All-Star How Can It Be Considered A "states" Competition??

[SCX_mommaTera]

SOAP BOX: This whole feed has me pissed off & laughing with every post. But seriously these kids work hard to be as good as they are. What pisses me off is that we are attending competitions with no one to compete against or other gyms are pulling out because they "hear" we are showing up. Many parents & kids feel this way but God forbid we say anything in case a producer or major player in the cheer community can read/hear it and use it to punish our children. In all my years of being involved in cheer I have always taught my 3 cp's if you want to be the best work hard, grow, evolve and compete against the best! My oldest cp has won many trophies but none of that mattered until she was beaten by the best team. That lit a fire in her and in a year she went from level 3 to level 5. My youngest was at another gym a year ago and they didn't meet our growth standards she was regressing and their level 5 was not strong. Once we moved to CEA they all including my son are being challenged and showing steady growth. BUT all this drama is for the birds.

BRING IT ON 1 Torrance Shipman: I define being the best as competing against the best there is out there and beating them.
Even she knew ...

I'm done

 

[CharlotteASMom]

This thread is ridiculous. The issue is between Universal Spirit and CEA. Courtney knows exactly why they aren't going and a creative story has been spun to make it everyone else's fault. CEA hasn't gone to this comp in years and to pretend this is a new issue is insane.

 

[CEA_ATC]

This is really not a personal issue between anyone, it is a business competition issue. I was not insinuating anything personal between owners... if it was taken that way, I apologize. What I am trying to emphasize is the fact that this is damaging the competition level at these events. It just feels like a company using gyms it owns to compete at its own competitions, then limiting the appearance of a competing gym isn't right...

We opened a gym in an area where we had around 100 kids driving from Charlotte to Kernersville 3 times a week to cheer. Seems like a wise business decision. No kids were recruited by owners or coaches (who knows what athletes say to each other), we just opened a gym in a place where we already had a lot of athletes. A competing gym lost a group of kids to CEA when that new gym opened. Businesses don't like losing clientele, which is understandable.

CEA has not been to the event in question in 7 years, primarily because we are usually away at an All Star Challenge event. The dates for our High School States changed, and our schedule got shifted. It opened up the chances that we could go back to this local event (local is always nice.. reduces travel and hotel costs). Then what we have been talking about happened. The smaller gyms may be intimidated that the big gym is coming back after 7 years, and they aren't fans of the idea of competing against CEA at this event again.

The problem lies with the fact that the parent company is United Spirit, which is a parent company for Cheersport, Charlotte All Star Cheerleading, and Universal Spirit Association. So, it would seem to benefit the EP to and the competition's All Star numbers to limit CEA participation in the event (especially with so many former CAC athletes there). How can you compete YOUR athletes at YOUR competition and limit a competing gym's participation?? How is that ethical?

 

[Extrememom]

We haven't been to States in 7 years because we have always went to All Star Challenge. CEA Charlotte is home to 120 former Charlotte AS kids this season, the other gyms in NC would prefer for us not to be there (States) because they are intimidated. All 26 coaches, 9 locations and 1000 kids are not evil and did not deserve this. We have wanted to attend in 7 years because we have been elsewhere......The only reason we were making a return is because we can't travel this weekend due to high school states being on Saturday!!!

 

[12stepCheermom]

We're from a "smaller gym" (not more than 40 minutes from ground zero in all of this) and we wouldn't have Cheersport nationals or UCA Nationals on our schedule if we were "intimidated" by large gyms.

That comment probably wasn't directed at us because we hold our own quite nicely in every competition, I just get my hackles up when it feels like we get condescended to because we're a "small" gym.

Small doesn't mean weak. It also doesn't mean we seek out competition where there is no competition. We left our first gym be because that's what they did and that's not acceptable.

This thread has suddenly taken on shades of the spring threads that were locked, I've got money this will go the same way.

 

[CharlotteASMom]

Until Courtney starts owning her behavior instead of trying to create some conspiracy theory then these threads will always go badly.

 

[kristenthegreat]

My final words on the matter (and is applicable to half the gossip on these boards):

Inside every big rumor, there is a small grain of truth. Otherwise, they wouldn't be so easily believed. I often wonder where it lies..

 

[Extrememom]

Until Courtney starts owning her behavior instead of trying to create some conspiracy theory then these threads will always go badly.

No conspiracy theroy needed, it was all facts!!! We had prior approval to come, everything was sent in on time........
Hmmmmm, then sorry, ck sent back.....there have been repeated calls made to EP with to return call back!

 

[CEA_ATC]

I meant no disrespect to smaller gyms at all. They do very well at local and national events, and beat us a lot of times (my little one is on two level 3 teams) at them. We love it when we get to go up against some of those gyms (Odyssey, Cheer Energy, Aviators, WF All Stars, etc...) that we see at some other events doing well. Putting our routines out there against them is how all the gyms get better... We don't like the idea that some gyms (like your old one, evidently, so you understand part of this) will duck competitions that CEA competes in... we love going to the big ones... with all the different gyms in the arena. That is awesome. My daughter loves seeing different teams go, and competing in bigger divisions. I would hope that is what all gyms would want, an open, even playing field.

As far as "Courtney's behavior".. I have no idea what you are getting at. There are two gyms who routinely try to demonize this woman, and I don't see it. I am in her gym 3 nights a week, I am in her house a couple of times a year, and we interact all the time. All I EVER see from CSP is a woman who absolutely ADORES her athletes, her gym, her sport. She fights for them, she does everything she can to make it the best experience she can for anyone involved. We have first hand accounts from kids and parents coming from other gyms where she (and her coaches) were painted in an AWFUL light trying to prevent anyone from coming over to CEA. Then they give it a try, and we hear them saying "It was all lies, they said she was so horrible". Those of us that REALLY know her know that. Personal attacks are ridiculous. It is about the kids.... and inside the doors of our gym, that is what it is all about.

 

[Extrememom]

We're from a "smaller gym" (not more than 40 minutes from ground zero in all of this) and we wouldn't have Cheersport nationals or UCA Nationals on our schedule if we were "intimidated" by large gyms.

That comment probably wasn't directed at us because we hold our own quite nicely in every competition, I just get my hackles up when it feels like we get condescended to because we're a "small" gym.

Small doesn't mean weak. It also doesn't mean we seek out competition where there is no competition. We left our first gym be because that's what they did and that's not acceptable.

This thread has suddenly taken on shades of the spring threads that were locked, I've got money this will go the same way.

 

[jujuextreme]

This thread is ridiculous. The issue is between Universal Spirit and CEA. Courtney knows exactly why they aren't going and a creative story has been spun to make it everyone else's fault. CEA hasn't gone to this comp in years and to pretend this is a new issue is insane.

And who didn't know your mouth would be running on a thread that gives you a chance to get a dig in or criticize CEA and/or Courtney??
How empty your life must be that you feel compelled to actively involve yourself in posting about a sport in which neither you nor your child participate.
Good job, you got your chance again. You said your peace.....Now you can have a happy day!!!!! YAY for you!

CEA will continue to exceed even with people like CAC, Universal Spirit & Cheersport trying their best to bring them down. Hate Coutney or not, she is not scared of competition and she does want what's best for the sport and the kids.

The competition is doing a disservice to the sport and the children by not allowing certain gyms. Shame on the owners and coaches who said they would not go if CEA was there! Shows lack of confidence in their coaching ability and in the kids that they coach!!! I would be extremely upset if I found out our coach and/or owners did that!

After all let's face it, it's about the kids!!! All that goes on with the coaches and owners should not affect the kids! I see kids from all programs getting along just fine and love watching each other! My child has friends from a lot of different gyms and loves them all. The ones that have a chip on their shoulder are usually speaking words they heard from their own parents or coaches which is extremely sad!

Hate is not something I want my child to learn. Trying hard to bring others down to make yourself feel better is not something I want my child to think is ok. She is learning life lessons! I do not want her to learn that it is better to give up and quit rather than face the possibility of defeat! That is exactly the message the teams are sending to their kids by saying they won't go if CEA is there.

This is a "competitive" sport! I don't want to be somewhere where the gym avoids big competitors so they can win! That's a waste of my money and a horrible thing to teach a child! I want my child to go after what she wants in life and not just settle for something less because she thinks she cannot achieve it or is not good enough!

I wish every child in this sport the best of luck this year!!!!

 

[12stepCheermom]

I meant no disrespect to smaller gyms at all. They do very well at local and national events, and beat us a lot of times (my little one is on two level 3 teams) at them. We love it when we get to go up against some of those gyms (Odyssey, Cheer Energy, Aviators, WF All Stars, etc...) that we see at some other events doing well. Putting our routines out there against them is how all the gyms get better... We don't like the idea that some gyms (like your old one, evidently, so you understand part of this) will duck competitions that CEA competes in... we love going to the big ones... with all the different gyms in the arena. That is awesome. My daughter loves seeing different teams go, and competing in bigger divisions. I would hope that is what all gyms would want, an open, even playing field.

As far as "Courtney's behavior".. I have no idea what you are getting at. There are two gyms who routinely try to demonize this woman, and I don't see it. I am in her gym 3 nights a week, I am in her house a couple of times a year, and we interact all the time. All I EVER see from CSP is a woman who absolutely ADORES her athletes, her gym, her sport. She fights for them, she does everything she can to make it the best experience she can for anyone involved. We have first hand accounts from kids and parents coming from other gyms where she (and her coaches) were painted in an AWFUL light trying to prevent anyone from coming over to CEA. Then they give it a try, and we hear them saying "It was all lies, they said she was so horrible". Those of us that REALLY know her know that. Personal attacks are ridiculous. It is about the kids.... and inside the doors of our gym, that is what it is all about.

You are exactly right about my old gym. They even wait to see our schedule before they set their own so were never in the same place.

As to the second paragraph I can only assume you're talking to someone else because I haven't (and will not ever because I don't know her) said anything about CSP. And since our owners are friends with her and an unkind word has never been spoken in Aviator-land about CEA (that I've ever heard anyway) I'm absolutely certain our gym is not one of the two you're talking about.

 

[Extrememom]

I meant no disrespect to you or your gym, as I had previously told you in a DM, I have the utmost respect for your gym.. We have several friends at lots of the other NC gyms. Mainly referring to an earlier post to why the EP would make the decsion to not let CEA attend because other gyms would pull out if they found out CEA was attending. That has been the case at several events in previous years.

 

[jujuextreme]

Until Courtney starts owning her behavior instead of trying to create some conspiracy theory then these threads will always go badly.[/

As an advocate for CAC, where was your outrage and postings when unethical and immoral behavor was happening at CAC???
Why do you only get on your moral soapbox when the target is CEA? Obviously with your vast insider knowledge you know exactly what is going on at every gym!

 

[CoachTamara]

Wow, and I thought Illinois was bad...

Here is my opinion (because I know you are all wondering). If you like CSP and want your child to go there, great. If you don't, go somewhere else! I don't think you can make assumptions about another gym unless you've been there.

That's the nice version of everything I'm thinking.