For many years, I was silent, not blind to the awful treatment athletes receive at Victory Vipers. I am no longer affiliated with the gym due to violating their social media portion of their contract. After a situation occurring at a competition where I was yelled at for running off the mat to throw up. I had made a post to a private story including three people affiliated with the gym explaining what had just occurred and expressed my emotions. One of these athletes (who was allowed to stay in the program after smoking on the bus to the summit) shared my private post with the gym. Talking poorly of the gyms name is against the social media contract and results in my removal from the program, but getting high before a competition results in no punishment. The favoritism this gym has towards specific athletes is not a secret. If you meet the small list of people this gym loves, the rules don't apply to you, and if not the rules are non negotiable for you. During my 3 concussions at Victory Vipers I was told to lie to my doctors about my symptoms because they came with cheer restrictions. I was told to push myself further than I felt comfortable with because it "wouldn't be fair the the team" (coach Erica 2022) if I didn't throw my personal tumbling while battling through a tendinitis flair up in my shoulders. Parents are unaware that this gym is conditioning young children to believe this treatment is normal and acceptable. Cheerleading is a dangerous sport and this gym is risking the safety of children for their personal goals of winning. In the 2021-2022 season 7 athletes quit my team due to the poor treatment athletes receive. If I wasn't so close to aging out of the sport, after my first season I would have never tried out again. The friends I made at the gym made it worth going back and I ignored the poor treatment I received. I want to share my story with those looking at where to enroll their children for cheerleading, Victory Vipers took my blood, sweat, tears, and love for the sport of cheerleading. I hope this gym owns up to their mistakes and makes changes to their values because they have many children mental and physical well-being in their hands. read more