All-Star Poor Sportsmanship At Cheer Events

[Hotcheerfan]

Our program has been successful the last couple of years. That being said, I was embarrassed at the behavior of some athletes, coaches, and parents at a recent event in Pittsburgh this month.

I saw kids, parents, and even some coaches from our program cheering when another competitors team had some falls and stunt problems. I was appalled at this behavior. Other teams and parents in my section were clearly disgusted by behavior.

I never thought I would say this, but I am embarrassed by the behavior of these people from our program. Cheerleading is a team sport. Sportsmanship is part of this. This is clearly not the type of behavior I want my child to model.

Am I wrong to feel this way or is this what it has come to in allstar cheerleading? Is this the new norm?

 

[NEliteSteven]

I have nothing to say really on this topic (because I can see this heading in a bad direction), but I ask people this: Why do we call this type of behavior bad sportsmanship? If the opposing football team fumbled the ball or the opposing baseball team struck out, you would be cheering, right? I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but why is it different with cheerleading?

 

[Hotcheerfan]

I have nothing to say really on this topic (because I can see this heading in a bad direction), but I ask people this: Why do we call this type of behavior bad sportsmanship? If the opposing football team fumbled the ball or the opposing baseball team struck out, you would be cheering, right? I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but why is it different with cheerleading?

Steve, you make a fair point, but what happened to doing your best and let the scores sort it out?

I have nothing to say really on this topic (because I can see this heading in a bad direction), but I ask people this: Why do we call this type of behavior bad sportsmanship? If the opposing football team fumbled the ball or the opposing baseball team struck out, you would be cheering, right? I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but why is it different with cheerleading?

I think it is different when you are dealing with amateur athletes who are kids. I would not want my kid to root for failure for someone else or for another team to fail. You win on your own merits. Sure, teams are going to make mistakes. But to root for it and go completely overboard if it does happen is the definition of poor sportsmanship.

In any program, the kids look up to the coaches, older athletes, and parents as examples of behavior. In this case, I would not want my kid to behave in this manner.

If you look at the Olympics as a model, you never see this type of behavior. If someone misses a routine, it happens. You live with it. But you never really see athletes or coaches rooting for failure.

 

[NEliteSteven]

I'm not saying I disagree with your point; I regularly enforce it with my own teams. I'm just saying, why is cheerleading different? You see it in almost every other team sport. Just because you're happy to see your competitor open the door for you to win makes you a bad sport?

 

[mstealtoyou]

Watching

 

[KikiD22]

I'm not saying I disagree with your point; I regularly enforce it with my own teams. I'm just saying, why is cheerleading different? You see it in almost every other team sport. Just because you're happy to see your competitor open the door for you to win makes you a bad sport?

I get where you're going with this, but the only difference I'd say there is between your example in cheer and other sports in that in other sports, those things listed could be a direct result of the defensive play of your team (fumble, strike out, etc), therefore making it okay to cheer for your team's play vs the mistakes of the other team.


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[ACEDAD]

I get where you're going with this, but the only difference I'd say there is between your example in cheer and other sports in that in other sports, those things listed could be a direct result of the defensive play of your team (fumble, strike out, etc), therefore making it okay to cheer for your team's play vs the mistakes of the other team.


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I think this is exactly the difference.

 

[DJ]

Watching.

 

[NJ Coach]

@DJ and @mstealtoyou I'm watching you watching

 

[mstealtoyou]

:help:

 

[KDCheerMom]

LOL...I was starting to wonder if there was a new upgrade that when someone "watched" a thread - it created a message...

 

[NJ Coach]

LOL...I was starting to wonder if there was a new upgrade that when someone "watched" a thread - it created a message...

Stalkervision

 

[BlueCat]

I think many of the customs that "we" have decided are what indicates good sportsmanship in cheer are absurd. (We still have to try to adhere to them, however.)

 

[coach12]

I'm just kind of surprised that your bringing up something like this involving your own gym in such a public place. just a little confused by that.

 

[njallday]

I 100% get what @NEliteSteven is saying.

I think the difference with cheer (or even gym or dance) is the head to head aspect of other sports. when two teams are on the same playing field competing at the same time it can be construed positively. examples: quarterback gets sacked. are you cheering because he got sacked or are you cheering for the defense that sacked him? soccer player's goal gets blocked. are you cheering that the shot failed, or that the goalie blocked it? there's always an offense and a defense, and when one messes up the other benefits immediately. if a stunt group drops a stunt... you're obviously cheering because they dropped and that positive rationale is taken away. (even though there is still very much an offense and defense)

i'm not saying whether that is right or wrong, but i think that is where the difference lies.

ETA and that's what I get for skimming the thread, since @KikiD22 basically already said that