blingiton you are really trying to make this into a conspiracy. the twisters program has been nothing but accommodating to the the athletes that have come with the merger and somehow it is still not good enough.
in regards to the evaluation fee, EVERY athlete (returning or new) is required to pay it at the time of the try out regardless if they decide to cheer or not. while it may seem like a nonsensical fee to you, please consider the overhead costs that twisters incurred by hosting an open house for 4 hours on a day that the gym was not originally open... staff who worked the event have to be paid, the paper work has to be filed, athlete accounts need to be set up, and the costs need to be balanced just for this event.
for team placements, the coaches are trying their hardest to keep all of the marlins athletes together but it cannot be done at the expense of the veteran twisters who have been a part of the program prior to the merge. it is no secret that the talent pool at twisters exceeds nearly any place within 3 hours of the gym (you could argue that, but athletes don't travel across state lines for mediocrity), therefore what may qualify for a worlds team at one gym may not be the same at twisters. the program prides itself on having level appropriate teams for all levels/ages and that is a standard that will not be lowered. our athletes know that every spot must be earned, which is why we have athletes in the gym 7 days a week trying to improve their chances for making a desired team.
as always, if you people are unhappy with twisters they can seek refuge at one of the numerous programs in maryland.
i hate to sound blunt, but at the end of the day 60 kids will not change the direction of a 500+ athlete program.
