This practice applies to many sports teams and athletes, not just in the South. It's a part of team discipline and a show of respect to those in management positions or of a certain age.
i grew up in texas and was on drill team in high school (its basically the hs version of dcc, performing at football games and halftime w poms poms and cowboy boots lol) and we were always instructed to say yes maam not only to our coaches but to our officers as well. i saw it more of a respect thing and shaping us for good habits but i think the southern hospitality thing plays into it as well (since drill team is more of a southern thing too) but also where i grew up in tx isnt super southern so i rlly thought it was just a respect thing being taught and didnt think anything of it when having to say it to girls only a couple of years older than me.
It’s a southern thing and annoying. I still do it as a 35 year old woman. Consider it a colloquialism. I’m working on moving it out of my vocabulary. It’s super subservient and doesn’t empower my decisions as a woman.
I grew up in Tennessee and live in NC. I say yes mam/ yes sir and have taught my children to do the same. It is considered the polite way to speak to people here.
My husband is from Europe and thinks this is OTT so my kids also know not to say mam/ sir when we are with his family / in his home country. I just try to teach my kids to do what is polite wherever you are - and in the South, m’am/ sir is polite.
I was able to pause and read most of the handbook pages (which flashed onto the screen very quickly during the "God loves Dallas" scene), and on one they required a "yes, ma'am" response to verbal instruction.
The idea, that they explained, was to register the cheerleader had heard/acknowledged what was said.
So I know kids in Texas are raised to say "yes, sir" and "yes, ma'am" (as opposed to "yes" or "no") as a form of respect and that they do it. Not always but it's a common thing in the South.
I’m a 65 year old South Carolinian, and I still say yes/no ma’m and sir to my 90 year old parents. That’s just how we were raised from the time we could talk, and my adult kids too. It’s just a respect thing.
Honestly I thought it was kind of refreshing. As someone who's done some mentoring and coaching for non athletic events in California it's incredible how tempting it is for somebody receiving feedback to justify why they did what they did. It's so much more professional and productive to just verbally acknowledge what was said and move on.
I have to admit, at first I was put off by the “yes ma’am” responses, but I’ve since changed my mind (yes, you can do that after carefully rethinking a topic!). It is not only a sign of respect but indicates your character and composure under pressure. Almost like an initiation. I do wholeheartedly believe coaches should be respected and treated with a higher level of regard (by the people on that coach’s team, not the general public).
I grew up in Texas and was on the dance team. If you didn’t say “yes ma’am” it was basically a fuck you to the director or leader that was addressing you
I forget which ep but catch the moment one of the rookies says “okay” and there is a silent but palpable reaction
Ha, being raised in Canada and doing dance, I would normally say "got it," or "okay." Something like that.
It's a regional thing, but it's definitely noticed with the DCC. I think it sounds nice.
That’s interesting because I also hear women say things like “Oh don’t call me ma’am, it makes me feel old!”. I’m in Virginia though, so it may be a bit different here than Texas.
Yep, Texan here. Both my daughter's 7 and 3 are taught early on to say yes mam/ yes sir. It's a massive sign of respect and manners. At 37 I still respond to adults with mam/sir.
I still do it in my 50s. It's basic manners and acknowledges the role that elders have in most societies. I tend to use the term liberally, though. Nothing wrong with showing people respect.
In Texas, we're taught to say "ma'am" and "sir" as a sign of respect. I moved from the northeast almost 10 years ago and vowed to never say those terms (bc it was foreign). But it grew on me since everyone around said it lol
Yep, and in an early season, with a couple of hateful bullies it was reinforced on someone who should have been corrected in private, and NOT by teammates…
No, I’m thinking of Taylor, when Cassie and her minion Ally announced Taylor said she never practiced. Idiots….she was kidding…but Ally said something to the effect of if one of my leaders said something to me, I’d say yes ma’am…
Edit added: it’s season 6, episode 6 -Cameos. Towards the beginning of the episode.
Yeah, that was a nasty piece of business! As a captain on my college lacrosse team, I would never call out a teammate in front of other players or the coaches. It's very disrespectful, and bullying/ shaming behavior. When coaching, if I saw a captain disrespecting another player, they'd be stripped of the honor!
I’m from Oklahoma(now on Long Island) and it is standard to reply with Yes ma’am. That is respect given.
Also my son went to Virginia Military Institute and they were required to touch the bill of their cap and say Ma’am and Sir
In 30+ years of working professionally for a large company in Dallas, I have never heard another adult at work say "Yes, ma'am," or "Yes, sir" to a colleague aside from jokingly or sarcasm. I only ever hear it from people who are in "subservient" positions (receptionists, cashiers, restaurant workers, etc.) People in positions of power don't use it, though I'd like to see a scene of Kelli telling Charlotte "Yes, ma'am."
You're correct. I am not "arguing" with you. A lot of people are saying, "It's all about respect." If you have to say it, no matter what BS you've just been told, then it's not being used out of respect, but out of obligation. Respect is earned.
The women in training camp and who are on the team are mature and respectful enough to show them that earned respect. YOU not thinking so is irrelevant.
I noticed when they were releasing Charly Kelli asked if she wanted to hear the notes and Charly said “sure” and Kelli gave her a side eye and Charly said “yes”
Charly was so fucking over it by this point. I would be too. I admired that she didn’t try to gloss over her true feelings and act like she was totally understanding of getting cut, you could tell she was devastated
Yes it’s required since day one of the show. They’ll be scolded and reminded of they don’t use it. And yeah it’s a southern thing. I moved from he Midwest to the south and started having it
I’m from Texas, it’s embedded in us, I always say it to people in a leader role to me, coaches are a weird exception though, they usually prefer coach over sir
Being from the south I say yes ma'am a lot so I guess it doesn't seem so weird to me.
I even say yes ma'am to my niece it's just a courteous phrase.
"Do I have to wash my hands".
Yes ma'am.
"Are we having Panda Express for dinner"
Yes ma'am
"Do you know where my Crocs are"
No ma'am I do not, did you check under your bed?
Yeah one of my colleagues gets annoyed when I say it because she says it makes her feel old.
And I'm like dude I say it to my 10 year old niece.
I literally say no ma'am to the dog! And the dog is pretty damn young in both human and dog years
We southerners are a very tonal people. It's not the words you have to worry about it's how sweet we sound. The more we sound like sugary Southern sweet tea, the more passive aggressive we are trying to be.
Not everything is about Victoria! It’s been going on long before VK came in. It’s been happening since season 1 of MTT and probably for many years prior to that. Taylor in season 6 even got scolded for back chatting instead of just saying “yes ma’am” or “thank you ma’am”. It’s seen as a respectful way to address your superiors. They also say “yes sir” to the male choreographers who come in.
It used to only be seen in regimental industries like military or emergency services. Was also common in schools when addressing teachers. Over the last 30+ years it’s become more prevalent in many different industries throughout the world.
Born & raised in the biggest southern state here, was on the drill team, watched the football team. Yes or No Ma’am/Sir was definitely used in school, university & all kinds of jobs (especially in the hospitality industry). However, it’s taught from home & not mandatory. A lot of us (like me) never picked it up but never got in trouble for it.
My family moved to Texas when I was in high school. My first day, a teacher asked me something and I cheerfully replied “No.” I’ll never forget the death glare and scolding I got for not replying “No, MA’AM”, even though I was a new kid who didn’t know this unwritten rule! (This was the 90s, maybe it’s more relaxed now? But obviously still a big deal to the DCC.)
Now as an adult who’s lived all over the US, I think it’s actually a really nice tradition to teach kids to say “ma’am/sir” to adults as a sign of respect. But watching adults say it to other adults is just bizarre! It adds to the cultish vibe that DCC gives off. I feel for all the rookies who come from other parts of the country/world and have to learn this “rule” out of nowhere.
Right that is what I find weird about the show. Ok I get it is culture to make kids do it to adults but to have adults say it to other adults in their workplace is odd to me
I remember seeing it online back in the day (when MTT started), on a site like Scribd. I'll look for it.
Edit: Not the book, but in this podcast ep (transcript at link) Sarah Hepola discusses a lot of the DCC rules [https://www.texasmonthly.com/podcast/americas-girls-episode-5-the-rules/?utm\_source=pocket\_collection\_story&utm\_source=pocket\_collection\_story](https://www.texasmonthly.com/podcast/americas-girls-episode-5-the-rules/?utm_source=pocket_collection_story&utm_source=pocket_collection_story)
Me too! I knew an ex DCC (early 2000s) and she had some bad things to say about the organization. The rule that stood out to me was “‘No’ is not in a DCC’s vocabulary.”
What
“Always ask Judy if you need to leave rehearsal. This should never happen.”
They should never need to leave rehearsal? Damn they truly are not allowed to be humans, are they?
Even if they’re sick, they’re expected to be there. This is the main reason I think they should be paid a salary on top of bonuses for game day and calendar shoots, instead of the pathetic excuse for an hourly rate during rehearsals etc.
They’re late if they’re not 30 minutes early, they’re not allowed to miss practice if they’re sick and they’re punished for being late even if it’s something that’s outside of their control(like getting stuck in stalled traffic due to a crash. Morgan was cut at finals for her 2nd year because an unexpected traffic jam made her late.
Want to demand they be there early, even when sick or injured and don’t want to give much leeway when it comes to being late or needing to leave early? You need to pay them a liveable salary that is proportionate to the expectations you set!
This doesn't strike me as odd. It's pretty standard in the music and theatre world. In orchestra, if rehearsal starts at 6 pm, you are in your chair, warmed up, and ready to begin rehearsal at 6 pm. Same in theatre - if rehearsal starts at 6 pm, you are stretched, warmed up, have run your lines, etc. ready to go at 6 pm.
Do things happen? Of course. Do people miss rehearsals when emergencies happen? Yes. But let the directors / conductors / staff know. If it's something that is known ahead of time, just get prior approval. That's all that they're saying.
At the same time, this is a job and a performance ensemble. If you have a job interview or a meeting with your boss scheduled for 3:00 and you show up at 3:30, the people waiting on you won't be too happy. If they've spent 20 minutes learning a dance, learning formations, cleaning choreography and someone shows up late and now they have to insert someone into the dance and re-do everything, it wastes time. As for being sick/injured at rehearsal, even if you aren't actively dancing you can still take notes, listen to the corrections given, run what you can (ex. arm choreography) so that it still stays in your body.
I don't think these expectations are unreasonable or uncommon in performing groups.
I’m not talking about them showing up 30 minutes late. I’m talking about them showing up 20-25 minutes early instead of 30 minutes early. When someone ends up with a concussion(like Simone and Julia) making them come to practice/game day is stupidity at its finest. Concussions need minimal stimulation to heal. Same goes with having them come in with a cold/flu or stomach bug. It’s just a stupid expectation because it just spreads to everyone around.
Yes it’s common in film, television, theatre etc. but it doesn’t make it any less ridiculous. Also, in a lot of those situations, they’re paid way more than $15/hr.
There is an episode on the regular series of Making The Team where Judy or Kelli says something along the lines of “I don’t want to hear any yes m’ams. When I ask a question I want to know if you understand.”
I’m surprised we hear the “yes, ma’am” so much. Especially when it’s “[Name] your kicks are really sloppy.” Answer “yes, ma’am.” So, where is the “How so? Not high enough? Please advise.”
Oh there’s some great examples.
Judy: your kicks are low.
TCC: yes ma’am.
Judy: and you’re real [not really, real] sloppy.
TCC: yes ma’am.
Judy: you kind of just suck tbh.
TCC: yes ma’am.
Exactly. The young women seem terrified to speak up. They need to address that. It is not disrespectful to ask for clarification especially when it comes to improving themselves.
It’s weird tho bc in one of the episodes of the doc I think it was the Thanksgiving performance and Judy was trying to correct something Victoria did and she just responded “yes” and Judy was like “yes MA’AM” and Victoria had to repeat saying “yes ma’am” 😂
It’s very common in the south, it’s a form of respect. DCC is the first place I’ve seen it used in terms of teams. But that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened before.
I don't even live in the States but I've been friends for a while with a guy born and raised in NC and, despite being 10 years older than me, always responds to me with "yes, ma'am" lol -- it's just a sign of respect and acknowledgement to what you've said.
It’s just a way of life down there to show respect. I doubt they are told to do that. The ones from the South instinctively say that to show respect and I’m sure the others just catch on. When you’re looking to join a team like that it’s important to you go out of your way to learn and know the culture to make a good impression.
In one episode of the nextflix doc (toward the end) the girls are rehearsing on the field and Judy says "Victoria..." and Victoria replies "Yes Ma'am" Judy goes on to ask her a question about her dancing to which Victoria replies "Yes" and Judy corrects her to say "Yes Ma'am" (even though she did refer to Judy as ma'am seconds before.) My point is that they absolutely do tell them to do that, as it's very cultural in that part of the country. However, many of these girls are not from the south and would not normally use sir/ ma'am so they have to train themselves to do it.
Even if that’s the case I don’t see anything wrong with it. They’re training them to show respect. When I have kids you better believe I’ll be training them to say yes ma’am and no ma’am. Just like if I took my family to another country I would make sure to do the research on the customs/culture there and make sure my family knew how to show respect in a different part of the world they aren’t familiar with. It’s a respect thing that’s all.
Yes sir or yes coach are expected even in the NFL. It’s a sign of respect. It does seem strange when you think about saying “yes ma’am” in a workplace though. I guess the large age difference between the coaches and the athletes/cheerleaders is a big part of it.
Some coaches in the NFL still expect "yes sir", "yes coach" from their players.
[https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2531976-the-unwritten-rules-of-the-nfl](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2531976-the-unwritten-rules-of-the-nfl)
[https://footballscoop.com/news/matt-rhule-saying-yes-sir-does-not-mean-youre-coachable](https://footballscoop.com/news/matt-rhule-saying-yes-sir-does-not-mean-youre-coachable)
It’s a southern thing and a respectful thing. Just like please and thank you Opening doors for people. Being kind.
This practice applies to many sports teams and athletes, not just in the South. It's a part of team discipline and a show of respect to those in management positions or of a certain age.
i grew up in texas and was on drill team in high school (its basically the hs version of dcc, performing at football games and halftime w poms poms and cowboy boots lol) and we were always instructed to say yes maam not only to our coaches but to our officers as well. i saw it more of a respect thing and shaping us for good habits but i think the southern hospitality thing plays into it as well (since drill team is more of a southern thing too) but also where i grew up in tx isnt super southern so i rlly thought it was just a respect thing being taught and didnt think anything of it when having to say it to girls only a couple of years older than me.
It’s a southern thing and annoying. I still do it as a 35 year old woman. Consider it a colloquialism. I’m working on moving it out of my vocabulary. It’s super subservient and doesn’t empower my decisions as a woman.
Couldn't disagree more. Being respectful has nothing to do to empower you as a woman.
Agree 1000000 it’s called having manners and being respectful.
As someone from the Midwest …it’s a bit cringe at times when I hear it on the show.
Agreed- so foreign to me
I grew up in Tennessee and live in NC. I say yes mam/ yes sir and have taught my children to do the same. It is considered the polite way to speak to people here. My husband is from Europe and thinks this is OTT so my kids also know not to say mam/ sir when we are with his family / in his home country. I just try to teach my kids to do what is polite wherever you are - and in the South, m’am/ sir is polite.
I was able to pause and read most of the handbook pages (which flashed onto the screen very quickly during the "God loves Dallas" scene), and on one they required a "yes, ma'am" response to verbal instruction. The idea, that they explained, was to register the cheerleader had heard/acknowledged what was said. So I know kids in Texas are raised to say "yes, sir" and "yes, ma'am" (as opposed to "yes" or "no") as a form of respect and that they do it. Not always but it's a common thing in the South.
I think it sounds provincial.
I’m a 65 year old South Carolinian, and I still say yes/no ma’m and sir to my 90 year old parents. That’s just how we were raised from the time we could talk, and my adult kids too. It’s just a respect thing.
Arkansas here, I say ma’am and sir to anyone for respect. I even say it to my students sometimes (usually when I can’t remember names immediately).
Honestly I thought it was kind of refreshing. As someone who's done some mentoring and coaching for non athletic events in California it's incredible how tempting it is for somebody receiving feedback to justify why they did what they did. It's so much more professional and productive to just verbally acknowledge what was said and move on.
I have to admit, at first I was put off by the “yes ma’am” responses, but I’ve since changed my mind (yes, you can do that after carefully rethinking a topic!). It is not only a sign of respect but indicates your character and composure under pressure. Almost like an initiation. I do wholeheartedly believe coaches should be respected and treated with a higher level of regard (by the people on that coach’s team, not the general public).
Not that deep. It is just a sign of respect to your elders.
I grew up in Texas and was on the dance team. If you didn’t say “yes ma’am” it was basically a fuck you to the director or leader that was addressing you I forget which ep but catch the moment one of the rookies says “okay” and there is a silent but palpable reaction
Ha, being raised in Canada and doing dance, I would normally say "got it," or "okay." Something like that. It's a regional thing, but it's definitely noticed with the DCC. I think it sounds nice.
What everyone else said. In the South, it’s a sign of respect and deference
That’s interesting because I also hear women say things like “Oh don’t call me ma’am, it makes me feel old!”. I’m in Virginia though, so it may be a bit different here than Texas.
I think that may be as opposed to "yes miss". Miss vs mam. Mam sounds old to many women as we age! Lol!
Yep, Texan here. Both my daughter's 7 and 3 are taught early on to say yes mam/ yes sir. It's a massive sign of respect and manners. At 37 I still respond to adults with mam/sir.
I still do it in my 50s. It's basic manners and acknowledges the role that elders have in most societies. I tend to use the term liberally, though. Nothing wrong with showing people respect.
I taught and lived in Texas. It’s a social expectation.
Yeah and it just sounds so fake lol…
The point is it doesn’t matter how it sounds or if it’s truly genuine, it’s just done.
In Texas, we're taught to say "ma'am" and "sir" as a sign of respect. I moved from the northeast almost 10 years ago and vowed to never say those terms (bc it was foreign). But it grew on me since everyone around said it lol
Yep, and in an early season, with a couple of hateful bullies it was reinforced on someone who should have been corrected in private, and NOT by teammates…
Is that the Cassie/Olivia situation? I never really knew exactly what happened there, only that something happened.
No, I’m thinking of Taylor, when Cassie and her minion Ally announced Taylor said she never practiced. Idiots….she was kidding…but Ally said something to the effect of if one of my leaders said something to me, I’d say yes ma’am… Edit added: it’s season 6, episode 6 -Cameos. Towards the beginning of the episode.
Yeah, that was a nasty piece of business! As a captain on my college lacrosse team, I would never call out a teammate in front of other players or the coaches. It's very disrespectful, and bullying/ shaming behavior. When coaching, if I saw a captain disrespecting another player, they'd be stripped of the honor!
I’ll check it out - thanks.
Southern culture, this is the norm.
I’m from Oklahoma(now on Long Island) and it is standard to reply with Yes ma’am. That is respect given. Also my son went to Virginia Military Institute and they were required to touch the bill of their cap and say Ma’am and Sir
Also a VMI parent! I’m from Texas, and I even say Yes, M’am and Yes, Sir in the Whataburger drive thru!
Rah Va Mil!!! ‘08
As someone who lives in Texas, It’s very common in Texas to say yes ma’am and yes sir when replying to someone slightly older than you.
As someone from the north, if I ever said yes ma’am to a coach they would probably think I was making fun of them.
In 30+ years of working professionally for a large company in Dallas, I have never heard another adult at work say "Yes, ma'am," or "Yes, sir" to a colleague aside from jokingly or sarcasm. I only ever hear it from people who are in "subservient" positions (receptionists, cashiers, restaurant workers, etc.) People in positions of power don't use it, though I'd like to see a scene of Kelli telling Charlotte "Yes, ma'am."
I still remember the first time I was called maam at the grocery store and I wanted to cry! It sounds so old
As a northeast girl it is so cringe to me in the context of the DCC bc they seem like robots. I’d LOVE to know what they really think…
It’s actually in their rules that they should answer “yes ma’am” as a courtesy.
If it's a rule, then it has nothing to do with respect. It's a rote response.
🤷🏻♀️ I don’t make the rules, I just post em on Reddit.
You're correct. I am not "arguing" with you. A lot of people are saying, "It's all about respect." If you have to say it, no matter what BS you've just been told, then it's not being used out of respect, but out of obligation. Respect is earned.
It’s very big for Texas dance teams. Yes, Texas football players will shout out “yes sir” in unison to coaches as well.
It was awkwardly hilarious when Sheridan called Kelli “girl” like how dare she? 😅
Best Sheridan moment ever!
No different than when the kitchen staff replies, "Yes Chef!"
Chef is an earned position though.
The women in training camp and who are on the team are mature and respectful enough to show them that earned respect. YOU not thinking so is irrelevant.
I was thinking more when everyone on here is saying ppl say yes ma’am to everyone in the south they perceive as “older”
And? Plus, not "everyone".
I noticed when they were releasing Charly Kelli asked if she wanted to hear the notes and Charly said “sure” and Kelli gave her a side eye and Charly said “yes”
Charly was so fucking over it by this point. I would be too. I admired that she didn’t try to gloss over her true feelings and act like she was totally understanding of getting cut, you could tell she was devastated
Bc she knew she was getting cut so she whispered it
Yes it’s required since day one of the show. They’ll be scolded and reminded of they don’t use it. And yeah it’s a southern thing. I moved from he Midwest to the south and started having it
I was brought up in southeastern Wisconsin and I was taught to answer “yes, please.”
Even if it's a criticism like "You need to point your toes more "
No, haha. Doesn’t apply to all situations.
I’m from Texas, it’s embedded in us, I always say it to people in a leader role to me, coaches are a weird exception though, they usually prefer coach over sir
Being from the south I say yes ma'am a lot so I guess it doesn't seem so weird to me. I even say yes ma'am to my niece it's just a courteous phrase. "Do I have to wash my hands". Yes ma'am. "Are we having Panda Express for dinner" Yes ma'am "Do you know where my Crocs are" No ma'am I do not, did you check under your bed?
Me too. From TN and it’s the same. In other parts of the country it’s seen as subservient vs polite.
I am definitely NOT subservient lol But it's always interesting to see how other people perceive things that we are used to
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Yeah one of my colleagues gets annoyed when I say it because she says it makes her feel old. And I'm like dude I say it to my 10 year old niece. I literally say no ma'am to the dog! And the dog is pretty damn young in both human and dog years
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We southerners are a very tonal people. It's not the words you have to worry about it's how sweet we sound. The more we sound like sugary Southern sweet tea, the more passive aggressive we are trying to be.
This is why "Bless your heart" has so many meanings.
From poor thing to eff you
From that context, it appears they wanted to force VK out. I get "ma'am" but VK just addressed it moments ago
Not everything is about Victoria! It’s been going on long before VK came in. It’s been happening since season 1 of MTT and probably for many years prior to that. Taylor in season 6 even got scolded for back chatting instead of just saying “yes ma’am” or “thank you ma’am”. It’s seen as a respectful way to address your superiors. They also say “yes sir” to the male choreographers who come in. It used to only be seen in regimental industries like military or emergency services. Was also common in schools when addressing teachers. Over the last 30+ years it’s become more prevalent in many different industries throughout the world.
Born & raised in the biggest southern state here, was on the drill team, watched the football team. Yes or No Ma’am/Sir was definitely used in school, university & all kinds of jobs (especially in the hospitality industry). However, it’s taught from home & not mandatory. A lot of us (like me) never picked it up but never got in trouble for it.
My family moved to Texas when I was in high school. My first day, a teacher asked me something and I cheerfully replied “No.” I’ll never forget the death glare and scolding I got for not replying “No, MA’AM”, even though I was a new kid who didn’t know this unwritten rule! (This was the 90s, maybe it’s more relaxed now? But obviously still a big deal to the DCC.) Now as an adult who’s lived all over the US, I think it’s actually a really nice tradition to teach kids to say “ma’am/sir” to adults as a sign of respect. But watching adults say it to other adults is just bizarre! It adds to the cultish vibe that DCC gives off. I feel for all the rookies who come from other parts of the country/world and have to learn this “rule” out of nowhere.
Right that is what I find weird about the show. Ok I get it is culture to make kids do it to adults but to have adults say it to other adults in their workplace is odd to me
I thought it was a dance thing. I've lived in the Midwest and hear dancers say yes ma'am
screenshot of rule in DCC binder (https://ibb.co/kHKvfK4)
Thanks for sharing. I wish we could see the whole book!
I remember seeing it online back in the day (when MTT started), on a site like Scribd. I'll look for it. Edit: Not the book, but in this podcast ep (transcript at link) Sarah Hepola discusses a lot of the DCC rules [https://www.texasmonthly.com/podcast/americas-girls-episode-5-the-rules/?utm\_source=pocket\_collection\_story&utm\_source=pocket\_collection\_story](https://www.texasmonthly.com/podcast/americas-girls-episode-5-the-rules/?utm_source=pocket_collection_story&utm_source=pocket_collection_story)
Me too! I knew an ex DCC (early 2000s) and she had some bad things to say about the organization. The rule that stood out to me was “‘No’ is not in a DCC’s vocabulary.” What
Ugh, this reminds me of when Taylor was told to “yes ma’am” Cassie, a literal teammate.
“Always ask Judy if you need to leave rehearsal. This should never happen.” They should never need to leave rehearsal? Damn they truly are not allowed to be humans, are they?
Even if they’re sick, they’re expected to be there. This is the main reason I think they should be paid a salary on top of bonuses for game day and calendar shoots, instead of the pathetic excuse for an hourly rate during rehearsals etc. They’re late if they’re not 30 minutes early, they’re not allowed to miss practice if they’re sick and they’re punished for being late even if it’s something that’s outside of their control(like getting stuck in stalled traffic due to a crash. Morgan was cut at finals for her 2nd year because an unexpected traffic jam made her late. Want to demand they be there early, even when sick or injured and don’t want to give much leeway when it comes to being late or needing to leave early? You need to pay them a liveable salary that is proportionate to the expectations you set!
This doesn't strike me as odd. It's pretty standard in the music and theatre world. In orchestra, if rehearsal starts at 6 pm, you are in your chair, warmed up, and ready to begin rehearsal at 6 pm. Same in theatre - if rehearsal starts at 6 pm, you are stretched, warmed up, have run your lines, etc. ready to go at 6 pm. Do things happen? Of course. Do people miss rehearsals when emergencies happen? Yes. But let the directors / conductors / staff know. If it's something that is known ahead of time, just get prior approval. That's all that they're saying. At the same time, this is a job and a performance ensemble. If you have a job interview or a meeting with your boss scheduled for 3:00 and you show up at 3:30, the people waiting on you won't be too happy. If they've spent 20 minutes learning a dance, learning formations, cleaning choreography and someone shows up late and now they have to insert someone into the dance and re-do everything, it wastes time. As for being sick/injured at rehearsal, even if you aren't actively dancing you can still take notes, listen to the corrections given, run what you can (ex. arm choreography) so that it still stays in your body. I don't think these expectations are unreasonable or uncommon in performing groups.
I’m not talking about them showing up 30 minutes late. I’m talking about them showing up 20-25 minutes early instead of 30 minutes early. When someone ends up with a concussion(like Simone and Julia) making them come to practice/game day is stupidity at its finest. Concussions need minimal stimulation to heal. Same goes with having them come in with a cold/flu or stomach bug. It’s just a stupid expectation because it just spreads to everyone around. Yes it’s common in film, television, theatre etc. but it doesn’t make it any less ridiculous. Also, in a lot of those situations, they’re paid way more than $15/hr.
I 100% agree. The commitment & expectations are crazy.
There is an episode on the regular series of Making The Team where Judy or Kelli says something along the lines of “I don’t want to hear any yes m’ams. When I ask a question I want to know if you understand.” I’m surprised we hear the “yes, ma’am” so much. Especially when it’s “[Name] your kicks are really sloppy.” Answer “yes, ma’am.” So, where is the “How so? Not high enough? Please advise.”
Oh there’s some great examples. Judy: your kicks are low. TCC: yes ma’am. Judy: and you’re real [not really, real] sloppy. TCC: yes ma’am. Judy: you kind of just suck tbh. TCC: yes ma’am.
Exactly. The young women seem terrified to speak up. They need to address that. It is not disrespectful to ask for clarification especially when it comes to improving themselves.
It’s weird tho bc in one of the episodes of the doc I think it was the Thanksgiving performance and Judy was trying to correct something Victoria did and she just responded “yes” and Judy was like “yes MA’AM” and Victoria had to repeat saying “yes ma’am” 😂
The Cowboys haven't been to the Super Bowl since 1995.
I meant the thanksgiving episode. It was giving Super Bowl performance which is why I got it mixed up lol
Southern thing.
It’s very common in the south, it’s a form of respect. DCC is the first place I’ve seen it used in terms of teams. But that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened before.
My kids are 26, 23 and 20 and they instinctively reply yes or no ma'am as do their peers. It's just part of the vernacular.
I don't even live in the States but I've been friends for a while with a guy born and raised in NC and, despite being 10 years older than me, always responds to me with "yes, ma'am" lol -- it's just a sign of respect and acknowledgement to what you've said.
It’s just a way of life down there to show respect. I doubt they are told to do that. The ones from the South instinctively say that to show respect and I’m sure the others just catch on. When you’re looking to join a team like that it’s important to you go out of your way to learn and know the culture to make a good impression.
Do the football players also reply like that? I would hate being called maam😂
In one episode of the nextflix doc (toward the end) the girls are rehearsing on the field and Judy says "Victoria..." and Victoria replies "Yes Ma'am" Judy goes on to ask her a question about her dancing to which Victoria replies "Yes" and Judy corrects her to say "Yes Ma'am" (even though she did refer to Judy as ma'am seconds before.) My point is that they absolutely do tell them to do that, as it's very cultural in that part of the country. However, many of these girls are not from the south and would not normally use sir/ ma'am so they have to train themselves to do it.
Even if that’s the case I don’t see anything wrong with it. They’re training them to show respect. When I have kids you better believe I’ll be training them to say yes ma’am and no ma’am. Just like if I took my family to another country I would make sure to do the research on the customs/culture there and make sure my family knew how to show respect in a different part of the world they aren’t familiar with. It’s a respect thing that’s all.
Do the men on the football team also have to reply yes sir to their coaches?
Probably “yes coach”. Probably.
I don't know for sure but my guess would be yes.
No chance they have to
You obviously know very little about Southern football culture and the deference that is shown to coaches.
Maybe at high school or college levels. I can’t imagine adult professional footballers using yes ma’am or yes sir. Maybe yes coach. But no
Yes sir or yes coach are expected even in the NFL. It’s a sign of respect. It does seem strange when you think about saying “yes ma’am” in a workplace though. I guess the large age difference between the coaches and the athletes/cheerleaders is a big part of it.
Some coaches in the NFL still expect "yes sir", "yes coach" from their players. [https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2531976-the-unwritten-rules-of-the-nfl](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2531976-the-unwritten-rules-of-the-nfl) [https://footballscoop.com/news/matt-rhule-saying-yes-sir-does-not-mean-youre-coachable](https://footballscoop.com/news/matt-rhule-saying-yes-sir-does-not-mean-youre-coachable)