All-Star Unethical Programs

[Cheer4lyfe]

So I had a new experience this weekend. One of our cheerleaders explained that she wasnt going to be at practice on Saturday because she was going to virgina. Ok, sounded like a fair excuse. Today when I was checking my FB feed I noticed that she was tagged in a picture, in uniform with another all star team.

The child is 14 so the first thing I do is call her mother. After talking with her mother is establish a few things about her, her child and communication with the other team. The other program is shaddy in my opinion and does very poor business, and isnt very well respected in our cheer community ( I had this opinion before this incident).

With that said I have 2 questions that need clarification.

1st: is it, or is it not in usasf rules that a cheerleader is not allowed to cheer for another program while they are still rostered with another?

2. When speaking with the mother she clarified that she never provided the director with a birth certificate, nor did the director ask, which tells me that the Director had this child listen on her roster as another child.

Is there not something I can do? Our season is almost over so I will be handling the situation with the child and her mother, but I cannot stand when a program is permitted to run under such shaddy practicies. Advice or thoughts?

 

[cheercurl]

:enjoyshow:

 

[BowsnBling]

On your first question I believe that they cannot compete with two different programs at the same competition. If you are a coach or an owner I would contact the gym owner of the mentioned program where she competed and ask what happened? My guess is that they had a last minute injury and she is friends with someone on the team and they asked her to help out. Is it ok, not in my eyes. But I see it happen. I would just be upfront and find out. Do you plan to allow her to stay with your program for the remainder of the season?

 

[Cheer4lyfe]

On your first question I believe that they cannot compete with two different programs at the same competition. If you are a coach or an owner I would contact the gym owner of the mentioned program where she competed and ask what happened? My guess is that they had a last minute injury and she is friends with someone on the team and they asked her to help out. Is it ok, not in my eyes. But I see it happen. I would just be upfront and find out. Do you plan to allow her to stay with your program for the remainder of the season?

We haven't decided yet. The child is traveling back from the competition now actually. Her mother didn't attend with her. I am also trying to get more information before I approach the Director

 

[ACEDAD]

There is no rule about competing with as many gyms as you want as long as it isn't at the same competition.


The Fierce Board: If you're gonna be talked about, shouldn't you at least be here to defend yourself?

 

[Keep_Believing]

There is no rule about competing with as many gyms as you want as long as it isn't at the same competition.


The Fierce Board: If you're gonna be talked about, shouldn't you at least be here to defend yourself?

I can't imagine trying to juggle competing for two different gyms. That has to be a ton of work!

 

[AScheer]

Outside of what you specifically as a gym can control, I'm not sure that there is really anything you can do in this situation. You can remove her from your program. You can also make a rule in your handbook that any member of your gym cannot compete with another all-star team while also on your team. Other than that you can't control the shady business practices of others and technically no USASF rules were broken.

 

[stuntjumptumble]

I filled in for one competition for a high school team, and I don't attend that school. It was just one tiny comp and no one noticed anyway. But this is interesting, I feel like it's a whole different situation in all star. If I saw a current teammate competing with a different team that would raise a lot of questions and stir up some drama


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[njallday]

it is not illegal, so long as your gym was not in attendance and competing at this comp.

if this child had come to you and said "hey, gym X is in a bind because A B and C happened would you mind if i filled in for a comp we aren't even competing at this weekend?" what would you have said? if the answer is still no, then i would come up with a gym-wide rule for next season, as well as a course of action for athletes that do this. if your answer is yes, i would question why this child felt the need to keep this a secret from their home gym.

i've seen gyms in a bind share an athlete here and there and it go off without a hitch and i've seen it end poorly with gym B actively recruiting the athlete and them leaving the first team high and dry. the only thing you can do in this situation is decide how you will move forward, because while possibly unethical, it is not illegal.

 

[Cheer4lyfe]

Outside of what you specifically as a gym can control, I'm not sure that there is really anything you can do in this situation. You can remove her from your program. You can also make a rule in your handbook that any member of your gym cannot compete with another all-star team while also on your team. Other than that you can't control the shady business practices of others and technically no USASF rules were broken.

But what about not claiming her on their usasf registered roster?

 

[AndyT_T]

I thought you needed a release to change gyms? Is that only for level 5 teams?

 

[ACEDAD]

I thought you needed a release to change gyms? Is that only for level 5 teams?

You only need a release to change gyms and compete at Worlds.


The Fierce Board: if a team cheers and isn't talked about, does it still get a medal?

 

[twincheermom]

Stuff like that drives me crazy. We saw a girl this weekend who competed on four different teams for one gym. I'm sure nothing will be done about it. I wish everyone would follow the rules.

 

[Luvmycheerleader]

I know some gyms lend out kids for comps here and there due to injury and such and I think that is actually nice they can/will help each other. In this case there was an obvious lack of communication and common courtesy on both the families and other gyms part.

 

[Haileycheer]

The fact that she lied to you makes it a lot worse.