just_kay_today
Cheer Parent
- Dec 14, 2009
- 1,230
- 2,527
Edited Videos for Space.
Your gym did amazing and will again.
The problem is the same ones saying there are too many teams at Worlds are the same ones saying that you and your program did not deserve that first opportunity to get the experience. They are the same ones begging for an event like CL or the Majors but only if it includes their favorite non top 10 team too. Like you I believe the experience of going to Worlds does a program some good. If your gym/my gym/any gym is better for the experience then I am so sorry to all those that complained that you had to sit through those routines while waiting to see your favorites.
The problem is I do not believe that small gyms approached USASF/Varsity and asked for this. If so who are they? Because we tend to make the small gym the excuse/scapegoat reason for everything we don't like from changing the tumbling rules to the reason to go to larger gyms, to uniforms, to now this. If anything they approached some small gyms and asked them why they would not accept bids to Worlds. Or the looked at the bid comps and looked at the programs that declared they were not seeking a bid, no matter the reason.
The problem is IMHO that USASF/Varsity is losing out on smaller gyms chasing the dream of Worlds. Think of it more like MLM marketing. After awhile the people on the bottom get tired of feeding into something they know that there is nothing there for them. And I am not just talking about winning a medal or trophy. Because as I have said before there is a major difference in competing and being competitive.
They are trying to figure a way to restructure to get that push/drive back into going for Worlds again for the small and not as famous type gyms. The more that chase the dream of going to Words the more $$$ is made. So they need to draw back into the mix the gyms that can't afford to scholarship the entire Level 5 team. The gyms that can't send out a twitter announcement seeking people and get boatloads of replies from athletes across the country whose dream is to cheer at _________ gym. It is about money people, not the sport of cheer. Every sporting analogy, every David vs Goliath type challenge is great and laudable except that is NOT WHAT IS DRIVING this potential decision. It is money. If they do nothing, with the way gyms are merging, closing, looking for other competitive options, after awhile Worlds won't exist because there won't be money to pay for it or make it profitable enough to be held.
Certainly profit drives this decision, and as a corporation of one, whose most important product is about to graduate from this sport let me say this; I could give two flying figs about Worlds as a financial entity. Like a hydra, if its head gets lobbed off because of greed, so be it. Something else will take its place.
My dollars will go to someone. I want to believe that folks will be smart enough to go with the Worlds type experience that gives them the best bang for their buck, and give their child a rewarding experience.
In my other life, before I was a cheer mom, I worked for a large fortune 100 company in NY. They sent us to leadership school, and the lesson that resonated with me the most was the concept of never forgetting your end user. Never forget who your true customer is. Worlds? Are you listening?? Psst... Here's a clue: It's NOT the gym owner.