Things like this make all star cheerleading a  less credible sport! This is sad! Thats like having a vollyball game but only serving underhand in a division! YIKES!!!

flipkidjudge wrote:

---

Here is a copy of an e-mail I just received:

Coaches,
Big decisions were made at the recent USASF Meeting in Dallas. Please read over the following email sent out by Mike Burgess. The most important and immediate point (in my opinion) is the addition of a Level 4.2 Senior Open. This division combines Level 4 Stunting Skills and Level 2 Tumbling skills into one division. Our hope is that a Level 4.2 is the PERFECT opportunity for you to recruit kids back to your gym that enjoy cheerleading but whose tumbling skills haven't progressed at the same pace as their stunting skills.

Please note, this division goes into effect starting THIS SEASON.

Here is Mike Burgess' email...

Dear USASF/IASF Membership:

Over the past several months committees and the National Advisory Board of the USASF and/or IASF have been meeting to discuss several topics related to all-star cheer and dance. As a result of these meetings, and in particular the most recent gathering of committees in Dallas, Texas in the United States, there are some new guidelines, policies, definitions and a division addition that will impact our membership effective immediately.

The three specific areas are:

SMALL GYM DEFINITION

The small gyms definition has been further clarified and now reads:

A "Small Gym" is defined as having 100 or less participants. A Small Gym is defined as having one physical address for its location and has 100 or less athletes registered in its competitive cheer program at the time of competition. Exhibition teams, crossover athletes, special needs teams and dance teams do not count toward the 100 or less athletes.

4.2 DIVISION ADDED

In an effort to encourage increased participation in the all-star cheerleading activity, the USASF/IASF has recognized the challenge that many participants feel who are skilled in stunting but limited in their personal tumbling ability. Therefore a new division has been added to the 2008-09 Age Grid. This is level 4.2.

Level 4.2 follows Level 4 rules for Stunts/Pyramids/Dismounts and Tosses and Level 2 rules for General Tumbling/Standing Tumbling and Running Tumbling. It is offered only in "Senior Open."

The two items above will be added to the 2008-09 effective immediately.

UNIFORMS RECOMENDATIONS

The following recommendation is being made by the USASF as it pertains to uniforms for all-star participants. This is not a "rule," at this time, but only a recommendation. Therefore, it will be posted on the website and shared with membership, but it will not appear on the Age Grid.

"Coaches should consider ALL squad members' body types when choosing a
uniform style. The uniform should comfortably fit the athlete, and the
athlete should feel comfortable performing in the uniform. The skirt
on female cheerleaders should cover briefs completely in front and back
while standing; and should fit loosely enough not to "ride up" around
waist during performance. Crop tops should reasonably cover the
athlete, and not be so short that bra tops show during "arm over head"
movements. This is not a mandatory rule for this season, but simply a
recommendation. We must present our participants as athletes, and be aware
that many children to not have the body type to make some uniforms fit
the above criteria."

I appreciate all of the hard-work and dedication of the various committees of the USASF/IASF and the continued support of our membership.



Thanks,

Justin Carrier
Executive Director - Strategic Development
NCA/NDA
972.840.4038

---

You've got to be kidding me.  Cheer all these new divisions are ridiculous. 

Anonymous wrote:

---

Anonymous wrote:

---

Just a heads up!
We called a couple orginizations and they are not going to be offering this division even though it is USASF guideline change. 
JAMFEST, AMERICAS BEST SO FAR HAVE SAID NO TO THIS DIVISION

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHO WILL BE OFFERING IT

---

NEW DIVISIONS!!

JAMfest will now be offering

Senior Open Level 4.2

Click HERE for a full listing of all divisions offered.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.  We look forward to seeing you at JAMfest this year!

Not sure were you got your info but this was sent to us by our Rep!  It is what it is.........I think it WILL be a good thing!  Don't knock it.

---

When I first called JAMFES they said no and then Jewssica from Jamfest corrected it later to say they would be offering this division.  She said she ddid not know and apologized.

thats where i got that information from.
thank you

I think it's a joke! I know it's real, but it's silly.
I recieved the same e-mail and several text messages from friends that coach teams. It seems to me most coaches are against it!
Is anyone planning on competing at this level?
 

Anonymous wrote:

---

I think it's a joke! I know it's real, but it's silly.
I recieved the same e-mail and several text messages from friends that coach teams. It seems to me most coaches are against it!
Is anyone planning on competing at this level?
 

---

As a coach I am against it. Every one of our coaches thinks it is absurd. We did joke yesterday about taking our true Level 2 Senior Team (we don't do level 1's so any new comer to teams with zero experience goes to a level 2 team and we happen to get a lot of Senior aged girls who never cheered All Stars before) and training them to stunt in that division, but I don't see it happening. But being honest I can see teams doing it, especially when t compes to competing against neighboring gyms....the nature of the cheer beast.

We have been long ridiculed for havng level 2 Seniors who did not tumble at a higher skill level but who could dance and stunt decently...I guess we were ahead of the curve...rofl!!!!

 

Anonymous wrote:

---

We were making jokes about the division and talking about it at the gym all day yesterday.  At first it seemed good to me when i first read it, but now im of the opinion its just stupid.  I can see the gym that wins this division advertising  that its a level 4 national champ and such, that just disgusts me...I think if they are going to do this it should be called a level 2.1 or i guess 2.4...This division is only mildly harder then level 2.  Level 3 and 4 are still more difficult then this absurd division 

---

I totally agree.

Here's another question, since it appears so far the majority thinks it's a ridiculous idea.  Why wouldn't they test the waters by suggesting it first to get a reaction before making it USASF law?   Obviously it's a terrible idea that is just going to weaken our sport.

Anonymous wrote:

---

Here's another question, since it appears so far the majority thinks it's a ridiculous idea.  Why wouldn't they test the waters by suggesting it first to get a reaction before making it USASF law?   Obviously it's a terrible idea that is just going to weaken our sport.

---

I heard that many coaches at the USASF regional meetings have been complaining that their stunting is progressing faster than their tumbling. So this is the solution in order to satisfy those customers. I can relate to that complaint because a girl can make the local school team with little to NO tumbling and work on advanced stunts. All star teams are alot more regulated in terms of progressions, but athletes and parents don't understand that.

I personally feel that is sucks for those teams who have worked and sacrificed to move up a level. I also think we need to move back to novice, intermediate and advanced. We need to have more regional meetings with all star gyms because nobody knows whats going on until it becomes a rule and thats not a good way to run business or sports.

Anonymous wrote:

---

Here's another question, since it appears so far the majority thinks it's a ridiculous idea.  Why wouldn't they test the waters by suggesting it first to get a reaction before making it USASF law?   Obviously it's a terrible idea that is just going to weaken our sport.

---

What happened when they tested the waters with the survey about uniforms? They got blasted to holy hell.

This time, they just bypassed that option and, apparently, still came up with a stupid idea.

We need to get them to a place where they can "test the waters" and get reasonable feedback and not shrill criticism for even making the suggestion.

Maybe that will lead to more rationality on divisions and rules in general.