All-Star Sportsmanship And Honest Critique

[Heather Mc]

I wonder how cheerleading is ever going to grow into being the sport we want it to be/proclaim it to be when honest commentary is so often so strongly condemned.

Truly, it is not poor sportsmanship, I think, to discuss a team's performance noting "Team X's level of difficulty in their tumbling was weaker than Team Y and Team Z," or "If only Team A had not had that stunt drop, they could have placed ahead of Team B," or even "I think that tumbling is weighted too highly in the overall scoring system" or even "I would have liked x division to have happened at a different time so that more people could have seen them." Yet I have been slammed for saying such things.

Can you imagine how a sportscast would sound if commentators on hockey, soccer, or football only ever allowed themselves to say positive things? Yet I have lost a Facebook friend over simply saying that I hoped a team at her daughter's gym would be rewarded for their overall performance by the judges even though their tumbling wasn't of the difficulty of the other teams in their division. Simply, it wasn't. But saying so on her fb page was apparently "mean" and "inappropriate" and made me a "negative person." For the record, I'm not talking about a team of children; it was an open level team trying to earn a worlds bid. Where children are involved, clearly one is more circumspect.

Another time, when I suggested via twitter that I was disappointed there weren't more people present to see a certain division compete at a given competition, I was specifically told not to tweet anything negative about the company that runs that competition or there might be consequences. I haven't done so since, mostly because I don't want my team/program to suffer.

But any mature sport, and especially one based on judging (just like figure skating or gymnastics) is going to involve commentary by fans on the relative strengths and weaknesses of the various competitors and the strengths and weaknesses of the various competitions in which we participate. IMHO, censorship (including self-censroship) of these conversations does nothing to forward the progression of the sport.

 

[Heather Mc]

FWIW, this is what I said, and I'm still getting slammed for it on this person's fb page: "They did really, really well. I hope their lower difficulty tumbling doesn't hurt them too badly… Their stunts and dance and jumps were really, really amazing. I hope they get rewarded appropriately. I worded it badly. And I'm generally of the opinion that tumbling is weighted way too heavily in cheer; if someone wants to focus on tumbling, I figure that's what gymnastics is for; cheer should be about the team aspects, which are the aspects the [team name] did so amazing at." And for THIS I'm called negative, mean, shooting off my mouth, etc, etc, etc. Am I going crazy? Really?

 

[stuntjumptumble]

I agree with you. There's a lot of political correctness attached to this sport. It goes along with every competition naming "national champions". 9 times out of 10 it's not truly national, but oh everyone can be a national champ. And when you said you got attacked for saying a teams tumbling wasn't up to par, the same has happened to me. Honestly people get offended over things that aren't even offensive

 

[catlady]

FWIW, this is what I said, and I'm still getting slammed for it on this person's fb page: "They did really, really well. I hope their lower difficulty tumbling doesn't hurt them too badly… Their stunts and dance and jumps were really, really amazing. I hope they get rewarded appropriately. I worded it badly. And I'm generally of the opinion that tumbling is weighted way too heavily in cheer; if someone wants to focus on tumbling, I figure that's what gymnastics is for; cheer should be about the team aspects, which are the aspects the [team name] did so amazing at." And for THIS I'm called negative, mean, shooting off my mouth, etc, etc, etc. Am I going crazy? Really?

Friends are generally looking for a "....how exciting for them", "best of luck", "like", etc. and really don't want criticism unless it is asked for. It's like posting a pic of your daughter and someone stating, "she is overall very beautiful, however, she should consider losing 10 pounds". Your comment was very appropriate for Fierce Board, for a friend on Facebook, however, you might want to up your "filter".

 

[CheerMomNTx]

Your friends are probably SAYING: (Who died and left you head judge) AND THINKING If you haven't been certified to judge a cheering event, then your constructive criticism isn't welcomed, HOWEVER I'm sure if you were a judge for an event and that facebook friend was aware, they would welcome it!

I guess bottom line, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. It will sure keep you out of alot of trouble and drama.

 

[quietmom]

On a personal facebook page, if you can't be nice be quiet. Don't argue this. If they post there they are looking for people being nice.

At fierce board, be honest. If they post here, they are looking for honesty.

For heaven's sake, never ever post anything critical about anything cheer related on a public twitter account and be shocked when your gym has a word with you. They want a positive image. You likely signed a social media behavior clause as part of your contract. And it is a good life lesson down the road.

Again, if you can't be nice, be quiet. Yes, you may be correct, but there are times where people just don't want to hear it.