How Cheerleading Became So Acrobatic, Dangerous and Popular

[neverfstop]

@@ Obviously about some kids, mosly HS/college focused & the main point of the article is about Varsity company

GIFT www.nytimes.com/2024/10/22/magazine/cheerleading-jeff-webb.html?unlocked_article_code=1.cE4.tFfR.b8M_b4zRfARq&smid=url-share 

*Sad personal stores about girls
*Big, bad monopolistic company
*it's not a "sport" because of Title IX reasons & more safety rules
*Varsity was fleecing parents left & right and ran all competitors out of the market
*How the 90s frat culture kids turned into rowdy set of parents in cheer
*Men behaving badly around young girls
*Fuck private equity
*Costs and injuries are waaay up

A 2021 study in The Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine found that emergency-room visits for cheer injuries are indeed down, but that same study stressed that visits for concussions continue to soar, increasing by 44 percent from 2010 to 2019. The increase could be, in part, a result of greater awareness of the dangers of concussions, but the risk remains high relative to many other sports: The journal Pediatrics reported in a 2019 study that the incidence of concussions during cheer practice was second only to football among high school sports.

[maudefindlay]

That was hard to read. The higher ups at Varsity are greedy, dangerous, criminal, and all around gross. Presenting one way and behind closed doors referring to families as crack hos wanting more crack who'd turn on their pimps (their gyms).

And that Scott Foster, good riddance. "Don't worry about what I'm doing, worry about why your worried about what I'm doing". Like wtf?! Who read that or heard him say that at the time and thought "Oh, ok. Yep, Scott Foster is all good, the problem is the rest of us judging him!"? Dude a photo of a child pretending to give another child a bj ought to have landed him in trouble. Honestly I see a correlation in parents that are cool with that and yet are same ones wanting books banned and worried about "bathroom safety" at schools. Another case of it's not Drag Queens, Trans, etc it's happening right in front of you and you support it.

People need to question safety. How was the person my kid trained and what precautions do they take? I know back in the 90s cheer coaches were former cheerleaders often just a couple years out of high school, so very young and athletic trainers were reserved for boys' football and basketball only. A good friend now in her late 40s has had multiple knee surgeries all from a high school cheer injury that was from repeated misuse and poor training on technique.

Also, question where is that money going? It seems to be a whole culture and especially for the Moms. There seem to be many who make being a "Cheer Mom" their whole personality and live for away meets where all the Moms dress alike, stay at the same hotel, and drink together around the pool at night.

[neverfstop]

I didn't understand the whole BJ photo thing... I guess I missed who made it or why it was being circulated and by whom & how it came to be.... It's not really relevant details to the point of the story.

The money was all going to private equity & the owners, who basically had the parents over a barrel.

The mom culture thing is interesting & I think it's a theme we see a lot with kids sports that serve as a sort of social/religious/community gathering place of belonging. They become your default friend group you see all the time, travel with, do kids birthday, etc. We are sorely lacking that sense of community & friendship these days, and these sports groups are serving as a substitute in some ways to many people.

[maudefindlay]

The photo came from Scott Foster's gym. It was two of his cheerleaders.

I agree on where the money is going. Just meant that these parents paying 10k they don't have for cheer need to ask that as they donate plasma, work 2nd and 3rd jobs to make it happen. It's not being invested in the safety of their kids nor for any real benefit to them.

[leahcar]

My oldest was an all star cheerleader for 2 years. Not one part of this story surprised me.

Her GYM was owned by Varsity. The uniforms and practice clothes- all Varsity. And we only competed at Varsity owned comps. So basically every Penny we paid went into their pocket.

She was young enough that we didn’t do a ton of travel. But the “stay to play” was very much a thing. Many parents chose to spend the night - even at the local competitions - so the parents could party more. I love nothing more than my own bed so, finances aside, that’s crazy to me. Lol

We didn’t like the financial and the time commitment as a family and asked her to try another sport for a year. There were many, many tears and fights- but she reluctantly did. And never went back because the veil fell once she was further away from it.

My youngest has been begging to cheer for years. We know better now so have been actively avoiding it.

[formerlyak]

The mom culture extends to all club sports. This is our first year playing club soccer, but there is one mom who switched from a different club and she’s frustrated that we don’t do as many parties. I am the team manager, so I get an earful about it all the time. I took on team manager duties to help out the coach with registration and finding tournaments. And I check the kids in with the ref (we have to show their player cards) and bring a first aid kit and ice packs. Not to throw parties. And many of us on the team are fine with that and chose a smaller club because we have no interest in the parent parties for club sports. But there are two moms who think we are doing this all wrong. They want stay to play and parties. It’s wild to me.

[sent]

This is a long read and I'm only halfway through it. The girl at the beginning of the article got a concussion in third grade. If my kid got a concussion in 3rd grade from a sport, their sports involvement in that sport would be over right there. They aren't so far advanced in 3rd grade that they need to stick it out for the chance of getting drafted for a big money career or are already so popular that they're getting endorsements etc. Other parents don't feel this way? Why on earth would you let your kid continue to their own detriment? I would think this is common sense.

[waverly]

I was talking to a friend and her daughter broke her nose and her pinkie in this season of cheer, so basically 2-3 months. Ugh. The mom hates it and can’t wait for her to quit but isn’t forcing her to quit yet anyway.

[waverly]

Nov 23, 2024 10:06:41 GMT -5 formerlyak said:

The mom culture extends to all club sports. This is our first year playing club soccer, but there is one mom who switched from a different club and she’s frustrated that we don’t do as many parties. I am the team manager, so I get an earful about it all the time. I took on team manager duties to help out the coach with registration and finding tournaments. And I check the kids in with the ref (we have to show their player cards) and bring a first aid kit and ice packs. Not to throw parties. And many of us on the team are fine with that and chose a smaller club because we have no interest in the parent parties for club sports. But there are two moms who think we are doing this all wrong. They want stay to play and parties. It’s wild to me.

We are in one club where the coaches throw parties for the girls all the time. The other club does nothing. I would never say anything to the other club, and I know if I want a party then I need to host it.

[meganew]

I have to read through the entire article, but the lack of safety around stunting doesn’t surprise me at all. I did football and competition cheer through middle and high school- we weren’t heading to Disney for comps or practicing at fancy gyms- but we practiced on asphalt. We practiced on hardwood floors when the weather got too cold. I know there’s a chance for injury in every sport, but looking back on it we just took so many risks because that’s just what you did. I have a shoulder injury that will never fully heal because of overuse and not giving it enough downtime to heal.

I’m not surprised that a huge organization based around a female dominated sport is full of abuse and greed.

[maudefindlay]

I'm with you sent. My niece just turned 29 and is in 2 co-ed soccer leagues in Austin and got a concussion 2 years ago from a guy slamming into her. I assumed no more soccer, because she is an adult with a professional day job, but nope, right back out there. There are other ways to stay physically active.

[marie]

I will never forget this… when I was in High School I was watching my boyfriend’s basketball game and the cheer team from the other school lifted a cheerleader and threw her INTO the backboard. It was horrible. I could see it happening from a mile away and was hoping they were not going to toss her in the air, but somehow they did. She hit her head and the backboard and then they didn’t catch her and she fell to the ground.