another angle on rules changes

Date: Sun May 28 12:13 PM, 2006

RE: another angle on rules changes

Date: Sun May 28 12:32 PM, 2006

1 Changing rules now makes the USASF look like varsitys puppets.

2 It is unethical to even re-visit rule changes at this late date

3 Why would you post final rules only to change your mind later (VERY UN-PROFESSIONAL)

4Why is it that any post that is un friendly towards varsity is automatically deleated.

5 I am aware that cheergyms is a fan of varsity but I dont see where my posts have in any way been rude or a reflection on your orginization.

Date: Sun May 28 1:27 PM, 2006

I own a gym (and I'm on the USASF Rules Committee) and I didn't know that there was a possibility of the rules changing in the middle of the year. Like many gyms, we had made our team selections based entirely upon the "final" divisions for 06-07 and any changes to them will potentially mean dramatic changes to our rosters.

Jody Melton, Cheer Athletics

Date: Sun May 28 1:43 PM, 2006

Enough Already wrote:

The bottom line on these rules is that it is TOOOO late for this season. You cannot changes the rules in the middle of the game. Teams have been formed etc. etc. They need to revisit these proposed rules changes in January when they sit down to meet for NEXT YEAR!!!

Stop the drama and let all the gyms continue to practice with teams that were formed at try-outs.

Good Luck to everyone!

Its only the end of May and to my knowledge the 1st competition in Northern California isn't until early October and I am pretty sure that is the same across teh country. It may cause some disruption, but shouldn't cause a HUGE eruption. If it is causing a whole team to be moved around, then that is a problem in itself by the coaches who are putting that many younger kids on a SENIOR team. Isn't this rule only for small and large coed teams?

Date: Sun May 28 2:19 PM, 2006

I think it is fair to say that it is only May ( actually June), but some teams have been practicing for two complete months. Can changes be made YES. It is VERY unfortunate that the USASF board feels the need to jerk everyone around. It is not RIGHT. Heck- Jody Melton owner of Cheer Athletics and owner of 3 WORLD CHAMPIONS does not even know about these potential changes. The USASF is not repecting their members time or money. IS THAT WHAT THEY WANT FOR THEIR REPUTATION?

Date: Sun May 28 3:11 PM, 2006

Not only have many teams been practicing for quite a while now, many have also already begun choreography. There are many programs that DON'T wait until September to begin choreography. And so what, they're supposed to sit around and put the brakes on their plans until USASF gets their heads out of their butts and decides what they are going to do? It's ridiculous and makes them look unprofessional and unorganized.

Date: Sun May 28 5:29 PM, 2006

I agree with you California Coach. My daughter is on a team that is hoping to be Worlds bound and they are off and running working their little tails off. What else are they supposed to do while waiting for this mess to be sorted out?

The powers that be need to realize that it is too late for this season.

Date: Mon May 29 11:33 AM, 2006

Who says that it's too late to change the rules? There has not been a declaration as to when the "official" competition season starts and when it ends. There is also no declaration as to when tryouts are to happen, and when it's too late to have tryouts to be ready for the competition season.

Everyone chooses to have tryouts at their own conveniences. So to complain that it's too late to change the rules for the 2006-2007 season is ridiculous. No one said that you should have had tryouts already when the rules haven't been set in stone yet. Most competitions don't start until October. So what's the rush to be ready so soon?

Last, but not least, what's the anxiousness about World's 2007 already? Worlds just happened a little more than a month ago. We still have 11 months until it comes around again. For teams that are trying to form your "Worlds" Team(s) based off of your spring tryouts, do you really think you're going to beat the teams that re-form teams and have tryouts for the "Worlds" Teams after NCA Nationals or Cheersport???

Just a thought...

Date: Mon May 29 12:12 PM, 2006

The successful programs tend to plan as far ahead as possible. Although there is no mandated "tryout date", nearly every gym has long since had their tryouts and the USASF is well aware of this. No one has suggested that it isn't possible to make adjustments after June 15, it is just not something that we were told was a possibility.

My biggest problem with all of this is that the divisions were announced as final and conclusive for the 06-07 season. We planned around those rules because we were under the understanding that they would not change. If we had been told that they were "tentative" or "subject to change" then it may be different.

Theoretically, we don't really have a problem with the potential new rules. If they want install a minimum age at Worlds (for the first time ever), I can understand that for 07-08. I do not feel that any advantage to that rule would outweigh the disruption caused by changing in now, in the middle of the season.

Date: Mon May 29 2:43 PM, 2006

It is hardly the middle of the season. Should they decide to change the rules (and if they do, I'm assuming it will be in the next couple of weeks?) that should be plenty of time to make changes for Worlds, which is what.. next April? Let's be realistic here. And I see the ones who are impacted saying it would be fine to make the age 12 for the 07-08 season when, of course, the ones affected will be 12 and it won't change a thing for them.

Date: Mon May 29 3:18 PM, 2006

June 15 will be 2 months after our tryouts. No, that is not the absolute mathematical "middle" of the season, but we are well into our preparations for the competition season. Perhaps your gym throws something together at the last minute, but not ours.

Worlds is in April, but we have already selected teams, done choreography, set stunt groups, ordered uniforms, ordered camp clothes, made travel arrangements, and planned our season's competition schedule. We have customers that have made travel arrangements based on the competition schedule. All of that could change with new divisions.

Many people are thinking since it only a few people, it isn't that big of a deal. We will have to move the affect athletes to other teams and move athlete FROM other teams to make the rosters work. You cannot simply switch athletes back and forth. The junior team that those athletes get moved to becomes over the limit, so some of THOSE kids will have to be moved to a Youth team, etc. You have to find a way to replace the seniors that were moved TO the worlds team, etc. It has a domino effect throughout the gym.

We would also lose money on the clothes and uniforms that were ordered that were specific to the teams that those athletes were on. We could potentially lose athletes who are unhappy with the changes. It also makes us look foolish to our customers. You can explain that the USASF changed the rules of game, but that will not be enough reason for everyone.

It is certainly possible for us to make all of the changes that would come with new divisions. In the long run, it won't change dramatically how talented the teams are, or how competitive we are. That doesn't mean that we like it or think that it is necessary. Who is to say that they won't change again after this time? They already posted their "final" divisions once, it is clear that their "final" doesn't really mean final.

What exactly has happen in the last 3 years of Worlds that requires this sudden change?

Date: Mon May 29 3:34 PM, 2006

While worlds itself is in April, the comps that give the bids start in Dec, or even earlier. Waiting is A HUGE mistake! Prepared is always better, and practice is what makes...well, you know the rest! Can't get to Worlds without a little ol' bid!

Date: Mon May 29 8:32 PM, 2006

Very good points brought up by Gym Owner. I don't think that people are really thinking about ALL the possible domino effects these rules changes could have at this stage of the game. It IS still early in the season.... HOWEVER, teams have been formed and plans have been made accordingly. When you look at the big picture worlds bid time is not that far off....

Date: Tue May 30 5:29 AM, 2006

Just a Thought and Gym Owner (well, one of them anyway) makes total sense. If a gym didn't prepare for this, well........ tisk tisk tisk

And if the gyms that are in contention to go for a Worlds bid didn't prepare, I would be quite shocked. Our gym isn't quite in the Worlds category as of yet but we prepared for it. We have been practicing for 2 months now, have our stuff ordered, etc..... and are watching everyone else scramble. Well, watching everyone squirm is a better word for it.

I truly don't think they will make the change. Not in the middle of the season. They aren't quite that _____________ (insert word here and not a bad one please.)

Date: Tue May 30 6:29 AM, 2006

So what you are saying is, the organizations who have not formed official teams yet are squirming? Interesting. As I said in another post, we'll see which philosophy pays off in April, the organizations who wait to form teams, or the ones who have everything in place early. I would tend to think it's the latter (the ones who have been practicing with their teams for two months now). But I wouldn't say the others are squirming, or scrambling.

Date: Tue May 30 7:07 AM, 2006

Me wrote:

Just a Thought and Gym Owner (well, one of them anyway) makes total sense. If a gym didn't prepare for this, well........ tisk tisk tisk

And if the gyms that are in contention to go for a Worlds bid didn't prepare, I would be quite shocked.

I think that you can be "prepared" and still not want something to happen. You can be "prepared" for a hurricane, but still hope that it doesn't hit.

The proposed rule changes, if anything, probably benefit competitively the larger gyms like ours. Anything that makes the divisions more restrictive is easier to handle when you have hundreds of athletes than when you only have a few dozen. Despite the fact that it would (slightly) benefit us competitively, I still don't think that it is fair to the all-star programs to make these changes at this time.

I don't think that it is fair to criticize the coaches and owners that didn't see this coming. Worlds has never before had a minimum age requirement. The USASF already announced their divisions for 06-07. There was no reason to expect the USASF to reverse course this late in the game. I was on the USASF Rules Committee and didn't think that there was any way that the Worlds board would opt to ignore the Rules Committee's and NACCC's consensus.

Date: Tue May 30 10:35 AM, 2006

well supposedly the actual rule changes are only being made to the WORLDS competioion only the rest of the age divisions are supposed to stay the same. which means that only worlds temas will be offected by these rules. and its not a fair thing to do it is the middle of the season because if you actually think about it the cheer season never ends (no matter how many times we tell ourselves it does) worlds is a competition that is supposed to show the best of everything and sometimes the best is younger than 14. so basically if these rules change right now the teams that are going to win are the same teams that are winning right now like Cheer Athletics and maryland twisters top gun. . .etc Its constantly mentioned that USASF didnt release last years rules until december but there was no actual conflict with the rules like there is this year.

Date: Tue May 30 2:09 PM, 2006

You know what's truly amusing??? That you actually got negativity out of that post. Now I see where the negativity comes from. Absolutely amazing.....

That post wasn't negative in ANY WAY. But if that's what you want to see, then that's what you will see. Never argue with a fool. Some may not know the difference.

Date: Tue May 30 2:44 PM, 2006

Me wrote:

You know what's truly amusing??? That you actually got negativity out of that post. Now I see where the negativity comes from. Absolutely amazing.....

That post wasn't negative in ANY WAY. But if that's what you want to see, then that's what you will see. Never argue with a fool. Some may not know the difference.

In rereading your post, I guess I misunderstood your intent. You didn't clarify what "this" was in saying that if a gym didn't prepare for "this" then tsk tsk tsk. I assumed that you meant "this" to mean rule changes, since that is the point of this thread. If you write something and others don't understand it, it doesn't automatically mean that the readers are the ones who are foolish.

Date: Tue May 30 9:38 PM, 2006

I didn't say that either.... but I will stop arguing cause (read the last line)

THATS what I meant by foolish. Boy I can see where some get so angry over posts. Things are taken out of text, literally and totally wrong. No problem though. You are just missing what I was saying. It happens.