All-Star "proud To Be A Cheerlebrity Free Gym" <-- Really????

[SharkDad]

I have known quite a few cheerlebrities, not just from the gym my CP was at. I have never known them to out of their way to promote themselves. . .social media did. In large part 2by2 has enabled a number of these kids to become popular and it has nothing to do with promotion. Their parents just wanted a cool video of them.

Once they become popular videographers like the one who did a video of Erica before she went to Sweden (I think?) or the agency that signed Maddi and Cami were using their popularity to promote them for their own profit. THAT is who is commercializing all this so don't blame the kids.

 

[stuntjumptumble]

The thing that bothers me is that most of the "cheerlebrities" didn't ask to be one

 

[newcheerdad]

That desperation for fame, however, that others are trying to cultivate. That's not the same thing..it comes from a terribly painful place of wanting attention and to be liked.

It's the difference between fame and admiration.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[callmecoach]

Once they become popular videographers like the one who did a video of Erica before she went to Sweden (I think?) or the agency that signed Maddi and Cami were using their popularity to promote them for their own profit. THAT is who is commercializing all this so don't blame the kids.

Amen to that.

 

[TheTalkedAboutMinor]

...That's kinda hard to police.

I mean, on one hand I think I can see where they were TRYING to go- yes, this is a team sport. Yes, each member is important and has a place- without a base, a flyer wouldn't be up in the air, but without a flyer a base would be just standing around. I get that they don't want to CREATE that environment. They don't want somebody to come around and decide 'I'm going to be a celebrity cheerleader that everybody knows.' Therefore putting them in the position of 'picking favorites' and dealing with 'Wannabe-Superstar-Suzy' and her Mom.

That being said, it completely misses the point of WHY those girls/guys got famous in the first place- their tumbling, their flying, their grace/skill/poise, and I also agree that looks/personality make up the 'package' as well. Your eyes are drawn to them..and WE choose them. They don't choose themselves. If they try, it's usually met with a lot of derision. We decided that a little blonde girl with a cute blonde bob and a teal headband was GORGEOUS in the air and horrendously charismatic. We noticed an amazing tumbling boy from Texas was awesome and we wanted to go to his Hill. We decided a kid with a shock of blonde hair was amazing in the dance section. We thought a sassy Redhead from Cali was worth watching. We discovered a terrific power girl from Georgia had flips for days and we loved watching her grow from a Tealy youth to an Orange baby to..wherever they've gone. That desperation for fame, however, that others are trying to cultivate. That's not the same thing..it comes from a terribly painful place of wanting attention and to be liked.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[elisekc9]

I freaked out watching Shooting Stars this past February at Athletic Championships in Providence and I was 20... I'd rather have a group of ladies like WCSS represent the sport than a bunch of burnouts.

Exactly! So kids look up to and want to be a part of a the WC Shooting Stars , a group of girls who are fit, work SUPER hard, are talented and put the needs of their fellow team members above themselves to achieve their goals . . . . and this is a bad thing? :rolleyes: I'm confused here. I feel like there are far worse options for young girls' role models than level 5 athletes.

 

[CheerDadof2]

I hope that someone from that gym becomes a cheerlebrity.

Funny because a CP's mom at this gym is on Big Rich Atlanta so I'm sure it's just a matter of time before they become a "cheerlebrity"

 

[BuegeSmalls]

...That's kinda hard to police.
I mean, on one hand I think I can see where they were TRYING to go- yes, this is a team sport. Yes, each member is important and has a place- without a base, a flyer wouldn't be up in the air, but without a flyer a base would be just standing around. I get that they don't want to CREATE that environment. They don't want somebody to come around and decide 'I'm going to be a celebrity cheerleader that everybody knows.' Therefore putting them in the position of 'picking favorites' and dealing with 'Wannabe-Superstar-Suzy' and her Mom.

That being said, it completely misses the point of WHY those girls/guys got famous in the first place- their tumbling, their flying, their grace/skill/poise, and I also agree that looks/personality make up the 'package' as well. Your eyes are drawn to them..and WE choose them. They don't choose themselves. If they try, it's usually met with a lot of derision. We decided that a little blonde girl with a cute blonde bob and a teal headband was GORGEOUS in the air and horrendously charismatic. We noticed an amazing tumbling boy from Texas was awesome and we wanted to go to his Hill. We decided a kid with a shock of blonde hair was amazing in the dance section. We thought a sassy Redhead from Cali was worth watching. We discovered a terrific power girl from Georgia had flips for days and we loved watching her grow from a Tealy youth to an Orange baby to..wherever they've gone. That desperation for fame, however, that others are trying to cultivate. That's not the same thing..it comes from a terribly painful place of wanting attention and to be liked.

This is just so true.

 

[specialtpass]

I'm seeing gyms posting this all over my Facebook today. Gym owners seem to be making a statement about taking back control of their gyms and businesses. I can understand that completely. They are saying we as a gym are team focused and all individual endeavors need to be run past us first. There are contracts being signed and monies being exchanged and that's not to be taken lightly. Cheerlebrities are attached to a gym name and wearing the uniform so these gym owners want more control. I do find it interesting though that WC and TG are both on the list and both have or have had big name Cheerlebrities in those gyms.

 

[Whit_Marieee]

This is me throwing in my cat now...

 

[CheerDadof2]

Ok - so I was going to post this in the Cheer - Dangers Of Cheerlebrity | Fierce Board - We Talk Cheerleading thread but I think it's only fair to let that conversation continue as this is a different aspect of the topic.

So I first saw the new "Cheerlebrity Free Zone Agreement" topic last night and thought nothing of it. Then this morning I see that the same gym owner that I was discussing in my original post is the one who apparently started it all and is promoting it.

Now I have no problem with the whole pledge, I think it's a great thing for those gyms who would like to participate and promote it. I do have a problem when a well know individual in the industry uses his "clout" to create something in an attempt to demonize children that happen to be more well known.

If I hadn't seen his posts months ago basically calling out cheerlebrities in the state, then I might believe this whole thing is coming from a good place of wanting to keep the sport "pure" so to speak. But this to me just seems like someone using his influence to bash on kids and gyms who choose to work with them. The fact that the only way to get added to the list is to contact him directly, well that just seems wrong.

Let me go into his FB post a little because he says something on there that isn't true. Specifically he asks people to name someone in middle or high school that plays a team sport and has celebrity sports status. While there may be none currently there certainly have been some in the past. Freddie Adu, Bobby Convey, and Santino Quaranta made their Major League Soccer debuts at the ages of 14, 16 and 16 respectively. Soccer is definitely a team sport and has had young stars in it for years.

Kobe Bryant went from High School directly to the NBA, I'm sure the notoriety surrounding him prior to entering the draft had to be great if he went as the 13th overall pick in the draft.

I also find it extremely hypocritical considering this gym owner has recently started his own talent agency, has a member of the Big Rich Atlanta cast in the gym and recently used his status as the choreographer for a show on the WB to cast his current and past cheerleaders in upcoming shows.

Please don't take my knowing this information as me being an insider on this whole thing, it's all right there on his publicly open FB page for anyone to look at.

I also think it's a bit hypocritical that one of the teams that has already agreed to the pledge has a few people everyone considers to be celebrities and is currently filming a reality show for web that they hope will make it to TV.

Again, I have no problem with the pledge. I do have a problem with people not practicing what they preach and using their influence as a way to drive a personal vendetta in the industry. I'm sorry but how am I and other parents, gym owners and industry leaders suppose to take your new pledge seriously with his behavior since May?

One last thing. If we are truly a sport it's natural for fans to pick out certain members of teams as superstars. People weren't just Celtics, Bulls, Kings, Lakers or Hornets fans. They liked Jordan, Bird, Gretzky, Dr. J, Magic Johnson, Spud Web, all these people that made their sports great and helped make people fans of their teams. Perhaps the cheerlebrity craze has gone the way major league sports in that some people have become famous simply for being famous and not for their athletic ability.

Let's not damn the athletes that are chosen by the fans for those that go on social media and ask for the notoriety.

 

[Mamarazzi]

I don't have the least bit of problem with Little and Mini's coaches posting that they won't allow cheerlebs in the gym. Ours isn't one that would allow a camera within a mile of the place. Not because we couldn't, but because there is no single member of any team at our gym that "deserves" to be admired, obsessed about or role-modeled any more than any other. Every member of a team has strengths and weaknesses, and regardless how hard they train, how good they are at one part of cheerleading, they're not equally good at all parts, and without their team, they are a normal athlete. Humility is the only possible way for an exceptional athlete to continue to "play well with others."

 

[CheerDadof2]

I'm seeing gyms posting this all over my Facebook today. Gym owners seem to be making a statement about taking back control of their gyms and businesses. I can understand that completely. They are saying we as a gym are team focused and all individual endeavors need to be run past us first. There are contracts being signed and monies being exchanged and that's not to be taken lightly. Cheerlebrities are attached to a gym name and wearing the uniform so these gym owners want more control. I do find it interesting though that WC and TG are both on the list and both have or have had big name Cheerlebrities in those gyms.

I completely agree that you need to include the gym owners and coaches in the discussions if you're going to be endorsing a product or being put on a magazine cover. I really hope that that is the true driving force to this but I can't help but think it's not.

 

[CharlotteASMom]

CheerDadof2

So you are more upset with the gyms that have signed the pledge than with the pledge itself?

 

[lovecheering]

CheerDadof2

So you are more upset with the gyms that have signed the pledge than with the pledge itself?

He seems to be more bothered by the person that started it.