The 2007 U.S. runner-up has released a Youtube video asking for donations to help her family travel to Beijing this summer for the Olympic Games.
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The 2007 U.S. runner-up has released a Youtube video asking for donations to help her family travel to Beijing this summer for the Olympic Games.
The Gymblog 
May 15, 2008 at 1:42 pm |
I hope that she actually makes the team now, with all her latest aches and pains. I’m certainly pulling for her!!
I wonder what they will do with the money if she doesn’t make it though?
May 15, 2008 at 8:35 pm |
I love shayla!!!!
May 17, 2008 at 9:29 pm |
IMO it’s a little cheesy and also pretty condescending for her to put this video out. She seems to assume she has a guaranteed spot on the team, or as guaranteed a spot as Sacramone, Liukin, and Johnson probably have. IMO she’s going to be duking it out with everyone else for one of the last three spots. I totally see where she’s coming from and she probably thinks it’s best to start earlier than later raising funds, it’s just the fact that she acts like she’s already on the team is condescending and annoying as crap. I hate the fact that it makes me want to slap her when I know up until this point I love her and thought she had more class than this. I feel sure she could raise the money after team is decided. Go Shayla
May 18, 2008 at 9:43 pm |
Am I the only one who finds this absolutely outrageous? I’m not just talking about the fact that she’s doing this without having qualified for the team first. I’m talking about the fact that she’s asking for money for something like this AT ALL. I fail to see why her family needs to be there with her. Does anyone think the Romanians are bringing along their families? How about the Russians? Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if even the Chinese girls’ families didn’t come (unless they lived close to Beijing; and even if they did, the event tickets are very likely to be way out of many of those girls’ families’ budgets).
And Shayla doesn’t say so in the video, but her mother wrote a post about how this whole expedition is supposed to cost $60000 (yes, sixty thousand dollars). Six family members, times $10000 (for event tickets and travel expenses). I fail to see how one would ever consider spending that kind of money on something like this, even if one could afford it. To ask other people to pay for it is absolutely unforgivable.
May 21, 2008 at 2:26 am |
Shayla’s mom is asking for first class tickets and treatment for the whole family. I’m a college student in the East Asian Studies Department, and a lot of my classmates go to China over the summer for language study, thesis research, etc. It usually costs us $1500-$2000 to go for a month, airfare included. My best friend is in Bejiing right now on a thesis stipend of $1500, and with that he was able to buy a plane ticket and cover decent living expenses for 3 weeks. Shayla’s family would only go for a week if she made the team, right?
May 22, 2008 at 4:59 pm |
[…] consider Shayla Worley, who’s posted a YouTube video at The Gymblog, asking for help in bringing her family to China, that drew some rather negative […]
May 23, 2008 at 2:10 am |
First of all how can some of you think it is outrageous to want your family with you at the OLYMPICS….HELLOOOOO she has trained for this all of her life, who wouldn’t want their family there. Not everyone signed endorsements, isn’t unfortunate for Shayla that she decided to compete at the collegiate level rather than cash in on a 7 figure contract. GOOD FOR YOU SHAYLA!!!! Oh and I challenge anyone of you to find airfare and hotels the week of the Olympics for cheaper, I know for a fact the airfare alone is $2200.00.
OTOWN is behind you girl!
May 23, 2008 at 3:01 pm |
SLW,
I don’t find it outrageous that she wants her family there. I find it outrageous that she seems to know no limits. She wants her family there, fine. But if that turns out to cost $60000, then she should be able to say ‘That’s too expensive, I’ll do without.’ Especially since she doesn’t have the money.
It’s okay to ask for handouts, but only if you really, really need them (e.g. your kid gets leukemia and you cannot afford the treatment; there were two girls at my elementary school – some 15 years ago, and not in the US – who needed donations for their leukemia treatments, and my family donated a non-negligible sum of money relative to our income). But this is pure luxury. She might as well be asking for donations for a diamond necklace. It’s nice to have your family watch you at the Olympics (provided you make the team first, which she hasn’t done yet, and quite possibly won’t), but then, it’s also nice to have a diamond necklace.
May 24, 2008 at 9:04 pm |
Being a family friend, I know her mother spent $6,000 on each event ticket/hotel package, because there are no more event tickets available. The only way to get them is in a package. They’ve been sold out for over a year. USAG quoted all the parents $4,000 for air fare when they had their parent/Olympic talk at the camp a few months back. Sure, first class would be great, but this is coach class. I hope they can raise enough to help the cause, as well as the other NCAA eligible families.
June 1, 2008 at 9:34 pm |
For anyone who wants to earn money, do a fundraiser etc., Please go to my website and consider working this Travel business. Not only can you travel at cost, but we usually have the lowest rates. Email or Call me and I will get you in touch with Amy, our travel co-ordinator to help you plan your business and your trips. This business seems like the perfect mix for the Olympic Families looking to travel with their kids.
June 2, 2008 at 11:05 pm |
I would not donate money to this because:
1. She’s not going to make the team.
2. This is ridiculous. Bring your mom and dad, and that’s it. Why does Grandma have to go along? And all the siblings? Better bring the 2nd cousins and pre-school classmates.
People have enough $$ worries right now and the last thing they are going to donate $ to is this.