Has YouTube hurt All Star Cheerleading

Nelson · Senior Member

Has YouTube hurt All Star Cheerleading

Date: Wed Dec 12 8:58 AM, 2007

I am a parent so please don't be mad at me!!!

Here is my opinion:

YouTube has turned the world of cheer into "Bring it on Again" the movie, when I go to competitions about mid way through the season everyone has the same routinue, it drives me crazy. We copy and take things from teams we see, but people where do you think it all started from, SOMEONE HAD TO MAKE THEM UP RIGHT?

In my opinion coaches and gym owners need to be more creative go against the grains, I know there are trends that need to be followed like with any other sport, but why not be the trendsetter?

Tamara · cheergyms.com Master Poster

Anonymous wrote:
I am a parent so please don't be mad at me!!!

Here is my opinion:

YouTube has turned the world of cheer into "Bring it on Again" the movie, when I go to competitions about mid way through the season everyone has the same routinue, it drives me crazy. We copy and take things from teams we see, but people where do you think it all started from, SOMEONE HAD TO MAKE THEM UP RIGHT?

In my opinion coaches and gym owners need to be more creative go against the grains, I know there are trends that need to be followed like with any other sport, but why not be the trendsetter?

I don't think that youtube has hurt cheerleading, in fact I think quite the opposite. Prior to two years ago (yeah, I was a little behind the youtube craze), I had only heard about amazing teams like Top Gun, but because I had never seen them I didn't know what exactly was so great about them. Now I get to see a small example of what I'm missing, and this small bit makes me want to travel across the country to Worlds just so I can see those teams live. And seeing youtube videos only keeps my nuttiness for this activity alive since my daughter no longer cheers.

I too am just a parent, so I only know what I read. Based on that, I don't agree with the idea that youtube is causing routines to be similar (if that's not what you were saying - my apologies). I've heard the complaints being caused by trying to standardize scoresheets, like one competition's scoresheet you have to do your basket tosses at the same time to earn the highest points.

edited to try to figure out why the font is all wonky.

-- Edited by Tamara at 09:28, 2007-12-12

Pixie · Senior Member

My opinion as a parent (for what it is worth):

Teams compete in a public arena. I completely understand if you don't want anything "leaked" before competition, but once you are out there anyone can see it. Anyone can go to the videographers site and purchase the DVD. I can video you myself at many comps. Why get your panties in a bunch over youtube?
I think it is distasteful to post negative comments though. We have to remember that every team has "off" performances, and just because this one didn't have the wow factor doesn't mean that they won't beat you next time.

I also see coaches tweak the routines after comps. Not necessarily based on how Pixie's Twinkle Toes did, but on their own team's strengths and weaknesses and their score card. But it would be smart to know the teams you compete against and do what you feel will help beat them.

I personally love the youtubes. I send the links to my daughter's teachers (see, this is why she missed school) and to family members that can't go to the comps. She shows them to friends that have a hard time understanding what it is that she actually does, and why she can't always go hang at the mall.

LONG LIVE YOUTUBE

Date: Wed Dec 12 9:42 AM, 2007

Yes I love YOUTUBE for all those reasons too!!

So now my question is do you think the judges use YouTube as a means of setting up their score sheets? Do you think they watch teams like Top Gun and other teams on YouTube and think whatever they are doing is what we should be able to do, could their possibly be a C-O-N
spiricy??????????????

Date: Wed Dec 12 10:50 AM, 2007

Nelson wrote:
To me, it's becoming like any other sport - every team has video of every other team. You break down this video and "scout" the team - to determine their strengths and weaknesses and to figure out how they are going to beat them.

As a coach, I agree with this statement 100% I love to see the routines of teams we will be competing against so I can readily prepare my team NOT because I want to "steal" their routines. I care about how my teams routine can prepare to beat that team whenever we meet. Just like football teams "scout" their competitors to see their strengths and weaknesses.

When I do attend another competition, I tape their routines and only use them for my own eyes. I never post them on youtube unless I have the OK from the gym owners or coaches.

Theres my 2 cents

Tamara · cheergyms.com Master Poster

Nelson, you started this, but you didn't include your view. And since your don't do "Nelson's Thoughts" :( anymore, I think you should add yours.

Date: Wed Dec 12 11:22 AM, 2007

Pixie wrote:

My opinion as a parent (for what it is worth):

Teams compete in a public arena. I completely understand if you don't want anything "leaked" before competition, but once you are out there anyone can see it. Anyone can go to the videographers site and purchase the DVD. I can video you myself at many comps. Why get your panties in a bunch over youtube?
I think it is distasteful to post negative comments though. We have to remember that every team has "off" performances, and just because this one didn't have the wow factor doesn't mean that they won't beat you next time.

I also see coaches tweak the routines after comps. Not necessarily based on how Pixie's Twinkle Toes did, but on their own team's strengths and weaknesses and their score card. But it would be smart to know the teams you compete against and do what you feel will help beat them.

I personally love the youtubes. I send the links to my daughter's teachers (see, this is why she missed school) and to family members that can't go to the comps. She shows them to friends that have a hard time understanding what it is that she actually does, and why she can't always go hang at the mall.

LONG LIVE YOUTUBE

All I have to say to this is "DITTO"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OC Mom · GURU

Football does this exact thing and we all know that football isn't going anywhere. Your team can only perform what they can actually pull off on the floor. Your routine can be the cutest in the world but if you have touch downs and falls, you're not going home with that trophy.

Diva Coach Melissa · Senior Member

I honestly think it's sort of silly. Yes, YouTube allows everyone to see your routine. But it allows EVERYONE to see your routine! That means if someone else steals something from it, EVERYONE will know it was stolen and where it was stolen from!

Date: Wed Dec 12 1:36 PM, 2007

The good thing about You Tube is that you get to see all the teams you don't normally get to see. It's fun seeing all those great routines and teams you only get to hear about. The bad thing is how negative some people are when posting comments. If a team has a bad performance boy can people get mean. I think it's more that the gyms don't want thier kids put out there on the world wide web and to be exposed to all that. After reading some of the comments I can't say I blame them.

Nelson · Senior Member

From a spectators standpoint, Youtube and other sites where you can upload video has been a huge plus. In the past spectators would have never had the chance to see teams on the other side of the country unless they either A. spent the money to travel to a competition there or B. watched the competition on ESPN (if ESPN or another station recorded the competition).

Now, with Youtube spectators have much more access to seeing routines from teams they may not have ever seen before or would have never had the chance to see. From this standpoint, I love youtube.

From a coaches perspective, I can understand where Youtube can get irritating. I would like to think that most coaches aren't too concerned with other coaches "stealing" their choreography (after all, isn't imitation the highest form of flattery?). If I choreographed something that another team decided to use I would have to take it as a compliment and hope that the choreography was so good that it would be my team that is known for it, not the team that decided to use it as well.

I don't know how many coaches I speak for when I say this but the problem with Youtube and All Star cheerleading is that it ruins the element of surprise. First impressions are so vital, especially to cheerleading routines. As a coach, I hope that judges never watch my routines on youtube because I want to both surprise them and keep their eyes on the routine rather than counting skills (what I believe is a downfall to All Star Cheerleading). If a judge has seen a team perform on youtube they may have seen that team so many times that once watching them in person, they don't appreciate the routine and start to actually look for mistakes.

In the end I think Youtube is actually good for All Star cheerleading simply because it brings awareness out to the general public. With the whole First Impression thing, there are workarounds. I'm starting to see teams hold back on choreography, rather just trying to cover the scoresheet and then showing off their choreography at some of the bigger competitions.

Nelson

Date: Wed Dec 12 5:52 PM, 2007

That being said Nelson,

In your honest opinion do you think judges watch the teams on YOUTUBE before they see them perform???????

Have you ever been a judge and watched a team or know someone who has

(not trying to incriminate you)

Date: Wed Dec 12 6:21 PM, 2007

I think it's safe to say that judges probably have seen routines on youtube. Think about who judges normally are...people who are obsessed with cheer and have experience. Chances are those judges find it interesting to watch cheer routines of big name gyms on youtube. At the same time I doubt very much that a judge would go online and search for youtubes of the teams they are going to be judging.

Date: Wed Dec 12 8:59 PM, 2007

THAT BEING SAID

Do you think it is fair, should they have that oppurtunity or should they be sequestered, like the (OJ Trial), so that teams have a fair chance???

Date: Wed Dec 12 10:13 PM, 2007

I judge and I do not pre view teams to see what they have. If anything I think that watching videos prior to a comp that I am judging would make me feel bias to certain teams even if they were to hit in the video and have mistakes at the comp.

AllieM · Member

Anonymous wrote:

That being said Nelson,

In your honest opinion do you think judges watch the teams on YOUTUBE before they see them perform???????

Have you ever been a judge and watched a team or know someone who has

(not trying to incriminate you)

well if you say that, what about a coach at a gym who also judges and knows the team they are judging? Or the judges that know gym owners? I question this more then I question youtube.

OC Mom · GURU

You all have to remember that the cheer world is way too small to NOT run in to this situation. That's the reason for multiple judges. One judge can't sway it all THAT much. Also, I don't know of anyone who would do that to another program, even if it were to draw attention to themselves negativly. Even if the gym were a rival gym, I don't think ANYONE would do such a thing.

Date: Thu Dec 13 8:20 PM, 2007

We are not allowed to post videos on You Tube or myspace etc... I kinda like that we haven't seen our gym on there. Not that others don't have it on video to watch anyways. I like the element of surprise and what other teams are doing. I don't even watch the ones posted on here (unless its a back east team or someone we never compete against)..

I don't think it hurts cheerleading in any way, it jjust takes some of the fun out of standing there watching in anticipation to see what your competitors look like the day of the event. Just my opionion. Sometimes watching before can make you anxious or give you a sense of false hope. I believe we should just bring it to the mat. No preveiws just pure raw competitive fun competition. Like back in the day lol

again i dont think it hurts anything or there is anything wrong with you tube posting. Im just one of those who like the element of surprise and when we win its because we worked hard at being our best off of pure anticiaption of what the competitiors are bringing.

my opionion only biggrin

Date: Sat Dec 15 1:59 PM, 2007

I admit I have video taped other teams and posted them on You Tube. I have never posted a routine where a team did badly. I figure would not want my team embarassed by a video out there for everyone to see. I've posted them because I love watching cheer videos and just wanted to share. I usually disable the comments because that is the one thing I don't like about You Tube. Lately there has been a lot of dicussions on this board and Pro X about it. I have decided I'm not posting any more out of respect of others feelings.