All-Star "breaking" Cheerleaders In The Splits

[SL&AM]

Wait he's done a TED Talk?

Yup! I googled his name earlier and it popped up. It doesn't have a ton of views, but still---he did a TED Talk and I am horrified.

 

[Official OWECheer]

Yup! I googled his name earlier and it popped up. It doesn't have a ton of views, but still---he did a TED Talk and I am horrified.

Never would have guess the crap he was pulling from watching this. SMH.

 

[cheermomforever]

He scammed a teammate of my daughter out of a lot of $$$

 

[FierceIsTheName]

The saddest part is seeing moms of little cheerleaders I know defending this man and saying "oh, this is normal in allstar!". I'm so shocked I don't know what to say. THIS ISN'T NORMAL AND SHOULDN'T BE. Ugh. Hope the girl and their teammates get a new coach and can have a better year.

 

[cheermommaRN]

Just saw this on Kimberly Archie's twitter.

If he's done this before, then SMH. I wonder why nothing was taped before. Did his reputation scare people out of taking further action?

My favorite tweet about the issue:



How does holding a World Record make any of what he did okay? (I could be misinterpreting her tweet but why bring up his world record?)

And how did the Principal and VP/AD (same person) know about this for MONTHS but do nothing to stop it? Are they crazy?

And how many other programs are being run by coaches like this, who pressure kids to do dangerous things but nobody knows because the athletes are too scared to speak out? Or are being ignored?

Kimberly Archie literally wrote the book on protecting cheerleaders from injury so I can guarantee she didn't say that as a defense for him, more of a "he should of known better".
I just find it increasingly sad that THESE are the articles and stories that the media like to cling onto. Not the ones about a team winning Worlds as an underdog, or winning multiple times in a row, or the high school team that volunteers for special olympics...no, let's focus on incidents like this.
The coach was an idiot. While I have seen the same technique used in other sports (gymnastics, synchro swimming), it's never been a forced activity for an extended period of time.

 

[Official OWECheer]

Kimberly Archie literally wrote the book on protecting cheerleaders from injury so I can guarantee she didn't say that as a defense for him, more of a "he should of known better".
I just find it increasingly sad that THESE are the articles and stories that the media like to cling onto. Not the ones about a team winning Worlds as an underdog, or winning multiple times in a row, or the high school team that volunteers for special olympics...no, let's focus on incidents like this.
The coach was an idiot. While I have seen the same technique used in other sports (gymnastics, synchro swimming), it's never been a forced activity for an extended period of time.

Kimberly didn't write that tweet, it was a different lady.

And unfortunately, the mainstream media cares only about scandal and outrage, whether or not it benefits the athletes. In this case it did.

 

[DanaBurkey]

Every day I wish cheer was on more main stream media....but not like that..... :(

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

Never would have guess the crap he was pulling from watching this. SMH.

Have you watched his eyes in this video? He looks like he's so high you could blindfold him with a piece of dental floss.

 

[kayemm]

The saddest part is seeing moms of little cheerleaders I know defending this man and saying "oh, this is normal in allstar!". I'm so shocked I don't know what to say. THIS ISN'T NORMAL AND SHOULDN'T BE. Ugh. Hope the girl and their teammates get a new coach and can have a better year.

I have seen so many comments on social media of people saying "this is ok guys, it's the norm it happens everywhere" and even worse is people saying the girl "can't handle the pain" and shouldn't be a cheerleader if she can't do the splits. I am sorry but when is it acceptable to stretch a teenager and refuse to stop when she is literally screaming out in pain. I don't understand how some people think it is OK.

 

[cheermomforever]

I have seen so many comments on social media of people saying "this is ok guys, it's the norm it happens everywhere" and even worse is people saying the girl "can't handle the pain" and shouldn't be a cheerleader if she can't do the splits. I am sorry but when is it acceptable to stretch a teenager and refuse to stop when she is literally screaming out in pain. I don't understand how some people think it is OK.

Its the people who comment "I cheered back in HS and we had to do splits". Yes when I was in HS they probably did do them. They have no idea about All Star.

 

[FamousxMindset]

Have you watched his eyes in this video? He looks like he's so high you could blindfold him with a piece of dental floss.

I don't think its fair or appropriate to assume that he uses drugs.

 

[FamousxMindset]

Here is my opinion that I'm sure all of you will disagree with.

The optics of this video are terrible, terrible for the sport especially for those who have no real understanding of the sport in the first place. From the video linked above I don't see the child be forced and being pushed into the split his fingers are under the athletes arms that's a supporting position likely for posture if his hands were on her shoulders pushing down this would be a very different scenario. The girls holding her legs only make the optics worse but for the most part it looks like they weren't pushing down either (except for the girl in the front). Even though this was an elevated split if that strong man were actually pushing her she would have been flat to the floor she isn't flat on the floor if anything her own weight due to gravity is whats pushing her down he is helping her maintain posture and almost lifting the girl. Optics are terrible and that's something all coaches have to be very vigilant about the man while be fired and be blacklisted from the sport all together.


On Cheerhab with Eddie and Orby every single episode featured 2 or 3 athletes crying from being stretched and not once did we question their coaching ability and they likely met those kids 30 minutes before they had the kid crying Ozell has worked with this team before and likely has an idea of each kid's ability. Optics are bad and the kids assisting him in the video only make it 10x worse. I have no relationship with the guy or program because I'm sure that will be questioned.

 

[catlady]

Every day I wish cheer was on more main stream media....but not like that..... :(

Think about it though, there were many Twitter pics last season from athletes, parents and fans criticizing athletes on their lack of flexibility and posting pics from comps with rude comments. If that's what people see about cheer, it is going to be the assumption. The cheer population made flexibility a topic, of course the media is going to jump on any story that points out extreme and crazy flexibility training. The truth is many flyers have hypermobility, but to assume all athletes can have a needle, or all athletes with a bent leg are lazy and don't stretch is ignorance, but that's what many people with cheer knowledge were saying.

@FamousxMindset you made a good point with the video. Professional dance physiotherapists would be great resources for proper stretch techniques and the dangers over stretching. Dance is plagued with spondylolisthesis and long term hip issues caused by forced stretching. ETA: I should make it more clear, you made a point, but both videos are disturbing. I don't know why we overlooked one and not the other except the one child was saying "stop, please stop" over and over.

 

[SL&AM]

If you watch the interview of the girl from the video she clearly said his knee was pressed into her back and she was being pushed from the back of her leg down by the coach. As for E&O, several episodes have been posted with questionable stretching techniques---I remember one episode where they were working towards needles---and more than a few people spoke out against it.

The fact that she said the word 'stop' and he didn't, imo, is far worse than the physical action. When you say 'stop' you, for a lack of better word, flipping stop. Whether she needed to breathe, stretch more...etc, whatever, you do not hold anybody (but especially a 13 year old girl) by every single limb she has while she screams in pain to stop and not cause psychological and emotional pain. This will stay with her and the media isn't even touching that angle of the story.

His career is over, his name is ruined and it's his own fault. I won't even pretend to feel sorry for him.

 

[FamousxMindset]

His knee was probably against her back for posture I doubt he was kneeing or pressing against her back. His hands were on her shoulders completely visible *from the video I saw.