All-Star Change Of Season: Change Of Gyms, Divisions Etc.

[ztaprincess]

Hmmm, thats "suspicious"...

Yeah, why would ESPN only pay for boys to cheer?

 

[skjakd]

If you have a strong gym, run professionally by strong leaders, your athletes will want to stay. If your product is not strong, filled with change or drama, people will shop around. It happens in every business. In my opinion, offering and encouraging athletes to come into your gym between seasons is fair and to be expected.

 

[Level5Mom]

I prefer the open public invitation to all on social media or t-shirts. It doesn't cross any ethical lines at all. Just please celebrate your gyms accomplishments without tearing down other gyms in the same advertisement. :rolleyes:

 

[socratesofcheer]

I see nothing wrong with oddering discounts or scholarships to athletes in order to get them in the gym.

I will say though GA saying that ESPN is paying for 20 males to cheer next season at their gym still has me super puzzled. Now I could be totally wrong, but to me it is comical to think that ESPN would pay for their guys to cheer all because they had a lot of college placements this year. I truly feel like they are trying to use ESPN as a ploy to get boys to go Large Coed. Is that right? not if ESPN isn't really involved.

Is that from GA literature OR ESPNs literature?

 

[ztaprincess]

Is that from GA literature OR ESPNs literature?

All GA :cow:

 

[lakerfantlc]

I always wonder about those parents and athletes who don't get the same deals and breaks. How they feel about it. And you well said when and where you do it plays a big part. They come inside your doors of your gym you can offer whatever you like. But during the year (because apparently for some the year begins at tryouts, others the end of the summer, others the first competition and others the big nationals season in Feb) competitions, in the parking lots of other gyms, etc is not good at all. Yet every year we hear stories of it being done somewhere by some gym. And all are denied that it happened.

To paraphrase my response from years ago the issue is the gyms that do recruit usually publicly deny they do. They usually deflect the question to "everyone else is doing it too" or "if they are happy they are not going to leave." I have seen kids and parents very happy but when offered a free ride to cheer, they all of a sudden became "unhappy." Kids and parents who actively shop around like free agents looking for the best deal first, core values , training and everything else don't really matter. I would rather hear a gym say "Yes we recruit and if we think we want you to be a part of our gym we will recruit you too" than to deny they do it.

ETA: The discounts are a business decision. As long as they can defend them to the customers who are not getting them, that is their business.

With regard to how parents who pay 100% feel about deals and breaks....I try to teach my kids to do their part and not look right or left to see if someone is getting a better deal...life is too short to be worrying about other people...and it is my experience that I am blessed to be able to pay my way....most deals are given to kids who arent as fortunate as mine...:)

 

[BuegeSmalls]

I guess you could say my sisters and I were "recruited" for an all star team last year. We were at an open gym and the coach has always wanted me and my sisters to join her IOC5 team. Basically everytime we go there she asks us to join. She was willing to give us one month of tuition free and pay tuition for only one and a half of us. Actually a pretty amazing deal. I think something like that I fine. We are only on our high school team and she never said quit that do all star or tried to steal us from that team. But if a coach was ever like "your current gym sucks, come to my gym. It's so much better" then that's a problem.

 

[Twinklilstarsmom]

My take on the recruiting things is this, if you run your gym properly then you wont have to worry about your athletes leaving. Also, its my money, I am only obligated to your program for that season, after that I do and go as I please and I dare you to question my decision to leave. There are no set rules regarding gyms recruiting so its fair game. I think as a parent I would be unhappy knowing that I have to pay for my daughter to produce the same skills as another athlete on the same team who pays nothing. Ultimately the paying gym clienting are the ones funding the "free" athletes. Scholarships for deserving athletes are understandable but alot of programs are starting this; if you come here you do not have to pay anything.
I believe that you cant be recruited if your happy with your program, these gyms need to do their job and keep the customer happy.

 

[xoxotumblerforeverxoxo]

Every year, I get invited to try out at several local gyms, and this year, one very big gym. I think there's a fine line between a coach messaging me and saying "hey! Why don't you come to one of our classes?" and "we want you at our gym and we even offer to have you pay cheaper tuition, free privates, etc...

 

[tumbleyoda]

With regard to how parents who pay 100% feel about deals and breaks....I try to teach my kids to do their part and not look right or left to see if someone is getting a better deal...life is too short to be worrying about other people...and it is my experience that I am blessed to be able to pay my way....most deals are given to kids who arent as fortunate as mine...:)

I agree with what you teach. However I have unfortunately been in the lobby, parking lots and the parent waiting areas too many times to know not all are taught that way and usually causes an undercurrent either on a team or if not put in check an entire program.

 

[cljacks99]

I saw the most awesome scholarship idea ever on one of the East coast Nitros page. It offered full tuition to athletes with a competition ready double full. I love it! Is that the only place that offers it? If not, I wonder if it is realistic for other gyms to adopt. Owners could probably put stipulations on the scholarship that would be beneficial to everyone, such as scholarship athletes have to have perfect attendance at practice or lose their scholarship..

 

[ztaprincess]

I saw the most awesome scholarship idea ever on one of the East coast Nitros page. It offered full tuition to athletes with a competition ready double full. I love it! Is that the only place that offers it? If not, I wonder if it is realistic for other gyms to adopt. Owners could probably put stipulations on the scholarship that would be beneficial to everyone, such as scholarship athletes have to have perfect attendance at practice or lose their scholarship..

I know that CheerForce offered scholarships to girls last season to try and form a large senior. It was like 100% for a standing full and double and then 50% for just a double or something like that (don't remember the exact percentages). It was actually the first time I had ever seen a gym offer scholarships like that to girls because it is usually a gym trying to get boys to form a coed team. Not sure how many girls got the scholarship since they didn't have a large senior.

 

[cheerKT]

I've always wondered what happens to those tumbling scholarship athletes if they get injured or get a mental block....

 

[I<3cali]

I know that CheerForce offered scholarships to girls last season to try and form a large senior. It was like 100% for a standing full and double and then 50% for just a double or something like that (don't remember the exact percentages). It was actually the first time I had ever seen a gym offer scholarships like that to girls because it is usually a gym trying to get boys to form a coed team. Not sure how many girls got the scholarship since they didn't have a large senior.

i know POWER did it this past year they only gave money off gym fees i think

 

[kristenthegreat]

I understand and lovingly accept those who have fallen on hard times and are in need of scholarship in order to continue to participate in this sport we love. Particularly if they are using this sport as a means to get out of a bad situation. I would find myself slightly peeved, however, if I had worked my double in-house and spent a hefty chunk of change on privates to get there, only to have someone walk in off the street and get free tuition for their double just because the gym wants more people.