All-Star Motivational Speech By Tate Of Nfinity

[tumbleyoda]

I want to re - listen to this tonight but IMO you will never get all the gyms to participate for too many varied reasons - some legitimate and some not. I definitely will be interested to see how the event turns out - not by just who shows up, but by who does not.

 

[Coach Troy]

how will another competition change our current state??
I would certainly attend an Infinity event because I am sure it will be run properly.

But what is he thinking we are afraid of....? IMO I think he is referring to the monopoly we currently have. We have a non-elected, non-representative governing body that has now begun to assert its power. Now the EP's no longer have to look to us the consumer for our wants and needs, they can just implement what is in their own best interest through their power on the executive board and we all, like sheep, must follow in lock step.

We need safety rules, athlete registration, etc. but what we do not need is the governing body interfering in the commerce between gym owners and customers as well as gym owners and EP's. I think what we I am "afraid" of is that we have gone down this road to far and its too late to turn back, why, because their is no alternative events to attend and no way to recapture the control, vision, and direction of my gym because it is being dictated now by someone else .

 

[kristenthegreat]

I think the main point he was trying to drive home is that so much of what we are doing is driven by fear (I say 'we' like I have something to do with it lol): fear of losing kids, fear of not going to Worlds and therefore losing kids, fear of ruffling feathers, fear of recruitment, fear of the 'unknown' (including what those pesky big gyms or other gyms are up to). And that the thing that has stunted our industry is the removal of innovation. He's not against safety standards or progression, he's against this lock of fear we've chained ourselves in with..Yet 'we' as coaches (because I have coached something, although not cheer), tell our kids all the time to not be afraid, secretly chuckle as they do whatever pre-tumbling/stunting ritual they need to do it and hit the skill, etc.

'We' need to decide that WE control the industry- not the EPs, not some Image Committee, not some arbitrary safety rules that got thrown in without proper process, etc. Stop looking at other gym owners as our enemies, put aside our differences and decide that we need to come together to do something (here is where @kingston's Prisoner's Dilemma comes in!) to regain control of our section of the industry. That we need to talk with our wallets TOGETHER until they start listening.

 

[njallday]

i think kristenthegreat hit the nail on the head with that

 

[L5cheermom]

And as far as the "profit sharing" went I envisioned competitions where all net profits were returned to the gyms that competed at that competition - prorated based on number of athletes registered.

 

[xtremeteal4life]

If I lived near there and not in Idaho I would support this event. Everything that Nfinity and ASGA is trying to do is very much needed. My favorite part was how he couldn't even keep a straight face when he was talking the regulating of bow size.

:chestbump:

 

[CGAcheer]

I was at the ASGA meeting and there were quite a few interesting ideas out there.

While boycotting Worlds was not specifically mentioned, the idea of being willing to forgo worlds was put out there, as that is where the majority of their sway comes from.

I think the fear he was referencing was not a fear of other gyms stealing kids but the fear of stepping out there and challenging the status quo. The Fear of the Unknown, the fear of stepping away from the USASF, and the fear the perceived possibilities of repercussions from varsity, usasf, worlds, etc.

There was also the fear of where the future of the industry may be heading. Every new thing that comes out in cheer is followed shortly by the Varsity version of it along with blacklisting participants within the competing entity-
NCATA popped up a a year or so before STUNT but while STUNT was in the works NCATA teams were no longer allowed at NCA college Nationals and Jeff Webb went to court saying that Cheer was not a sport. His Testimony derailed the progress of the NCATA and opened the door for the varsity backed STUNT.
IFC(international federation of cheer) has been around since 1998 and years later Varsity has the ICU and puts it out there that anyone involved in the IFC world championship will not be allowed at USASF worlds.

According to a Canadian Gym owner in attendance- you can only compete in Varsity shoes which you can only get through the Canadian varsity rep for I think $118. Is that a path we really want to continue on?

Do we want to be in a cheer world where the USASF can say that you are only allowed to compete at USASF Events and you can only do that if you pay a fee? without representation that fee could grow at any time and we're stuck with it.

We also have very little representation within the USASF- most of the board members are from EP's and a good chunk of those are from Varsity

The ASAGA is wanting to be the voice of the gym owners (large, small or Medium)

 

[King]

While I admire the idea of coming up with a new organization to give a voice, I think it misses the mark of where the control comes from. As long as the varsity family plan is the most economical choice for everything, any good business owner will stick with that. Nothing will change as long as that exists because now that you can, as a gym owner, get every single cheer resource through it and get a discount that way (with products that are good enough to meet a businesses needs) why would anyone pay a redo lupus amount more to go somewhere else? One extra competition a year isn't a big deal, but if a different competition schedule cost the gym a 10,000 discount why would they go anywhere else? I'm all for the land of milk and honey but one competition isn't going to change anything. It's focussing on the wrong thing.

 

[Ashay]

I was there when he gave the speech. I know for a fact he was NOT telling people to not attend worlds he was simple stating he was having an event where the owners will receive a kick back. And actually there was talk about expanding the competition the north against the south. Not just NC/SC. Genius!

 

[King]

I was there when he gave the speech. I know for a fact he was NOT telling people to not attend worlds he was simple stating he was having an event where the owners will receive a kick back. And actually there was talk about expanding the competition the north against the south. Not just NC/SC. Genius!

That is the part im confused on. Is this just an advertisement for Nfinity competitions? And will things be different at them? If is different will people have to change all their current routines and bows and ideas for this one competition and change them back for the rest of the season?

 

[Ashay]

That is the part im confused on. Is this just an advertisement for Nfinity competitions? And will things be different at them? If is different will people have to change all their current routines and bows and ideas for this one competition and change them back for the rest of the season?

From what I got out of it I dont think anything would be different (rules wise), I think its just a competition thats geared more towards "getting back" gyms would get a certain percentage of money back. I can't answer all your questions cause I still have some myself. but what I do know is that Tate is all for us and wants us to take charge of our sport.

 

[King]

From what I got out of it I dont think anything would be different (rules wise), I think its just a competition thats geared more towards "getting back" gyms would get a certain percentage of money back. I can't answer all your questions cause I still have some myself. but what I do know is that Tate is all for us and wants us to take charge of our sport.

I'm not questioning anyone's motivation, I just overall don't get it. If this competition gives back money and the Varsity family plan gives back money what's the difference? Just moral choice of who to spend a dollar with?

 

[CoachTamara]

I'm not questioning anyone's motivation, I just overall don't get it. If this competition gives back money and the Varsity family plan gives back money what's the difference? Just moral choice of who to spend a dollar with?

That's exactly what I was thinking and said above... It's another kick-back, based on your gym size. What's the difference?
If NFinity wants to really change things up, it won't be done with one competition. They will need to be teaming up with small IEPs and creating a new "network" of competitions like Varsity and Jamfest. It's possible to go to only varsity comps, or only Jamfest comps, and then the rebate adds up. Unless Nfinity can provide a way that I can attend ONLY Nfinity competitions to create an equal rebate, I don't see it working. I really, really want them to do this right but it's going to be a huge investment right out of the gate.

 

[King]

That's exactly what I was thinking and said above... It's another kick-back, based on your gym size. What's the difference?
If NFinity wants to really change things up, it won't be done with one competition. They will need to be teaming up with small IEPs and creating a new "network" of competitions like Varsity and Jamfest. It's possible to go to only varsity comps, or only Jamfest comps, and then the rebate adds up. Unless Nfinity can provide a way that I can attend ONLY Nfinity competitions to create an equal rebate, I don't see it working. I really, really want them to do this right but it's going to be a huge investment right out of the gate.

The other part is 'What is the end goal?'. I see a motivational speech, some people fired up, but no one really seems to know what they are fired up about. Shoot first and aim later? Can the end result not be stated? Where does everyone want to go? Can people join if they don't know what they are joining?

I understand that people are upset and disgruntled but unless something new is offered that is as good or better and fixes what people are upset with I dont know what will change.

 

[Ashay]

I'm not questioning anyone's motivation, I just overall don't get it. If this competition gives back money and the Varsity family plan gives back money what's the difference? Just moral choice of who to spend a dollar with?

I looked at it as a competition for coaches and owners. With REAL judges people who understand what they are looking at, not all the worry about how big your bow is, if your wearing a t-shirt over your uniform etc........

On a side note, we really do need to gain the control back to our sport, think about the "Mandatory" athlete ID. Are you kidding me we never voted on that it was just told to us that we had to have it. What purpose does it serve? Untill there is some sort of punishment for not having them then I dont see whats so mandatory about it. Also I was under the impression that there could only be 13 board members right now there are 14. How can we follow the rules if the USASF can't even follow their own?