Always compete with what the MAJORITY of what your team has. You wanna win??? Have MORE THAN 80% of your team doing the highest level of tumbling and stunting allowed. Otherwish, just stay in your own area and not travel, cause unfortunately, you will be beaten.

Just the way of the beast.....

When you say you can go level 5 locally, do you mean you're not going against tough competition? Because locally here in Nor Cal there is tough competition at level 5, teams that have their eyes set on trying for a Worlds bid. I guess what I'm saying is, how do you know that you can go level 5 locally when you don't know who you're going against, and you don't know what other level 5 teams have to offer this season. Maybe you mean after a few wins locally at level 5, do you continue at that level when it's time for Nationals? If you've never won at level 5 locally, then there would be no point in staying at that level for Nationals. But if you've been winning, then I think it's a tough call. No guts no glory. It's easy to drop down a level just to win against teams that have stuck to their level the entire season. You don't see it in other sports, why would it be okay in this one?

Just curious, Cheersport and NCA I understand being mentioned; haven't heard many talk about UCA Nationals, is that one at the same caliber as the other two?

For whoever said competing level 5 locally is similar to traveling needs to get their eyes checked. Yes Power and cheergyms.com went to worlds, but lets get real. Teams like stingrays max out the level for each team. If its novice, then the whole team is doing squad double standing backhandsprings. I can't think of one novice team out here doing that. Same with Georgia, Top Gun, World Cup, Spirit of Texas, and Pro Spirit. Our teams haven't gotten tremendously better but by no means our events are at the same caliber as those in atlanta, dallas, or florida.

Excuse me but I recall a few of the California teams that went to Worlds and not only hung with the east coast but beat several of the teams from the east coast and from the South. Call me crazy but if 3rd, 4th and 5th places weren't hanging with the best of the best then what is? Did you see how many teams were in those divisions? What, do you think they were all California teams? NO. Don't get on here and try to belittle what the best California teams did because what they did was amazing. Did they win? No. How many "East Coast" teams won? One, Gymtyme. Did they make California proud? YES, they did and are to be congratulated for making top 5 in the World! Did you?

How about this.... wrote:

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Do you guys want to win or prove a point?

Last time I checked, we were in all star cheerleading to win. So if moving down a level means you will win, well too bad sister. At least we would go home with the trophy and jacket!!!!!! Who cares if you don't like it!

Morally correct? Nope. But then again, when has ANY cheer gym accused of being morally correct??? And we ALL know it's easier to compete level 5 in California. Love the teams who went to Worlds, but they can't hang on the east coast. One day yes maybe, but this year? Yea............ok. So how is it on YOUR planet? (laughing)

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"Nor Cal Owner" will first have to determine what the objective is for traveling and spending big money to attend NCA or Cheersport.

1. Is it to give their kids the experience and understanding of what it really takes to compete against other teams around the country at level 5 and to see how they would place. This is a great opportunity and has motivated many kids and teams to work harder next year.
2. Is it to have a better chance at winning at level 4 and bragging about NCA or Cheersport National title. And don't think just because you are a level 5 team dropping down to level 4 that you will win. How motivated will those level 5 kids be when they say, yes we won, but not at the level we competed all season long. Soiunds like an hollow win to me.

And how do you know how my team placed? You are ASSUMING that I am from California. You are ASSUMING that my team went to Worlds. And you are ASSUMING that my team didn't even place or even win.

Here's your lesson for the day...

Never Assume.... it makes an AS* out of U and ME

very quite whisper

"you're assumtions are showing"

I see what you're saying, but in any other sport, it's called cheating. It's taking your major teams and playing in minors for the championships. It's like taking your varsity players and putting them on JV for the playoffs. Sure, you'll get away with it, but does that make it right??

You SHOULD know if you're in the wrong level by the third or even 4th competition. If you don't, then you're not choosing the right competitions (you're not choosing the ones that challenge you to do your best). It's not fair to the teams that stay true to their level all year long when level 5 teams decide to drop down to 4 after competing all year at 5 (same goes for other levels).

Nobody is saying a team that has level 5 talent should not be competing at level 4. But to drop down at the VERY END of your season just for the win just doesn't seem right.

So what your saying is compete level 5 all year, and not place well. You finally want to end of a good note, BUT you either can place MUCH higher at your final nationals or just compete at level 5 just to say you did. Keep in mind, you get nothing out of competing at that level but self gratification and sometimes not even that. Parents and kids keep track of how they place, not at what level they compete. yes those extreme parents and cheereladers are like hawks who like competing at the highest level, but MOST kids just want to place well and have fun. I think you have to do whats best for the program.