Hello again.Man a lot has gone on since I last chimed in.Unfortunately a bit more negative than positivebut thats what makes our sport run right?Lets get to it.The following is what stood out the most to me at the GSSA1 competition in Sacramento on the 13th of December.
UCF Ok this Sr 4 team is for real.Its gonna be fun watching them and AP in the next re-match.It looks to me like UCF was one of the big winners in the closing of Rockets.I may be wrong but their teams seem a bit more full this year with talent.Whether thats true or not it is clear that the UCF staff is doing a great job.
ALL STAR ELITE Let me just say what everyone is thinking.This program has great talent, great coaching, great choreography and a great support system in their parents and owners.That being saidwhy throw it all away on hideous uniforms.Between that and the gratuitous use of jazz hands this program is bringing their scores down each and every comp.The unis make the skinny look fat, the fat look huge, and the huge like democrats.Oops sorry.I guess Im still bitter about the election.
NOR CAL ELITE I think this program was hoping to place a bit better after their showing at Masterpiece.It wasnt to be but Im sure theyll come back stronger.Their style is different than in past years but I like it.Is it just me or is anyone else bugged by the huddle in the middle of the floor each time.That alone throws the schedule off.Line up already.
POWER So it was a bad day for their Small 5 team.Well leave it at that.Their Jr 5 team is a GREAT Jr 4 team. Gotta do what you gotta do though to appease customers though right?Not sure what I think about the voice over cheer in the routines.It kinda lets a great crowd get lazy.I think laziness according to the POWER handbook results in 20 lashings.Run POWER parents..RUN!
RIPTIDES Watch out folks or at least everyone but the Big 2 (Power & CG) this program is getting good fast!I gotta say.I like the style of the uniforms.The boys version especially.Speaking of the boys.Its just not ok. A boy flying in a stunt group doing a chin chin.Just not ok.The only thing that would have made in worse is if after the dismount he framed his face and shouted JUST JACK!
CHEERGYMS.COM Motions Open 3 team is pretty sick already.Cool choreography that pushes the rules to the very end.A few of the flyers seemed kinda young and small but thats what the Open divisions have led us to huh?The Pyramids Teams are solid as always.Their Sr 4 needs to do 4 skills though.The All American Teams run the spectrum.I see where theyre going with the co-ed team.When that all comes together its gonna be strong at Worlds.The All Girl Team is a weak 5 team at this point.Im not sure if they can improve enough to get a bid.Kudos to CG for not flooding the team with crossovers like they easily could.LOVE the new unis.
FUSION Uhhhh how do you enter 7 divisions and not win a single one?So much talent and it seems to never pan out.I type this out of frustration because I LOVE fusion and everything about them.Except maybe the dance costumes but I digress. (I type the following out of speculation) You can tell that Fusion suffers from bad attendance at their practices.The Clovis area kids never do just one thing so they always have 13 different commitments.I would love to see them set aside 2 teams that require total dedication.Im telling you they would be TOUGH.
Thats it for this time around.Its been a great season so far.As I leave I will leave you with the top 5 things I look forward to in the remaining months of the season.
If most of you haven't noticed I have become more relaxed in the past years. Myabe its the rate which my hair has turned grey, cuasing the number of times a year I have to color it to increase, maybe its the realization that I now have a balding spot on the back of my head and by chilling out a bit, maybe, just maybe those remaining hairs will stay on my head.
That being said due to the economy I have been forced to cut back on lashings this year...However we have implemented something new that I learned from my third grade teacher...Hold out your hand and get one smack from the ruler. It is much more time efficient and doesn't leave the scars on my parents backs like the lashings did.
All of you should see a new militant style POWER parent section at spirit spectacular, they have even learned to salute the coaching staff as we walk by...(everything above JK...except the hair thats trure) LOL
Sideshow, nice recap as usual. John, relatively speaking, that's hardly a bald spot. No lashings this year but I'm waiting for you to roll up one of the towels we're supposed to be waving and snap a couple of parents.
Just a couple comments about the Power Jr 5... as a parent I am a bit biased, but since this is my fourth child (all involved in competetive sports) I am very realistic about this stuff.
I keep reading and hearing about how they should be Level 4... and they certainly would be awesome. Frankly, they were competetive against two much more mature teams ( CF Jr 5 Coed, Fusion Jr 5). Of the 18 girls a few came from last years Sm Sr 5 that did fairly well at Worlds last year, but most come from the Sm Open 3 that was absolutely unbeatable last year. The routine that they are currently doing is quickly approaching the one that the Sm Sr 5 performed at World's last year. They have a couple more girls that will be throwing double fulls by February and the "itty-bitty" 9/10 year old flyers are fearless, their flying/stunting skills will improve greatly over the next 6-8 weeks. You can bet with John, Dan, and Brittney pushing them these girls will be competetive whereever they go. By the time Super Six rolls around this will be a legitimate Sm Jr 5 squad.
Thank you side show! Our senior4 team is a great example of gym loyalty. Some of these girls have been together for 5 or more years. They have grown up together. We did welcome 2 rocket girls to this team . The two jumped in and worked just as hard as those that have been here for years.
We love all our girls on every ucf team this season.
Thanks again and we can't wait to see airborne. We think they are going to be amazing. Wow, we have a great division this season. Everyteam makes us nervous this season. Good luck to all!
RIPTIDES Watch out folks or at least everyone but the Big 2 (Power & CG) this program is getting good fast!I gotta say.I like the style of the uniforms.The boys version especially.Speaking of the boys.Its just not ok. A boy flying in a stunt group doing a chin chin.Just not ok.The only thing that would have made in worse is if after the dismount he framed his face and shouted JUST JACK!
So you are saying these boys are homosexual because they are flexible? It is thoughts and comments and like that that discourage young boys from joining cheerleading. More and more teams out there are putting up boy flyers. If they can pull the positions why not? It shows that the gym is cutting edge and isn't afraid to think outside the box.
I used to be against flying boys...until I got a boy who had the most beautiful kick full. I do agree, however, that some body positions should not be thrown by boys.
The "just jack" reference is funny and I am sure only meant to be funny...I think we all need a laugh.
More and more teams out there are putting up boy flyers. If they can pull the positions why not? It shows that the gym is cutting edge and isn't afraid to think outside the box.
