We need to keep this as generic as possible. Please no names.
This week I have been extremely disappointed about the interactions on this board. It's the need to stop the badmouthing of certain clubs.
I have watched coaches/owners log on to this board as hawks looking for prey. These hawks soaring in the sky, surveying for those little critters that may come out to feed. The critters I am referring to are those board posters that have something to say about perhaps a way a competition was played out. The minute the suspicion of a negative comment may come from their gym, the hawks swoop down and snatch that critter from their rights to post.
I state my disappointment because all was fine until a recent competition and one club was talked about. The reason of this disappointment is because I have seen teams beat up on this board from all over the state of california. they were beat up for days and for pages and pages of bashing. Yes, the topics are now closed but still viewable. The damage is done and yes all is damaged.
Again I ask that this topic remain generic and open. This is a topic that needs to be discussed.
I as why does this board protect a just handful of teams and yet allow bashing of the majority of other organizations?
MY OPINION MY OPINION MY OPINION MY OPINION MY OPINION
I believe that a lot of what is said is taken too literally because one cannot hear the spoken word. I do believe that under anonymity, people tend to say things that they wouldn't normally say outloud but would think. I also truly believe that a good (MATURE) coach would see THRU the hurt feelings of competitors that feel that they were unfairly beaten and catch the criticism of the poster and use it to their advantage.
No one ever likes seeing negativity towards their beloved gym or teams, but if we always stated the postive without the negative, what would we learn? Now, maybe I tend to see the glass half full 99% of the time, but I don't see any one gym or team being bashed more than another. I DO see particular teams being discussed more than most BUT with that said, I wonder how the teams that don't get discussed feel? Are they lesser of a gym? Have they NOT won enough to be in the center of some type of controversy?
If you (anyone out there) is going to get their feelings hurt at every turn, then maybe an anonymous board isn't for you. I do see lots of jumping to conclusions on here and I'm NOT one to say that I haven't done so myself. But I have to step back and rethink my angry response. If I just slam back at what I think is an injustice with more negativity, then aren't I a part of the problem and not the solution?
No one can argue or be effectively negative if no one responds to it. And there is ALWAYS a way to say exactly how you feel without being mean. And this is what I think lots of posters tend to forget. We can't fault Cheergyms for protecting whatever teams they wish to protect. (If that's what one truly believes they are even doing.) This is their message board. Don't like it, don't come back. Plain and simple if you ask me.
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OC Mom, Mom of 5 great kids! A cheerleader/softball player, a RETIRED cheerleader, a football/baseball player, 1 Airman and future Police Officer and one college student!
OC Mom, I think you make a lot of good points. Personally I have not seen the bashing of any particular gyms over others, I really haven't, and I read this message board all the time. Routines may be discussed, judging errors, maybe some decisions some view questionable or behavior some may feel is inappropriate at particular competitions, but I don't feel any one gym is being picked on over others. As OC Mom mentioned, what about the gyms who are never mentioned. If anything I think we all tend to talk about our little group of favorites and intentionally or unintentionally leave out others. Should the gyms who are never mentioned be offended? Of course not. I agree if you're the sensitive type and can't discuss issues without feeling singled out or feeling you are being bashed, probably best to ignore the board completely. Certain issues need discussing, not everything in our sport is sunshine roses lollipops; I like to think we are not only discussing real issues but also solving some just by bringing them up. When I think of all the gyms offhand that have been discussed on this board recently, with the negative posts there have also been positive posts about each and every one. I have never seen a gym talked about negatively without someone posting positive things in their defense. And in this business exposure is a good thing. Just my opinion.
I think that everyone should know about this board is that...
1. EVERYTHING said on this board is personal opinion. 2. Because it is personal opinion, that doesn't mean it is right, or wrong. 3. EVERYTHING IS SUBJECTIVE. 4. Take each and every thing said on this board, harmful or rude, sarcastic or degrading... WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.
That's how you'll survive on this board.
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"Come on a flip your mind, to the west's BEST, built by design!!!!" PACIFIC COAST MAGIC ALL STAR CHEERLEADING
I think that everyone should know about this board is that...
1. EVERYTHING said on this board is personal opinion. 2. Because it is personal opinion, that doesn't mean it is right, or wrong. 3. EVERYTHING IS SUBJECTIVE. 4. Take each and every thing said on this board, harmful or rude, sarcastic or degrading... WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.
MY OPINION MY OPINION MY OPINION MY OPINION MY OPINION
I believe that a lot of what is said is taken too literally because one cannot hear the spoken word. I do believe that under anonymity, people tend to say things that they wouldn't normally say outloud but would think. I also truly believe that a good (MATURE) coach would see THRU the hurt feelings of competitors that feel that they were unfairly beaten and catch the criticism of the poster and use it to their advantage.
No one ever likes seeing negativity towards their beloved gym or teams, but if we always stated the postive without the negative, what would we learn? Now, maybe I tend to see the glass half full 99% of the time, but I don't see any one gym or team being bashed more than another. I DO see particular teams being discussed more than most BUT with that said, I wonder how the teams that don't get discussed feel? Are they lesser of a gym? Have they NOT won enough to be in the center of some type of controversy?
If you (anyone out there) is going to get their feelings hurt at every turn, then maybe an anonymous board isn't for you. I do see lots of jumping to conclusions on here and I'm NOT one to say that I haven't done so myself. But I have to step back and rethink my angry response. If I just slam back at what I think is an injustice with more negativity, then aren't I a part of the problem and not the solution?
No one can argue or be effectively negative if no one responds to it. And there is ALWAYS a way to say exactly how you feel without being mean. And this is what I think lots of posters tend to forget. We can't fault Cheergyms for protecting whatever teams they wish to protect. (If that's what one truly believes they are even doing.) This is their message board. Don't like it, don't come back. Plain and simple if you ask me.
Many of the members of this board have taken your advise have not come back to this board. that is evident with the lower member post and even the lower guest counts on the bottom of the board list page. There were many more posters that have left this season. Perhaps it is the negativity that has developed all along the way. OCmom you do make some good points however it's probably save for your to say because your affliated team is not be talked about on this board. it's easy to be the innocent by stander. Perhaps if the comments were directed toward your team or even zoomed in toward your daughter things would be different? I get what the first poster is trying to say. It's interesting to see the developments on this board. many coaches have come on this board to tell their members to not write anything at any time, positive or negative. Is this the right thing to do?
I can think of 2 organizations who have been beat unmercifully on this board. Since I'm not very familiar with either gym except from the board, I have no idea if anything said is true, but I tend to think that there are certain teams that cheergym.com posters love to hate. And I think if a topic gets bad enough to close, its probably bad enough to delete.
I think that everyone should know about this board is that...
1. EVERYTHING said on this board is personal opinion. 2. Because it is personal opinion, that doesn't mean it is right, or wrong. 3. EVERYTHING IS SUBJECTIVE. 4. Take each and every thing said on this board, harmful or rude, sarcastic or degrading... WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.
That's how you'll survive on this board.
Great advice... not necessarily easy to follow when its your team being bashed though. But, definitely a classier way to go than to lower yourself to the level of the bashers and getting into an all out (virtual) brawl.
Sometimes you need to take the good with the bad. I wouldn't have ever noticed a couple of gyms that have been mentioned if it were not for this board, and there have been both positive and negative points brought up, even by their own members. It made me notice them at competitions, which is a good thing. Comments that offer absolutely no constructive criticism (comments such as "I don't like this gym", etc...) are almost always deleted immediately. What I have noticed since the board allows anonymous posting is that it is a popular place to be. Take that away and it will be back to crickets chirping, tumbleweeds passing by (i.e., a dead board). I like reading comments about our gym and I know what is constructive criticism and what to weed out. I would hope the majority of people on this board feel the same way.
Most of times those bashing other gyms are just looking for a fight...I say do not reply!
when it comes to posting who might win or calling fist, second...ect places, I also think it is wrong. It might make you mad and yet work harder at the same time!
Bashing on a comp that was NOT run well and judging was bad....fine! talk about it........ THAT is how gyms learn they are not alone or that this is why other gyms do not or no longer attend.... It gives coaches and gym owners a outlet to talk about things. If teams won or lost becasue of judging issues...talk about it! get off your chest, BUT keep it inregards to the comp if you name teams.......
I think I have a good idea who the gyms are that have been getting bashed....I feel that they need to clean house, deal with their own problems and do not bring it to this message board. I do not care about the dirty laundry of these gyms....nor does anyone else!
This is just my view from a little gym owner who no one ever talks about good or bad!
I think I have a good idea who the gyms are that have been getting bashed....I feel that they need to clean house, deal with their own problems and do not bring it to this message board. I do not care about the dirty laundry of these gyms....nor does anyone else!
This is just my view from a little gym owner who no one ever talks about good or bad!
Typically, the 2 gyms I see getting bashed are not airing their dirty laundry. It's someone who apparently has an axe to grind about those particular gyms that finds away to work those gym names into the conversation and Voila!!! Bashfest.
just quit all of the bashing on anonymous and talk all the smack in front of who you are hating on. seems like people like talking all that smack behind their computer and won't do it face 2 face! a whole bunch of cowards!
just quit all of the bashing on anonymous and talk all the smack in front of who you are hating on. seems like people like talking all that smack behind their computer and won't do it face 2 face! a whole bunch of cowards!
Just so everyone knows, my daughter isn't with OC All Stars any longer. I just keep the name because it's what everyone knows me by. As a matter of fact, she won't be affiliated with cheer at all after this season. She's chosen to not cheer any longer. She's tired of being injured and wants to focus on school. The lack of spring floors was the straw on the camels back for her. I can't afford All Stars and she can't handle the mats. Thank you whomever made up that STUPID rule. School is coming first for her now. (she just started college this month and between high school AND college, she's busy busy busy)
But I know I would be upset if someone said something negative about her on here, but hey, that's alright by me really. They don't know her and I know that. I would truly just take it for what it's worth. If it were done under an anonymous name, it would be worth almost nothing to me only because that person couldn't say who they were. And if I DID know who it was, then I would take it and try to learn from it. Seriously, I don't get my feelings hurt THAT easily. But I wasn't ALWAYS like that. I was one of the worst, trust me. You could hurt my feelings really super easily when I was younger. I think the only thing that hurts my feelings the MOST is when I'm nice to someone and they are mean back.
I had that happen to me a couple of months ago. Someone I thought was a semi-friend kinda shunned me when I saw them for the first time in a while. It really hurts your feelings. But hey, I probably won't see that person again, so I guess it's ok.
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OC Mom, Mom of 5 great kids! A cheerleader/softball player, a RETIRED cheerleader, a football/baseball player, 1 Airman and future Police Officer and one college student!
