All-Star Discuss Your Usasf Struggles Here

[MissCongeniality]

I would doubt they would make a public statement or response regarding this (or at least I would think not until they consulted with attorneys and if then probably still not)

 

[mstealtoyou]

I don't expect a statement. It's also not a secret how the gym's feel!

 

[CharlotteASMom]

Personally I am ashamed that we have to even qualify our posts on this subject by saying we aren't throwing shade, don't have a dog in the fight, don't care who wins, my athlete is not at that level, has aged out, I don't coach, etc. That shows me too many of us regardless of our connection to this sport have lost sight of what is really important. This was an unsafe situation for all regardless of ethnicity, color of uniform, reputation in the cheer world, chance for a ring or whatever. Kids lives were at stake and you took a chance on it for $$$ and ratings. Kids could of stopped it. Parents could of stopped it. Coaches could of stopped it. Officials could of stopped it. Disney could of stopped it. Nobody did. That is the greatest tragedy of this event, not who hit, not who didn't, not who won lost or should of got a do over. Yes I agree some people need to lose their jobs over this at USASF/Varsity. But we also have to question ourselves and ask what have we allowed ourselves to become that we would even take a chance competing on a surface like that? JMO.

Just thought I'd add that I really liked this part of the post. Ultimately USASF has to fix this but I agree that the industry as a whole has allowed this type of issue to continue. We've heard multiple reports of people (kids, coaches, officials, parents) knowing the problems before competing but did nothing. This is primarily USASFs issue to fix but the fact that NO ONE refused to compete is mind boggling.

 

[tumbleyoda]

Just thought I'd add that I really liked this part of the post. Ultimately USASF has to fix this but I agree that the industry as a whole has allowed this type of issue to continue. We've heard multiple reports of people (kids, coaches, officials, parents) knowing the problems before competing but did nothing. This is primarily USASFs issue to fix but the fact that NO ONE refused to compete is mind boggling.

That is what blows my mind as well.

 

[mstealtoyou]

Just thought I'd add that I really liked this part of the post. Ultimately USASF has to fix this but I agree that the industry as a whole has allowed this type of issue to continue. We've heard multiple reports of people (kids, coaches, officials, parents) knowing the problems before competing but did nothing. This is primarily USASFs issue to fix but the fact that NO ONE refused to compete is mind boggling.

I've seen a few people say this on various forums and I'm curious how one of us could have done just that? Honest question because last year during coed I was livid.... This year the parents sitting around us were furious. What do we do in the moment?


@tumbleyoda

 

[Momager]

Here's the thing that has bothered me and has been left unsaid.
Why does anyone think a do over would have been a solution to the problem? My solution would have been to stop the competition when the first team complained about the floor and pick up with that team at the rescheduled event, or, stop the competition at 11 PM and have the teams that did not compete pick it up at the new time and place

It makes no sense to me to do it over after competing in hazardous or late conditions. The last five teams were pretty equally affected by the time and conditions, just ask the girl who passed out. If the event took place, then that was the competition.

I am also an advocate of assigned seating at these large competitions. It is ridiculous to pay for Majors, Champions League and Worlds and have to arrive six hours before your kid competes to get a seat. It is ridiculous that I sit for eight hours in the arena at NCA to see 23 minutes of teams in LAG, just to see the competition I have already sunk thousands of dollars in training and travel.

And I think we paid enough to have two judging panels to speed things up.

I'm happy that I have not seen anything disparaging any teams or athletes on social media, mostly because I'm not drawn to the drama. Thank you to everyone who has commented here for staying classy. It has been reassuring to hear everyone here commend the athletes for what they were able to do.

 

[MissCongeniality]

I've seen a few people say this on various forums and I'm curious how one of us could have done just that? Honest question because last year during coed I was livid.... This year the parents sitting around us were furious. What do we do in the moment?


@tumbleyoda

I've been thinking about this as well. I know @ACEDAD mentioned he had tried to get something started with parents and it kind of fizzled. I think the reality is that a group needs to be formed with folks who have (at this point) nothing to lose and no affiliation with programs. The reality is that as parents we can speak out but too often it then negatively impacts our child's role on their team... and we can speak out and then it neagtively impacts our program.

 

[CharlotteASMom]

I've seen a few people say this on various forums and I'm curious how one of us could have done just that? Honest question because last year during coed I was livid.... This year the parents sitting around us were furious. What do we do in the moment?


@tumbleyoda

I've never had a child at that level in cheer but I have faced things like this in the past. I feel the industry as a whole needs to make it okay to say "No, I'm (my child, my athlete is) not competing". Either the parent comes down and says no the coach refuses for the team to perform, or best yet the governing body shuts it down.

I liken this to the concussion issue now. About 5 years ago my child slammed her head into a goal post saving a ball during soccer. I let her continue to play knowing it was a hard hit. No one including me, the coach, or the ref stopped her even though she was slow getting up. It was a state cup game, we were ahead, and we wanted to win. I beat myself up to this day for not going down there and taking her off the field. Since then the soccer industry has changed and acknowledged this danger. Same situation happened again two years later with a kick to the head. My daughter looked at me and I said "Get off the field" and fortunately the coach supported me.

Certainly the USASF takes most the blame here in my opinion but I also think the industry needs to start seeing this differently and maybe pass on an opportunity to perform if there is danger.

 

[mstealtoyou]

I've been thinking about this as well. I know @ACEDAD mentioned he had tried to get something started with parents and it kind of fizzled. I think the reality is that a group needs to be formed with folks who have (at this point) nothing to lose and no affiliation with programs. The reality is that as parents we can speak out but too often it then negatively impacts our child's role on their team... and we can speak out and then it neagtively impacts our program.

I ask the question because we all wanted to stop it. Had no idea how to do it without starting a riot.

 

[5-6-7-8]

Remember when Cali Aces had the random, horrible performance where it looked like half their team got hit in the head and was bleeding, and one flyer was clearly concussed and not walking straight? And we freaked out that no one stopped the routine because at that point it was up to the kids to stop? And we decided they weren't capable of making that decision (because they wouldn't stop) and now it's up to EP's. Look how many routines are stopped now to make sure kids are safe.

Don't be afraid to speak up. Keep yelling until you're heard. Sometimes we cause changes to happen for the better.

Yes! Thanks for bringing this up…this is what I was thinking of, but couldn't remember the specifics.

 

[dance_extreme_94]

This is something else that has been left unsaid that I would like to ask.

1. Why wasn't the competition stopped if the floor was damp and relocated inside? We've had to do this before at a band competition it started raining really hard. Since band competitions are normally outside, they almost always have a backup plan in case of inclement weather. So why isn't this something that is honored at outside cheer competitions? It's not like they don't have the money to rent out a "just in case' safety building. (easier said than done I know, but it's something to think about)

2. Why hasn't USASF addressed this situation publically? They seem to never address major situations publically they'd rather tell us "what to do" and what's all of a sudden "mandatory" instead of given us real reasons.

The dab has also been made illegal and I'm sure we all know why but once again it would be nice and professional of USASF to make an official announcement about things.

 

[UCFKnights07]

i dont know if im missing info but i feel like these problems could be easily solved if USASF had a brain.

1) why not split up the large coed and large senior division, why have them go at the same time in the same place. USASF knows its the largest attended most popular division. Why not set it up where they compete at complete opposite times (i.e. coed goes in the morning, large senior goes at night) or heck make large finals happen at the same time but in different venues from each other (dont other divisions do this already at worlds) that way it forces people to choose one or the other, making the attendance issue not such an issue.

2) Moving it back to mornings, i could have sworn a few years ago they did this to try and combat the overcrowding problem by having large senior/coed compete at the crack of dawn.

3) Didnt someone mention that they use to have a parent standing section in the milkhouse, where parents for teams competing could watch the team, but then would have to vacate right after (i might be confusing this with nca or cheersport however)
i do like this idea, but i could see where things could go wrong, any adult could just walk up and claim to be a parent when in reality they are not.

4) get rid of the in between crap they keep doing (having dance teams go, or last year having the champions of other divisions showcase) this seems pointless and time wasting, i dont think people sitting for 5 minutes waiting for judges to do scoring is going to kill anyone. having a team go in between as a filler ultimately just makes it longer in reality. Between the time it takes them to take the mat, compete, get off the mat and then set up for the next team, is probably more than 5 minutes.

5) having the competition outside, in the middle of the summer, at night is just plain dumb, anyone who's been in florida would know this. God only knows why the people who run worlds wouldnt think of that is beyond me. You come to florida every year, how would you not notice the summer weather at this point.
the humidity and heat get worse as the day goes on, and just because the sun drops an hour before the competition starts doesnt mean it get any better. Mornings are just way cooler then early summer nights.

 

[HeyMom]

I ask the question because we all wanted to stop it. Had no idea how to do it without starting a riot.

I have been wondering the same thing. How does anyone stop it? If the athletes just stand there and refuse to perform, what are the consequences? I hate that these kids felt powerless to do anything when it was their own safety at risk.

 

[renaa_rooo]

This is something else that has been left unsaid that I would like to ask.

1. Why wasn't the competition stopped if the floor was damp and relocated inside? We've had to do this before at a band competition it started raining really hard. Since band competitions are normally outside, they almost always have a backup plan in case of inclement weather. So why isn't this something that is honored at outside cheer competitions? It's not like they don't have the money to rent out a "just in case' safety building. (easier said than done I know, but it's something to think about)

2. Why hasn't USASF addressed this situation publically? They seem to never address major situations publically they'd rather tell us "what to do" and what's all of a sudden "mandatory" instead of given us real reasons.

The dab has also been made illegal and I'm sure we all know why but once again it would be nice and professional of USASF to make an official announcement about things.

The wild thing is they wouldn't have even needed a "just in case" tent because I'm pretty sure no one was even competing in the HP center at the time they were competing outside!

 

[5-6-7-8]

I've been thinking about this as well. I know @ACEDAD mentioned he had tried to get something started with parents and it kind of fizzled. I think the reality is that a group needs to be formed with folks who have (at this point) nothing to lose and no affiliation with programs. The reality is that as parents we can speak out but too often it then negatively impacts our child's role on their team... and we can speak out and then it neagtively impacts our program.

I think this would be a great initiative for the PAC, sort of a "parent/athlete's rights or education." Go over the USASF rules for safe competing, etc. Unfortunately I would think gym owners wouldn't let this group near their parents. Save the few parents on this board (relative to the total #), I bet a vast majority of All Star parents have zero idea about #matgate, or any of the age related cheating scandals. If I still had a CP, I would definitely feel like we replaced by the next Suzie's mom (who is too busy running their 6 year old's Instagram account to know what is going on.) The parental group as a whole needs to understand the sport, and what "rights" they have. We talk about concussion education, but how many times do parents / coaches over look a head bump (or any other injury)? Kid puking everywhere? Send them to practice with a bucket (eww!)

Sorry, went off on a mini-rant, but yes, I think some non-affiliated group who can educate advocate for the kids / parents would be great. Sadly, I don't see it happening because gyms (in general) and the U$A$F sure seem to prefer parents be a quiet checkbook.