All-Star Unsportsmanlike Competitiors

[ilikecheer]

The way to handle it is to ignore it. Unless it turns physical, I'd say ignore it and fight them through your routine on the floor. I've experienced something similar when I was on Jr Coed Excel at JAM'S Athletics. At Cheersport Beach Blast, a few of us were in the bathroom with a few of our competitors (we were the only two teams in the division). We were all talking about being nervous/excited and trying to have conversation with them. They were very rude to us and basically didn't care how their performance was going to be. They told us they were going to beat us anyway because we were a black team and we sucked...basically saying all black teams sucked. They had never even seen us compete. Crazy thing is, they had black people on their team. Of course we went back to our coaches who gave us a speech about how to handle the situation. Our coaches never said anything to the other team's coaches (as far as we knew). Anyway, we won the competition and the other team was actually a hott mess. At the end of the day you can't change the way other gyms act towards you. They will eventually get themselves in trouble on their own.

Good for you in not reacting. I like to think karma's going to get people who act like this (or even non-cheer related those lovely people who think they are so important they can drive in the breakdown lane while all the rest of us poor saps just sit in freeway traffic)

 

[Megan(:]

This describes our rival gym SO MUCH!!!! We had girls switch from our rival gym to us and they said it was like scaring them and is not ok!

 

[LabbyGirlMOM]

It happens in the area I live in too we have a gym where it's the parents who act like fools the kids all seem to get along fine it's parents that act like idiots.

 

[crazycheermom]

Well, I was thinking that you would LIKE to be able to discuss it with parents or gym owner and have them handle it responsibly; however, in the day, there is no guarantee those adults would act any better than the kids. Probably best to ignore it.

 

[mommadonna]

Ugh...so sad. How are we supposed to teach kids about bullying when they're learning it from the adults? Unacceptable.

 

[bobbijean13]

I was trying to think of diplomatic ways to handle this, but what popped into my mind was 'videotape it with a caption explaining the situation, post it and let it go viral!' If it were only kids, I would say try appealing to the coaches, but if the coaches are involved, then the coaches and the organization should be shamed into submission!

I would've suggested going over and punching the coach in the ear but i like your viral video idea better.

 

[Jersey Cheer Mom]

I would've suggested going over and punching the coach in the ear but i like your viral video idea better.

Ha!! A punch in the ear at the end of the video would probably be really funny.

Seriously, I think igorning would maybe work for a situtation you are confronted with once or twice. We all are confronted with crazy sitations that are best to walk away from - especially from people who don't know and things we don't really expect. But for them to be subjected to this for 4 years? Knowing they are going to taunt them at every competition? Come on... If this is indeed the case, how would the owner and the parents not know their kids are doing this? If the coaches are encouraging this, it may be the culture of the gym - they may think this is perfectly acceptable behavior.

I'm all for trying to work things out amicably for the 1st, 2nd and maybe even the 3rd year, but 4 years? At some point you have to let people know they can't take advantage or mistreat you, if not, they have no motivation to stop. There are lots of lessons we have to teach our kids and one thing is you do have the right to stand up for yourself and take appropriate action. Ignorning them isn't working because it sounds like the poor team is miserable and are asking for help. Four years! I'm not advocating violence, but you have to do something to make them stop! If it weren't bothering them, they wouldn't be complaining.

I would videotape every incident and if you don't want to upload the video, which I would personally do - just as the video of that bus monitor shined a light on those kids who bullied her and put a stop to it - send the video to USASF (not sure who that is or what they could do, but maybe with a suggestion that the team stop this behavior for fear of whatever they can to do penalize them) or to an attorney for harrassment or annonymously to your local television news channel. Go ahead and make your attempt to appeal to the gym owner, if nothing happens, at least you have the tape and can then make a move.

I give the team a lot of credit. It's a lot easier to say what you will or won't do when something isn't happening to you! I can't see a lot of people or teams putting up with this or being so noble. I have seen cheer parents about to go to blows and shut down a competition over standing in front of them, saving seats and who cut whom in the line at the concession stand.

Good luck!!

 

[Keep_Believing]

Maybe if you just tell them you are going to video tape their inappropriate behavior and plan on showing it to the EP's they would act differently. Sometimes just knowing you are being video tapped motivates you to behave differently.