All-Star Cover Up Rule, For Those That Have Competed This Season

[Ashley]

Ashley - If I were still cheering, comp ready would be a no-go for me. I think for the older set, a lot of these 'guidelines' get difficult because we're generally the ones commuting longer distances. I'm still thinking of the ages-long bus ride from AC back to NYC..uggh.

I do get what they're hoping for- I just think they're focusing on the wrong areas and looking for excuses that don't quite match up.

I see your point. But do we know if any effort has been put forth by the EPs to enforce this? Teams are apparently complying and it didn't really take a lot of effort to make this rule. It's something, and an easy place to start.

 

[notimeforthat]

perhaps having an area for people to do make up and hair/dressing would help... I know we can drive for up to 5 hours for a comp guess we have to stop at a rest stop (yuck) to get dressed and put on makeup!!

 

[kristenthegreat]

I see your point. But do we know if any effort has been put forth by the EPs to enforce this? Teams are apparently complying and it didn't really take a lot of effort to make this rule. It's something, and an easy place to start.

That was one of my other points. Gyms that are complying probably aren't the gyms the USASF was worried about. If a girl is walking around, skirt unzipped with her cell phone in her sports bra or skirt and uggs or boots on, she's now just going to be wearing a shirt over her unzipped skirt that will still be holding her phone, while wearing uggs. It's more of a bandaid than an actual fix..

 

[Coach Troy]

Hey @CoachTroy, it's the Costco lady! This is my take on it, only my opinion. I do believe the USASF is trying to get Cheerleading recognized as a sport. Cheerleading, as far as I can think of, is the only sport out there where hair, big bows, make up, AND a cute (in my opinion) uniform come into play. This is an extreme example but, the best I can come up with to get my point across:

The absolute best finance person in the world is looking for a CFO job. They walk into the interview in a full out clown costume, red nose, big feet and all. Do you think that could possibly come into play with the outcome of getting the job?

I understand we all should look beyond image, and just so you know, I could have been the "youth impaired" lady at Starbucks saying how cute your daughter was in her practice wear. I think our kids look fabulous. However, my experience at Costco opened my eyes, especially the "streetwalkers have teams?" comment, that not everyone sees our kids looking like athletes. Perhaps it is as simple as the USASF wanting the governing board of the sports world to look beyond the exterior because, when they're on stage there is no doubt our kids are athletes. I know the warm up doesn't cover up the hair, bows and make up, but it certainly tones down the package.

Just my opinion, don't hurt the Cat Lady.

I guess I don't share the desire to see us categorized as a "sport" since I already operate under the knowledge that we are. What will being given that title really change anyway??
As far as your example I just don't see the relevance...these girls are not interviewing for a job...Not sure what "youth impaired" means but i again say that reputation is the wrong thing to focus on...
"Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing."
~Abraham Lincoln~


If we give our children this legacy of knowing that it is their character that counts I think that is a far better thing then making them feel like they have to constantly change so that some outsiders opinion of them will be better......
I think it is great you have an opinion and I think it has some merit. Their is nothing wrong with modesty, its just that your idea of modesty (or anyone's) should not be imposed on someone else. I think that the best way to overcome perception is to bring these new families into the gym and allow them to see all the wonderful athletes and their hard work. I recently had a great conversation with a new dad who was skeptical at first and maybe for some of the reasons that some have stated but after a week or so of watching the coaches and teams in action he has a new found respect and has become a "believer" (his words)...

 

[AndyT_T]

I guess I don't share the desire to see us categorized as a "sport" since I already operate under the knowledge that we are. What will being given that title really change anyway??
As far as your example I just don't see the relevance...these girls are not interviewing for a job...Not sure what "youth impaired" means but i again say that reputation is the wrong thing to focus on...
"Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing."
~Abraham Lincoln~


If we give our children this legacy of knowing that it is their character that counts I think that is a far better thing then making them feel like they have to constantly change so that some outsiders opinion of them will be better......
I think it is great you have an opinion and I think it has some merit. Their is nothing wrong with modesty, its just that your idea of modesty (or anyone's) should not be imposed on someone else. I think that the best way to overcome perception is to bring these new families into the gym and allow them to see all the wonderful athletes and their hard work. I recently had a great conversation with a new dad who was skeptical at first and maybe for some of the reasons that some have stated but after a week or so of watching the coaches and teams in action he has a new found respect and has become a "believer" (his words)...

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m985740i9T1r1emlm.gif

Edit: HOW DO YOU EMBED GIFS ON HERE???

 

[Ashley]

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m985740i9T1r1emlm.gif

Edit: HOW DO YOU EMBED GIFS ON HERE???

The same way you embed any image? with the [*img]url[/img*] tag? minus the *

 

[INeverStopCheering]

I'm really really super curious to see how this is going to be enforced. At a lot of the events we attend, they barely seem to have the manpower to run things as they were. I don't see a lot of extra employees just standing around that could be turned into the Warmup Police. In the past, they haven't even had enough staff to stop people from doing ACTUAL dangerous things like stunting in the halls...
I'm also curious how this deduction system will work. As someone pointed out, what if your awards have already happened? Even if they haven't are they really going to go back and dig up a score sheet from would could be hours ago simply to give a deduction. And who's job is it to do that? How do they know what level the kid is on? Are they going by the word of the child?
I don't mind the rule, but I'm just waiting to see how enforceable it actually is. Seems like it's going to take a lot of manpower for something that bears few results.

 

[NoOneSpecial]

Hopefully most gyms will comply seeing how they are USASF membered gyms. Do I see staff policing and stopping kids and reminding them to cover up. Absolutly NOT. USASF representatives are typically at USASF sanctioned events. I would assume that if they see a particular gym's athletes not complying, they would address it with the coaching staff.

If the gym' direction to the athletes is to cover up, i am sure majority will comply. I have never seen an athlete not do what was asked of them from their coach/director.

 

[Just-a-Mom]

Not sure what "youth impaired" means but i again say that reputation is the wrong thing to focus on...

I think that the best way to overcome perception is to bring these new families into the gym and allow them to see all the wonderful athletes and their hard work. I recently had a great conversation with a new dad who was skeptical at first and maybe for some of the reasons that some have stated but after a week or so of watching the coaches and teams in action he has a new found respect and has become a "believer" (his words)...

First off, "youth impaired" means old. When you told your Starbucks story you referred to the lady as old or elderly or something like that.

As for "bring these new families into the gym"...how exactly do you propose to do that? Accost someone at Costco, throw them into a van and drag them to the gym? New families that are interested enough to come to the gym aren't the problem. New families that see the uniform walking around Costco and because of it wouldn't set foot in a gym are the problem.

Personally I wish gyms would police this themselves. I think it's absurd that USASF even needed to say something. I don't know why people who own gyms don't care what people who represent their business out in public make them look like but I guess that's not my problem. Sure, they can't tell you what to do when you're out and about in public, but they sure as heck can say "Don't you dare go strolling about in that uniform in public."

My daughter's dance school doesn't have to "enforce" anything. It's understood. If you're out in public (like Costco, the mall, or whatever before or after a comp) you had gosh darned well better not be in that costume. And before any part of you walks around that venue you had gosh darned well better be looking your competition ready best (and yes, the costume lady checks each and every dancer from head to toe before you can go). You would NEVER see one of them unzipped, cell phone sticking out, etc. unless they were completely back into street clothes. You could ask what the punishment would be or how the school enforces this, but I couldn't begin to answer. Because no one would even consider it. It's a rule, so we just do it, no questions asked.

 

[Coach Troy]

First off, "youth impaired" means old. When you told your Starbucks story you referred to the lady as old or elderly or something like that.

As for "bring these new families into the gym"...how exactly do you propose to do that? Accost someone at Costco, throw them into a van and drag them to the gym? New families that are interested enough to come to the gym aren't the problem. New families that see the uniform walking around Costco and because of it wouldn't set foot in a gym are the problem.

Personally I wish gyms would police this themselves. I think it's absurd that USASF even needed to say something. I don't know why people who own gyms don't care what people who represent their business out in public make them look like but I guess that's not my problem. Sure, they can't tell you what to do when you're out and about in public, but they sure as heck can say "Don't you dare go strolling about in that uniform in public."

My daughter's dance school doesn't have to "enforce" anything. It's understood. If you're out in public (like Costco, the mall, or whatever before or after a comp) you had gosh darned well better not be in that costume. And before any part of you walks around that venue you had gosh darned well better be looking your competition ready best (and yes, the costume lady checks each and every dancer from head to toe before you can go). You would NEVER see one of them unzipped, cell phone sticking out, etc. unless they were completely back into street clothes. You could ask what the punishment would be or how the school enforces this, but I couldn't begin to answer. Because no one would even consider it. It's a rule, so we just do it, no questions asked.

Wow so angry.....:mad::mad:

So let me again state that my posititon is not to overthrow this rule by anarchy..
With that being said I do think it is a stupid rule and I hope that I can have some influence in erasing it.
99.9% of gyms are doing rather well and our sport is growing. This is full top gyms and crop top gyms. Why?? because we have Identified our customer base..properly educated them...shown we are trustworthy to safely train their athlete...and most of all provide them access to a "sport" that provides positive and uplifting life lessons, not the least of which is learning to develope a strong character basied not off the opinion of others but rather on hard work, loyalty, and teamwork just to mention a few...

All of your rantings about how morally superior you are, and how the person that dosent see things exactly as you do must be stopped, and how your millitant overbearing studios are the only way to run an organization just serve to illistrate perfectly the motivation and thinking of the people behind these "guidelines".....
They are self-righteous and foolish to think just because they see things one way that there is no other view...and if there is another view well by-golly it must be trashy...
Your opinion is the "law of the land" for now....

"Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us."
~Thomas Paine~​

 

[kristenthegreat]

As for "bring these new families into the gym"...how exactly do you propose to do that? Accost someone at Costco, throw them into a van and drag them to the gym?

...Wait. You're NOT supposed to do that to people? Apparently I've been going about life the wrong way..

I will say in general counter- I get looks from people when I go out wearing red lipstick because some women think it's trashy. Will I stop? HECK NO. Haters gonna hate..

 

[Nothanks]

I created a new thread about it, because it's more than just image guidelines, but the image policy is one of the new changes to the Worlds packet. so I wouldn't risk fighting with it too much, and I would be making some type of plan to obey it, especially come Worlds.

 

[Coach Troy]

We will all obey ... We don't have a choice just hoping to keep the debate alive.
The USASF has a monopoly so until someone comes along to rival them we will all "cover up"

 

[Nothanks]

We will all obey ... We don't have a choice just hoping to keep the debate alive.
The USASF has a monopoly so until someone comes along to rival them we will all "cover up"

I'm really not trying to start anything, but (and I could totally be wrong) but didn't you say, earlier in this thread, that you would address it once at the beginning of the season, and then you wouldn't think about it again?? That's playing semantics with the wording of obey v. enforce.

 

[Coach Troy]

I don't think it's playing word games.
I will state the guidelines and then rely on the USASF to enforce them.
I will not stalk the halls searching for an athlete to bust. I will not assume to control my fellow competitors athletes.
I will make sure that my daughters have a shirt on when requires too.