All-Star Cheersport National Special Needs Teams

[ACEDAD]

I know that 12 special needs teams have already registered for Cheersport Nationals. But we're trying to find out if any others are coming.

Who's attending in this division? Even if you haven't registered the team yet.

ACE Birmingham Bows & Arrows
ACE Atlanta Dreamcatchers

 

[CharlotteASMom]

CAC is bringing Angels.

 

[Mrs.CheerExtreme]

This isn't super related...but I have always wondered how could they judge special needs teams at Cheersport Nationals. I'm not talking about the technical breakdown of the score sheet, but there is a winner of the special needs teams...that doesn't seem very cool (if you get what I mean).

 

[NJ Coach]

This isn't super related...but I have always wondered how could they judge special needs teams at Cheersport Nationals. I'm not talking about the technical breakdown of the score sheet, but there is a winner of the special needs teams...that doesn't seem very cool (if you get what I mean).

They all win, and all get the level 5 jackets. That award ceremony is fun.

 

[ACEDAD]

This isn't super related...but I have always wondered how could they judge special needs teams at Cheersport Nationals. I'm not talking about the technical breakdown of the score sheet, but there is a winner of the special needs teams...that doesn't seem very cool (if you get what I mean).

Sorry, but I disagree and the USASF Special Needs Committee has encouraged event producers to score the teams since the beginning. Special Olympics has been awarding places in events for over 40 years.

To be perfectly blunt, there are some of the special needs athletes that understand they are competing and there are some that don't. For the ones that don't really understand, it doesn't make a difference anyway and they are just thrilled to share the stage.

For the ones that do understand (and it's more than you might think), they get insulted when they get an award for doing nothing. Just because they have an intellectual disability doesn't mean that they can't comprehend winning and losing. Winning is fantastic and I'm so tickled when they get to have that experience. But losing and knowing that you might have to try harder the next time can be just as fantastic a lesson.

Mrs.CheerExtreme, please don't take this as a lecture regarding your post. I wanted to take this opportunity to give the ongoing rational behind scoring the teams because the question comes up a lot.

 

[cheerbear]

Sorry, but I disagree and the USASF Special Needs Committee has encouraged event producers to score the teams since the beginning. Special Olympics has been awarding places in events for over 40 years.

To be perfectly blunt, there are some of the special needs athletes that understand they are competing and there are some that don't. For the ones that don't really understand, it doesn't make a difference anyway and they are just thrilled to share the stage.

For the ones that do understand (and it's more than you might think), they get insulted when they get an award for doing nothing. Just because they have an intellectual disability doesn't mean that they can't comprehend winning and losing. Winning is fantastic and I'm so tickled when they get to have that experience. But losing and knowing that you might have to try harder the next time can be just as fantastic a lesson.

Mrs.CheerExtreme, please don't take this as a lecture regarding your post. I wanted to take this opportunity to give the ongoing rational behind scoring the teams because the question comes up a lot.

thank you for posting this, because i too was wondering why they were given placements, but now i understand

 

[Mrs.CheerExtreme]

Sorry, but I disagree and the USASF Special Needs Committee has encouraged event producers to score the teams since the beginning. Special Olympics has been awarding places in events for over 40 years.

To be perfectly blunt, there are some of the special needs athletes that understand they are competing and there are some that don't. For the ones that don't really understand, it doesn't make a difference anyway and they are just thrilled to share the stage.

For the ones that do understand (and it's more than you might think), they get insulted when they get an award for doing nothing. Just because they have an intellectual disability doesn't mean that they can't comprehend winning and losing. Winning is fantastic and I'm so tickled when they get to have that experience. But losing and knowing that you might have to try harder the next time can be just as fantastic a lesson.

Mrs.CheerExtreme, please don't take this as a lecture regarding your post. I wanted to take this opportunity to give the ongoing rational behind scoring the teams because the question comes up a lot.

I did not take this as a lecture, I actually learned a lot! I never thought of it that way, but now that I do it makes complete sense. We sometimes forget that just because someone is special needs it doesn't mean that they don't understand and comprehend things.

 

[NJ Coach]

I did not take this as a lecture, I actually learned a lot! I never thought of it that way, but now that I do it makes complete sense. We sometimes forget that just because someone is special needs it doesn't mean that they don't understand and comprehend things.

Trust me...they understand what it means to win. Being involved in Special Olympics for the past 28 years will show you that lol. Some lose graciously, some others not so much...just like any other person lol. Though I will say, many of them are just as happy getting a 2nd place trophy as 1st. What I've admired about Cheersport, is they give all the teams the jacket. All those athletes truly do win just by getting up on that stage. They are changing the way people perceive them, one competition at a time.

 

[Mrs.CheerExtreme]

I completely understand what you mean when you say they all truly win when they get up on that stage. At every competition I go to I would much rather watch the special needs teams than the level 5 teams because they truly love what they are doing. We can say what we want about loving what we do, but until you see the genuine smiles on their faces when they do a skill you realize what it truly means to love what you do.

 

[ACEDAD]

I did not take this as a lecture, I actually learned a lot! I never thought of it that way, but now that I do it makes complete sense. We sometimes forget that just because someone is special needs it doesn't mean that they don't understand and comprehend things.

Thanks.

 

[ACEDAD]

Bump. Still want to know which teams are going!

 

[ACEDAD]

Now that the schedule is out, hope everyone noticed that there are 20 special needs teams this year.