Replacing Girls After Summit Bid Earned??

[Flowerfamily]

hi all! I am a new cheer parent to the all star world and have had a great time this last year with my kids' teams. Both our kids teams worked hard and earned a bid to summit! YAY... My question is, now that they earned a bid the coaches are saying they will now replace some of the girls that were on the team all year with higher level girls that aren't going to summit because their team didn't get a bid. I really don't see this as right but then again being new to cheer I am not sure if this a policy at every gym across the country. Kicking a girl off that worked hard all season and WON the bid with their team should get to go..Any feedback would be GREAT! Thank you!!

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Sounds like you're cheering for a place called Shady Athletics!

.....in all seriousness, it is perfectly within the rules, but whether it is ethical is up for debate.

 

[Flowerfamily]

Ok yes thank you. I knew they were telling us what they are doing is not technically breaking a rule BUT how do you let a girl compete on a team all season and work to win the bid then after getting the bid decide that certain girls aren't "good enough"?? To me it's ethically not right. I mean I get that you want to win at summit but let the win be genuine with the team that worked as a team to get the bid. Either that or make it known at the beginning of the season to girls and parents that you have to "re audition" for your spot if your team gets a bid to summit....

Any advice on how to approach the coaches at my gym about this?

 

[FlexyTumblerMom]

That's an awful thing to do - so awful that I can't really believe that a gym would have the nerve to do that to a teenager/child. If my daughter was one of the ones replaced in a situation like that, I definitely would not be returning the following season, nor would I be paying any remaining tuition or fees due as my child would be done at that gym at that moment. Do gyms actually replace team members who are willing and able to go to the comp w/ others from different teams
from their gym? I guess I just always assumed those searches for last minute summit scabs were to replace people who quit or just didn't want to spend the money to go to FL?

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

As a parent, you vote with your money.

 

[amy1k]

I wonder if they are actually removing kids from the team, or if kids are unable to go. Our gym has a large Summit team that has six athletes who can't, for whatever reason, make the trip. Those spots are being filled by other athletes at the gym. Maybe (hopefully) there's a miscommunication?

 

[Flowerfamily]

I wonder if they are actually removing kids from the team, or if kids are unable to go. Our gym has a large Summit team that has six athletes who can't, for whatever reason, make the trip. Those spots are being filled by other athletes at the gym. Maybe (hopefully) there's a miscommunication?

I wish it was what you are thinking but not. Every girl has the financial ability and able to go, the coaches and gym director decided they wanted the "best". All girls just told they were being replaced for someone better from the higher level team that didn't get a bid. In my opinion the rules should be only
Replacements can happen if 1) a girl can't go 2)'girl is injured or 3)girl quits. Voluntary replacement by a gym for a willing and able teammate should be made a rule that that action is prohibited.

 

[amy1k]

In that case, yes, you vote with your money. That's too bad for the kids who are being replaced, but who'd want to compete like that anyway?

 

[Flowerfamily]

In that case, yes, you vote with your money. That's too bad for the kids who are being replaced, but who'd want to compete like that anyway?

Completely agree. And as a first year cheer parent I was interested to know if this is standard for most gyms to operate this way or possibly just our gym?? I guess next season I need to ask more questions like this to determine where I spend my money for my kids cheer I don't want my kids to learn bad ethics for sure or compete on a team that's really not the team at the level they competed with all season just to win at summit.

 

[amy1k]

I think it's not typical, but I'm in a cheer desert. Three years with teams going to the Summit, and I've never heard of such a thing happening at our gym. I HAVE heard of athletes being moved during the season, though.

Eta: I hope you have other options in your area!

 

[MomMomMamaMom]

For some well known gyms it is typical, for others it's unheard of. Some gyms also earn the bids with athletes who are not eligible to compete at the Summit. I would say it's a philosophical thing, a gyms philosophy on winning, on who they reward at their gym, on what they view to be competitive all play a factor. There are so many philosophical differences between gyms that it is hard to say what any program will do. I don't personally condone this type of behavior, but kind of understand why it's done.

 

[SL&AM]

As a parent, you vote with your money.

This. Regardless of whether or not your child is effected, you chose whether or not to go back next season. I can understand replacing athletes for cross over reasons, financial reasons, or injuries---but to flat out exchange girl's because other teams didn't get a bid? Nope, my child and my money would be gone.

 

[dawgshow]

Is it typical? No. Is it more common that you'd think? Yes. This action gives you great insight into the gym's philosophies, regardless of what they tell you. Now you have to decide if you can live with it or not.

 

[Cheryl]

The fact that the parents of the upper level kids now going to the Summit are OK with replacing the original team members is just sad.

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[Cheerhastakenovermylife]

This makes me sad. I could see a coach using it as a scare tactic to motivate their athletes who aren't pushing themselves in practice but to tell someone they will lose their spot to an athlete because they didn't earn their own bid is b.s. I would be looking for a new gym.

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