Moving this topic back to World's...

One of the common themes that I've heard from everyone on this subject (which as I stated before, is a great subject to talk about) is that Northern California just doesn't have what it takes to compete at the World's level, or, even qualify for World's if other teams outside of Nor Cal come in and compete at the local comps that are giving out bids (specifically JAMZ, GSSA and even USA). We don't have enough fulls, or double fulls, or stunting abilities, or choreography, or time commitment, etc etc.

For me personally, out of the four teams I coach (MSJ, Wilcox, Sr Black and Sr Maroon) I have one team that will compete for a bid, Sr Maroon. They will compete for a bid three times. Once in Atlanta at the Cheersport National Championships (check their 2005 schedule, it's not a rinky dink competition), once in Vegas for the JAMZ National Championships and once in Nor Cal for GSSA's competition.

Now, I'll be straight forward here. By the standards that everyone talks about on this board, my team does not have what it takes to make it to World's. We don't have the tumbling; we only have 10 clean fulls with two others that need cleaning. We have one double, and 2 others that need cleaning. Full squad standing backs?? Nope, not even full squad tumbling. As a squad, right now we can hit liberties and have tried only two Pyramids, both that we learned at camp. We only practice twice a week, for a total of four hours. We have a one hour mandatory tumbling class as well, but aside from about 5 or 6 out of our 33, no one is in the gym more then 5 hours a week. So, by the standards those of you have set, we don't stand a chance.

But if you tell me that my team doesn't stand a chance, I'll hand you a shovel so that you can start digging. I believe that all of my teams are incredible, and of the one team that I have that will compete for a bid, I believe that they have an outstanding chance of not only getting a bid, but of doing exceptionally well in Florida. Perhaps we don't have the talent on paper, but that's never stopped me before. What we do have is desire. I have 33 kids that love this team. They love showing up at practice and working until they drop. I've worked this team harder then any sport I've been involved in (aside from cheer, I've also been involved in Track and Soccer) and although the kids may struggle through it, they've never once complained nor have they quit. This team is led by some incredible kids, kids that have an intense desire to be the best. The kids on this team work together better then any other team I've been a part of. They support one another, they listen, and you can hear a pin drop at practice. They push themselves, they push each other. They don't think they are the best, instead, they work to be just that, the best.

In this quest for World's, I may fall flat on my face. I may be completely out gunned. You can say what you will. Tell me that I don't stand a chance. Tell me that I don't have the talent. Tell me about my past failures. Tell me anything you want, it will not detour me from the one goal that I have every year.

I want to be the best.


Nelson
Wilcox/MSJ/Sr Black/Sr Maroon Coach

Nelson wrote:

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Moving this topic back to World's...

In this quest for World's, I may fall flat on my face. I may be completely out gunned. You can say what you will. Tell me that I don't stand a chance. Tell me that I don't have the talent. Tell me about my past failures. Tell me anything you want, it will not detour me from the one goal that I have every year.

I want to be the best.

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AMEN NELSON.

nothing that anyone has said is negative about southbay, they are just some of the top competitors in nor cal so they are easy to bring up, compare and make points with. they are an amzing team and i wish them the best of luck! good luck to EVERYONE!

Already I have seen one team come to the west coast to get a bid. Texas Lone Star cheer(I think thats their name) went to USA nationals, now do you think they would have normally gone if it were not for the world bid they were going for(and got)? West Coast teams are really going to have to step it up, but I have no doubt we can do it!!

To: read again.
No, what I was saying was that most times there is negativity on these boards ( and not thsi topic, many topics that end up getting deleted because of the negativitly), it seems to somehow reference South Bay in some way. It seems they like to start contraversy when we all in Nor Cal should be trying to stick together!! Granted they are a great organization with talented members, but hey, so are a lot of others organization in Nor Cal. Why try to argue and say that their members are BETTER than members from other organizations. That is just ridiculous and really getting annoying! Stop already. That is not what this topic is about. It is about Worlds and what us Nor Cali teams think about it and are going to try and do this season to go for the BIDS!! There have been so many inspiration things said on this board about this topic!
Let's all go for it and see what happens!! We all need to stick together and route on the Nor or even So Cali teams that meke it to Worlds this years! GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CALI!!!!!!

Cheergyms.com has more than 1 team from the whole program in Level 5. Motions Coed and Pyramids Coed. Thats more than 1 right there.

I agree that california has a LONGG way to go. I mean think about it, a California team has never even won NCA in a level 5 division. (or none that i know of) Sure a few have made finals and placed in maybe the top ten or even five, but no one has won yet. I dont think we have at cheersport either. In my eyes those are the two biggest competitons around.

I do think that we are growing faster than ever though! Nor Cal is catching up with So Cal and eventually we might just be good enough to hang at NCA.

I do not necessarily agree however, that all of the awesome teams like cheer athletics, top gun, miami elite etc. "must be" cheer-crazy and practice everyday and that cheer is thier life. I think everyone would agree that if you are an all star cheerleader, it kinda IS your life. But like cheer athletics only practices 2 times a week! I know my team will practice 3-4 days a week. I think the main difference there to here is that they GROW UP in the gym. Around here there are just a few teams that they have advanced Junior/Youth teams. Or even level 4 junior teams. Those kids start when they are very young and become amazing cheerleaders by the senior level. It seems like around here a lot of times senior teams are made up of brand new cheerleaders or previous-gymnasts. I think the sooner the younger teams grow, the sooner the older teams will improve because you can feed in your younger girls.

The point of this is... to make it to worlds and be a real contender and not just go, its gonna take a while. Although I do think some teams have made a big step for California like American Cheer.


Ok im done writting my essay! Good Luck this year! Esp to Bryan on motions.
I miss you. bye

-Brittany
(South Bay Elite)

I agree with Brittany's post about developing the Jr level programs to feed into the Sr teams. The key is to prevent "burnout" of these young kids who start in cheer at such a young age. If these young kids only have cheer in their lives by the time they are ready to compete level 5 on a Senior team they want to do something else because all they've known is cheer. I think it is important for parents to help provide a balance and not make everything cheer. Pick a program that will provide the development and the balance that is needed. What good are we doing if we push the young ones too hard and then when they get in high school they want to quit because they are burned out. It is a very delicate balance that we all have to take responsibility for.

I have to agree with central Cali fan because it is true. Cheergyms may have more than one level 5 team but are theay are all ture senior level 5 teams i don;t think so. You may start out with all senior level 5 but then by the end of the seanso you have juniors making up most of the team. I totally agrree most of the souther and eastern teams have senior leve 5 teams who have grown up together since they were juniors or mayb even mini. In on the west we have very few teams who have done that. Now that it has become more and more competetive i have seen some gyms that do have level 4& 5 juniors. The thing is now with the new rules it is gettting harder and harder to to take those really good junior teams to a competition like worlds. It all comes down to the fact some of teams here in Cali that have grown up get burned out and by high school all they want to dois have fun and cheer for the high school. THat is something that I don't rreally agree with but this a competitive sport and with more and more people getting involved more and more drama, pressure and competition there is to deal with. I truely think that if those really good junior teams that grew up togehter and have worked for that level 5 title and stayed in the didn't get burned out then maybe we might have more and more true senior level 5 teams to practice on or to even bulid up to. Even though the southern anc eastern may or may noy practice and much or as often it manily about being deadicated enough to stay in the sport for life. I think that it mainly about teams just being together for so long and working even harder for a a final chance at a title like World Champions. There is one thing that I think that is not right or that I don'n agree with. It the fact that even if you go to a competiton that no else goes to and get your bid to Worlds., it is not not about just having the chance to go but I think that even if you do get an easy bid why would you go and not care about trying hard to win or even to place. Flordia is on the other side of the US and there are a tons of teams justin in Cali that they haven't heard about why you go and represent Cali and not try you very best to at least bet 5 about 10 or something but last place. In my opion Ithink that is really dumb because yes it may be an honor to go but come on now after you spend that kind of money to just get there and not expect you or your team to come with anything that is crazy. I think that here in Cali that everyone needs to go out there and fight for those bids and instead of it being a Texas or southern or eastern battle at worlds let's shake it up have it be a Cail battle instead. I think then those teams from the southand from the east are goign to see that Cali is not just full of movie stars.
Thanks for listening .