All-Star Dangers Of Cheerlebrity

[King]

But is every aspect of the cheerlebrity phenomenon a problem? Is a general anti-cheerlebrity pledge the solution? Certainly many of the safety issues mentioned in this thread are problems, but what about the fact that these well-known athletes often play a positive role in the growth of All-Star cheerleading?

I just think this pledge seems too extreme and I don't think the situation is as black and white as it's often made out to be. More thought needs to go into where the real problems lie and how we can best solve them without generally denouncing individual recognition of any sort.

Rarely are situations black or white. Every aspect bad? No. But we can't have our cake and eat it to. If everything that comes along with the situation we cannot deal with, then we are not ready for that situation.

I wasn't kidding about arming athletes. Would anyone ever approach an athlete with a gun? I am not saying it is practical, just asking.

 

[BlueCat]

I would again like to repeat that after ACA took steps to help the situation, the situation went back to "normal" almost immediately. (They made announcements about respecting athletes when they are warming up, posted guards at the doors to the warmup room, etc.)

 

[King]

I don't think I said that at all, but I will agree that the response to shootings and gun control has some similarities.

I think it is very similar discussion. We have a gun culture and we have problems becasue of that gun culture.

We have cheerleading culture that currently obsesseses over athletes. I hear all the time form gun rights activists that banning guns will not work. How will having a code of conduct for fans stop them from acting this way?

To me you get rid of the culture and the problem will stop. Not overnight, but over years.

 

[BlueCat]

I don't think I said that at all, but I will agree that the response to shootings and gun control has some similarities.

I will agree with you there. Every unfortunate situation doesn't always require immediate massive change.

 

[StarshipTrooper]

I said in a post about 10 up from this that we have made mistakes in the past, but I'll say it again: I make mistakes all of the time. Our gym makes mistakes all of the time. Maybe it wasn't as clear as it should have been. I personally have made many, many mistakes in the past and am always trying to adjust.

I absolutely shamelessly promote our teams and our program through social media - particularly this message board and twitter. I'm sure that I am annoying to some and others probably feel more strongly. There are more than a few reasons for someone to dislike me. I get that. I don't think, however, that I have changed my stance on the individual athlete vs team concept.

Not to me. I think you are very smart. But I do know the terms "unprofessional, innapropriate" and worse have been commonly used behnind close doors when it comes to gyms and owners and their philosophies that have done the same thing. Ever do any of that?

That said, when you promote a gym, program, a team it is to be expected that fans will focus on indvididuals instead of teams and gyms. It is human nature. I know for all the criticism mine got for CNN and their "Report" the director told me they had planned to do the piece on a team vs team level and it was too much to get into 2 hours much less 15 minutes and they went to one athlete telling her story to make it much easier and watchable. Even after a lot of money was spent developing the piece for 2 teams that they also thought were great subjects. I think that this attempt to minimize the individual while maximizing the team is fine in theory, and the more you promote your gym and teams the more the individuals will be identified and singled out by the fan.

 

[yojaehs]

I also think people don't give the social media the credit for this craze either. Example: If I follow Suzie on twitter, I now feel as if I "know" her. She posts "eww I hate pizza" then "OMG Justin Beiber is so dreamy". Then Suzie shows up to a competition and Emily feels as if she knows Suzie, walks up to Suzie at a very inappropriate time and starts talking to her - conversation goes like this "Oh hey Suzie, I saw Justin Beiber in concert last weekend and I hate pizza too". Suzie is obviously thrown off and has no clue who Emily is.

My point is, there is NO WAY to expect KIDS to understand this whole new phenomenon. And I don't think it's fair to say "Suzie delete your twitter" either. Education is the only answer. Again, I give props to gyms for taking a step, but until Emily is told she is making a mistake, she will continue regardless of no more commercials, ads, pics, autographs.

 

[5-6-7-8]

At a minimum, pledging to be "cheerlebrity free" gives an athlete a tool to be able to say "no" to photos / autographs without guilt.

 

[callmecoach]

If everything that comes along with the situation we cannot deal with, then we are not ready for that situation.

Exactly. But let's then sit down and address the situation, discuss what needs to be done to deal with it and come up with specific solutions to encourage the positive aspects of individuals being recognized and downplay the negative. Maybe instead of rolling our eyes at every article or magazine cover that features an individual, we should talk about guiding these athletes toward controlled promotion rather than social media hysteria. Instead of blaming the athletes for the attention they receive lets talk about EP's making rules that the general public has to follow about when and how to approach an athlete for an autograph or photo. And let's talk about it on a team level too, since we know there are entire teams who draw crowds.

I am not directing this at you because I don't really believe you do any of the above, but your comment made me think. It just seems that it seems silly to completely squash a rising phenomenon with many potential positives for All-Star Cheer simply because we weren't ready for it initially.

ETA: Is cheerlebrity really a "phenomenon?" Thinking again it seems to be more of a sign that cheerleading is growing in popularity and thus seeing what every other sport sees: the best of the best becoming well-known by fans.

 

[King]

Exactly. But let's then sit down and address the situation, discuss what needs to be done to deal with it and come up with specific solutions to encourage the positive aspects of individuals being recognized and downplay the negative. Maybe instead of rolling our eyes at every article or magazine cover that features an individual, we should talk about guiding these athletes toward controlled promotion rather than social media hysteria. Instead of blaming the athletes for the attention they receive lets talk about EP's making rules that the general public has to follow about when and how to approach an athlete for an autograph or photo. And let's talk about it on a team level too, since we know there are entire teams who draw crowds.

I am not directing this at you because I don't really believe you do any of the above, but your comment made me think. It just seems that it seems silly to completely squash a rising phenomenon with many potential positives for All-Star Cheer simply because we weren't ready for it initially.

ETA: Is cheerlebrity really a "phenomenon?" Thinking again it seems to be more of a sign that cheerleading is growing in popularity and thus seeing what every other sport sees: the best of the best becoming well-known by fans.

What are the potential positives?

 

[just_kay_today]

I think that the Cheerlebrity status is thrust on kids and there is no way to predict who will be next. In our gym, there are kids whose parents have purposely avoided placing them in the spotlight, but because of their talent, are sought out by fans and media. (Yes, it's true.) Ergo, not every parent or child wants to have this status and I think it's unfair to assume so.
I also think it's unfair to tell people, some of whom travel a long way to see a team or a particular athlete, that they should not expect an autograph. Imagine if Kobi did that. Whether we like it or not, cheerleading is a fan driven sport. People get swept up in the story of the struggles of their favorite team. They get to know the team members because it heightens the experience. This board would be much less interesting without the (fan)atics. Meeting their favorites is part of that furvor.
Our society places a great deal of importance on celebrity. That's why people like Paris and Kim have careers. Many children want that and the money and opportunities it brings. Cheer is not free. College is not cheap. Endorsements are attractive.
If a program wants to take this pledge, great. But, personally, I do not think there is ANY solution for the Cheerlebrity phenomenon, because the next Cheerlebrity could be you, your daughter, mine, or some kid on tiny tots. It's fickle and out of anyone's hands. The proof? Shaq, Jordan, Beckham, Gretzky, Manning... Their sports all benefitted, hugely, from the existence of these athletes, but out of so many talented athletes, why them?

 

[BlueCat]

Not to me. I think you are very smart. But I do know the terms "unprofessional, innapropriate" and worse have been commonly used behnind close doors when it comes to gyms and owners and their philosophies that have done the same thing. Ever do any of that?

That said, when you promote a gym, program, a team it is to be expected that fans will focus on indvididuals instead of teams and gyms. It is human nature. I know for all the criticism mine got for CNN and their "Report" the director told me they had planned to do the piece on a team vs team level and it was too much to get into 2 hours much less 15 minutes and they went to one athlete telling her story to make it much easier and watchable. Even after a lot of money was spent developing the piece for 2 teams that they also thought were great subjects. I think that this attempt to minimize the individual while maximizing the team is fine in theory, and the more you promote your gym and teams the more the individuals will be identified and singled out by the fan.

Have I ever criticized gym owners and their philosophies "behind closed doors"? I couldn't even begin to count the number of times I have done that. I try not to say anything about someone that I wouldn't say to their face, but I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to find examples of where I have done just that. I also try to avoid criticizing individuals publicly, but I'm sure I've fallen short of that at times, too. I am not a very good liar or politician, so generally how I feel about something comes out whether appropriate or not.

One of the many mistakes I have made was in assuming that the ONLY way that your daughter (or others) could possibly have gotten as much individual attention as they did was by actively seeking it out. I have now seen first-hand how multiple athletes who actually dislike the spotlight and do NOT make selfish decisions can find themselves in a "cheerlebrity" situation. It has changed my assumptions.

 

[yojaehs]

Have I ever criticized gym owners and their philosophies "behind closed doors"? I couldn't even begin to count the number of times I have done that. I try not to say anything about someone that I wouldn't say to their face, but I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to find examples of where I have done just that. I also try to avoid criticizing individuals publicly, but I'm sure I've fallen short of that at times, too. I am not a very good liar or politician, so generally how I feel about something comes out whether appropriate or not.

One of the many mistakes I have made was in assuming that the ONLY way that your daughter (or others) could possibly have gotten as much individual attention as they did was by actively seeking it out. I have now seen first-hand how multiple athletes who actually dislike the spotlight and do NOT make selfish decisions can find themselves in a "cheerlebrity" situation. It has changed my assumptions.

And this is where I see that proactive measures can and will be taken but the "cheerlebrity" status will not go away. This is my concern, all steps taken and yet still the crazed fan acts out. Why is there nothing being said about how the "crazed fan" acts? Gyms are taking proactive steps which I support, but why isn't there anything being done about when these steps are taken and lines are still crossed? Regardless of what gyms say and do, it will continue. Cheerlebrity is not going anywhere.

 

[callmecoach]

What are the potential positives?

The sport as a whole benefiting from the popularity of its most famous participants. Aside from the hysteria they garner from younger cheerleaders and even their peers, these athletes are also representatives of the sport and any individual/team that is recognizable and well-known is also increasing the visibility and understanding of all-star cheerleading to the general public. It is also playing a role in the growth of the sport as per kids who might never have known they wanted to cheer if they hadn't seen that 2x2 video or saw Cheerlebrity A on the cover of a magazine of watched CJA on TV and decided they wanted to be just like one of their athletes.

From a logical standpoint, as adults in this industry, why not take the existing situation (Individual athletes and certain teams are being recognized and do have a special something that's making them so well-known. As time goes on this is only happening more often and on a larger scale.) and figure out how to A) ensure the safety of these athletes and teams first and foremost but also B) guide these athletes/teams in the right direction as far as promotion goes, and YES, maximize their potential for growing the sport.

I am not really passionate about this situation one way or the other but I am just so lost as to the why people are so negative about it. Look what Shawn Johnson did for gymnastics. She was a minor when she rose to fame. Allowing an athlete to promote themselves positively while also working with that athlete to promote a team or sport is not exploitation.

From a marketing standpoint, what is the advantage of crushing the momentum rather than recognizing it and transferring it to a controlled environment where there are rules and PR strategy?

 

[CharlotteASMom]

The sport as a whole benefiting from the popularity of its most famous participants. Aside from the hysteria they garner from younger cheerleaders and even their peers, these athletes are also representatives of the sport and any individual/team that is recognizable and well-known is also increasing the visibility and understanding of all-star cheerleading to the general public. It is also playing a role in the growth of the sport as per kids who might never have known they wanted to cheer if they hadn't seen that 2x2 video or saw Cheerlebrity A on the cover of a magazine of watched CJA on TV and decided they wanted to be just like one of their athletes.

Why would the industry benefit more from the popularity of an individual as opposed to the popularity of the team? You mentioned Shawn Johnson as an example however I'd also say the Fab 5 did a pretty good job with promotion as a group.

 

[StarshipTrooper]

Have I ever criticized gym owners and their philosophies "behind closed doors"? I couldn't even begin to count the number of times I have done that. I try not to say anything about someone that I wouldn't say to their face, but I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to find examples of where I have done just that. I also try to avoid criticizing individuals publicly, but I'm sure I've fallen short of that at times, too. I am not a very good liar or politician, so generally how I feel about something comes out whether appropriate or not.

One of the many mistakes I have made was in assuming that the ONLY way that your daughter (or others) could possibly have gotten as much individual attention as they did was by actively seeking it out. I have now seen first-hand how multiple athletes who actually dislike the spotlight and do NOT make selfish decisions can find themselves in a "cheerlebrity" situation. It has changed my assumptions.

Well I will say you are both smart and honest. That is a pretty good base to build on in life in my experience. No wonder you have done so well.

That said, again, it appears that a pledge is a no harm voluntary action by gyms that may affect the "culture". The EPs may need to be called on for some security. I think the Ravens and Niners would have a bit of a problem with over zealous fans if they were allowed to stand around the field, wander through the locker rooms and on the sidelines. Ultimately, as someone who has been there, I do think the fans have to develop less of a sense of entitlement towards these kids and more a sense of privacy and respect of personal space or it is all for naught unless you design competitions to seperate the athletes from the fan and that is not going to happen.