Cheer Perfection

[AJane]

And you thought the Dance Moms mothers were crazy!

My daughter wanted to watch because she was honestly curious about the kids' training techniques and their skill level (she is in a very competitive sport that involves dance techniques and athletic ability, but "cheer" is pretty foreign to us). I will say that we see considerably more cheer activity in this show than we see actual dancing in Dance Moms. (After all, it's not "Cheer Moms"). Unfortunately, there's still waaaaaaaay too much parental involvement, and it's all ugly. I simply cannot understand parents who insert themselves into their child's activities to such an excessive degree. One cheer mom said she doesn't see anything wrong with living through her daughter.

I never miss my own daughter's competitions or test days, and I am involved with the club's parent council as it's very difficult to get volunteers, but I rarely watch her train. It's her life, her passion, and I support it but I don't direct or manage it - I leave that to her coaches. Plus, she spends hours and hours every week training, and I have another child, a husband, a job, and my own stuff. How do these women spend so much time planted on their rears being spectators and gossips?

Anyway - cheer mom Ann is a vicious, vindictive, controlling gossip that could give Mrs. Honey Boo-Boo or any of the Dance Moms/T&T crowd a run for their money. Don't have much good to say about the rest of them, either. The coach, Alisha, is...frazzled? Not the solid presence I would look for in a coach - Abby Lee Miller has her beat there. The kids are very young, the oldest being 11 (from what we saw). Many of them have great ability but not the drive I see in the Dance Moms kids. Then again, I don't know if cheer is a means to an end the way dance is, though I have no idea what kind of qualifications one would need to be a member of a professional cheer team.

I enjoyed the kids' routines, though and was really in awe of their gymnastics skills. My daughter liked it overall but said she could have done without so much mama drama.

[mom2]

Wow. I saw them first on Toddlers and Tiaras. I recognized the coach and her daughter, and Ann and her daughter. I think there was one more from that gym but I can't remember who it was.

Something has to be wrong with Ann. Who revels in crashing a surprise birthday party when you know you aren't wanted? No shame.

The other moms could have shown class when that happened, but this is reality tv and that doesn't make a good scene so we have to drama out instead.

I enjoy watching them perform.

[mesachick]

Holy cow @ Ann. What a B*tch! Love watching the girls do their cheers though.