Elitism alive and well in BFL Cheer...
Someday when we live somewhere far from here, and I am missing Bridgewater, please remind me how elitist this town's stupid parents can be, for no good reason!
This is one of those times.
Julliard admission counselors can be elitist, school districts and cheer coaches should not be!
As long-time readers know, I have never been big on cheer and have actively tried to curtail my own bias as a sport for snotty girls, but the coaches seem to be actively sabotaging these efforts! The squad has two components: game-day cheerleaders who only cheer at football games, and the competition squad which cheers at games and at competitions or exhibitions. Seems like that would be the "elite group", separated based on ability, but the reality is far more silly. All of the girls except two are on the competition (elite) group. Two girls have really been left out. Despite this, the girls have kept very good attitudes even taking on all the optional activities, like extra tumbling classes. If they are bitter, they don't show it. They are actually enthusiastic. (The Moms, less so). That's sportsmanship!
The coaches, on the other hand, have not shown these girls any empathy and in fact can seem spiteful. First there were four girls excluded from the elite group (C was among them, but as "the alternate" she had to learn all the performances without any promise of taking part - when she showed how hard she was working, they made her a full member). Recently another girl was asked to join the team to compensate for a girl who wasn't kicked off, but who refuses to do the basics. Then... there were two.
The meanness continued yesterday when the end of the year party was announced to coincide with an out-of-town competition, which excludes these two girls. If the competition were in the area, the other two girls could easily come for the party, but the coaches intentionally chose to have it when we are at our overnight, in Wildwood - more than two hours from here. Even when the parents protested, the coach refused to do something more inclusive. No parent, no matter how dedicated, should be expected to drive that far for a pizza party, and no coach should expect them to.
If C didn't genuinely love it, I would have pulled her out just on principle. These are her closest friends on the team and the girls who got her into it to begin with. One thing is for sure...
I'm ripping up the headband that was supposed to somehow demonstrate my team spirit. The coaches don't know what inclusion is, so why would I wear red-black and white? I know the coaches' true colors now!
This is one of those times.
Julliard admission counselors can be elitist, school districts and cheer coaches should not be!
As long-time readers know, I have never been big on cheer and have actively tried to curtail my own bias as a sport for snotty girls, but the coaches seem to be actively sabotaging these efforts! The squad has two components: game-day cheerleaders who only cheer at football games, and the competition squad which cheers at games and at competitions or exhibitions. Seems like that would be the "elite group", separated based on ability, but the reality is far more silly. All of the girls except two are on the competition (elite) group. Two girls have really been left out. Despite this, the girls have kept very good attitudes even taking on all the optional activities, like extra tumbling classes. If they are bitter, they don't show it. They are actually enthusiastic. (The Moms, less so). That's sportsmanship!
The coaches, on the other hand, have not shown these girls any empathy and in fact can seem spiteful. First there were four girls excluded from the elite group (C was among them, but as "the alternate" she had to learn all the performances without any promise of taking part - when she showed how hard she was working, they made her a full member). Recently another girl was asked to join the team to compensate for a girl who wasn't kicked off, but who refuses to do the basics. Then... there were two.
The meanness continued yesterday when the end of the year party was announced to coincide with an out-of-town competition, which excludes these two girls. If the competition were in the area, the other two girls could easily come for the party, but the coaches intentionally chose to have it when we are at our overnight, in Wildwood - more than two hours from here. Even when the parents protested, the coach refused to do something more inclusive. No parent, no matter how dedicated, should be expected to drive that far for a pizza party, and no coach should expect them to.
If C didn't genuinely love it, I would have pulled her out just on principle. These are her closest friends on the team and the girls who got her into it to begin with. One thing is for sure...
I'm ripping up the headband that was supposed to somehow demonstrate my team spirit. The coaches don't know what inclusion is, so why would I wear red-black and white? I know the coaches' true colors now!
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