All-Star This Thing Called "loyalty"

[anythingforcheer]

There have been lots of topics where the loyalty to your gym issue has come up so I thought let's talk about it in a thread of its own. What do you consider loyalty and why is it so important in the sport of cheerleading? I personally feel as though my loyalty is to my "child" and what's best for her. You complete the season at your gym and if you decide to move on, I think you have every right to do so without receiving backlash etc.

Any thoughts...

 

[Mamarazzi]

I don't necessarily have "loyalty" to anyplace that I pay for a service. I don't have loyalty to McDonald's versus Burger King. If McDonald's fries are better, I'm there. Matter of fact, I prefer McD's fries over Burger King's, but I do love a Whopper. I've been known to buy my Whopper and drive down the street to McD's and get my fries.

 

[newcheerdad]

It is up to any organization, whether it be a restaurant or cheer company, to engender loyalty. They do that by providing a product or service that people trust and like and are willing to spend money on year after year.

If a customer isn't satisfied or feels they can get a better product elsewhere, they're under no obligation to patronize that business forever.

 

[kristenthegreat]

I can see how loyalty to cheer is a bit different then fast food, if only because you rely on those people more than you do a Burger King employee. Not only are you relying on them for a basic service (cheer 'lessons' if you will), you are also relying on other families as well as the company for a successful implementation of those lessons (winning a cheer competition). Its a heck of a lot more trust not to mention a heck of a lot more cash, which can engender a particularly strong sense of loyalty for people who are happy. You really have to be loyal to your child/yourself first, but if loyalty to your gym doesn't involve sacrificing your child, I don't see how it's wrong. I LOVE Dairy Queen fries, and I will tell everyone I know when we talk about DQ/fast food (rare topic of convo lol). I don't kill myself saying it, so I don't mind showing that bit of loyalty to them.
In cheer though, I think loyalty involves happily telling others about how wonderful your gym is (without bashing others). I think it's when you leave, you try to be respectful and leave on good terms. You don't bash them if you leave, unless you left for unsafe practices then you caution others.

 

[kfans88]

I think loyalty comes into play because of how people talk about places. I may be at a gym A that doesn't necessarily win every time, but I agree with their beliefs and way of doing things. I am not going to run to gym B because they win all the time, I'm loyal to what gym A is providing for me, even if it's not a jacket every time. So when people get upset about loyalty, it's most likely because Suzie's mom talked smack about gym B and blah blah blah, and how gym A is better because of this and that vs gym B, but ended up running to gym B next season in spite of everything she previously said... people are going to feel like they've been betrayed, or someone has totally shattered that loyalty. I get it, and have seen it happen. I'm sure it's been done both ways, of course I've always been on one side, but I'm sure on the other side of the story, it happens and they get a similar feeling.

Does this make sense? I always feel like I babble and it only makes sense in my head.

 

[Mamarazzi]

I LOVE Dairy Queen fries, and I will tell everyone I know when we talk about DQ/fast food (rare topic of convo lol). I don't kill myself saying it, so I don't mind showing that bit of loyalty to them.
In cheer though, I think loyalty involves happily telling others about how wonderful your gym is (without bashing others).

I understand your point. I feel that my McD's fries beat your DQ fries, hands down, in a blind taste-test, any day. But I also understand that your taste buds differ from mine. I accept your DQ-ity, and wish you well in your fast food pursuit. I, however, feel that McDonald's provides me with great customer service and tasty french fries which serve my needs well. I'll even happily tell you about how much I enjoy my hot, golden, crispy McD's fries and how nice the drive-thru employee was when he or she handed them to me. They have earned my preference (not the same as loyalty,) but I would be willing to go to 5 Guys or Wendy's for fries if the spirit moved me.

 

[Panacea]

We got ripped a new one daily for 2 weeks by email and phone when we left for Marlins. It was very ugly. We did it by to book as they say. It was the end of the season and let them know ahead of time that we were trying out elsewhere and checking out the gym. Before we had even made the decision, we were told awful things about the new gym and people there. The old gym actually made the decision for us with their behavior. It was a hard time for us, being told that we weren't loyal and had no morals, but it ended up being the best decision in the long run. Guilt, threats and slander don't sit so well with me. To top it off, they still ignore us or give us dirty looks at competitions. Just insane behavior to me.

 

[anythingforcheer]

We got ripped a new one daily for 2 weeks by email and phone when we left for Marlins. It was very ugly. We did it by to book as they say. It was the end of the season and let them know ahead of time that we were trying out elsewhere and checking out the gym. Before we had even made the decision, we were told awful things about the new gym and people there. The old gym actually made the decision for us with their behavior. It was a hard time for us, being told that we weren't loyal and had no morals, but it ended up being the best decision in the long run. Guilt, threats and slander don't sit so well with me. To top it off, they still ignore us or give us dirty looks at competitions. Just insane behavior to me.

That's pretty sad, but seems to be accepted by some as the norm..

 

[cheer97]

for me...loyalty ends once the season ends. It's about what is best for the child and if gym a isn't the right fit anymore, once the season is over then try gym b and if that isn't the right fit, try gym c. Of course you would like to think once you find a gym then that is where you will be for the rest of your cheer career, but things change and sometimes you need a change. People shouldn't be made to feel guilty or pressured because they want a change.

 

[lakerfantlc]

I don't necessarily have "loyalty" to anyplace that I pay for a service. I don't have loyalty to McDonald's versus Burger King. If McDonald's fries are better, I'm there. Matter of fact, I prefer McD's fries over Burger King's, but I do love a Whopper. I've been known to buy my Whopper and drive down the street to McD's and get my fries.

Amen...there are NO pink slips to customers people!!!!!

 

[cheermom628]

I was very loyal to my daughter's cheer gym for 4 years, I would defend them and their policies to anyone who made any negative comments, even my own family. Despite all the negativity I heard or read from others, I believed in them because my daughter was so happy there and whatever made her happy was what made me happy. I dealt with all the typical "parent drama" and trusted the owners to see through the negativity and realize that I was trying to stay away from it. Last month the owner chose to kick my family out of the gym over a FB post. My daughter was devastated to the point where she didn't want to anything for 3 weeks and cried herself to sleep every night. She is very young so those 4 years were half her life and all she has known were those coaches and that gym. I couldn't believe that someone would choose to hurt her because they had an unfounded issue with me, she deserved better than that. Long story short, after weeks of pleading to get her back in we were denied and forced to find another gym for her. This new gym is the polar opposite of the old one, the coaches are extremely friendly and approachable and are going above and beyond to make sure my daughter feels comfortable in their program. They may not win 1,000,000 trophies like our previous gym, but they have a lot of respect from me already because they are in the business for more than winning and to me that is an important factor that I may have overlooked in the past.
So now I wonder why I still feel loyalty to my previous gym. I still want so badly for my family to be back there, I would do anything to make it happen. How could I feel like this after what they have done to us? I still have many friends there and they have all been so supportive to my family during this very difficult time, but I am personally dreading having to face them during competition season and I know my daughter is as well. In my heart I still want to cheer for them at comps and wish them the best, but my mind is telling me that the owners don't even deserve that respect from me after what they did to my child.

Sorry this is so long winded but I needed to get my feelings out there and get some feedback from other parents.

 

[cheer97]

What was the fb post? if it was something that the owner felt strong about...enough so to not let your family in the gym...was it a negative post towards the gym?

 

[soFIERCE08]

i think loyalty lasts 1 season, but respect lasts forever. kids and families are expected to stay with a gym for the season they commit to. however, if they feel that gym isn't satisfactory, than they can leave when the season is over. but, if they do leave, i think respect for the previous gym/coaches/athletes should continue.

 

[theoneandonly]

I'll put my two cents in as a coach... I absolutely agree that if you feel that your child is not getting what they need, then your loyalty is to them. However, all I know is that every second I have ever spent as a coach was spent pouring my heart and soul to make each and every kid level 1-5 a better PERSON first, and athlete second. So, when kids would quit or leave, it took an extreme emotional toll on me. You have to examine more than just your own situation when you are looking at what gym to be a part of. Yes, athletic success is a big part of it, but the emotional bonds that an athlete has with their coaches as well as the other athletes on their team is life-altering, for better or for worse. And I know that when my kids stayed around, it was because they knew that their coaches cared about them getting better not only in cheer, but in life. Make sure that before you switch gyms just because you had an issue that it won't have a greater effect on your kiddo or the people around them!

 

[dawgshow]

@cheermom628 What was the FB post? It must have been pretty severe to kick you out. Was it a misunderstanding? If so, and your CP wants to go back, it's time for a face to face with the owner.