DOUBLE BACKS

Date: Sat May 13 6:57 AM, 2006

RE: DOUBLE BACKS

Date: Sun May 14 1:11 PM, 2006

I think that double backs should only be allowed in level 6/collegate level teams. Now that there are junior and senior level 5 teams, to put a skill like this in level is asking for someone to attempt it, and get injured. Sure they are awsome to watch, but also extreamly hard to do. For example, if this skill was a requirement in order to get into level six tumbling, then people are going to be held back in a lower level, and lose potential to learn new things. As well as that, you hardly see any level six teams at competitions. Even if you do have it and your gym (like most gyms) doesn't have a level six team, then you cannot throw it and you will end up losing it. I think that they will be fine in a level where you are stronger, and also have the CORRECT technique to throw it.

Date: Sun May 14 2:17 PM, 2006

and technically it is just such a harder skill. it would be stupid to put double backs in level 5 when you can't even do a back tuck toss til level 6.

Date: Sun May 14 2:23 PM, 2006

Could someone explain what a double back is? Is it a tumbling skill (on the floor)? Or a flying skill? (The hardest cheer floor skill I've ever seen is a double full.) Thanks!

Date: Sun May 14 2:39 PM, 2006

A double back is a back tuck with two flips. You can see it done as a running tumbling skill by elite gymnasts.

Date: Sun May 14 3:05 PM, 2006

And just to illustrate the difference in difficulty, gymnasts learn fulls in level 7 and usually double fulls around the same time; they usually start working them as soon as their full is solid. But you don't see double backs until level 9 or 10, and sometimes even elite level, depending on the gymnast.

Date: Sun May 14 5:04 PM, 2006

I don't really think college level cheerleaders are any more qualified to attempt a skill at that level. The only REALLY serious injury I've ever seen on a double full was a broken femur at college nationals a couple of years ago. Technically being an adult does not mean that you are ready to throw skills, it still all comes down to whether the coach is qualified to teach the skill or not.

Date: Sun May 14 6:22 PM, 2006

I think that just because there are some athletes currently competing on levle 5 that have or could get double backs, doesn't mean that they should be allowed. I think its been mentioned before that once a certain is said to be allowed at a certain level it becomes everyones goal on that level to get that skill. I know a few athletes at our gym that can land double backs on the floor and a several that love doing them off the tumble track. In that situation I look at it and think, sure why shouldn't those athletes be able to master those skills and compete with them? But making double backs allowed on level 5 wouldn't just allow those athletes to throw them at competition, it would push a lot of athletes who weren't necessarily ready yet. Infact I bet there are more teams that are ready to throw level 6 stunts than several athletes on those teams being ready to land double backs. And what would it mean for judging? Would a team with say two double backs but very few fulls and doubles score way higher than a team with 20 fulls and 10 doubles? I think that with a skill like that it would be difficult to judge because I don't see teams around here having say, 10 people with double backs. Maybe in 5 years or so, cheer will be ready, right now...I don't think so.

Date: Mon May 15 9:07 AM, 2006

I was a competitive gymnast for YEARS and when I retired I could do double backs. I retired from gymnastics to do cheerleading and back in those days (late eighties) there was not much in the way of cheer rules and not much tumbling. I was the only person who could do a back handspring let alone anything else. We also had guys so we did some great basket tosses.

Although many years have gone by learning proper technique for double backs has not changed. With gymnsatics you work through years of perfecting your form and making sure the execution is perfect before attempting anything like a double back. In Gymnastics the one person you have to worry about is yourself. There is nobody else on that mat to run into, under or over you while you are tumbling. I think there are way too many people on the mat to risk doing double backs in level 5.

Date: Mon May 15 2:40 PM, 2006

the all star cheer world isnt ready for double backs.

as soon as most of the senior teams are level 6 and only level 6 is offered at worlds, then we will be ready.

give it a couple years.

Date: Mon May 15 2:43 PM, 2006

So...are you saying that Worlds will soon be Level 6 and USASF will be changing the age requirements for level 6 to include high school aged kids?

Date: Mon May 15 5:08 PM, 2006

yup

it was supposed to happen last year

but then they decided the cheer world wasnt ready which we werent.

but someday.. it'll happen

Date: Sat May 20 10:47 AM, 2006

I think double backs should be legal. The coaches need to have experiance spotting double backs and it's also the coaches responsibility not let a kid start doing this trick until the kid is ready. I would like to see Kiara do a pass that would include fulls, double fulls and a double back and I read something about a standing doublefull ??? Wow- Now that would be somthing to see-

Date: Fri Jun 2 2:42 PM, 2006

personally i think not. like there not even that cool looking to me, the spinning is what truly makes the trick.

despite that, they are dangerous. and more of a gymnist type skill i think flipping and spinning is cooler, howerver we do need some where else to go, many girls have mastered the double full and specialty passes into it. something new will come soon though, i know it