This thread is intended for USASF Officials, USASF Member Company Owners, and Gym Owners ONLY!!! IF you are a cheerleader, parent, or a coach PLEASE do not post on this thread. I would like this thread to be a grass roots effort for everyone across the country to weigh in on the proposed rules for WORLDS 2007 regarding age and cross-competitors. Please be articulate in voicing your opinion. Do not bash someone who has a different point of view than yours. DO NOT bring up names of individual cheerleaders in this thread. Simply use the format listed below to state your opinion. Once again, PLEASE… NO cheerleaders, parents, or coaches on this thread. Get your gym owner to weigh in on the topic. This will be the only way everyone across the country can get a feel on how everyone stands on the issue, and the appropriate people can be informed of the general consensus.
FORMAT
John Hebert, Owner POWER (California)
Against proposed changes
1. USASF rules were set forth sometime between March 7th-9th, 2006. At which time ALL member companies were informed of the ages allowed in each division. Member Companies have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on advertising these divisions. Gym Owners have had try-outs and formed teams based on these age guidelines. Changing the age rule now is in NO WAY justifiable to those people who actively support the USASF (Member Companies and Gym Owners)
2. I am a huge supporter of the USASF. I have paid my own expense to get to Atlanta to vote in the NACCC. I have volunteered as a membership committee member when the USASF first started. I have also volunteered at my own expense to help credential coaches at the GSSA Conference in Los Angeles (400 miles from my home). I currently am trying to work with the Western Regional Director to spread the word about coaching credentialing and the newest challenge of athlete credentialing. I would say that shows that I believe in the USASF and what is stands for
3. WORLDS is not intended to be its own competition with its own rules and guidelines, yet it is set-up as the one true competition that encompasses all companies and gyms regardless of your company affiliation or style. By changing the rules now it would set apart WORLDS from the rest of the industry, and create a rift amongst its companies and gyms instead of uniting them.
4. I personally can see both sides of the argument when it comes to age. I do have several members that are 11 years of age, and some of them were at WORLDS this past year on both of my teams (5th SM SR and 5th LG SR). I do not feel that they were in anyway subjected to inappropriate topics or situations throughout the year. If a program is organized and aggressive then they are working during practices, and supervised during down time at events. If parents have issues with their child being around older kids then it is their responsibility as a parent to inform the coach / director they do not wish to be subjected to that type of environment. WE are not the parents; I believe that is a parent issue, and one they, as parents need to decide what is best for their own personal family.
5. If the ages for Seniors are to change to put a bottom cap on the division, then so too should the remaining divisions. Why should a 7 year old compete on a Junior Team with 14 year olds? Why should a 5 year old compete on an 11 year old team? Many arguments can be made for both sides, but one thing is certain it needs to be across the board for all divisions, and ALL companies should adhere to the same set of rules and guidelines. This is the only way to progress our sport and create a level playing field for all invested parties
6. Please get involved. Everyone can complain about how this and that is effecting your gym or company, but until you get involved and make an effort to make a difference for the industry and not just your own personal gym or company progress will not be made. Egos must be put aside and effort must be made
I hope everyone can get the respective parties that need to weigh in on this topic on these sites and voicing their opinion. Be proud of who you are and the gym or company you represent, do not use alias names. I hope that I have led by example!
John, Thank you for starting this topic in a professional and organized manner. I hope others are not shy about expressing their opinions with their names attached. You have an excellent program, from your youngest athletes to the parents. Best of luck to you all this season.
Since rumors struck up regarding changes, we have made contact with reps at USASF, American Championships, COA, Atlantic Championships and many gym owners across the country. USASF told us directly that there was no truth to these rumors. However, at the persistance of continued rumors, we dug into it more and found out that we were lied to, and that there were meetings regarding possible changes still taking place. Thus the challenge begins....
1. Rules are rules, and we can all abide by them. The challenge is when these rules are announced. Changes made for this season were announced in March, giving all of us plenty of time to study and prepare. Changes at this point will cost gym owners and competition companies an unneccesary loss of money. Does USASF plan on refunding the companies for the money they would have to spend in changing their markerting material? We've spoken with some of the major competition companies and although they are very unhappy about the way this is happening, they plan on abiding by any changes for all of their events (with the exception of CheerSport). And, let's come up with an extreme example.... How about potential lawsuits of kids that have signed contracts and paid for their entire season and may have to change teams? I know that sounds dramatic, but we also know that it will happen somewhere across the country!
2. For the sake of all of us that are forced to abide by USASF rules, please take into consideration that these are not minor changes that everyone can "easily" adapt to. It will cause alot of us to face financial repercussions. Here are a couple examples of our gym personally facing rumored changes:
**We have two athletes (that competed at Worlds in April) working with the same group again this season that are under age 12. New age restrictions will stop two months of working on stunt choreography (baskets, pyramids, partner stunts, etc) so that we can train new flyers. What does it cost? For us, about $40/hour. Either the coach loses that amount and works extra at no extra pay, or we the gym pay him to catch up to where we need to be. Lost time is invaluable on training new flyers so we can "fix" the changes that USASF has imposed on us.
**We also currently have have three teams eligible for Worlds. Age restrictions and no crossovers would narrow us down to one, possibly two teams being eligible. So, when we attend competitions to get a bid, those companies will now receive entry fee's for one team, rather than three. Now mulitply that by all the gyms in the country that will be forced to limit their participation as well. That is ALOT of money lost to the companies that are financially supporting USASF.
3. Arguments have been made that changes were made last year, late in the season. Yes, that is true. However, changes were made to open up divisions, not restrict them. There is a HUGE difference.
4. I think we could all agree that the USASF was not designed to strike up controversy, frustrate gym owners, and belittle the opinions of competition company owners who thought they had voted and made final decisions on topics. Decision making after we have started our seasons and after "final" age divisions were posted does not help our industry. It is dividing it. All changes should be made immediately following the January Board Meeting, and not again until the following January.
5. Lastly, Worlds is not like your Prom (something you look forward to when you are in high school). Having been there, Worlds is like the Olympics. It brings together the finest athletes that our Sport has to offer. They should be celebrated and not discriminated against because of age. Congratulations to ALL that make it. It is a tremendous accomplishment.
Sincerely, Shawn and Becky Herrera Owners, CheerForce
