another angle on rules changes

Date: Tue May 30 9:39 PM, 2006

RE: another angle on rules changes

Date: Wed May 31 8:13 AM, 2006

To whoever said that this season's rules aren't set in stone...I'm sure NOTHING is set in stone anywhere. However, 2006/2007 season rules WERE approved back in March. Are we supposed to be psychic and know that USASF will go "oops, just kidding, we didn't mean THOSE rules..." and not hold our tryouts and begin choreography at the earliest possible date?

The bottom line is that they are punishing gym owners, coaches, and cheerleaders who have been proactive and already begun their season's work by waffling on the rules at this point in the game.

Date: Wed May 31 10:32 AM, 2006

And yet nothing has been changed.....

Date: Wed May 31 11:16 AM, 2006

Which is even more annoying, I think. At this point, we just need to know - NOW.

Date: Wed May 31 3:21 PM, 2006

Yea, I have to agree with that one. No point in stressing everyone out any more. And you KNOW they have seen this. It's just cruel and unusual punishment.

Date: Wed May 31 6:36 PM, 2006

I agree that it seems to be stressful, but no matter how hard everyone tries, we can't make June 15 come any more quickly.

Date: Wed Jun 7 6:27 PM, 2006

The problem is... In the beginning it seems that the USASF's major goal was to create a consistent standard. Now I am very confused because they have basically created a situation wherein either all the major cheer comp companies will be forced to change their rules, or teams will have to practice one way all year and then reorganize in order to conform to the Worlds standards. We have thre teams and are not an extrmely large gym, so we have a lot of crossovers. Now we have to have one routine for the cheer season, and another one for the bid and worlds. What is the goal here? Why the changes? It has been clear that many people have age issues but why crossovers. Extra teams make these kids the athletes that they are. If a child only wants to cheer, then why limit them to one team. Change the bid system (USA...vending machine!!!) but don't change the Worlds forum. I was there and I thought everything was perfect. EVERY CONCERNED PERSON...PLEASE WRITE TO USASF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Date: Wed Jun 7 9:39 PM, 2006

I've never liked the idea of crossovers, and I'm happy that at least for Worlds they will not be allowed. I'm not impressed with an organization that has two or three high level teams where half are on more than one. It's more impressive to have completely unique high level teams. You are rewarding the teams, not the individuals, and I always get the feeling when you see half of the same guys/girls, it's more about them and not the teams. It's easy to use the same star athletes on several teams. Kudos to those organizations who don't and still produce top quality routines.

Date: Thu Jun 8 11:34 AM, 2006

Yes, I agree. Thank goodness OC All Stars doesn't have crossovers unless there's an injury and the routine can't be changed. This season they have 2 girls that are doing both but because the girls REQUESTED to be on two teams. They just LOVE to cheer. But otherwise, everyone is on their own team.

Another Parent

Date: Thu Jun 8 11:37 AM, 2006

Hi There!!!!

We do have quite a few girls who do high school and OC though. But it's tough on the kids if the coaches don't work hand in hand.

OC Mom

Date: Thu Jun 8 4:58 PM, 2006

This is stupid. If you don't want your kid to do two teams then don't let them, but the kids should be able to crossover if they want to. I jus wish that people would stop trying to CONTROL everyone else based on their own kid. Talk about selfish. Why do YOU care if WE have crossovers? Please don't try to say that its because it HURTS the kids, it makes them stronger. The teams at Worlds had crossovers and everone else is just mad because they either couldn't get there or they got beat!!!

Date: Thu Jun 8 6:21 PM, 2006

okkkkkkayyyy then.

The facts are these.

As far as the Worlds competition, USASF had to draw a line when it came to crossovers. Gyms started to swap kids. It wasn't just about crossing over within your program any longer. Example: Putnam Small Co Ed All Star was also performing for the West All Star Large Co-Ed All Stars. Make sense?

Another issue was that due to the small size of the competition, individuals were literally exiting the floor and re-entering to perform with the next team. Safety became a concern.

Hope this sheds a bit of light.

The USASF has a long way to go but i know they're trying hard and doing their best to please the entire nation.

If I had a magic wand to change any one thing it would be to make bids MUCH MUCH harder to attain. Therefore....making the competition much smaller and reducing the number of people that had a right to complain about anything at all.

Date: Thu Jun 8 8:10 PM, 2006

I agree with Danny I think that the bid structure was very open this past season. I feel the 'Worlds' should not feel like any other comp and the bid to go should be harder to get. When speaking with teams that have been for the past couple of years they have said that they feel like this past season was not as 'elite' as other years.

Date: Thu Jun 8 9:36 PM, 2006

Agree, bids were too thinned out. Think about it, and I don't mean to pick on any particular team, I'm just using this as an example -- a team could come in 2nd at a National competition, win a paid bid and automatically advance to the finals at Worlds. So... 2nd at Nationals=automatic finals at Worlds, does that sound right to you? And we know some National competitions are far weaker than others, so it doesn't take rocket scientists to figure out strategically which ones to attend. The bids were watered down, and I would hope they would have realized it and made some changes for this coming season, especially after hearing so many complaints.

Date: Thu Jun 8 9:44 PM, 2006

Danny wrote:

If I had a magic wand to change any one thing it would be to make bids MUCH MUCH harder to attain. Therefore....making the competition much smaller and reducing the number of people that had a right to complain about anything at all.

I couldn't agree with this more. And I do agree with the crossover rule - a few crossovers within a program is one thing, but it was out of control this past Worlds....half an entire team would exit the floor to go warm up with another team. Insane.

However, I also think that the rules need to be standardized. If USASF wants to do what they say and standardize this sport and make the rules and judging square, then they should do it. If they say no crossovers, then let's have no crossovers - anywhere. And so on. Let's have the rules be the rules or we're back where we started, when a few years ago you had to rearrange your routine from week to week based on whose competition you would be at (the only difference being then, it was because of various skills allowed/not allowed at the same levels across different companies). If they're gonna do this thing, then let's do this thing, know what I mean?

Date: Fri Jun 9 6:03 AM, 2006

California Coach wrote:

However, I also think that the rules need to be standardized. If USASF wants to do what they say and standardize this sport and make the rules and judging square, then they should do it. If they say no crossovers, then let's have no crossovers - anywhere. And so on. Let's have the rules be the rules or we're back where we started, when a few years ago you had to rearrange your routine from week to week based on whose competition you would be at (the only difference being then, it was because of various skills allowed/not allowed at the same levels across different companies). If they're gonna do this thing, then let's do this thing, know what I mean?

But there needs to be room for each competition company to differentiate themselves or we might have an even bigger problem. I'm glad the skills allowed are the same from comp to comp (my daughter did the routine changing thing enough), but there is emphasis of different areas on the scoresheet, etc.

Date: Fri Jun 9 6:45 AM, 2006

We've already covered this topic extensively, I know, but I strongly disagree about competitions having different scoresheets. Makes absolutely no sense. Different venues, different judges, different locations -- that's plenty of differences for me! Just my opinion of course.

Date: Fri Jun 9 7:34 AM, 2006

I really don't get why everyone feels the need to get on these boards to complain. The rules are set if you like it great if you don't get over it. You may not like the rule but no matter how much you complain you are still going to have to abide to it. Instead of wasting all your energy arguing with other people about the rule change, why don't you go to your gym and change the routine. Waste your energy on something good and productive instead of wasting your time saying things that aren't going to make a difference what so ever in the minds of the people who make the rules for USASF.

Date: Fri Jun 9 8:40 AM, 2006

To "I Don't Get Why", one of the most constructive reasons FOR this message board is to voice opinions. If you don't think people involved with USASF aren't reading whatisprox and this message board, you are mistaken. If you're the type of person who accepts things easily because you don't think you are capable of making changes, I wouldn't read the posts where other pro-active people are voicing their opinions hoping to open and possibly influence the minds of others, including those on the USASF board.

And at the very least, it helps to see if your opinion is shared by others.

Date: Fri Jun 9 9:50 AM, 2006

To "You're So Wrong"...... you need a hug.... here (*******O********) That's a hug from me to you. Now, breathe in......... now out............ (no, no, SLOWLY) now in again........... now out........... feel a little better?

Thank you Danny for that.

OC Mom