Loyalty In Competitive Cheerleading

Competitive cheerleading is an aggressive sport; from throwing athletes in the air, to flipping heels-over-head in a gymnastics-like tumbling pass. Behind the cheer activity lays a family, one that consists of the gym owner(s), management, coaches, athletes, and their relatives. My gym, CG Athletics All Star Cheer & Dance, opened in 2016 with three full-season cheerleading squads. Between last season and this season, we have lost a handful of athletes to other gyms for various reasons. Likewise, we have gained many more athletes from other gyms. Why are these athletes gym-hopping? From examining the amount of gym-hopping within the competitive cheerleading community, it is clear that many athletes and their families do not understand the meaning of loyalty.
For example, it is easy to support the Kansas City Chiefs when they are on a winning streak; however, when they lost to the Bears, there were multiple statuses on my social media timelines stating: “Taking off the Chiefs jersey and throwing the Royals cap back on.” Loyalty is especially important when times are hard, such as when the Chiefs are losing, or when my gym has lost at a competition. These moments are when unbounded support is needed the most.
On the other hand, loyalty needs to go both ways. While my athlete is showing support for our gym, I need to also show support for my athlete by means of positive reinforcement, honesty in critiques, and emotional support in and outside the gym. It is also within these moments of an athlete's withdrawal I ask myself three things: why do they feel the need to switch gyms; what could I have done to keep them; and what can I do to avoid an athlete quitting in the