All-Star Battle Under The Big Top Schedule, Teams, And Thoughts

[tumbleyoda]

Oh twitter, you have proved time and time again why I feel so much smarter after NOT signing up for you..

LOL. I have one but rarely use it except for in house gym stuff and an occasional retweet from the few folks that I follow. I really dont have anyone following me because I say so little. The only reason I have it is to keep updated during competition season with results when I am away from the computer. Other than that I wouldn't miss it at all.

 

[mstealtoyou]

I would like to inform you that your CP, while 12 in cheer years, is 13. ;)

Don't be a smarty pants........@fierceprincess !!!!! LMAO

 

[mstealtoyou]

I saw that from a few on Twitter. I made sure my CP didn't retweet that and that it WAS NOT ok. Hate that got started up.

I said the same thing to Joanne. Why didn't you text me and let me know this???

We parents have to look out for each other!!! LOL

 

[NoOneSpecial]

This is a semi funny story depending on who you are. LOL

My little CP tweeted on Saturday that she was going fishing for some rays or something like that. (She went against Green) She didn't mention it to me until she said that Level5Mom had re tweeted what she said. I was mortified and told her to delete it at which point my middle daughter says "It's too late now if it's been re tweeted, the whole world's seen it now" So luckily I ran into Joanne pretty early in the day so I could say how sorry I was about the tweet and that I had talked to little CP about it and asked her not to write such things again. (She's 12) Joanne was very gracious about it and said she took it as all in good fun, which was great because little CP, I think is still learning.

But imagine how disastrous that could have been if the wrong person had read it. Maybe thinking she and her team were cocky and had big heads. Imagine how much trouble she would have been in to have been quoted in a Fierceboard thread with what she had said and had every Suzie commenting on it.

So as a public service announcement I'd like to ask that if anyone see's my kids posting anything that might be misconstrued as unsportsmanlike or out of line to please text me, facebook me, message me here and believe you me I WILL take care of it with the quickness. Ms Missy doesn't play that!![/quote

OMG I just had a conversation with my children regarding social media and that what you type on public forums could be interpreted completely different than what you intended. There is no animations, emotions, voice variation that carries over into your intended message.

Then you have snap shot and retweeting - there is no taking back what you might of said "in the moment".

For punishment I have "No window - no door" Computer screens and TV are their windows and I shall taketh away.... Giving the kids access to twiter, facebook, tumblr and whatever other social outlet there is comes with responsibility. And it is my responsibility to monitor and make sure they use it properly.....

 

[Level5Mom]

I said the same thing to Joanne. Why didn't you text me and let me know this???

We parents have to look out for each other!!! LOL

Because I didn't take it as bad at all! :) Trust me, this is NOT bad lol! I took it as friendly rivalry, and not even close to something that would upset people. Maybe I'm naive for thinking that? IDK I thought it was cute...kind of like when Sharkdad drew that big shark in the sand eating the Rays logo last year at the beach. It's just good, clean smack talk that made me laugh, and motivates our kids hehe :).

 

[crazycheermom]

I do think it reflects well on the parents that you talked to your cp and apologized for anything inappropriate. The trouble comes when so many refuse to believe that susie would do anything wrong. A kid is a kid and will make mistakes. Hats off to you for helping her see the error of her ways..lol.

 

[CDRCoach17]

I haven't posted in awhile...lol....let's see if I can get back into this.

1. It starts with practice. As coaches I think it would be better to explain to the kids that fundamentally they are competing against themselves. They are in control of THEIR score, and not to worry about the other teams they are competing against. I have seen some gyms use their competitors as motivation. I don't see this as a problem, but when it is done in a negative manner, kids will take it and run with it. By the time us adults try to preach sportsmanship, it is too late. So as coaches, let's do a better job of teaching our kids the right way to handle things.

2. Like everyone said, kids will be kids. I have had the opportunity to play 3 sports on a highly competitive level, and by far cheerleading is the most emotional of the 3. Sometimes your emotions get the best of you. It doesn't make it right, but you can always atone for your mistakes.

 

[kristenthegreat]

I haven't posted in awhile...lol....let's see if I can get back into this.

1. It starts with practice. As coaches I think it would be better to explain to the kids that fundamentally they are competing against themselves. They are in control of THEIR score, and not to worry about the other teams they are competing against. I have seen some gyms use their competitors as motivation. I don't see this as a problem, but when it is done in a negative manner, kids will take it and run with it. By the time us adults try to preach sportsmanship, it is too late. So as coaches, let's do a better job of teaching our kids the right way to handle things.

2. Like everyone said, kids will be kids. I have had the opportunity to play 3 sports on a highly competitive level, and by far cheerleading is the most emotional of the 3. Sometimes your emotions get the best of you. It doesn't make it right, but you can always atone for your mistakes.

Especially with cheerleading, unlike other sports, there is no physical meeting of competitors. In volleyball you can spike it down someone's face when they get cocky, or you can block some jerk's kill like nobody's business. Soccer, rugby, and other contact sports you are actually in contact with your opponent. In cheer, there is no meeting of opponents EXCEPT when you're off the mat. There is none of that meeting, engage, and then dissociate that can happen with other sports, so the emotions bubble over to the place where it only can- private lives. Except now everybody's private life is public, so it brings the battle there as well.

 

[anythingforcheer]

Can someone please explain the whole sync tumbling in cheer mom terms, I'm really confused about this vs team tumbling and how/where this is reflected on score sheets thanks!

 

[xtremeteal4life]

This is a semi funny story depending on who you are. LOL

My little CP tweeted on Saturday that she was going fishing for some rays or something like that. (She went against Green) She didn't mention it to me until she said that Level5Mom had re tweeted what she said. I was mortified and told her to delete it at which point my middle daughter says "It's too late now if it's been re tweeted, the whole world's seen it now" So luckily I ran into Joanne pretty early in the day so I could say how sorry I was about the tweet and that I had talked to little CP about it and asked her not to write such things again. (She's 12) Joanne was very gracious about it and said she took it as all in good fun, which was great because little CP, I think is still learning.

But imagine how disastrous that could have been if the wrong person had read it. Maybe thinking she and her team were cocky and had big heads. Imagine how much trouble she would have been in to have been quoted in a Fierceboard thread with what she had said and had every Suzie commenting on it.

So as a public service announcement I'd like to ask that if anyone see's my kids posting anything that might be misconstrued as unsportsmanlike or out of line to please text me, facebook me, message me here and believe you me I WILL take care of it with the quickness. Ms Missy doesn't play that!!

You know how much I adore you and your daughters and I personally know "little cp" would NEVER have said something in a mean spirited way. I consider her comment, coming from her that is, to be more of a friendly rival banter (only bc I know her and quite a few of our YE and JE girls are friends w/their "rivals" on the respective Rays' teams). *Before everyone freaks out, please read the rest of my post*

However, I AM glad that she told you and that you talked to her, bc as harmless as it may have seemed to her (and perhaps her "rival" friends), it's one of those things that can be misconstrued by many people since they don't know her personal character, and could have reflected poorly on her team, etc., which I know would have devastated her.

I would also like to use you as an example of something I wanted to say earlier and forgot. I can't remember who, but someone blamed athletes' unsportsmanlike conduct solely on the coaches. I do not think that's a completely fair assertion. In my opinion, that is mostly the responsibility of the parents. A coach spends a few hours a week with your kid and no matter how much they may preach, teach, etc. good sportsmanlike behavior, it is ultimately the parents' responsibility to enforce the behavior and lead by example. Unfortunately not everyone is like you and expects their children to be held accountable for their actions, in fact..as many of us in the cheer world know, it's the PARENTS who often are the worst. They're not teaching their kids humility, compassion, humbleness, etc., and often encourage and/or perpetuate this type of behavior...So kudos to you for talking to "little cp" and confronting the issue right away, which not only prevented further problems, but also taught her a lesson and let her know that YOU don't find that behavior acceptable and why. This is so important, and I'm so very glad we've become friends and that girls like your "little cp" and Maddie G are around to set such good examples (through the guidance of their parents ;)) for my daughter. :)

 

[BlueAndGreenMom]

Because I didn't take it as bad at all! :) Trust me, this is NOT bad lol! I took it as friendly rivalry, and not even close to something that would upset people. Maybe I'm naive for thinking that? IDK I thought it was cute...kind of like when Sharkdad drew that big shark in the sand eating the Rays logo last year at the beach. It's just good, clean smack talk that made me laugh, and motivates our kids hehe :).

I agree. My daughter is on Green and I did see this on Twitter but really didn't think much of it. It was all in good fun.

 

[BlueAndGreenMom]

cheers2u

I cannot tell you how tired the whole "they only won because of their name" or "we should have won because we hit" or "we had harder elements" or whatever complaints about not winning have become. If your routine hits the scoresheet best and you have the least amount of mistakes THAT weekend, chances are, you are going to win. I think my explanation to MB applies universally to just about every time someone says "we should have won. why didn't we win?" Chances are, your routine just wasn't as good on THAT scoresheet on THAT day. Hence, my beating a dead horse, head against a brick wall emoticons.

Amen!

 

[cheeringfor3]

Because I didn't take it as bad at all! :) Trust me, this is NOT bad lol! I took it as friendly rivalry, and not even close to something that would upset people. Maybe I'm naive for thinking that? IDK I thought it was cute...kind of like when Sharkdad drew that big shark in the sand eating the Rays logo last year at the beach. It's just good, clean smack talk that made me laugh, and motivates our kids hehe :).

I agree. As much as I am a supporter of "good sportsmanship", I think we in the cheer community have a different idea of what is friendly rivalry vs. good sportsmanship. My daughter cheered for her middle school football team this year, and the "smack talk" I heard from the kids and parents -- while EXTREMELY mild -- probably would have shocked many cheer people.

I have thought about this quite a bit since then, and I agree with kristenthegreat, that the lack of "direct confrontation" on the mat contributes. I also think the fact that the athletes AND spectators mingle in the same arena before, during and after can contribute as well. For many sports, the "smack talk" that is done in the stands is rarely heard by the other team, except for bits and pieces that float over to the other side.

Of course, being able to see and meet people from other gyms is also what makes our sport unique and such a great "community", so we need to take the good with the not-so-good, I guess! I wouldn't trade having met and become friends with people from other gyms!

 

[cheerfan27]

Any video of Platinum and Jayhawks?

I saw a Platinum dad recording and he said he had all 3 teams, hopefully he will post soon.

 

[kobegirl]

I agree. As much as I am a supporter of "good sportsmanship", I think we in the cheer community have a different idea of what is friendly rivalry vs. good sportsmanship. My daughter cheered for her middle school football team this year, and the "smack talk" I heard from the kids and parents -- while EXTREMELY mild -- probably would have shocked many cheer people.

I have thought about this quite a bit since then, and I agree with kristenthegreat, that the lack of "direct confrontation" on the mat contributes. I also think the fact that the athletes AND spectators mingle in the same arena before, during and after can contribute as well. For many sports, the "smack talk" that is done in the stands is rarely heard by the other team, except for bits and pieces that float over to the other side.

Of course, being able to see and meet people from other gyms is also what makes our sport unique and such a great "community", so we need to take the good with the not-so-good, I guess! I wouldn't trade having met and become friends with people from other gyms!

I 1000% AGREE!!!

There was nothing more heartwarming to me as a parent than watching awards for my cp's SR5 team at Battle. The Top Gun team hugging it out with my daughter onstage with sincere congratulations for her team's win. Top Gun was nothing BUT kind and supportive, as I have seen time and time again, before AND after performances - and awards. Last year TG cheered her team on with all of us parents and you'd better believe this year she was right beside the stage cheering them on! I love when competitors are like that. And she loves meeting friends from other gyms.

For doing well at Battle-----a surprise visit to the Rays gym on the way home. They were all wonderful and kind and happy to see her come for a visit. Vetoed her idea of a pink and red wall there, though :) She loved it and can't wait to hit the gym and work harder and hit better to get to visit other friend's gyms lol! Isn't that the way it should be?