I found this topic on the Pro X board and thought it was really interesting. Made me think about what was really important. What do you think?
After reading threads on numerous cheer forums about Sportsmanship and seeing the overwhelming pressure to win and seeing gyms travel their Level 5 teams until they have a Worlds bid---I wonder how other parents/coaches/gym owners/cheerleaders define WINNING??
Can a team WIN and not receive a First Place trophy? Can parents and their cheerleaders be happy without going to Worlds? Will gyms that don't or can't send teams to Worlds be able to stay in business?
The face of All-Star cheerleading has changed dramatically in the past decade. I remember when being in the Top 5 or even Top 10 at Nationals was TERRIFIC. I remember seeing little girls cry with JOY after receiving a 3rd or 5th place trophy. Now, more often than not, the 3rd and 5th place teams are crying tears of defeat---even if they have done the very best that they could have possibly done. Honestly, this breaks my heart.
My daughter has had the great fortune of being on numerous National Championship teams. And she has been to Worlds 3 of the last 4 years---and had a bid the other year, but the team did not go. Only ONE of those National Champion wins meant as much as some of the hard-won 3rds or 5ths. And none of the Worlds trips meant as much as some of the National placements.
Is the pressure to win making very young children believe that they are 'losers' if they don't win?? Everyone WANTS to win and it's wonderful when the team does win---but in a division with 30 teams, 29 are not going to go home with the 1st place trophy. Is the experience of competition ever as valuable as that 1st place trophy?
After 2 years with only 1 second place finish to one of our own teams with our previous gym, She has really begun to appreciate the true meaning of winning. She competed at Jamz and said the entire time she was out there she had butterflies in her stomach. Her team had some mistakes and we talked when she came off the floor. I did not know if she would be upset or crying. She came up to me and I waited for her to talk all she said was Mommy I threw both of my passes arent you proud of me? I started crying because then she said I know its going to be close but I threw my passes Thats all she cared about. Of course winning is great. But this year being part of such a great team and family no matter how the season goes. She is already a winner because she went out there and did her best.
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Cheer Odyssey Remember The Name......You Can't Stop XX The Purple Reign!!!
winning is your child enjoying every aspect of the program they are in.... oh yes we all want our gym name called during awards, but what fels great is when your kid is just excited and happy to be with her team/friends and doing their best coming home from practice excited that they got a new skill or hit something that has been hard to hit loving the heck out of their coaches they look up to cant wait to put in that uniform and wear ot proud no matter what we have many of times lost as well as placed but my daughter has never once felt like a failure becuse she loved her gyma nd she loved that her squad worked together and accomplished what goals they set out to achieve regardless of placement
that gym is now closed but she carries the memories of a lifetime they taught her deidication the love for her sport and team respect and built them with so much confidence it never mattered what number they got
she is no longer in competitive cheer but at school cheer now and she brought those life lessons with her there
winning is the smile on your baby's face after they compete
