All-Star Cheerleading At 2018 Winter Olympics ?!

[Keep_Believing]

UK will be performing February 2018

 

[OnceUponACheerleader]

I agree about merging threads. Team USA has not held tryouts yet. The organization did refer them to UK.

sorry where is this other thread? - I looked to see if one was started before I originally posted this. I can't seem to find it.

ETA okay I found it. I never check the 'cheer news' section... :confused:

 

[ScottyB]

Sorry, I didn't catch my typos. They did ask team USA first. They did not feel it was enough time so they suggested UK.

What is your source for that "usa cheer asked team usa first then asked UK" ?

 

[TealShades]

I think she meant. Team USA was asked first but tryouts being later on, timing etc university of Kentucky (UK) was picked (by team USA).

Yo @cheermomforever why the old thread rating? It's well in the future so not really old news ;).

 

[Keep_Believing]

What is your source for that "USA cheer asked team USA first then asked UK" ?

USA Cheer is the organization that puts the USA Team together. The Olympic Committee approached USA Cheer but there was not enough time to hold tryouts and obtain passports as games are in February. UK athletes had to get rush passports and will perform the routine they have already been working on.

 

[SL&AM]

I'm excited for the University of Kentucky because this really is a once in a lifetime type of opportunity. My heart breaks for those apart of Team USA who were not asked, considered or what have you and won't be going. Realistically, most athletes senior to college age are not going to see cheerleading in the Olympics while still actively participating in the sport so if this is as close as they get, it'll make for some cool stories and pictures.

Cheer and the Olympics still makes zero sense to me, but it's definitely getting pushed for hard.

 

[KPep]

This isn't exactly being well received. Seeing as Flyers have actively discouraged/not allowed (not positive on their exact stance) their athletes to participate with Team Canada, there's people who are quite salty about it. I'm on the fence, but I'm not sure picking an all star team to show ICU/IOC style of cheer makes any kind of sense.

I hear you. I think the best team we could send, since UK is going, is Western University. It is pretty much the heart of TC.

 

[cheermomforever]

Yo @cheermomforever why the old thread rating? It's well in the future so not really old news ;).

Didn't mean to....,,changed it.

 

[KPep]

Here we go, it's official!

 

[Official OWECheer]

I'm excited for the University of Kentucky because this really is a once in a lifetime type of opportunity. My heart breaks for those apart of Team USA who were not asked, considered or what have you and won't be going. Realistically, most athletes senior to college age are not going to see cheerleading in the Olympics while still actively participating in the sport so if this is as close as they get, it'll make for some cool stories and pictures.

Cheer and the Olympics still makes zero sense to me, but it's definitely getting pushed for hard.

I am super happy for them as well, being a diehard UK cheer fan.

I know some might think I'm being a Negative Nancy, but I have a hard time cheering this on when I know that not every college cheerleading team (or scholastic cheerleading team, period) even has guaranteed access to a certified coach, safety equipment, adequate practice space and time, etc. People are pushing so hard for the Olympics yet ignoring the fact that cheer is not in a great state domestically. Until we no longer see kids practicing in the hallway with clueless coaches (or being in a position of having to teach themselves stunts with no coach, which I hear about with college teams) and until we actually try to get sport status with the USOC (like everyone else) and not just the IOC, I'm not gonna be jumping up and down. Let's not put the cart before the horse.

 

[Eyes On The Prize]

I am super happy for them as well, being a diehard UK cheer fan.

I know some might think I'm being a Negative Nancy, but I have a hard time cheering this on when I know that not every college cheerleading team (or scholastic cheerleading team, period) even has guaranteed access to a certified coach, safety equipment, adequate practice space and time, etc. People are pushing so hard for the Olympics yet ignoring the fact that cheer is not in a great state domestically. Until we no longer see kids practicing in the hallway with clueless coaches (or being in a position of having to teach themselves stunts with no coach, which I hear about with college teams) and until we actually try to get sport status with the USOC (like everyone else) and not just the IOC, I'm not gonna be jumping up and down. Let's not put the cart before the horse.

I feel like you could argue that that happens for a lot of sports at the college level for a variety of reasons. Money, school size, division, enrollment, accessibility, etc. Getting "sports status" isn't going to make those issues vanish because most of the time it's not about it's "sports status". Fencing is a recognized sport by both the Olympics and NCAA. My schools fencing team had none of the stuff you mentioned.

I do not have a stance about cheer being in the Olympics. But I think the biggest positive to come out of it is just bringing awareness to what cheer actually is. Awareness is what will help us start to address those issues and there is no bigger stage in the world for sports than the Olympics. I think if you're looking for change, a hard push for the Olympics should be a good thing regardless of the state it's in now.

 

[UCFKnights07]

i think sports in all areas, face the same problems. The most well connected, money making one will always get the most recognition... UK is amazing, but lets not pretend that there was probably a lot of wheeling and dealing behind the scenes. I still think forming a team USA would have been doable....

 

[AndyT_T]

I am super happy for them as well, being a diehard UK cheer fan.

I know some might think I'm being a Negative Nancy, but I have a hard time cheering this on when I know that not every college cheerleading team (or scholastic cheerleading team, period) even has guaranteed access to a certified coach, safety equipment, adequate practice space and time, etc. People are pushing so hard for the Olympics yet ignoring the fact that cheer is not in a great state domestically. Until we no longer see kids practicing in the hallway with clueless coaches (or being in a position of having to teach themselves stunts with no coach, which I hear about with college teams) and until we actually try to get sport status with the USOC (like everyone else) and not just the IOC, I'm not gonna be jumping up and down. Let's not put the cart before the horse.

I would argue getting Olympic attention and being legitimized as a sport by one of the most respected organizations in the world would be very beneficial to the industry and encourage addressing the very problems you mentioned.

As long as Cheer is a for fun activity we will have those problems. Just look at how much Cheer has changed for NAIA schools since they left Varsity and got fully recognized by NAIA. All the teams get their shoes/uniforms/supplies etc covered (and I think even travel) and many many more are offering scholarships now. I’m helping some of my seniors apply to college and NAIA schools that I looked at that didn’t offer any scholarships are now offering full rides here and there with many smaller scholarships.

Legitimacy as an industry would be nothing but beneficial IMO

 

[OnceUponACheerleader]

@russmin is there a reason for a downvote? It’s a factual comment stating the differences between the two programs.

I love the flyers program, I thought that was clear. I don’t mean to offend you.