams that don't have the chances of even coming close to maxing out on the scoresheet from making it. I know many teams go for the experience of worlds but if you don't even have a chance at making finals because you lack the skill then you don't belong there. There needs to be stricter requirements to make it to worlds so that they stop handing out left over bids to teams that aren't ready to compete at that level.


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android || Upgrade Your Account!

Click to expand...

They will never do that because that would be turning down money... Lets face it, those teams that don't have the skills are the ones that are paying for the paid bids by going and paying all that money to go to worlds with the at large bids.

The Sixth said:

I believe this could be a model that cheer one day follows and still allows the owners of all sizes to still make a living. Outside of really remote locations, gyms who have difficulty fielding skilled teams across the board, will focus on levels 4 and under, establishing a program that shows successful progression; while mega gyms and their branches will do what they've always done, but be the place high level athletes choose to move on to.

Click to expand...

The problem with that approach IMO is that the fours then the threes will then go to the mega gyms sooner, to get into the program and be in the flow of the program. This happens already with many of the smaller gyms. Which then still leaves small gym with level 1 and perhaps 2.

I still think you can make a living, but I believe you have to be more radical about your approach and as much as people don't like it, I think their needs to be other options for gyms that have no aspirations to be involved with the Worlds chase. Summit is a start, but when the World's level 5's can cross down to lower levels, then it too defeats the true purpose.

gofriars610 said:

My school is a smaller Big East DI program. We made it to the Elite Eight of the NIT this year, and while I guess there was some "excitement" among the student body, the general feel was, "ha. we're one of the top eight of the not-good basketball teams." We referred to the NIT as the Loser Bracket.

I would have rather my school been crushed 180-40 by Duke in the first round of the NCAA tournament than made it to the Elite Eight of the NIT. Fact.

Click to expand...

My school won the NIT back to back several years back. We kind of faked excitment and cut down the nets and made local newspaper headlines, but the truth is no one really cares. We called it the "Not Invited Tournament". I can't name you a single team that has won it since. I too would have rather had an NCAA birth and lost in the first round.

Kind of an aside, but it could be a similar situation to what we're talking about here.

tumbleyoda said:

The problem with that approach IMO is that the fours then the threes will then go to the mega gyms sooner, to get into the program and be in the flow of the program. This happens already with many of the smaller gyms. Which then still leaves small gym with level 1 and perhaps 2.

I still think you can make a living, but I believe you have to be more radical about your approach and as much as people don't like it, I think their needs to be other options for gyms that have no aspirations to be involved with the Worlds chase. Summit is a start, but when the World's level 5's can cross down to lower levels, then it too defeats the true purpose.

Click to expand...

I agree there are 3's and 4's that move already. Whether it's actually advantageous over waiting till you're a 5 who knows for sure? There are obviously plenty of 5 athletes now that didn't move earlier. Until mega gyms start popping up satellite gyms on every corner, it's still not just an issue of skill, but willingness to move to one.

As a whole I don't think it's much different in how gyms (big and small) operate already. But just embracing a different kind of thinking. Rather than worrying what your athletes will do when they reach Worlds caliber status, just assume they'll move to a mega gym. Rather than see a Div 1 and Div 2 system like some are proposing, it works more like a farm league or developmental league where big and small gyms have a synergistic relationship.

You might even see less athletes leave early, because they won't be worried whether their gym will have enough skill to field a Worlds team each year, because they'll know the system directs them to the mega gym now.