All-Star Discounts For Elite Tumbling?

[DaniV]

Hey all, I was the one that posted that flyer on Twitter. At Cheerforce in our San Diego location, we have for several years rewarded athletes with standing fulls and doubles, free tuition. This is only for our senior and junior aged teams, or teams like Nfinity, wouldn't pay for a thing as the majority of the athletes have both. If you tryout with those skills you get the discount. If you acquire both throughout the season, you are rewarded then for it. As for those of you who wonder what happens to those athletes that worked so extremely hard for these skills to make the teams that they desire, we have yet to have come across one that has lost the skills. Hope this answers your questions.

Didn't realize you were on the boards or I would've tagged you. Answered my questions! Thanks! :)

 

[tumbleyoda]

This has been going on for a long time with a surprising number of gyms.

I've always wondered the policy of one of these athletes gets a mental block or an injury.

I have been in All Star since 2004. I have known of it happening since then. Even back in the fly in days when you did not have athlete registrations and world releases, it was easy to jump ship to a program that would give you cash for skills. More and more gyms are doing it now to be competitive in those division. It is a incentive laden way to strengthen your team while weakening a competitors team at the same time.

Which..by correlation means they are not training those skills (only perfecting them or putting them in a routine format) or teaching them to internal athletes at a rate fast enough to replenish athletes they lose due to age out, injury, quitting, etc.

In a couple of cases only that I am aware of, if the athlete lost the skill, mental block etc they either had to pay full price, move to another team and pay full price or left the program.

This is a reality of our industry and where it is heading. it will only get worse the way things are going. I am glad that it is out in the open now and more people regardless if an athlete, parent, judge, coach etc. know about it. Many of us from back in the day got tired of being called crazy for pointing out what we knew was happening but was always being denied by those offering the scholarships.

 

[tumbleyoda]

I guess the gym benefits from these athletes - you have a showcase level 5 team w/ top athletes, it gets you more level 1-4's that want to be a part of your program.

I feel like this is a marketing ploy that has less than a 20% return. What it will do is get your "name" in the cheer papers, so to speak and make you the talk of the town. It will (and should) be a source of inspiration of those already enrolled in the program to work hard to get to that level. What it will do is draw in other level 5 athletes which again weakens your competition locally as the other gyms they came from have to rebuild.

But as for drawing in new level 1-4...or to be honest to glean them from other programs, I don't feel this is an accurate statement. You get the level 1-4 by being good in those divisions. You get the level 1-4 by giving them an opportunity to fly if they were going to base at their old gym and refused to. You get the level 1-4 by showing them it means as much to be on those levels in your gym as it does to be on the level 5 showcase team.

 

[driverto6]

I guess the gym benefits from these athletes - you have a showcase level 5 team w/ top athletes, it gets you more level 1-4's that want to be a part of your program. I assume these people still need to pay for comp fees and uniforms, right?

Also wonder if an existing athlete were to GET those skills while already enrolled, do they start getting free tutiion, or is this only for new customers. I would imagine that would cause a lot of internal drama if not.

That was my exact question. At the point in the middle of the season when an athlete gets the skill do they stop paying tuition? And is it only for newcomers...if so, I am sure their current athletes would not be happy about that!!


ETA---saw my answer above!! Thanks

 

[SmileCat]

I've seen it as "Oh you've been part of our gym for years and you're talented but can't afford to cheer anymore.. Here, don't pay tuition this season".
I'm in favor of that.

This situation, I just imagine other kids getting too eager to progress to get those skills just to cheer for free or getting discouraged because they just can't seem to get them. I like the idea of rewarding those athletes who have worked hard in tumbling, but as someone who has always struggled in tumbling, I don't see how this could be fair to other athletes.

 

[Cheermom1969]

I feel like this is a marketing ploy that has less than a 20% return. What it will do is get your "name" in the cheer papers, so to speak and make you the talk of the town. It will (and should) be a source of inspiration of those already enrolled in the program to work hard to get to that level. What it will do is draw in other level 5 athletes which again weakens your competition locally as the other gyms they came from have to rebuild.

But as for drawing in new level 1-4...or to be honest to glean them from other programs, I don't feel this is an accurate statement. You get the level 1-4 by being good in those divisions. You get the level 1-4 by giving them an opportunity to fly if they were going to base at their old gym and refused to. You get the level 1-4 by showing them it means as much to be on those levels in your gym as it does to be on the level 5 showcase team.

I feel this also alienates your level 1-4 kids and parents. As a mom whose kid will never be level 5, it definitely rubs me the wrong way.

 

[FlexyTumblerMom]

I've seen it as "Oh you've been part of our gym for years and you're talented but can't afford to cheer anymore.. Here, don't pay tuition this season".
I'm in favor of that.

This situation, I just imagine other kids getting too eager to progress to get those skills just to cheer for free or getting discouraged because they just can't seem to get them. I like the idea of rewarding those athletes who have worked hard in tumbling, but as someone who has always struggled in tumbling, I don't see how this could be fair to other athletes.

So if you're at a program long enough you can claim poverty and not pay anymore? Gosh - I don't know how I feel about that. I am starting to feel like I'm a fool for actually paying my CP's cheer bills.

 

[amy1k]

I feel this also alienates your level 1-4 kids and parents. As a mom whose kid will never be level 5, it definitely rubs me the wrong way.

I think it also enforces the idea that you will be replaced because your gym is actively looking for your replacement. So...why have any loyalty to your gym?

 

[tumbleyoda]

I feel this also alienates your level 1-4 kids and parents. As a mom whose kid will never be level 5, it definitely rubs me the wrong way.

I agree with you.

 

[Cheermom1969]

I've seen it as "Oh you've been part of our gym for years and you're talented but can't afford to cheer anymore.. Here, don't pay tuition this season".
I'm in favor of that.

This situation, I just imagine other kids getting too eager to progress to get those skills just to cheer for free or getting discouraged because they just can't seem to get them. I like the idea of rewarding those athletes who have worked hard in tumbling, but as someone who has always struggled in tumbling, I don't see how this could be fair to other athletes.

And here will come the life ain't fair brigade. Lol

I hear you. My cp struggles with tumbling. She never did gymnastics and started AS when she was 12, a big 12. It doesn't come easy to her. She will most likely never have a standing full.
So I will continue to pay! ;)

 

[Official OWECheer]

I have been in All Star since 2004. I have known of it happening since then. Even back in the fly in days when you did not have athlete registrations and world releases, it was easy to jump ship to a program that would give you cash for skills. More and more gyms are doing it now to be competitive in those division. It is a incentive laden way to strengthen your team while weakening a competitors team at the same time.

Which..by correlation means they are not training those skills (only perfecting them or putting them in a routine format) or teaching them to internal athletes at a rate fast enough to replenish athletes they lose due to age out, injury, quitting, etc.

In a couple of cases only that I am aware of, if the athlete lost the skill, mental block etc they either had to pay full price, move to another team and pay full price or left the program.

This is a reality of our industry and where it is heading. it will only get worse the way things are going. I am glad that it is out in the open now and more people regardless if an athlete, parent, judge, coach etc. know about it. Many of us from back in the day got tired of being called crazy for pointing out what we knew was happening but was always being denied by those offering the scholarships.

So...
1) Gyms are luring kids away from their competitors to field Worlds teams.

2) Uniforms are getting tinier, more ornate, and more expensive than they need to be.

3) There is a lack of EP diversity.

4) Correct execution is not rewarded/valued enough.

I'm worried.

I feel this also alienates your level 1-4 kids and parents. As a mom whose kid will never be level 5, it definitely rubs me the wrong way.

*Chris Brown voice* These gyms ain't loyal.

 

[tumbleyoda]

So...
1) Gyms are luring kids away from their competitors to field Worlds teams.

2) Uniforms are getting tinier, more ornate, and more expensive than they need to be.

3) There is a lack of EP diversity.

4) Correct execution is not rewarded/valued enough.

I'm worried.



*Chris Brown voice* These gyms ain't loyal.

"Once again, you have judged correctly."
Eddie Murphy - Coming to America

 

[Official OWECheer]

"Once again, you have judged correctly."
Eddie Murphy - Coming to America

I wonder how often cheer judges hear that phrase... :p

 

[TheVipersMom]

I heard of a gym offering a set scholarship.

Like 2 kids will be placed on scholarship.

They must tryout and have the overall high score/ and then also if there is multiple people with similar scores they go through an interview process.
I like this idea a lot:

I know our gym can't scholarship every single boy and or every single person that is too poor to pay.

But I think if they would take into account those kids and then let them interview and choose the recipient for who they feel is the most worthy of it I think that would be awesome.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sltAL]

what they really have is a spinning ball of piked over death.

Okay, I'm using this.

(Probably this weekend)

(Probably a lot)