Midwest Cheer Elite
reviews and complaints

I am a midwest alumni, and was an athlete with this gym for several years before I was forced to retire due to an injury. While at Midwest, I had teeth knocked out, two broken ankles, broken wrists, pulled muscles, torn tendons and ligaments, a fractured foot, and a compound fracture in my tibia...while I understand that having your child injured must be a nightmare for any parent, you should know firstly that competitive cheerleading is now ranked the most dangerous sport in America; even more so than football. I was actually told by my physical therapist AND my sports injury surgeon that the athletes that they see the most in the ER (and most surgeries performed), by FAR, are competitive cheerleaders. This is something that you should have researched before letting your daughter step onto a spring floor. THIS IS A SPORT WHERE INJURIES OCCUR FREQUENTLY. I don't mean to sound curt or rude, but there are nationally ranked eight year olds in this country who are able to perform level 5 tumbling skills...my point being: even girls your daughters age are at risk of getting an injury; not just the high level senior worlds teams (16 & 18 year olds).

With that being said, I would also like to say that Midwest Cheer Elite is one of the most caring and understanding family of professional coaches in the country, BUT they breed nationally ranked champions. These coaches and their athletes are ANYTHING but soft. This gym is nationally recognized as a powerhouse, meaning people in California, Florida, Colorado, etc. know our gym, and know who we are, because we're one of the best out there...There were PLENTY of days when I got hurt...Landing on my head, getting smacked by a flyer, bleeding, crying YOU NAME IT...and was told to "get up, and suck it up". And you want to know why? Because getting back up when your aching, and your tired, and you just plain feel like you can't is what makes not only successful athletes, but also success adults. Being tough at Midwest growing up is what made me a very tough college student and 21 year old today!

Even though I had many rough practices, and lots of tough love from my coaches, the times when I was seriously injured, I was never asked to get back up. I was taken to the ER and just like some people stated above, they would either accompany my family to the hospital or call every hour to check on my status. AND most of my injuries I received were from performing skills I that I had mastered for YEARS; unfortunately, in this sport, sometimes things just happen. You land funny, you open your full too soon, etc, , even on skills you've performed perfectly thousands of times...I NEVER EVER experienced an injury due to the negligence of my coaches. Infact, I can say in confidence that while I was learning a new skill, if any of my coaches felt that I was not ready to perform the skill on my own, I was not allowed to! They forced me to let them to spot me until they felt confident that I was ready.

You need to understand that in this sport, things happen, and the odds of your son or daughter experiencing an injury at some point in his or her career is VERY likely, almost promised (I can't recall ever actually meeting an allstar cheerleader who has never been injured in some way). Today, this sport really is not "cheerleading", It is PROFESSIONAL LEVEL stunting, tumbling and acro. We defy gravity. And let's be honest, if there wasn't any risk, no one would do it, because where is the fun in that?

GO MIDWEST ! rooting you guys on always !

Wow! My daughter is a flyer at Midwest for 5 years and she has been injured and when injured her coaches as well as the owner have come to the hospital and called me personally to check on injuries. If ou are truly concerned keep your kid at home and don't let them play sports!

kids are kids, you take that risk when you send your child to school. if another kid at your daughters school hit her would you press charges? midwest cheer elite has a big name in the cheerleading world, and i work at a small gym and sometimes its hard to see everything thats happening, people miss things. i doubt the staff would intentionally let one abuse another.

im sorry but if a 5 year old was injured at my gym and there was a complaint that another child had hurt her i would investigate. that 5 year old girls mother deserves to know what happened to her child. the "gym owner" who posted i want to know what you would do if your child came home and said some other kid had hurt them on purpose? would you want answers? would you accept the gym to know what happened when your child was under their care? i know i would and this gym seems very irresponsible and i know i would never want my child under the care of someone for any period of time that is not concerned about what happens to them. to the mother of this 5 year old girl if you are telling the truth you should seek legal action against the gym i know i would.

I am one of the owners of the gym... and the complaint was from the Toledo location. The person who wrote this is not being honest and we have emails where she continually contradicts herself. The parent also sent her complaint to a newspaper in Toledo where they advice columnist was an attorney and had problems with this person's "story." She wanted to sue another 6yr old child? The attorney adviced her she "had no case" and to move on.

All of our coaches are USASF credentialed and I have 3 children of my own... a 6yr old, according to the State of Ohio, cannot be charged with intent when both kids were playing around. The questions this parent wanted answered were the phone number and address to the other child... there is absolutely NO WAY we would ever let another adult harrass or intimidate a CHILD.

Thank you to those who posted... we appreciate your support!

Cheers,
Midwest Cheer Elite, Inc

Like the other responders have said, there is a risk for any activity, especially elite tumbling and stunting, even stretching. I have been with Midwest since its starting days in 2004, and have begun teaching classes there. I have good relationships with all the staff members and the owner, i have yet to see anyone have harassment charges threatened towards them and instructors are more than happy to confront parents about there child's progress or any concerns they have. All classes are carefully monitored and I highly doubt there would be any athlete at the gym who would intentionally hurt your daughter. I have yet to meet one person at the gym who is mean spirited, or would ever physically harm anyone. I seriously doubt anything you said was true, i have been in the gym almost every day for the past seven years and have never seen anything you described in your complaint.

I find it hard to belive that a 6 year old could intentionally hurt anyone. I know people who go to the same gym and have a good experience. Kids seem to learn alot and have fun. There is risk in everything that our children do. It is amazing how those who complain make it sound so horrible when it is probably the best place in the Toledo area for cheer leading and tumbling. Pretty strong accusations you may want to wtach what you say or try to talk to the BBB.

My daughter has attended the same gym for over a year now and I have never had any problems. I apologize you had a bad expierence and that your daughter was injured. Every activity my daughter has ever participated in (soccer, t-ball, etc) has made me sign waivers. A child is always at risk no matter what the activity may be.