All-Star From Courtney Pope - "the View From Backstage At The Naccc..."

[notimeforthat]

I would like to address your comments if I may.


I think so many people get caught up in the pleasure of "beating" someone. If you are a cheer parent of a young athlete, and you have any interest in sticking through it for the long haul, you have to focus on how you can allow your child to continue to get better. If she is fortunate enough to be within proximity to a great cheer program, you do what you can for her to be in a position to make the final cut of a very strong J5 and then an S5 team when she is a teenager and when winning becomes more important to her. I feel that it is my responsibility as a parent to provide her with every opportunity to do just that. By not allowing her to be in an environment over the next two or three years where it doesn't really matter if she maximizes her ability (i.e. limiting Y5), to me, is a complete disservice and absolute backwards way of thinking.

Taking my own situation I can relate. My daughter started at a small gym. They did not even have a level 5 team! This did not stop her from pushing hard or excelling. I provided her every opportunity I could by paying for privates and having her compete individually so she had an outlet for her skills.
After a few years it became apparent that the gym we were at would not offer a team she would be age eligible for for several years. So we now travel a very great distance to one that does.
The point of the story is that by not having my daughter on a youth 5 did in no way disservice her or her skills.
I am certainly not advocating the end of Y5 but if it will help some smaller gyms maybe make that leap in a few years thus making more competition in the division what is so wrong with that?
When your daughter has a double and is strong in all other aspects of cheerleading I am sure she will be one asked to double compete which will allow her to use those skills.
My conclusion is keep the y5 with restrictions. I really do not see a valid argument on how it has a negative effect on the division if most of the kids that have the more elite tumbling skills are already using them on another team.

 

[My3KidsMom]

Honestly the bottom line to me is eliminating Youth 5 won't stop them from throwing the skills, it will just push youth kids to Jr teams and Jr's to Sr teams. If a gym has a youth 5 now they sure won't watch them walk out that door for someone else's Jr 5 team.

 

[nccheerdad]

Honestly the bottom line to me is eliminating Youth 5 won't stop them from throwing the skills, it will just push youth kids to Jr teams and Jr's to Sr teams. If a gym has a youth 5 now they sure won't watch them walk out that door for someone else's Jr 5 team.

But those Y5 kids will have to replace J5 kids who will then be needing a spot. I can't imagine too many parents who had a kid on J5 losing her spot to a Youth kid would be too happy about it. It might make the J5 team at the gym down the road a little better though. I think someone else mentioned too, you might as well say good-bye to many age appropriate flyers on those Junior teams. Reducing team sized exaggerates this problem. Unwanted consequences indeed.

 

[gwd0193]

Once again you are saying that you as a parent do not pay any money during the summer to be on a team that you tried out for in May? You start your monthly payments to the gym in September? That is not what your web site stated when I was complying data for a paper. Each team had a practice schedule posted starting in May. You may say that they are not mandatory on a forum but a young child that has the drive and dedication to be a level 5 athlete is not going to miss a "practice" that is called for by their coach. If you have an off season then great, but why are there practices scheduled during it?



I think it is clear that greater people than you and I, that know far more than we do, are not asking that this division be eliminated. Just that there should be limits what these little children should be able to do in a competition. I as a parent can not fault this way of thinking and agree with it. It has been a long time coming.

Unless the limitation is an age limitation, i.e. you can't throw a double full until you are 12, then this in no way increases the safety of the athlete. The same athlete can compete the double full on a junior team.

My daughter spent the last two years on CEA's Youth Elite and it was an amazing experience for her. Since she has aged off of youth this will not effect her; however, I really hate to see others denied the opportunity of competing on a Youth 5 team. It is true that we did not have competitors at most of the competitions, but those kids loved hitting the floor and performing no matter what. When we did have competitors it was so exciting-not for the opportunity to beat someone, but for the opportunity for her to compete against some of the most talented and elite athletes in her same age group. I always watched in amazement at all of the Youth 5 teams and the talent that all of those young kids had. I will be very sad if this division is eliminated. It is a once in a lifetime experience to be on a team like that.

 

[notimeforthat]

I really don't think you are talking about a large number of kids for heavens sake!! As another cea poster said earlier you can create sm jr 5's if need be but I really think we are only talking about a small percentage. And to add again.... These kids are ALREADY ON JR 5 !!!

 

[CCCBeBad]

If they are already on Jr 5 why not get rid of Youth 5..... limits wear and tear on the body!!!

 

[SharkDad]

There are many parents at CAC and CEA that know each other well. Kids have gone to CEA for opportunities that CAC can't provide. We have kids that return for their own personal reasons. Many of us are close friends and we discuss our gym's philosophies quite often. Here are a few points I'd like to make.

You know I respect your opinion and experience and we both hear plenty from our gyms and plenty of people we know.

I answered this post in parts but I guess I screwed it up. That spares you with a shorter set of questions:

- Who is asking questions about the "Save Youth 5" campaign like it's a joke? Was it parents/coaches from another gym that automatically might not like CEA? The coach that started that is an energetic young guy who really cares about the young kids he is coaching. He invited kids from all gyms because he would care about any kid that came through the doors looking for help. After he helped he would gladly send them back to their gym wishing them the best. I heard the session went well, but I don't know how many kids from other gyms attended?

- Who is being warned that if Youth 5 is eliminated they will need to make room on their Junior teams for the kids? Again--is it parents from other gyms talking in the waiting room who are speculating that they will get an influx of spare youth 5 kids?

People are overestimating the effect the loss of this division will have on CEA and losing focus on the big picture. I would be willing to bet that most if not all of these kids would compete for Courtney no matter what team she puts them on because they love her and know that she loves them back. That. . . in my opinion, is the attraction and reason for success at this particular program, not because her business model is tricking people into giving her money or taking needless risk.

 

[cheerislove8]

Honestly... I just think everyone needs to take a deep breath. At this point, voting is almost closing, so the majority of coaches have already voted. Arguing isn't really making much of a difference now haha

okay continue on. just had to say that.

 

[CharlotteASMom]

- Who is asking questions about the "Save Youth 5" campaign like it's a joke? Was it parents/coaches from another gym that automatically might not like CEA? I heard the session went well, but I don't know how many kids from other gyms attended?

I didn't say the video was a joke. Please don't twist my words. My comment said the joke going around was "Do our kids have to throw their tumbling pass and then get a business card when they leave?" (I actually forgot the business card part during the first post) It's an ironic joke in that a gym that brings many kids in from other gyms is asking kids outside the gym to help support a team that we/they had a part in creating. Kind of like if Top Gun asked boys from other gyms to come to Miami and make a video about saving Unltd.

- Who is being warned that if Youth 5 is eliminated they will need to make room on their Junior teams for the kids? Again--is it parents from other gyms talking in the waiting room who are speculating that they will get an influx of spare youth 5 kids?

I haven't been in a gym waiting room since Tuesday night so "no" and we don't really talk about CEA that much at the gym. Facebook and texts have been going crazy though from many gyms including CEA.
People are overestimating the effect the loss of this division will have on CEA and losing focus on the big picture. I would be willing to bet that most if not all of these kids would compete for Courtney no matter what team she puts them on because they love her and know that she loves them back. That. . . in my opinion, is the attraction and reason for success at this particular program, not because her business model is tricking people into giving her money or taking needless risk.

I wish you wouldn't be so dramatic in saying things like "tricky people". I think I actually praised CEA quite a few times in my first post but you didn't ask me about that.

 

[CharlotteASMom]

Honestly... I just think everyone needs to take a deep breath. At this point, voting is almost closing, so the majority of coaches have already voted. Arguing isn't really making much of a difference now haha

okay continue on. just had to say that.

Breathing.....

 

[wcdad]

Honestly... I just think everyone needs to take a deep breath. At this point, voting is almost closing, so the majority of coaches have already voted. Arguing isn't really making much of a difference now haha

okay continue on. just had to say that.

Everyone is quite aware of the voting.. At the same time I dont think people are arguing but are posting their opinions on a post made by a Owner/Coach of a Major Gym calling out other programs that their support is nothing more than politics aimed at their bottom line. Her post only showed that she is no different than what she had an issue with and realy does not have a leg to stand on.

In addition what I am reading is, just about everyone DOES NOT want to do away with youth 5, but put limits on it.

 

[ctgatormom]

Maybe this has already been posted, If so sorry....But when will the results of the voting be revealed??

 

[SharkDad]

- Who is asking questions about the "Save Youth 5" campaign like it's a joke? Was it parents/coaches from another gym that automatically might not like CEA? I heard the session went well, but I don't know how many kids from other gyms attended?

I didn't say the video was a joke. Please don't twist my words. My comment said the joke going around was "Do our kids have to throw their tumbling pass and then get a business card when they leave?" (I actually forgot the business card part during the first post) It's an ironic joke in that a gym that brings many kids in from other gyms is asking kids outside the gym to help support a team that we/they had a part in creating. Kind of like if Top Gun asked boys from other gyms to come to Miami and make a video about saving Unltd.

- Who is being warned that if Youth 5 is eliminated they will need to make room on their Junior teams for the kids? Again--is it parents from other gyms talking in the waiting room who are speculating that they will get an influx of spare youth 5 kids?

I haven't been in a gym waiting room since Tuesday night so "no" and we don't really talk about CEA that much at the gym. Facebook and texts have been going crazy though from many gyms including CEA.
People are overestimating the effect the loss of this division will have on CEA and losing focus on the big picture. I would be willing to bet that most if not all of these kids would compete for Courtney no matter what team she puts them on because they love her and know that she loves them back. That. . . in my opinion, is the attraction and reason for success at this particular program, not because her business model is tricking people into giving her money or taking needless risk.

I wish you wouldn't be so dramatic in saying things like "tricky people". I think I actually praised CEA quite a few times in my first post but you didn't ask me about that.​

I never actually quoted you but it may have looked that way since I overly-simplified my questions back to you (I was trying to be brief). I also never tried to insinuate or accuse anyone at your gym or waiting room, in fact I feel that people at your program are some of the most respectful that I encounter.

What I was curious about is where the comments came from that you heard in reference to the "Save Youth 5" campaign or the moving of kids to make room for youth 5 kids. I know you see and hear lots from kids and parents all over and the context of who is saying these comments usually tells me a lot when I hear about them

I am also not trying to be dramatic, but answering the comments from others that the motivation for saving this one team is tied to a business model. In my opinion stating that is the dramatic over-simplification and I never thought it came from you, just putting it out there.

 

[kristenthegreat]

That being said I throw out this question. By restricting Y5 are you not in a way also impacting the whole crossover issue? Crossovers were referred to as a neccesary evil more than a few times at the NACCC meeting. There are proposals on crossovers this cycle but there will prob be nothing that comes of them. A restricted Y5 won't stop crossing over but it does create a more level playing field for gyms who do not use a crossover model. I may be really off base here but I have had that thought rattling around in my head.

My idea was that if Y5 was COMPLETELY eliminated, we'll say that CEA has about 36 'level 5' athletes now that need a home. While I'm sure the other kids enjoy crossing over, CEA wouldn't be obligated to use as many crossovers in their level 5 teams, because they would currently have 36 kids to play around with (that's assuming they don't have room on a level 4 team; considering how they have teams in almost every division, it's a possibility). I think we're on a similar page. Although I'm not completely familiar with their particular crossover model, from what people have said it is done by choice and for experience purposes. Level 5 talent-wise, if it's eliminated they've got at lease 30 kids who need a place to go, and that might be only one team.

 

[CharlotteASMom]

I never actually quoted you but it may have looked that way since I overly-simplified my questions back to you (I was trying to be brief). I also never tried to insinuate or accuse anyone at your gym or waiting room, in fact I feel that people at your program are some of the most respectful that I encounter.
I appreciate that. Fortunately most parents at CAC are a lot better about not expressing their opinions publically than me. In addition, most Charlotte parents don't really care about what happens outside our walls in the rest of the cheer world.

What I was curious about is where the comments came from that you heard in reference to the "Save Youth 5" campaign or the moving of kids to make room for youth 5 kids. I know you see and hear lots from kids and parents all over and the context of who is saying these comments usually tells me a lot when I hear about them
There was talk about it since the invitations to participate came on most of our Facebook news feeds. Several friends and I mentioned it which included people from our gym, other NC gyms, and CEA friends.

I am also not trying to be dramatic, but answering the comments from others that the motivation for saving this one team is tied to a business model. In my opinion stating that is the dramatic over-simplification and I never thought it came from you, just putting it out there.
I don't claim to know CEA's business model. I do know how many kids leave CAC to go to CEA because we don't have a Youth 5 option. That same attraction "may" not exist without it. Who knows? It seems the tide favors retrictioning or leaving the division alone so we'll probably never know.