Competition Problems

Date: Mon Feb 6 10:15 PM, 2006

RE: Competition Problems

Date: Tue Feb 7 11:14 AM, 2006

Again WOW!! To think that we would USE cheergyms as a babysitter is really SICK! We ONLY leave the kids when they are WITH the coaches--we stay out of the coaches way and we don't go FAR and only leave for an hour or two at a time and ONLY if they are in the care of their coaches. We make sure we can be back in ten minutes or LESS if there is an emergency and the coaches are very RESPONSIBLE--again we have been doing this for 3 years and beleive me the 1st year we STAYED thru it! My kids know they are in good hands and that we would be there in a second! We have been to EVERY competition AND camp they have been in and BOTH me and my husband attend--we do not play tag team parents and feel our kids deserve ALL the support they can get along with their team mates.By the way I am a stay at home mom and am involved in EVERY aspect of all three of my kids lives. So before you start judging people please know that I feel EVERY parent who attends these competitions deserves respect for always supporting their kids with everything especially taking the time to spend all day there--I ONLY WANTED TO GIVE SOME ADVICE on how to give yourself a break NOT be UNRESPONSIBLE parents!

Date: Tue Feb 7 11:38 AM, 2006

I know you must be an AWESOME parent since you stay thru the whole process and that is what America needs- supportive parents like you and all the other parents who bashed me thinking I would just leave my kids ALONE! How dare you THINK that we don't support our three kids enough!!! I am a at home mom who has given up many luxuries to be there for my kids at ALL times--when I said we sometimes go to the car for a picnic that usually INCLUDES one of my kids when they are released from the custody of their RESPONSIBLE coaches.Did you not read the part of trying to make it a FUN FAMILY day. The LAST thing I want to show my kids is how much PAIN, AGONY, their parents went thru--they deserve parents who show they WANT to be there WITHOUTcomplaining and doing all they can to make it a positive experience for EVERYONE! Me and my husband have yet after 16 years had an "our day" because we know are kids are growing up way to fast and want to spend every minute we can with them! I know all the parents who had nothing nice to say about my response FEEL the same way about their kids----WE ARE ALL DOING THE BEST WE CAN FOR OUR KIDS--so let's not start judging parenting skills--unless you KNOW the WHOLE story!!! I was ONLY trying to help other parents stay POSITIVE about a tough situation!

Date: Tue Feb 7 11:51 AM, 2006

Well, that's the idea I got from your post. I didn't think you were bad for leaving for a while. We were just saying you were lucky cause you had coaches to leave your kid with. Majority of the gyms (actually all but cheergyms that I KNOW of) don't do it that way, so we CANT leave really.

I don't think anyone really thinks you're a bad mom. We were just telling our opinions on it also. No one thought bad, I'm sure. I have 5 kids, so I feel your pain. It's tough to go pee without a kid, let alone leave a competition. Don't let others tell you you are bad. No one knows what you're life is like. You are doing just fine.

Date: Tue Feb 7 11:59 AM, 2006

Wow! Some people really do get worked up on these message boards. Why do we need to criticize another parents suggestions. I understand you mom of three. I too occasionally leave the venue, if possible to just go outside or sit in the car and read a book to clear my head and get a breath of fresh air. Frequently, once we get to a venue my daughter is off with her friends/teammates and I barely see her. She is also 13 but responsible enough to be able to give her money and to know when she needs to be ready for warm-ups, etc. Every parent knows how much supervision their child needs and makes the judgement on if they can leave to take some time for themselves. I'm disappointed to see so many kids coming to competitions that don't have the support of a family member their to watch them perform.

Back to the topic at hand, while it might seem that we are complaining about the competitions. I think all of us just would like to see improvements made to make everyone more comfortable and the only way to get the "word" out is to express our feelings. I am please to see that Danny and Morton are allowing us to photograph and videotape at Spirit Spectacular this weekend and I'm sure they are taking in all our concerns to do what they can to make this weekend enjoyable for everyone.

Date: Tue Feb 7 12:13 PM, 2006

I too was at Spirit Sports and heard the announcment to "deal with it" about the level of the music. My ears were litterally in pain from the music and I had to move back because of it. It just doens't need to be that loud. I would love for a company to come in and test the level of the music. I bet they would turn it down when it's found to cause damage. I had a headache all Saturday night from it. Plus the white lights in the parents faces was horrible. Running on time was wonderful.

Thanks for letting us make suggestions, vent, rant, rave, compalin.... whatever we wish on here. I know some don't like to hear others opinions, but hey, "deal with it" I guess..... at least you won't go home with hearing problems from this.

Date: Tue Feb 7 12:14 PM, 2006

As a coach of a junior prep team, I know I for one get so frustrated when parents leave their kids in my care. As a parent, do you have to supervise 23 7-10 year olds at a crouded venue for 8 hours? Babysitting is not in my job description. I don't think anyone is trying to call you a bad parent "Mom of Three", but it is not the coaches responsibility to supervise your kids, and please don't encourage other parents to do the same.

Date: Tue Feb 7 12:17 PM, 2006

You must not be from Cheergyms (I'm not either) but they have you check your kids in and they take them for that time. The parents are told to do this. That's what that mom meant......

Date: Tue Feb 7 12:18 PM, 2006

I don't think that it's wrong for you to leave the venue. I think its wrong for you to dump your kids off on an already stressed out coach.

Date: Tue Feb 7 12:23 PM, 2006

No the parents of cheergyms.com are not encouraged to leave their kids, especially if they are young and require supervision. COACHES ARE COACHES, NOT BABYSITTERS!!!!!!! If you don't want to stay at the competition, then hire a babysitter!!!

Date: Tue Feb 7 12:24 PM, 2006

Thank you Coach. I was hoping to hear from a coach regarding leaving kids with them. Don't be so defensive, mom of 3, but know that your idea may work for you, but it sounds like it does not for others, including the coaches who are not there to babysit. Just curious, did you ask the coach how they felt about you leaving? And if they would prefer you stay?

Didn't see one post that called you a bad mom, just saw a few that did not agree with your suggestion and stated their reasons why. Nothing wrong with that.

Date: Tue Feb 7 12:39 PM, 2006

Mom of three doesn't dump her kids on the coaches. My daughter's coach has them meet at a particular time and then she is required to stay we her team and her coach until they are released after awards. As I stated, I hardly see her after this point and then am free to "do" my own think. Of course, I don't go far and am always availabe on my cell phone. I'm sure this is probably the case with mom of three also. Please don't criticize if you don't know all the facts.

Date: Tue Feb 7 1:00 PM, 2006

AGAIN!!! We only leave the kids in the coaches hands when we are TOLD to do so! At cheergyms we are told that the kids are to stay and SIT with their team and coaches untill AFTER they perform and then WE as parents are RESPONSIBLE for them NOT the coaches and NO parent should EVER put the coaches through a whole day of resposibility UNLESS the coaches request it (i.e. when cheergyms used to travel together as a team--even if you were there as a parent we were not ALLOWED to take our child away from the team--even for lunch!)

Date: Tue Feb 7 3:21 PM, 2006

The last Jamz in Davis was rediculous. Hours of sitting. The student cafe had more appealing food than the offering of stale hotdogs, pastries from the morning and not much else.

Most parents know the coaches are not babysitters. That's why we sat and waited.

Then Jamz put us through the hip hop gangster rap for hours. This should have been a cheer competion! If Jamz wanted to have two competions then have two seperate competions. Have the awards ceremony after the Cheer are finished and then the HIP HOP or what ever.

The Davis event was pure agony! Then to make matters worse were all the categories for HIP HOP. I am not speaking for the girls, but as a parent I was extremely diasppointed to see the first place trophies for HIP HOP give the same hype as the cheer.

Our children spend hours per week working on tumbling and not to mention the private lessons. Jamz equated the work our children put in with that of the small effort of the HIP HOP.

I hope the cheer competion promoters read this. We hope Las Vegas is not as poorly managed as the Jamz in Davis. My sympathy goes out to all cheerleaders and their parents who attended Davis!

Date: Tue Feb 7 6:05 PM, 2006

uh oh Blist Bottom Dad - you may have opened a whole new can of worms by saying that HIP HOP is a small effort. Personally, never been involved with dance/pom/hip hop. But until you personally are involved in those programs, there is no room to talk. I remember when cheerleading was only known as girls is short skirts. Knowing about the effort put into cheerleading makes me realize it's hard work. So I have to stick up for any athletic activity...I'm sure they don't want opinions on how little they have to work from people who don't do it themselves.

However, I do agree...comps should have awards when there is an obvious change is the performance (ie cheer to dance and even juniors to seniors).

Date: Tue Feb 7 6:22 PM, 2006

mom of three...it sounds to me like you have a younger child on a team, so I would think that you would understand how difficult it is to keep a whole team of young kids sitting in a designated area for more than 15 minutes. If your child has to use the restroom, or wants nachos, should I take all of my kids to the bathroom and snackshack, or do you want me to leave them and take just yours? The parents need to stay to supervise their child, it is not my job. If you feel that your child does not need supervision, and feel comfortable leaving them at the venue all day, that is fine with me. Don't stress me out more than I already am by leaving me with the responsibility of caring for your child because you got bored at the competition.

Date: Tue Feb 7 6:51 PM, 2006

I think that is exactly the point -- things come up, and I just find it very hard to believe your coaches, mom of three, are perfectly fine with you leaving once your children are in their hands. Do they actually tell you it's fine to go? Even for an hour or so?

All of us are in your shoes -- we all have busy schedules, I also have three children. Our coaches also require our daughters/sons stay with them and their team throughout the competition, but they are assuming us parents are around too. I know my daughter is with her coach and sitting with her team, but I'm right there too in case she needs me. There are only seven or eight competitions throughout the season, it's not like they're every weekend. And I have a feeling when it's all over (kids are grown) I might even miss the loud noise, the lousy food, and the uncomfortable seats.

Date: Tue Feb 7 7:18 PM, 2006

Ok Sticking Around.... you've been in the loud music too long. You won't miss the uncomfortable seats. Trust me...... hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha