Parents My Gymnasts are Cheerleaders

[Gymmonkeymomma]

Bob, thanks for your input and concerns. However, each cheer organization is run differently, and if I didn't feel that my kids would be SAFE, they would not be doing it.

My girls are in TWO competitive cheer programs (as well as gymnastics) - they are on an All Star team at our gym and there is a competitive cheer team in our town. The only reason they are doing rah-rah cheering (no offense to anyone) is it is REQUIRED for the town competitive program. However, even though some might think they are cheering on the boys, they do not all focus on the boys, they focus on TEAM SPIRIT.

As gymnasts, my girls KNOW they are not to do anything dangerous at cheering. They do not front or back tumble w/o hands. No tucks, aerials, halves or fulls!! Their ROBHS alone are enough to impress the town team coaches/judges. Their uniforms are very decent and they are NOT ALLOWED to wear makeup or nailpolish, even to practices!

The way I look at it, my oldest is feeling stressed out at the gym, cheering has been a good outlet for her.

 

[flippymonkeysmom]

Personally I think cheer can actually keep girls in gymnastics longer sometimes. If they get to do a team sport like that with their school friends, they won't feel like they are missing out on so much by spending all that time in the gym. Every girl and every situation is different - they all have to figure out what works best for them and our job as parents is to try and support them as best as possible.

 

[BlairBob]

If it keeps them in the gym or in a healthy activity, I'm all for it. I understand that being out of the social life as an optional gymnast in HS is very hard. It gets hard for the girls once they hit JH IMO. I really hate seeing the gymnasts just quit the sport cold turkey and hate it for the rest of their lives due to outstanding issues with it.

As for a community event, I don't see it from that perspective. As an athlete, I was fairly unconcerned with the crowds and was out there for me except for team sports. Then I was out there for the team but I'm a personality that doesn't like too much attention. I like it and I don't.

As an athlete, I remember when the track girls got fluff about the short shorts. I still here about it in college. Leos, cheerleading outfits, short-shorts. It's all the same. I guess being around leos you get used to them. However, I rarely get used to cheer practice attire. It was just weird for me. Then again as a male athlete, we were always in basically a pair of shorts and go shirtless a lot.

I don't have kids (yet), but I have thought I would always prefer a child competing for their own glory and not being in the crowds or cheering them on. Just my philosophy. Honestly, as a guy and athlete, cheerleaders are window dressing and for the crowds. And I don't care about the crowds. This is why I prefer comp cheer to cheerleaders for sports. Perhaps it's also the subservience angle of females to males or something that I dislike in cheerleaders for basketball or football.

I really hate the " clown " look of comp cheer competitions. Then again, I hate clowns too. Hell, I don't even like mucho makeup on women either.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

This is why I prefer comp cheer to cheerleaders for sports. Perhaps it's also the subservience angle of females to males or something that I dislike in cheerleaders for basketball or football.

I really hate the " clown " look of comp cheer competitions. Then again, I hate clowns too. Hell, I don't even like mucho makeup on women either.

The "old" me, would have completely agreed with you 100%, having attended a woman's college and being somewhat of a feminist. I do NOT like the whole cheering on the guys thing.... however, as a mom...I am allowing the cheering because this is a requirement of our town cheerleaders, if they want to make the town competition team. My girls are totally in this for the glory of being on the competition team!

As for clowns, I hate them too (ok, really, I am AFRAID of them) LOL