New USASF Rules

ACEDAD · GURU

RE: New USASF Rules

cheer mom ltd · Veteran Member

I may be confused but...didn't I watch womens beach vollyball being played in bikinis at the last olympics? Water sports are understandable but indoor vollyball? So why so much "modesty" in cheer? And seriously, when skirts are worn and girls are unside down, is modesty really possible? I'd rather see tummies than tushes! LOL JMHO!
ps...leave it to me to post something silly at the same time acedad is posting an official e-mail!!! weirdface

-- Edited by cheer mom ltd at 09:00, 2008-03-12

Date: Wed Mar 12 8:00 AM, 2008

Who here, honestly, has concerns regarding sexual exploitation? Honestly? I am not trying to stir the pot, I am actually curious if someone has had a serious concern brought to them regarding sexual exploitation.

That has never been an issue that I have been faced with- I thought at first that the concern was the bigger athletes, now I see it's more "To Catch a Predator." I fully believe that a walk through a shopping mall, movie theater, public swimming pool/waterpark/wave pool or amusement park will quickly show you young girls dressed much more scantily. And there, the reality is probably greater that a girl will be grabbed and taken or exposed to sexual exploitation, as that public place is not filled with cheer moms, dads, coaches, and staff.

I can truly say that I have only ever seen in my years in this industry one team that had a uniform that was really, really, really tiny, and that was Top Gun's a few years back. And then, I think only their seniors wore them. And even then it was much more coverage than any bathing suit that I have ever seen a girl in at the pool or on the beach.

Date: Wed Mar 12 9:10 AM, 2008

anyone can walk and pay to come into a cheer competition so lets not be so naiive to that situation. however i do agree that cheer uniforms are no more revealing than bathing suits, gymnastics,volley ball and even some dance outfits. i am not a fan of half tops for cheer and extremely short skirts. but i as a parent made the decision not to take my children to that type of program. I did visti a gym that wore half tops and i visited anoither that didn't. i did love the gym with the half tops program much better, but made a parental choice to go with the full length shell gym. it was my choice at that time. I took into consideration of my children first. i have a 1 daughter who is a perfectionist at the young age of 14 and for her who already watched every single thing she eats to stay in shape etc... i felt it not necessary to add anymore pressure. again that was my decision as her parent.
I dont feel it necessary for USASF to organizing a banning of crop tops. but do feel they could set regulation lengths on them and the skirts. nothing wrong with that. it would solve the issue of them being too short in their eyes and it will still give us the customers and the gym owners the right to choose.

what do you all think?

Date: Wed Mar 12 6:37 PM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

anyone can walk and pay to come into a cheer competition so lets not be so naiive to that situation. however i do agree that cheer uniforms are no more revealing than bathing suits, gymnastics,volley ball and even some dance outfits. i am not a fan of half tops for cheer and extremely short skirts. but i as a parent made the decision not to take my children to that type of program. I did visti a gym that wore half tops and i visited anoither that didn't. i did love the gym with the half tops program much better, but made a parental choice to go with the full length shell gym. it was my choice at that time. I took into consideration of my children first. i have a 1 daughter who is a perfectionist at the young age of 14 and for her who already watched every single thing she eats to stay in shape etc... i felt it not necessary to add anymore pressure. again that was my decision as her parent.
I dont feel it necessary for USASF to organizing a banning of crop tops. but do feel they could set regulation lengths on them and the skirts. nothing wrong with that. it would solve the issue of them being too short in their eyes and it will still give us the customers and the gym owners the right to choose.

what do you all think?

Honestly, I find it kind of silly that you potentially robbed your child of a more fullfilling experience simply because of a crop top.

And I dont find anything wrong with a teenager choosing to watch what they eat to stay in shape either. People thinking that kids should just be kids and should just eat like kids are why we have a problem with obesity among adolescents. By watching what she eats and trying to stay in shape your child has paved the way to a healthier life free of things like heart disease and diabetes. It starts when you're young. But then again I dont know the extent to which she does this.

And, as you said, it was your decision as the parent.

Im not sure I would go for the regulating of length because it has flaws. A 11" skirt might work on someone else but it would still be a micro mini on me.
The only thing they could even try to do is maybe say something like mid thigh. But whos to say thats comfortable for everyone?

Date: Wed Mar 12 7:33 PM, 2008

Just for fun, or rather, to showcase what our dance friends are doing (and this is studio dance, not allstar dance):

http://www.pbase.com/jxsq/image/55644819

http://www.showstopperonline.com/video_library/ (Watch any of the vids, try the Mini entry "Wash That Man"...are THEY worried about sexual predators?)

http://www.nextstepdancewear.com/

http://www.kellecompany.com/category/dance/costume.asp?cid=7&caid=2&pid=771&cp=5

I could list thousands more, but it's beating a dead horse, IMHO. All of this sexual predator talk sounds like Webb-speak for "we're the USASF and we want to outlaw crop tops but y'all sound furious so let's hurry and pretend that it's a more serious issue."

Date: Wed Mar 12 9:24 PM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

anyone can walk and pay to come into a cheer competition so lets not be so naiive to that situation. however i do agree that cheer uniforms are no more revealing than bathing suits, gymnastics,volley ball and even some dance outfits. i am not a fan of half tops for cheer and extremely short skirts. but i as a parent made the decision not to take my children to that type of program. I did visti a gym that wore half tops and i visited anoither that didn't. i did love the gym with the half tops program much better, but made a parental choice to go with the full length shell gym. it was my choice at that time. I took into consideration of my children first. i have a 1 daughter who is a perfectionist at the young age of 14 and for her who already watched every single thing she eats to stay in shape etc... i felt it not necessary to add anymore pressure. again that was my decision as her parent.
I dont feel it necessary for USASF to organizing a banning of crop tops. but do feel they could set regulation lengths on them and the skirts. nothing wrong with that. it would solve the issue of them being too short in their eyes and it will still give us the customers and the gym owners the right to choose.

what do you all think?

Honestly, I find it kind of silly that you potentially robbed your child of a more fullfilling experience simply because of a crop top.

And I dont find anything wrong with a teenager choosing to watch what they eat to stay in shape either. People thinking that kids should just be kids and should just eat like kids are why we have a problem with obesity among adolescents. By watching what she eats and trying to stay in shape your child has paved the way to a healthier life free of things like heart disease and diabetes. It starts when you're young. But then again I dont know the extent to which she does this.

And, as you said, it was your decision as the parent.

Im not sure I would go for the regulating of length because it has flaws. A 11" skirt might work on someone else but it would still be a micro mini on me.
The only thing they could even try to do is maybe say something like mid thigh. But whos to say thats comfortable for everyone?

first my children are very happy where they are at. so no she wasnt robbed of anything. this is a child who stresses over her body image past the norm. so WE made the right decision for our family. so it wasnt silly at all. i said i wasnt a fan of them but dont see anything wrong with them, because each gym should have a choice. each child is different. healthy stressing over your body and unhealthy stressing are two different things. needless to say it was what worked for us. this allowed her to still do what she loves to do and that is all star cheer. it is great to have options RIGHT????
that is what makes this sport great. the choices you have from the type of gym to the style of uniform, if you want a gym that wins all the time or a gym that is fun. every one has choices. and one's person cchoice is not any sillier than anothers choice. to each their own. isnt the arguemnet that gym owners should have a choice to wear crops or not. so why is it sill if a parent chooses to not be part of a cheer gym that wears them
its called a choice
welcome to america

Date: Wed Mar 12 10:24 PM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

anyone can walk and pay to come into a cheer competition so lets not be so naiive to that situation. however i do agree that cheer uniforms are no more revealing than bathing suits, gymnastics,volley ball and even some dance outfits. i am not a fan of half tops for cheer and extremely short skirts. but i as a parent made the decision not to take my children to that type of program. I did visti a gym that wore half tops and i visited anoither that didn't. i did love the gym with the half tops program much better, but made a parental choice to go with the full length shell gym. it was my choice at that time. I took into consideration of my children first. i have a 1 daughter who is a perfectionist at the young age of 14 and for her who already watched every single thing she eats to stay in shape etc... i felt it not necessary to add anymore pressure. again that was my decision as her parent.
I dont feel it necessary for USASF to organizing a banning of crop tops. but do feel they could set regulation lengths on them and the skirts. nothing wrong with that. it would solve the issue of them being too short in their eyes and it will still give us the customers and the gym owners the right to choose.

what do you all think?

Honestly, I find it kind of silly that you potentially robbed your child of a more fullfilling experience simply because of a crop top.

And I dont find anything wrong with a teenager choosing to watch what they eat to stay in shape either. People thinking that kids should just be kids and should just eat like kids are why we have a problem with obesity among adolescents. By watching what she eats and trying to stay in shape your child has paved the way to a healthier life free of things like heart disease and diabetes. It starts when you're young. But then again I dont know the extent to which she does this.

And, as you said, it was your decision as the parent.

Im not sure I would go for the regulating of length because it has flaws. A 11" skirt might work on someone else but it would still be a micro mini on me.
The only thing they could even try to do is maybe say something like mid thigh. But whos to say thats comfortable for everyone?
first my children are very happy where they are at. so no she wasnt robbed of anything. this is a child who stresses over her body image past the norm. so WE made the right decision for our family. so it wasnt silly at all. i said i wasnt a fan of them but dont see anything wrong with them, because each gym should have a choice. each child is different. healthy stressing over your body and unhealthy stressing are two different things. needless to say it was what worked for us. this allowed her to still do what she loves to do and that is all star cheer. it is great to have options RIGHT????
that is what makes this sport great. the choices you have from the type of gym to the style of uniform, if you want a gym that wins all the time or a gym that is fun. every one has choices. and one's person cchoice is not any sillier than anothers choice. to each their own. isnt the arguemnet that gym owners should have a choice to wear crops or not. so why is it sill if a parent chooses to not be part of a cheer gym that wears them
its called a choice
welcome to america

You are right. And it is good to be concerned about your daughter who is worried about her weight. I have a friend that got into the whole beauty pagent circuit and the girl ended up with a terrible eating disorder. I would have never thought this could happen to this girl. I think you made the right decision to allow your daughter to be in a sport she loves, but at the same time protecting her.

I am a gym owner and I think the whole uniform style should be left up to the gym.
But remember that some judges who don't like all the skin showing will probably judge your team in a more negative way.

Date: Wed Mar 12 10:34 PM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

anyone can walk and pay to come into a cheer competition so lets not be so naiive to that situation. however i do agree that cheer uniforms are no more revealing than bathing suits, gymnastics,volley ball and even some dance outfits. i am not a fan of half tops for cheer and extremely short skirts. but i as a parent made the decision not to take my children to that type of program. I did visti a gym that wore half tops and i visited anoither that didn't. i did love the gym with the half tops program much better, but made a parental choice to go with the full length shell gym. it was my choice at that time. I took into consideration of my children first. i have a 1 daughter who is a perfectionist at the young age of 14 and for her who already watched every single thing she eats to stay in shape etc... i felt it not necessary to add anymore pressure. again that was my decision as her parent.
I dont feel it necessary for USASF to organizing a banning of crop tops. but do feel they could set regulation lengths on them and the skirts. nothing wrong with that. it would solve the issue of them being too short in their eyes and it will still give us the customers and the gym owners the right to choose.

what do you all think?

Honestly, I find it kind of silly that you potentially robbed your child of a more fullfilling experience simply because of a crop top.

And I dont find anything wrong with a teenager choosing to watch what they eat to stay in shape either. People thinking that kids should just be kids and should just eat like kids are why we have a problem with obesity among adolescents. By watching what she eats and trying to stay in shape your child has paved the way to a healthier life free of things like heart disease and diabetes. It starts when you're young. But then again I dont know the extent to which she does this.

And, as you said, it was your decision as the parent.

Im not sure I would go for the regulating of length because it has flaws. A 11" skirt might work on someone else but it would still be a micro mini on me.
The only thing they could even try to do is maybe say something like mid thigh. But whos to say thats comfortable for everyone?
first my children are very happy where they are at. so no she wasnt robbed of anything. this is a child who stresses over her body image past the norm. so WE made the right decision for our family. so it wasnt silly at all. i said i wasnt a fan of them but dont see anything wrong with them, because each gym should have a choice. each child is different. healthy stressing over your body and unhealthy stressing are two different things. needless to say it was what worked for us. this allowed her to still do what she loves to do and that is all star cheer. it is great to have options RIGHT????
that is what makes this sport great. the choices you have from the type of gym to the style of uniform, if you want a gym that wins all the time or a gym that is fun. every one has choices. and one's person cchoice is not any sillier than anothers choice. to each their own. isnt the arguemnet that gym owners should have a choice to wear crops or not. so why is it sill if a parent chooses to not be part of a cheer gym that wears them
its called a choice
welcome to america

You seem to be getting snappy but its the internet so hey, I could be wrong.

Its not the choices that I find silly, but rather some of the reasons behind them. In most situations they are just NOT that important. In your case it might have been. Which is why I admitted that then again, I didnt know how bad it was.

"I did visti a gym that wore half tops and i visited anoither that didn't. i did love the gym with the half tops program much better, but made a parental choice to go with the full length shell gym."

That quote from you is where I drew basis for the "potentially robbing your child of more fullfilling experience" comment. You loved the other program better, but chose the one with the full tops instead because they had full tops. To me, that seems like shortchanging your child. I believe that a program should be chosen out of love for what it offers, not because of a uniform. You choose a gym where you have the most potential to grow and have the best experience. A gym that you love. So yes, based on just that, I do find it silly. But you said that they are happy and she worries about her body to an unhealthy extent so I guess it worked out for the better. To each their own.

You're right you do have your choice. What worried me and seemed silly is that even though you listed different things to choose a gym for, it seemed that you only chose based on one.

Honestly, I would say the same thing about a parent who chose or let their child choose a gym with crops just because they were a fan over an amazing gym that they loved just because they had full tops. ITS A UNIFORM. Fabric just doesnt seem like a reason to me. I think everybody just makes way too big of a deal out of it. Which comes full circle back to why USASF should just back off.

Date: Wed Mar 12 11:03 PM, 2008

While I believe this would be a positive change, you must be careful with your wording. What exactly is a WRONG BODY TYPE? Is it bodies that are so skinny with bones protruding, or bodies that have more "fluff"? I think there are wrong uniform styles but never a wrong body type. Again, here we go trying to follow some standard set by who knows who, and our kids thinking they need to fit that perfect mold.... crazy. I think cheerleading is missing out on a lot of kids skinny or fat that would cheer if the uniform covered tummies. Both can have complexes. And let's admit to the truth who really wants to see 5,6,7 year olds with protruding tummies (their internal organs have to fit someway). They look so much cuter in age appropriate attire.

Date: Thu Mar 13 12:47 AM, 2008

"On one hand, there is a concern that some parents may view some of the uniforms on our youngest athletes as sexual exploitation, do not allow their children to join an all star program, and thus limit the overall size of the market."

"The mission of the USASF is to increase the number of participants benefiting from the positive life experience of all star cheer and dance. Would there be more participants if we provide uniform guidance to gyms or should we let the gyms make the decision? I am sure that most would prefer to let gyms choose but the concern is how many will make poor choices and the potential this creates to limit the size of the market."

I'm for the Youth teams and Mini's NOt having the crop tops. However, the other teams.....I do not not see a problem. What concerns me is how the gyms will scare off the potential money! That is crap! Is it about the kids? NO, it's about the money. "Limit the size of the market" is what is writen two times. The USASF is all about safty, yet I can not find any were on the web page when the hands on testing is going to be. NOT one state, but CA, has it listed. The CA test does not even have year...it reads March 22, ...2007...2008..? This is just ONE example.

The USASF needs to fix some of the in house issues before moving on with telling how gyms will kill the market if the kids wear crop tops. If a gym owner is a GOOD cutomer service business person.....then they will LISTEN to their customers or they will lose them. If that is the case.....they should have never been in the business to begin with!

This is my take... smile

Date: Thu Mar 13 4:22 AM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

anyone can walk and pay to come into a cheer competition so lets not be so naiive to that situation. however i do agree that cheer uniforms are no more revealing than bathing suits, gymnastics,volley ball and even some dance outfits. i am not a fan of half tops for cheer and extremely short skirts. but i as a parent made the decision not to take my children to that type of program. I did visti a gym that wore half tops and i visited anoither that didn't. i did love the gym with the half tops program much better, but made a parental choice to go with the full length shell gym. it was my choice at that time. I took into consideration of my children first. i have a 1 daughter who is a perfectionist at the young age of 14 and for her who already watched every single thing she eats to stay in shape etc... i felt it not necessary to add anymore pressure. again that was my decision as her parent.
I dont feel it necessary for USASF to organizing a banning of crop tops. but do feel they could set regulation lengths on them and the skirts. nothing wrong with that. it would solve the issue of them being too short in their eyes and it will still give us the customers and the gym owners the right to choose.

what do you all think?

Honestly, I find it kind of silly that you potentially robbed your child of a more fullfilling experience simply because of a crop top.

And I dont find anything wrong with a teenager choosing to watch what they eat to stay in shape either. People thinking that kids should just be kids and should just eat like kids are why we have a problem with obesity among adolescents. By watching what she eats and trying to stay in shape your child has paved the way to a healthier life free of things like heart disease and diabetes. It starts when you're young. But then again I dont know the extent to which she does this.

And, as you said, it was your decision as the parent.

Im not sure I would go for the regulating of length because it has flaws. A 11" skirt might work on someone else but it would still be a micro mini on me.
The only thing they could even try to do is maybe say something like mid thigh. But whos to say thats comfortable for everyone?

I don't know why you are being so harsh about to the mom. I get that she chose the gym that she felt would best protect her daughter's mental health as regards her weight and self confidence. I am driving around a 6th grader who is perfect (not kidding) and drop dead bueatiful. Her obsession with how she looks is going (I'm fat, how many calories blah blah) It's an out of proportion response to her appearance and is concerning. It sounds like that is what this mom is dealing with. Sure she could be a better tumbler and have more success at the other gym, but if it turms into anorexia or bulimia that kinda makes it a moot point.

I still remember my friend in college who was runner up Miss Texas vomiting in the bathroom and me pretending like she didn' t do it every day and the sority president who COUNTED out 11 noodles everyday for dinner.

Date: Thu Mar 13 4:53 AM, 2008

So according to the e-mails and the USASF web site there will be no changes made to rules about uniforms. I just love how worked up everyone got. We all know even if there was a ban on crop tops, everyone would continue cheering and continue handing over their money to Varsity or whom ever just like they want us to.

I think everyone needs to relax, take a pill or something...its only cheerleading

* Supporter of crop tops!

Date: Thu Mar 13 6:42 AM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

So according to the e-mails and the USASF web site there will be no changes made to rules about uniforms. I just love how worked up everyone got. We all know even if there was a ban on crop tops, everyone would continue cheering and continue handing over their money to Varsity or whom ever just like they want us to.

I think everyone needs to relax, take a pill or something...its only cheerleading

* Supporter of crop tops!

Aaaah, but there's the reason the USASF sent out the protracted email...they read the backlash on boards and thought, Uh oh, people may quit the USASF over this. Because, truthfully, they would. If the USASF starts telling people how to run their businesses, when in reality, THEY'RE HAVING A TERRIBLE TIME RUNNING THEIR 'OWN' BUSINESS, people WILL quit. And do I think that they'll go to NLCC? No, but...anyone else noticed that there are other options out there? Or that a certain company is poising themselves to break off, it seems?

As far as relaxing, you're obviously not a gym owner, with a ridiculous rent to pay each month, who depends on NOT limiting market share and keeping the families that they already have, who probably do not want to spend more more more money to buy new uniforms because of our uniform police, USASF. It's not just uniforms, it's our business.

Date: Thu Mar 13 8:04 AM, 2008

You bet!

Date: Thu Mar 13 8:17 AM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

anyone can walk and pay to come into a cheer competition so lets not be so naiive to that situation. however i do agree that cheer uniforms are no more revealing than bathing suits, gymnastics,volley ball and even some dance outfits. i am not a fan of half tops for cheer and extremely short skirts. but i as a parent made the decision not to take my children to that type of program. I did visti a gym that wore half tops and i visited anoither that didn't. i did love the gym with the half tops program much better, but made a parental choice to go with the full length shell gym. it was my choice at that time. I took into consideration of my children first. i have a 1 daughter who is a perfectionist at the young age of 14 and for her who already watched every single thing she eats to stay in shape etc... i felt it not necessary to add anymore pressure. again that was my decision as her parent.
I dont feel it necessary for USASF to organizing a banning of crop tops. but do feel they could set regulation lengths on them and the skirts. nothing wrong with that. it would solve the issue of them being too short in their eyes and it will still give us the customers and the gym owners the right to choose.

what do you all think?

Honestly, I find it kind of silly that you potentially robbed your child of a more fullfilling experience simply because of a crop top.

And I dont find anything wrong with a teenager choosing to watch what they eat to stay in shape either. People thinking that kids should just be kids and should just eat like kids are why we have a problem with obesity among adolescents. By watching what she eats and trying to stay in shape your child has paved the way to a healthier life free of things like heart disease and diabetes. It starts when you're young. But then again I dont know the extent to which she does this.

And, as you said, it was your decision as the parent.

Im not sure I would go for the regulating of length because it has flaws. A 11" skirt might work on someone else but it would still be a micro mini on me.
The only thing they could even try to do is maybe say something like mid thigh. But whos to say thats comfortable for everyone?
I don't know why you are being so harsh about to the mom. I get that she chose the gym that she felt would best protect her daughter's mental health as regards her weight and self confidence. I am driving around a 6th grader who is perfect (not kidding) and drop dead bueatiful. Her obsession with how she looks is going (I'm fat, how many calories blah blah) It's an out of proportion response to her appearance and is concerning. It sounds like that is what this mom is dealing with. Sure she could be a better tumbler and have more success at the other gym, but if it turms into anorexia or bulimia that kinda makes it a moot point.

I still remember my friend in college who was runner up Miss Texas vomiting in the bathroom and me pretending like she didn' t do it every day and the sority president who COUNTED out 11 noodles everyday for dinner.

And I dont get why people choose not to read.

Did you completely skip over this:
"But then again I dont know the extent to which she does this."

And it seems you didn't bother with this:
"But you said that they are happy and she worries about her body to an unhealthy extent so I guess it worked out for the better."

or this:
"it seemed that you only chose based on one."

and, oh look, theres this:

"In most situations they are just NOT that important. In your case it might have been. Which is why I admitted that then again, I didnt know how bad it was."

I was speaking on the perspective of choosing only because you dont like a certain type of uniform. Thats why I made sure to say those things because I wasnt sure about the extent to which her daughter worried. Yet still, of course, they get skipped over.

Pet peeve -> people who dont read the entire thread and/or dont read messages clearly before they rush in and jump up on that soapbox.

Date: Thu Mar 13 8:17 AM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:
Aaaah, but there's the reason the USASF sent out the protracted email...they read the backlash on boards and thought, Uh oh, people may quit the USASF over this. Because, truthfully, they would. If the USASF starts telling people how to run their businesses, when in reality, THEY'RE HAVING A TERRIBLE TIME RUNNING THEIR 'OWN' BUSINESS, people WILL quit. And do I think that they'll go to NLCC? No, but...anyone else noticed that there are other options out there? Or that a certain company is poising themselves to break off, it seems?

So you are saying that USASF was going to impose this new uniform rule, but backed off because they read this message board? That is simply absurd. It sounds to me like people had made some crazy assumptions based on a survey they sent out and now they are just clarifying what they were doing in the first place.

cheer mom ltd · Veteran Member

Wow, this got interresting! It's interesting how people think differently. I had a daughter with a body image problem . She was too shy to put a swimsuit on at the beach where we live! I figured she needed to get more comfortable so I put her in water polo and swim. She is still modest but totally comfortable in whatever outfit the situation calls for. She is in a swimsuit more often than not these days, lol. About skirt lengths...I honestly don't understand why anyone would stress about that when the girls flip upside down! Am I missing something?

Date: Thu Mar 13 4:27 PM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

So according to the e-mails and the USASF web site there will be no changes made to rules about uniforms. I just love how worked up everyone got. We all know even if there was a ban on crop tops, everyone would continue cheering and continue handing over their money to Varsity or whom ever just like they want us to.

I think everyone needs to relax, take a pill or something...its only cheerleading

* Supporter of crop tops!

Including you! biggrin

Date: Thu Mar 13 5:45 PM, 2008

cheer mom ltd wrote:

Wow, this got interresting! It's interesting how people think differently. I had a daughter with a body image problem . She was too shy to put a swimsuit on at the beach where we live! I figured she needed to get more comfortable so I put her in water polo and swim. She is still modest but totally comfortable in whatever outfit the situation calls for. She is in a swimsuit more often than not these days, lol. About skirt lengths...I honestly don't understand why anyone would stress about that when the girls flip upside down! Am I missing something?

Some of the All Star team skirts, if yo can call them that, are so short that the boy shorts are longer than the skirt. It looks bad! Cheerlearders should look like cheerleaders, not hookers. biggrin