Do You Look Down On Small Gyms?

[cupieqt]

Unintentionally I do.

at least you're honest

 

[j4z0n]

I think its ok to cheer at a small gym since its NOT ALWAYS a guarantee that teams from large gym would win against you--given that your team has a great routine

 

[alexamarysouza]

A lot of people won't be the first to admit it, but many large gym athletes can probably say they do look down on the smaller gyms. Being a big gym athlete and moving to a small gym was...weird to say the least. But now I love it and wouldn't change gyms for anything. Also, OAcheerleader , our gyms are 'sister gyms', I cheer for Carolina Spirit Athletics.

 

[ACEDAD]

at least you're honest

But the people saying they don't are being honest, too.

 

[Ashley]

Nope, I know my kids prefer what is considered a small gym over the larger ones.

What I kinda look down on is a small gym that continuously puts thier kids into competitions they have no business being in. It's not all about winning but 14th place and not a single top three finish for two years just hurts.

I prefer small talented gyms over large saturated gyms anyday.

Oh and if your friends look down on you or make fun of you for where you cheer, they're not really your friends. IMO

It goes both ways, I look down at small gyms that only ever go to rinky dink nationals and brag about all their National Championships. I've cheered for those before. I think you need to have a healthy mix of competitions. If your kids are always winning small nationals, they should be exposed to some bigger talent pools occasionally.

 

[cupieqt]

But the people saying they don't are being honest, too.

Lol I never said they weren't!

 

[SarahS]

It goes both ways, I look down at small gyms that only ever go to rinky dink nationals and brag about all their National Championships. I've cheered for those before. I think you need to have a healthy mix of competitions. If your kids are always winning small nationals, they should be exposed to some bigger talent pools occasionally.

Sometimes gyms choose to go only to local competitions to save their families money. I don't get the animosity towards people being proud of their accomplishments (this isn't directed just to you - it seems to be a very common attitude here). Should they not be proud of winning a competition, no matter how "rinky dink"? Should every win be qualified with "we won, but we only competed against one other team" or "we won, but this competition isn't widely respected in the cheer world" or "we won, but it's not like it is NCA"? (Should these gyms add these comments in asterisks to the banners hanging in their gyms?)

I guess I just don't see the problem with people being proud of their accomplishments. Some families are perfectly happy going to a small gym and having fun and winning locals.

 

[Ashley]

Sometimes gyms choose to go only to local competitions to save their families money. I don't get the animosity towards people being proud of their accomplishments (this isn't directed just to you - it seems to be a very common attitude here). Should they not be proud of winning a competition, no matter how "rinky dink"? Should every win be qualified with "we won, but we only competed against one other team" or "we won, but this competition isn't widely respected in the cheer world" or "we won, but it's not like it is NCA"? (Should these gyms add these comments in asterisks to the banners hanging in their gyms?)

I guess I just don't see the problem with people being proud of their accomplishments. Some families are perfectly happy going to a small gym and having fun and winning locals.

I'm not saying they should travel to NCA or Cheersport, but it doesn't hurt to give your kids some exposure at a larger two-day nationals in your area (and we have a few within a less than 2 hour drive). I'm not even advocating not going to locals - I think locals are great. But if you're winning all of your locals, then doesn't that seem to show you that you're ready for a little bit more competition? You can't complain about losing all of your kids to bigger gyms if you're not willing to give those talented kids any competition - not that all gyms do, but the one I'm thinking of does. You're basically settling and there's no push to get any better if you're easily winning all of your competitions.

And I'm sorry, but winning while not competing against anyone is not a win, it's an exhibition. And I'm not sure why any gym would brag about that. (not that you mentioned that example in your post)

Maybe I'm just bitter because of my old gym - as an open team athlete I don't have the same experiences as everyone else. I was on their open team and we had like 6 competitions a year, all tiny nationals, almost all with no competition. It sucked and was a waste of time and money (and 6 comps is a lot for an open team in my experience). I'm now at a bigger gym where we only go to a few two-day nationals and I pay the same amount but for fewer and better competitions.

 

[SarahS]

I'm not saying they should travel to NCA or Cheersport, but it doesn't hurt to give your kids some exposure at a larger two-day nationals in your area (and we have a few within a less than 2 hour drive). I'm not even advocating not going to locals - I think locals are great. But if you're winning all of your locals, then doesn't that seem to show you that you're ready for a little bit more competition? You can't complain about losing all of your kids to bigger gyms if you're not willing to give those talented kids any competition - not that all gyms do, but the one I'm thinking of does. You're basically settling and there's no push to get any better if you're easily winning all of your competitions.

And I'm sorry, but winning while not competing against anyone is not a win, it's an exhibition. And I'm not sure why any gym would brag about that. (not that you mentioned that example in your post)

Maybe I'm just bitter because of my old gym - as an open team athlete I don't have the same experiences as everyone else. I was on their open team and we had like 6 competitions a year, all tiny nationals, almost all with no competition. It sucked and was a waste of time and money (and 6 comps is a lot for an open team in my experience). I'm now at a bigger gym where we only go to a few two-day nationals and I pay the same amount but for fewer and better competitions.

I understand your perspective, I just think that sometimes it is good to remember that not everyone's goals are the same: sometimes people are happy winning locals, and I don't think participation in this sport, no matter the ultimate goals, should be frowned upon.

 

[Ashley]

I understand your perspective, I just think that sometimes it is good to remember that not everyone's goals are the same: sometimes people are happy winning locals, and I don't think participation in this sport, no matter the ultimate goals, should be frowned upon.

That's a fair point, and there will always be gyms that they can join to do just that. And they'll be plenty happy and I'm glad that they've found their place in this sport. But I don't think I have to respect a gym that is willing to settle for never going out of their comfort zone.

 

[cupieqt]

I don't always agree with what other gyms do. Unless they're breaking rules or compromising safety, I am respectful of them and their choices. Thankfully, we can all choose which gyms and coaches we train with or work for. Since that is the case, I try not to look down on anyone else.

 

[tumbleyoda]

Personally I love small gyms. This does not mean I automatically hate big gyms, which seems to be the opinion of many that if you love one you must hate the other. I would rather be where I can help build a program to fulfil it's vision instead of ride on the coattails of what has already been achieved by others. I applaud them for what they have done, but that just is not a fit for me. That is a personal preference of mine. What grinds my gears is whenever people claim that those who work for, own or cheer at small gyms don't have the ability to do the same at large gyms.

 

[Kirk]

Thank you everyone for your opinions. I understand many of your points. Just to put it out there, my gym does compete at some bigger 2-day national evens and occasionally travels out of state. They have been around for a while now, and the owners are from areas that already have "big" cheer gyms that have more than one location. I do love the family feeling I get at my gym and the small number of girls. It's like everyone knows everyone. I wouldn't say the two girls I mentioned are really close friends, but some friends I cheer with at my high school.

Personally, I think that the girls look down on my gym (or me) because their gym (and one of the girls) is very very well known in the cheer world and has attended and highly placed at Worlds.

 

[tumbleyoda]

Thank you everyone for your opinions. I understand many of your points. Just to put it out there, my gym does compete at some bigger 2-day national evens and occasionally travels out of state. They have been around for a while now, and the owners are from areas that already have "big" cheer gyms that have more than one location. I do love the family feeling I get at my gym and the small number of girls. It's like everyone knows everyone. I wouldn't say the two girls I mentioned are really close friends, but some friends I cheer with at my high school.

Personally, I think that the girls look down on my gym (or me) because their gym (and one of the girls) is very very well known in the cheer world and has attended and highly placed at Worlds.

Your gym does do very well. I would not put too much energy in those that don't "get it" why you cheer where you do.

 

[ACEDAD]

Lol I never said they weren't!

I know, but the start of the thread implied that "large gym people" either said they looked down on small gyms or they were lying.