I'm Too Late?

[Fierce_Elite]

It's not what you are posting, but how you are posting. There is no problem with coming on here and asking for advice, but you have to know how to handle that advice. There was a very similar thread started very shortly after this one and the one that you started asking for the exact same advice, what to do to start a program. The reason why that thread did not turn badly is because that poster was very respectful and professional in the way she worded everything and she took the time to let everyone know what all she had done to help her start a team. Anytime someone offered their advice she did not come back with a rude response and questioning every thought or suggestion they offered. And insulting parents is probably the absolute worst thing you could do when you are trying to start a new program, when the people you are typically advertising to are parents.

The only other thing I will say is that people treat you the way you treat them, and that goes for everything in life. I can't think of a positive way to word what I really want to say, so I will stop there.

I understand what you're saying. I just really do not like the whole disowning thing. No one seems to understand that.

 

[ACEDAD]

Disowning. You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

What does it mean to you?


The Fierce Board: aka Cheernado!

 

[jcheermom]

This thread went downhill quickly...
Starting a thread and asking for advice, receiving some answers, not liking them so feeling threatened and getting defensive, people providing insight, not just from a parent's perspective but from an experienced coach's, business perceptive and those with prior experience, making suggestions to try and how to give a more professional presence and then insulting those who are just trying to say maybe the way you come across could be taken as unbusinesslike.
Asking if you have done research and suggesting routes you may want to take prior to investing so much time and money into something you obviously have a passion for, and only getting remarks from you like 'the veterans on here are mean'...
These are my observations about this thread, but I can only say that I do A LOT of lurking and don't post often but I think that MOST of those who post on here are honest.
If you were looking for advice, they gave it to you and they were very kind (at first) with their responses, until you got snarky about EVERY response. IF you had read other threads, there is soooo much info to be discovered by reading for hours, but you must invest your time into these threads. There are no easy answers.

Bottom line: this is a place to find a wealth of information, but the way to NOT get it is by asking for advice, receiving it, then insulting those who have provided it to you, when you have no idea what their background is. I respect 99.9% of these people ( I won't reveal the .1%!!)

I know my punctuation isn't perfect here so PLEEEAASE don't attack me!!!


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[Pebbles49]

This thread went downhill quickly...
Starting a thread and asking for advice, receiving some answers, not liking them so feeling threatened and getting defensive, people providing insight, not just from a parent's perspective but from an experienced coach's, business perceptive and those with prior experience, making suggestions to try and how to give a more professional presence and then insulting those who are just trying to say maybe the way you come across could be taken as unbusinesslike.
Asking if you have done research and suggesting routes you may want to take prior to investing so much time and money into something you obviously have a passion for, and only getting remarks from you like 'the veterans on here are mean'...
These are my observations about this thread, but I can only say that I do A LOT of lurking and don't post often but I think that MOST of those who post on here are honest.
If you were looking for advice, they gave it to you and they were very kind (at first) with their responses, until you got snarky about EVERY response. IF you had read other threads, there is soooo much info to be discovered by reading for hours, but you must invest your time into these threads. There are no easy answers.

Bottom line: this is a place to find a wealth of information, but the way to NOT get it is by asking for advice, receiving it, then insulting those who have provided it to you, when you have no idea what their background is. I respect 99.9% of these people ( I won't reveal the .1%!!)

I know my punctuation isn't perfect here so PLEEEAASE don't attack me!!!


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Wow, now that was so beautiful!!!
PS: I hope I am not part of that .1%; if anything, hey I gave you a shimmy.

 

[jcheermom]

Wow, now that was so beautiful!!!
PS: I hope I am not part of that .1%; if anything, hey I gave you a shimmy.

Actually, I can't even name those who are!!!! I just didn't want to say 100% because I knew everyone would be like 'yeah, right!'
And thanks for the shimmy!!!


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[12stepCheermom]

Disowning. You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

What does it mean to you?


The Fierce Board: aka Cheernado!

Seriously laughed out loud.


Contemplating witty signatures since 2011

 

[mecheermom]

Is this a younger generation issue? In my line of work (which has nothing to do with cheer) we see new young adults coming into the real world acting as if they should be the CEO in 5 years or less. It's the everyone gets a trophy syndrome. They can't take advice without feeling they are being attacked.

This does not apply to every young person, but a good number of them.

I wish you both luck with your endeavors, however please take advice from people to heart and learn how to build your businesses. It takes more than a love for A, B, or C activity to make it into a successful business.


Interested in getting healthy? Home - My Plexus Products

 

[SharkDad]

@sojorge123 and @Fierce_Elite:

1. To original post, no it's no too late. There are many paths to start a team and/or a gym. It all dependson your circumstance and goals for this year.

2. You asked for advice/feedback and both of you got some you can choose to use if you want, but can't be upset you got it.

3. In the future if you want feedback from everyone, this is a great place for it, but you can see that replies to your questions can come from gym owners, coaches, athletes and parents. If you want/only respect feedback from other coaches/gym owners I suggest you ask your question in the coaches section. (FYI some gym owners and coaches responded but you still both took it personally)

4. Feel free to ask for your feedback anywhere else. Good luck!

 

[GreenStormLucy]

I don't mind asking them for help. Its just they are so busy with the upcoming season. I don't want to bother them unless its something extreme and no one on here can answer.

I think there is one really important thing for an upcoming new gym owner:
How to deal with parents (aka costumers aka the ones that pay money for your service) and how to take advice from people that have been in this business for years, have seen the success and fails, wether it's coaches, gym owners or parents.

Asking for advice means to listen, think about it and the decide, if you can take this advice or if it's just not your way.

It's called being mature. It's professional.

And please, please don't think i call you immature or nor professional. I don't know you.

Everything i have is the replies you've given here in this thread. And at some points these replies did give me the vibe that you feel easily attacked.

Let me tell you my experience (and it sure may differ from yours):
In the allstar business you will get "attacked" verbaly. By parents, by other gym owners, by your comeptition.
Handling it in a professional way is an important skill.

I wish you the best of luck. I really do. I've seen people get shattered their dreams they've been so motivated and passionate about because they weren't prepared.
Get prepared, take one step at a time.
And if i had the chance to get advice from someone so experienced like CSP, i would reach out and take every word she has for my future plans.





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[caitlyn_the_camille]

Is this a younger generation issue? In my line of work (which has nothing to do with cheer) we see new young adults coming into the real world acting as if they should be the CEO in 5 years or less. It's the everyone gets a trophy syndrome. They can't take advice without feeling they are being attacked.

This does not apply to every young person, but a good number of them.

I wish you both luck with your endeavors, however please take advice from people to heart and learn how to build your businesses. It takes more than a love for A, B, or C activity to make it into a successful business.


Interested in getting healthy? Home - My Plexus Products

Last year I took an online sociology class and we had to do a discussion on an article about how more and more twentysomethings were jobless and moving back into their parents homes. I wish I could remember what everyone else said, but mine had to do with parents babying their children so much older than they used to. My parents are guilty of it sometimes (more with my twin brother than me but still). I'm 17 and I just learned how to air up a tire last week. I have friends whose parents still do school projects for them. I know a girl 3 years out of high school whose mom still makes all her hair appointments for her.
Another thing I mentioned, and it was worded a lot more eloquently than this post has been, was false expectations being encouraged. Our school guidance counselor is the sweetest thing, and has been really helpful to me in the past. However, where does the line get drawn between encouragement and being realistic? Everyone wants to be a doctor or a lawyer or an engineer. I know people going into college this year in engineering and computer science (which is way harder than people realize, from what I understand) who have skirted by in high school, not because they're that smart,but because they've cheated. They honestly think college will be the same way, and that terrifies me for them and their paying families. I know girls going into nursing the same way: blindly and carefree. I mean,how hard could college be right? It's just a degree. In 5 years I should be making 6 figure salaries a year. And they talk about it so nonchalantly. A friend of mine one day said, "Well, I guess I'll just be an occupational therapist." Just an OT? Oh, that's it?
Maybe @12stepCheermom can give me her insight, as I know she works in schools. But I think kids go into the real world so unprepared is because nobody (save maybe their parents) has prepared them for it. (Sorry if this sounds like I'm a horrible negative person. I'm not. You should follow your dreams. Sometimes it's just really unrealistic. I don't know.)


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[retiredl5cheer]

@caitlyn_the_camille You'll do well in life, girl. Sounds like you have a great head on your shoulders.

 

[Official OWECheer]

Last year I took an online sociology class and we had to do a discussion on an article about how more and more twentysomethings were jobless and moving back into their parents homes. I wish I could remember what everyone else said, but mine had to do with parents babying their children so much older than they used to. My parents are guilty of it sometimes (more with my twin brother than me but still). I'm 17 and I just learned how to air up a tire last week. I have friends whose parents still do school projects for them. I know a girl 3 years out of high school whose mom still makes all her hair appointments for her.
Another thing I mentioned, and it was worded a lot more eloquently than this post has been, was false expectations being encouraged. Our school guidance counselor is the sweetest thing, and has been really helpful to me in the past. However, where does the line get drawn between encouragement and being realistic? Everyone wants to be a doctor or a lawyer or an engineer. I know people going into college this year in engineering and computer science (which is way harder than people realize, from what I understand) who have skirted by in high school, not because they're that smart,but because they've cheated. They honestly think college will be the same way, and that terrifies me for them and their paying families. I know girls going into nursing the same way: blindly and carefree. I mean,how hard could college be right? It's just a degree. In 5 years I should be making 6 figure salaries a year. And they talk about it so nonchalantly. A friend of mine one day said, "Well, I guess I'll just be an occupational therapist." Just an OT? Oh, that's it?
Maybe @12stepCheermom can give me her insight, as I know she works in schools. But I think kids go into the real world so unprepared is because nobody (save maybe their parents) has prepared them for it. (Sorry if this sounds like I'm a horrible negative person. I'm not. You should follow your dreams. Sometimes it's just really unrealistic. I don't know.)


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I CAN'T AGREE ENOUGH. People have ridiculous career expectations. A six-figure salary is NOT feasible for an entry-level employee. And I agree, following your dreams is a good idea... just not in some cases. Not everyone can be what they want. That doesn't mean that you can't enjoy your life and positively impact others. Grad school nowadays will put you on a fast track to sky-high debt. And I hate thinking about large amounts of money unless they are going into my bank account. I remember being younger and having the feeling that when my relatives asked what I wanted to be, that if I didn't say something along the lines of 'doctor, lawyer, or engineer' they would be disappointed. (I'm West African, and education is HUGE in African families. Thankfully my mom encourages me to pursue my passions.)

It disgusts me that some parents actually do their kids' projects for them... are they paranoid that the kid won't do it right? You can't protect your kid from everything. Why can't people get joy from delayed gratification? Nothing makes me happier than spending long hours on a fun art project, or writing a paper on a topic that really interests me. Projects, especially visual projects, are so much fun to me.

Tate Chalk is one of the BIGGEST names in our sport. He revolutionized the cheerleading shoe. Did he always have it easy? HECK no. At one point, he was driving a $750 car that was so busted, the driver's door wouldn't open and he had to crawl into his car through the passenger's side door to get in. I can only imagine how bad the engine must have been.

Ben and Court (as well as Kelly, Betsy, and others) now run one of the largest, most well loved and successful gyms on the PLANET. They live in a big, gorgeous house. But they built that house (literally and figuratively) from the ground up. They STRUGGLED. Anyone that has seen Molly Gibbons' senior speech video knows that they used to live in a small apartment (with that "ugly blue couch", as Molly described it ). Look how far they have come! They used to practice in high school gyms, now they boast 10 locations, each with it's own private facility. They host a CEA-only competition (the X-Evolution) because they have enough teams to do so.

Angela Rogers and Jody Melton, the King and Queen of the Claw, held the first CA practice 20 years ago at a public park in Plano, TX, with TWO KIDS. 1+1. Now, Cheer Athletics, is the largest and one of the most successful gyms ON THE PLANET. Now, everyone fears Blue and Black.

Those level 5 kids we all know and love? They didn't come out of the womb throwing doubles and switch-kicking the doctors in the face. They sweat, they bled, they struggled and sacrificed to get where they are today. It's not all medals and magazine covers.

Success is truly an iceberg; most people see the successful stage of a person's life/career, but few understand or are able to tackle the frozen mass beneath the water's surface.

 

[caitlyn_the_camille]

@caitlyn_the_camille You'll do well in life, girl. Sounds like you have a great head on your shoulders.

Thank you! That means a lot!
ETA:
@officialowecheer I didn't quote you to save space. But it's amazing to me how few people realize that you can't just start out successful. I never realized a lot of what you just said about all those people. It's truly humbling when you think about it. Like I keep reading your post over and over again trying to process it. Lol

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[Official OWECheer]

Thank you! That means a lot!
ETA:
@officialowecheer I didn't quote you to save space. But it's amazing to me how few people realize that you can't just start out successful. I never realized a lot of what you just said about all those people. It's truly humbling when you think about it. Like I keep reading your post over and over again trying to process it. Lol

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Ahahaha. I was going to mention how Tannaz and Jeff met on the set of Bring It On, became best friends, and started Cali Bullets together but I don't have any details about their struggles.

 

[cheernerd5678]

Last year I took an online sociology class and we had to do a discussion on an article about how more and more twentysomethings were jobless and moving back into their parents homes. I wish I could remember what everyone else said, but mine had to do with parents babying their children so much older than they used to. My parents are guilty of it sometimes (more with my twin brother than me but still). I'm 17 and I just learned how to air up a tire last week. I have friends whose parents still do school projects for them. I know a girl 3 years out of high school whose mom still makes all her hair appointments for her.
Another thing I mentioned, and it was worded a lot more eloquently than this post has been, was false expectations being encouraged. Our school guidance counselor is the sweetest thing, and has been really helpful to me in the past. However, where does the line get drawn between encouragement and being realistic? Everyone wants to be a doctor or a lawyer or an engineer. I know people going into college this year in engineering and computer science (which is way harder than people realize, from what I understand) who have skirted by in high school, not because they're that smart,but because they've cheated. They honestly think college will be the same way, and that terrifies me for them and their paying families. I know girls going into nursing the same way: blindly and carefree. I mean,how hard could college be right? It's just a degree. In 5 years I should be making 6 figure salaries a year. And they talk about it so nonchalantly. A friend of mine one day said, "Well, I guess I'll just be an occupational therapist." Just an OT? Oh, that's it?
Maybe @12stepCheermom can give me her insight, as I know she works in schools. But I think kids go into the real world so unprepared is because nobody (save maybe their parents) has prepared them for it. (Sorry if this sounds like I'm a horrible negative person. I'm not. You should follow your dreams. Sometimes it's just really unrealistic. I don't know.)


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

it's amazing. The idea of "you can do anything" is being pushed wayyy too hard. Sorry, but the kid who got a 19 on his ACT and didn't get into any of the colleges he applied to? Yeah, no, he's not going to be an engineer. I know so many people claiming they're going to be engineers or doctors... My dad is an engineering professor and let me tell you, engineering school is hard. So many kids fail their classes and end up switching majors. And that's not even at a crazy amazing school like MIT... it's at Mizzou.
People need to realize their strengths and weaknesses... If something is a weakness, probably don't go into a career in the field. You'll struggle your whole life... it's not like it's going to suddenly become easy to do the math you struggled with just because you got a degree. It's the same math!
They made a rule in our school system that you can't make a grade requirement to take a class. So it used to be you have to get a B- or better (which is NOT too much to ask) to continue in the honors math courses, go to the next level of a foreign language, etc. Now, anyone can take honors, AP, high levels of languages, even if they're getting D's. Because they don't want to "hold students back". THIS just makes the problem worse b/c it teaches people that they don't have to put forth effort, they can just skirt by and keep moving forward in life. There's no reality checks of realizing "wow, I really need to drop to regular math b/c I've failed every single test and the only thing that's helping me keep a D is my participation/homework points." And you get kids who should be in regular classes who take AP classes and just get into groups with smart people, do nothing, and still get a decent grade. So then, they graduate and expect to be able to do nothing and still get a good job (or whatever). Having a minimum grade requirement is GOOD. It makes kids work. It separates the kids who care from those who don't. It keeps them from feeling entitled to moving on b/c you have a set standard, and they have to acknowledge that they don't measure up.
Sometimes you're not good at things, that's life. I'm not a good dancer, so I don't expect to be in the front of the dance. The same thing applies to life. I'm not a good writer, so I'm not going to try to be an author... because Lord knows I'd sell zero copies and be broke. You always have to work to improve, it won't just be handed to you. I know I'm not going to get a tumbling pass in my routine if I don't have level 4 tumbling, and if my level 4 tumbling isn't pretty it makes perfect sense for the girl with prettier tumbling to get the pass instead. I know I'm not going to get a promotion if I'm under achieving... or even if I'm doing fine, but someone else is doing better than me. This is life...