CUTE UNiFORMS

Date: Thu Jul 20 8:28 AM, 2006

RE: CUTE UNiFORMS

Date: Thu Jul 20 8:44 AM, 2006

If it's true that points are being deducted from scores for inappropriate uniforms, it had better be listed somewhere in their rules stating it will be on the scoresheet, and a breakdown of what they consider inappropriate. If you have all your teams in crop tops, competitions need to let your organization know UP FRONT that points may be deducted. We've been wearing them for years and have NEVER had a deduction for it, so this is news to me.

Date: Thu Jul 20 9:01 AM, 2006

We are super lucky to not have that problem on the 3 teams that we allow crops. We don't allow the others because of age and appropriateness. But IF we DID have an issue with even ONE girl, we wouldn't get them. Period.

Date: Thu Jul 20 9:02 AM, 2006

It's true - I saw the score sheets myself. It said something about "inappropriate uniforms" and then points were taken from the "overall impression" score (or whatever they called it for that competition - and we all know how I feel about that particular section of ANY company's score sheet...)

Date: Thu Jul 20 9:04 AM, 2006

Well CC, I have to agree with it. Think about it. If there is a heavier girl on the team, which kid are you watching the entire time? It's sad but it's true. Those coaches should not put those kids out there in those tiny outfits. That's just plain mean to them. Bless their hearts that they can be as athletic. I am overweight and I know I would last 3 seconds!!!

Date: Thu Jul 20 9:08 AM, 2006

It's really no different than the "inappropriate" music or dance deductions. They don't tell you what is or isn't appropriate, it depends on the team, the situation, and the interpretation by the judges.

Date: Thu Jul 20 11:08 AM, 2006

So what should a senior team do if a couple of the girls on the team do not look flattering in crop tops? All the teams (with the exception of maybe one or two?) are in crop tops at the senior level at Worlds, am I correct? It looked that way to me, but I didn't see all the teams, so I could be wrong.

Bottom line, do you tell your entire team (at the older levels) they need to cover their stomachs because not everyone looks good with them shown? It's sad because I like to think of this as a sport that awards based on athleticism, not appearance. Especially when it's a physical thing that they have no control over. If you're going to deduct on inappropriate uniforms, I would think that has to do with zippers being undone, or general sloppiness. Not how someone looks in the same uniform everyone else is wearing. Here is an extreme example to go with what is being said here ... Team A and Team B have very similar uniforms; only difference is the colors. But Team A has girls who carry the uniforms better (i.e., they are slimmer). Poor Team B has a few that just don't look attractive in these uniforms, so let's deduct Team B some points.

What am I missing here?

Date: Thu Jul 20 11:29 AM, 2006

Well, the deductions probably would come from Team B's girls stomach fat jiggling all over the place. As a parent I would NOT allow my daughter to be embarassed like that. Do you really think those heavier girls don't notice how they look? Or what about when they are all sitting around the TV in the gym, watching their performance and those particular girls are seeing their fat jump around like Santa Clause couldn't do on his BAD day? Are you guys kidding me?

Now please don't take this post the wrong way. The reason I say this is because the chuncky girls DESERVE to be on the cheer teams just like EVERYONE ELSE. It shouldn't be based on your size. If you can do the job for your team, then you BELONG there. But why or why would your coach hate you so much as to put you in such a situation? My suggestion??? Don't get crops. Get Middrifs. THEN, the heavier girls can wear appropriate colored tanks underneith to cover the areas in question. Oh TRUST ME ON THIS ONE... everyone and I mean everyone will appreciate the reasoning. INCLUDING THE CHEERLEADER. But truthfully, the coaches need to be responsible to their "children" in their gym. If you have a chuncky girl on your team, purchase full tops. You are their leader and you should not lead them down the path of embarassment, sadness and neglect.

Now I KNOW coaches of girls who are heavy and wear the crops will disagree. But sorry. You know it's wrong and you know that you are embarassing your kids by it. Why do it? Cause "everyone else is doing it?" Ok, do we need to go down that path also?

Date: Thu Jul 20 3:24 PM, 2006

Now you tell me, which scenario is worse: having crop tops for your entire team regardless of weight and size, because that is what is being worn today (they're cooler to wear, and much more comfortable), or you telling the team, sorry, everyone else is wearing them, but you guys can't because Jane here just doesn't look flattering in it. You want to talk about making someone feel bad???

Our teams wear them, and we have never had any problems, none. If there are girls who look heavier in them, it just doesn't matter to anyone on our team, nor to the parents, because we're watching their skills and so many other things. And the girls seem very happy (they come back every year, love to cheer, love our organization). Did it ever occur to you that these girls may feel comfortable with their size and feel good that they don't have to try to hide it?? This is a sport for goodness sake, not a beauty contest.

Today different sizes are more accepting, haven't you noticed? Look around. Let's try to change the way we view overweightness, not try to hide it. And I find it very hard to believe the judges are deducting points based on flab, pleeeeze. Sloppiness in general appearance (which I've seen plenty of that, even with full uniforms), that I can believe.

Date: Thu Jul 20 3:44 PM, 2006

I don't think you have to lay it out like that. You're not going to be deducted if your uniforms are appropriate and flattering - they won't be a distraction. You're not going to to go to Worlds and be deducted for "sorry girls, at this level, you need crop tops". If the uniform flatters the entire team, it doesn't matter. It's when they are a distraction that you're going to see the deductions.

Date: Thu Jul 20 4:39 PM, 2006

My child is thick, solid but she is thick. no bouncing belly jelly she is just thick and I would never agree to put her in a crop top. If I would not allow her to wear it on the street why in the heck would I let her put it out on the mat? Why is it that we want our little girls to look older. My childs belly button really is not for all to see. I have not seen any male cheerleaders with crop tops.

Date: Thu Jul 20 7:31 PM, 2006

Last time I checked, my daughter wasn't wearing her uniform out on the street.

We've been spending a lot of time at the pool this summer. My daughter is not thin, but she loves to swim and hang out with her friends at the pool (her friends are young, they would be on a youth team if they cheered). They all wear two piece bathing suits, and they look so cute (very colorful suits). And their belly buttons show (gasp)! I see a lot of what you might call thick or pudgy girls with their bellies sticking out for all to see, and not only do they not care but they don't notice.

Swimming is a sport, they were surrounded by others dressed the same (no matter what size, shape, age), and it was just fine. She didn't have a crop top when she first joined, but now they have them, and she loves it. Do you think for one moment I'm going to tell her I disagree with her wearing it because it just doesn't look right on her? Heck no.

Just another way to look at it. And please, those of you who are so against them, once we start competing, don't look at my daughter or anyone else's (or our team/organization) with pity or disgust, because not all of us share your feelings. Let them be judged by what they do on the floor (or don't do).

Fair enough?

Date: Thu Jul 20 9:06 PM, 2006

To What's Worse.... at what point do you be the adult or coach and say "this is what we are wearing" without the opinion of the cheerleaders? Do you allow the cheerleaders decide what the uniforms look like? Or do you as the coach and director decide this?

And at what point do you quit doing WHAT EVERYONE ELSE DOES in life? If they all jump off a bridge, do you go too? I know I know, old saying but same point.

NOW........ I don't care what ANYONE SAYS. Any girl that is chunky and is wearing a crop on a team of skinny girls, they aren't thinking, "oh no one is looking at me that way. They are looking at my skills." Are you all that OLD that you can't remember being a teenager? Yes larger sizes are more acceptable now. But that is because obesity is rampant in our country now. Girls are more open about their bodies now and that is ok too. Girls are more educated about these things.

I do agree with the "they aren't wearing their uniforms around town" school of thought AND also they do wear less at the beach. But your kid isn't dancing around, shaking her rear at the beach either. At least she had better not be. And trust me on this one, no one on a swim team is on the very heavy side like some cheerleaders are. They can't compete if they are.

There is a fine line between an acceptable weight for a crop top and a "Oh the coach should have made a better decision with that uniform choice" weight. And for everyones information, NOT EVERY team wears crops. Didn't anyone read the last issue of American Cheerleader? A note was made about seeing full tops on a team and how it was nice to see.

If a girl on your team has a tummy that hangs over her shorts or bulges more than an inch, you had best believe everyone is watching that during competition. Lie to yourself all you like. It's just fact.

And by the way, I am fat. I think it's borderline illegal for me to wear small shorts. I wouldn't do it no matter WHAT anyone told me about how I look ok or because EVERYONE ELSE is wearing it. There's just some things you don't do.

Date: Thu Jul 20 9:15 PM, 2006

you stated..

"I do agree with the "they aren't wearing their uniforms around town" school of thought AND also they do wear less at the beach. But your kid isn't dancing around, shaking her rear at the beach either. At least she had better not be. And trust me on this one, no one on a swim team is on the very heavy side like some cheerleaders are. They can't compete if they are"

I totally beg to differ. My kids swim and swimming is one place where larger girls can do really well. If a girls body image can carry the uniform of the team she wants to compete on, GREAT! I wish more girls were confident and not so body bashful. Today's trend towards "letting it all hang out" may be disturbing to some of us older folks, but it is actually quite healthy. I wish I had felt that way as a teen, because my body was fine; it was my head that was messed up! Cheerleading calls for a certain style, as does swimming. Being heavy wouldn't mean you should not wear the comp swimsuit. Same with cheer. IMO

Date: Thu Jul 20 9:25 PM, 2006

i think a team can have crop tops even with larger girls and still look cute. Like how Bullets do it i think they have all crop tops and for the larger girls and the really young ones i think they are like maybe half an inch to 2 inches longer than the other girls..but still the same style..so on the floor it looks good and u dont nnotcie the length difference..it just looks better cuz the "larger" girls dont have to settle for super mini crop tops and yet still blend with the team.

Date: Thu Jul 20 9:39 PM, 2006

what's worse wrote:

Now you tell me, which scenario is worse: having crop tops for your entire team regardless of weight and size, because that is what is being worn today (they're cooler to wear, and much more comfortable), or you telling the team, sorry, everyone else is wearing them, but you guys can't because Jane here just doesn't look flattering in it. You want to talk about making someone feel bad???

Our teams wear them, and we have never had any problems, none. If there are girls who look heavier in them, it just doesn't matter to anyone on our team, nor to the parents, because we're watching their skills and so many other things. And the girls seem very happy (they come back every year, love to cheer, love our organization). Did it ever occur to you that these girls may feel comfortable with their size and feel good that they don't have to try to hide it?? This is a sport for goodness sake, not a beauty contest.

Today different sizes are more accepting, haven't you noticed? Look around. Let's try to change the way we view overweightness, not try to hide it. And I find it very hard to believe the judges are deducting points based on flab, pleeeeze. Sloppiness in general appearance (which I've seen plenty of that, even with full uniforms), that I can believe.

To me all star cheerleaders should be of the same body type of gymnasts. Now of really established programs they train tand condition their kids like athletes. If they are athletic, then the uniforms should be fine. I prefer crop/midriff tops over full tops. Most girls where their skirts to low so thats why they look the way they do on some teams. I wouldn't tell a wrestler to put some clothes on if his pecs are showing, or swimmers to put shorts on if their butt is showing, or football players if their stomach is showing (which alot do).

Date: Thu Jul 20 9:46 PM, 2006

1st of all I wouldn't go around saying what American Cheerleader said. That magazine is so backwards not up to date with cheerleading its ridicolous.

2. Its not just midriffs, its just people judging what you wear. People do it all the time, they disapprove of what you wear and its not limited to cheerleading uniforms. I think people they are wearing it at cheerleading competititions. If you have been to a workout gym like 24 hour fitness, people wear fitted clothing all the time, guys and girls. You see alot more than what cheerleading teams show.

3.I agree about the bathing suit thing, its ok to wear them out a the beach for 100's of people to see, but at a competition its horrible, which bathing suits show alot more.

4. Don't go around judging people if wear half tops, believe me that little bit of extra material is fitted to your body so you can still tell if someone has rolls. To me all star cheerleaders should be fit like athletes. Most competitive athletes such as gymnasts, swimmers, tennis players are in shape and can where anything because of the strict workout plans.

Date: Thu Jul 20 10:25 PM, 2006

um... wrote:

Last time I checked, my daughter wasn't wearing her uniform out on the street.

We've been spending a lot of time at the pool this summer. My daughter is not thin, but she loves to swim and hang out with her friends at the pool (her friends are young, they would be on a youth team if they cheered). They all wear two piece bathing suits, and they look so cute (very colorful suits). And their belly buttons show (gasp)! I see a lot of what you might call thick or pudgy girls with their bellies sticking out for all to see, and not only do they not care but they don't notice.

Swimming is a sport, they were surrounded by others dressed the same (no matter what size, shape, age), and it was just fine. She didn't have a crop top when she first joined, but now they have them, and she loves it. Do you think for one moment I'm going to tell her I disagree with her wearing it because it just doesn't look right on her? Heck no.

Just another way to look at it. And please, those of you who are so against them, once we start competing, don't look at my daughter or anyone else's (or our team/organization) with pity or disgust, because not all of us share your feelings. Let them be judged by what they do on the floor (or don't do). Fair enough?

Come on now.... when I said that I would not let her wear "it" out on the street. I was not saying "it" was her uniform. "IT" is any type of half top, crop top, short top, or whatever you want to call a belly showing shirt. And if my child was as thin as a rail, I still would not want my CHILDS team to use them. Little girls need to be little girls, they have a lifetime to be women.

Date: Thu Jul 20 11:50 PM, 2006

I agree with your post, I think that's a nice middle ground (crop tops, but larger girls/younger girls half an inch to 2 inches longer like Bullets does it). Good suggestion! That way they don't feel left out, because at least in our gym all the girls love them and were more than ready to ditch the full uniforms a couple years ago.

Date: Fri Jul 21 1:53 PM, 2006

Thank God we don't have that problem in our gym. No one is heavy or chuncky.