Explanation Of Levels

[NewCheerMom]

Hi Everyone
I am new to Cheerleading. My 7yo daughter just started this past winter. Please forgive my ignorance with this question. I did try to do a forum search for the answer but I didn't have any luck, though I am sure someone will come in with 12 URLs to 12 different topics with the same question. But I am a newbie, and I *did* try, I swear!

I don't understand the levels. What are the levels, what do they mean? What are the skill sets to be on the different levels? Also ages for groups, I have heard Tiny, Mini, Level1, Senior, Youth, International. What does it mean?

I do realize that Level 5 is the highest set of skills, but what makes it level 5? How is it different from Level 4. I see some of the Level 5s at my gym, and I think of them as a little "fearless" in what they do. I don't know if fearless is the right word, I was thinking "crazy" but thought maybe that wasn't appropriate LOL

Is it possible to give me a little rundown of how it works?

 

[HeatJamie]

If you go to www.usasf.net and safety cheer rules and age grid that should help you out the Tiny,Mini, Youth, Junior all has to do with age. As for Levels is skill based for example Level 1- Backwalkover Level 2- Back Handspring Level 3-Series Back handsprings Level 4-Running series to Layout and Standing Tucks Level 5- Series Fulls and series standing skills...now this is only some tumbling and not including stunts pyramids baskets and so on. Alot of detail but I hope this helps.

 

[GoldChain]

Tiny- 5 & under
Miny - 8& under
Youth - 11& under
Junior- 14& under
Senior - 18& under
Senior Five ( Worlds team)- 12-18
International- 14& over
Teams are formed by age and skill level.
Level ones is basic tumbling ( foward rolls,frontwalk over backwalk over). Stunts are at thigh level.
Level two is backhandspring. One leg stunts are at prep level
Level three is standing series of backhandspring & round off flip flop tucks. One leg stunts are at extenstion level; full downs are allowed.
Level four is standing back hand srings to tuck or layouts. Running tumbling is layouts/ combo passes. You can full down from one leg stunts & double down are legal.
Level five is fulls, combos, and double fulls. Standing passes end with fulls or doubles. You can double down from a one leg stunts
Kinda of a basic breakdown. Hope it Helped!

 

[NewCheerMom]

Thank you both. That was very helpful. I guess my daughter isn't even Level 1 yet She has a ways to go, but her cartwheel and roundoffs are really nice LOL

 

[quitthedrama]

You also can learn a lot by going to a comp and following the order of appearance and looking at what skills each team in each level is doing. Divisions only deal with age, so it is the level that you want to pay attention to as fars as the skills allowed. Welcome to the Board, and to the all-star world, and don't worry - soon you will be a P-R-O (pun intended) and will be answering other newbies questions! And your daughter is beautiful!

 

[cupieqt]

I love that you are educating yourself. It's nice to be able to talk to parents that understand a lot. I educate my parents about it all as much as I can so they aren't just following me blindly. You'll speak cheer fluently in no time!

 

[NewCheerMom]

And your daughter is beautiful!

I must have missed this the first time around. Thank you, I don't know where she gets it

 

[NewCheerMom]

I love that you are educating yourself. It's nice to be able to talk to parents that understand a lot. I educate my parents about it all as much as I can so they aren't just following me blindly. You'll speak cheer fluently in no time!

I get so confused with all the terms. I just want to be able to understand what some of them mean. I figure I will have some years ahead to speak fluently

 

[SharkDad]

I get so confused with all the terms. I just want to be able to understand what some of them mean. I figure I will have some years ahead to speak fluently

Keep at and stay positive. You and your daughter are in for a great experience

 

[simplymom]

I get so confused with all the terms. I just want to be able to understand what some of them mean. I figure I will have some years ahead to speak fluently

I remember when we first started....I asked someone what the difference was between a flip-flop and a back hand spring! You will get there!

 

[NJ Coach]

Where is that progression of a cheer parent post? I know someone has it. @mstealtoyou @ACEDAD anyone?

@NewCheerMom you will learn, I promise. Give it a little time, and you will be fluent in all that is allstar cheer.

 

[SharkDad]

PART 1:
Insert "parent" for mom:

Well I have a philosophy on psycho cheer moms, especially those who start with very young children. Hear me out:

First year: first year cp is clueless, and mom is clueless. It's all fun and games. The novelty comes from wearing a cheerleading uniform at a young age and getting to wear big glittery bows and glittery makeup with bright lipstick. Mom has no clue about the sport, has no concept of what a scoresheet is, what level play is, what body positions are, and is pretty oblivious to other gyms in the area because she chose the one right down the street from her house. The focus is not on winning at all.....all concern is placed on her own cp and whether or not she will make it through the routine without running off the floor crying or having to go pee pee.

Second year: cp has gained some skills, and mom is starting to learn a little. Mom understands a little about level play and is so tickled that her cp has learned some skill. However, all cp's friends are learning some skill too and the worry sets in about her cp keeping up, or falling behind. Mom also starts to notice that other gyms in the area might have teams that are good and starts to question whether or not this gym is the BEST gym around. She now knows cp will make it through a routine, and starts to crave winning.

Third year: PEAK PYSCHO YEAR: cp has gained more skills, and mom is excited but still nervous because some of cp's friends have gained more skills. Mom gets hard on cp, putting pressure on her to "get better" tumbling, jumps, body positions, etc. Mom is starting to understand score sheets, now knows how to look up performance orders like a pro, stalk you tube and picture websites to see what her cp's team is up against. She is full flegged into having her cp be on a winning team! Now the mom knows all the weaknesses of her cp's gym, and will take every opportunity to point out those weaknesses!! Talk about changing gyms is rampant, unless cp's gym has a winning record. Even if it does there will still be issues mom needs to complain about and the thoughts about whether the grass is greener at the other gyms sometimes wins out and they move. Complaints about other kids, coaches, methods, other parents, etc is at it's peak!!!

Fourth year: Mom is still psycho, but cp is progressing even more and that is enough to keep mom happy, especially if there was a gym change. Mom is into full flegged cheer mania!! She wants that win bad!!! Relationships with other cheer moms have developed, even moms from other gyms. She may still be putting tons of pressure on cp to fix this and that, get this and that etc.

Fifth year: Mom still has hidden anxiety but has stopped telling everyone about it. She has met some other 3rd year psycho moms and realize how insanely idiotic they act. She has come to terms with her own cp's level and has started taking away the pressures, but still quietly encourages improvement. She enjoys some quiet conversation with other 4+ year cheer moms. She fully understands by now what it takes to win, and has accepted that kids develop in different stages. She also understands now that kids will have strengths and weaknesses, including her own cp, and they can all contribute to a team beautifully.

Sixth year: Mom has settled nicely into a happy group of other veteran moms and laughs out loud at the 3rd year moms. She still wants the win bad, but she realizes now that winning is not everything. She has found a peace with her cp, and gives her the tools she needs to succeed, but no longer pushes so hard. This peace continues through the rest of cp's cheer career.

Now obviously there are exceptions, and lots of them. But I have seen this pattern from soooo many moms. Too bad we can't go from 1st year to 6th year and skip the years in between I guess my advice is, if you enjoy her as a friend, be patient and she will settle back down. If you don't think you can wait a year or two, cut her loose until she's a 5th year mom...haha.

 

[SharkDad]

PART 2:
I also passed on the first five years post, and a friend decided to complete the remaining years for veteran cheer parents with 10 plus years (tongue in check, well, a little).

Here 'tis....

Year 5; you know where every bar and liquor store is within walking distance of every hotel in any major US city that hosts a competition. You go and watch all the teams from your program that you reasonably can, and you watch your daughter and say 'YAY' or "Whatever, we'll see what happens next competition". You stay through the last awards ceremony so the coach will think you are a good 'team player'.

Year 6; Year 5 PLUS you know which of those bars will allow your children to accompany you. You go to the venue at times that allow you to watch your daughter, and your friends' daughters, expect them to win and are happy if none of them fall. You stay at the venue through awards for your daughter's level.

Year 7; You learn how to smuggle booze in your luggage because you can no longer afford to drink in bars and the coaches have caught on to the fact that your kids are "never around" after 5 PM. You go to the venue only when you darn well have to. You ask the woman next to you in preferred seating "how did my kid do, anyway?" since your eyesight is now failing and your attention span is weak. You stay only as long as you have other friends stuck there and/or you have seen your own kids' awards. Whichever ends last.

Year 8; You add a portable blender and plastic glasses to your baggage because your friends now know it's your room where the REAL competition is 'happening'. You send your daughter to the venue with her friends and a 'responsible' adult while you 'finish getting ready'. Your daughter has figured out that she can say "Mom, you don't have a clue what you are talking about" without getting backhanded or grounded, when you comment on her teams' performance. So you no longer have to even pretend to notice what is happening with anyone but her on the mat so her and you can chat about it later. See Year 7 for when you can leave.

Year 9; You start organizing the room party and taking collections for booze in advance of the trip. Since your daughter is Level 5 and traveling all over God's Green Earth for a bid, and you have to pay for a trip to Worlds when you really hate Disney, you can no longer afford to foot the bill for all the booze. You hand your daughter a $20 bill and send her to the venue with her friends, a bunch of boys and no adult. You show up 3.5 minutes before they are scheduled to perform and pray they are not running ahead of schedule (ha ha HA ha ha HA). Immediately after awards you tell your friends "meet you back at my room" and leave.

Years 10-14 - I don't recall. I spent those entire weekends on auto-pilot. However, you now belong to a cheer board where everyone else tells you what happened and someone is always happy to tell you what you should think. From there on in, easy.

 

[dawgshow]

@SharkDad...it's pretty scary how accurate those are

 

[PullandPray23]

Thank you both. That was very helpful. I guess my daughter isn't even Level 1 yet She has a ways to go, but her cartwheel and roundoffs are really nice LOL

But since your a cheer"parent" now you might as well know...you betta werk your daughter so she can be on showstoppers...the fiercest youth level 2 in the world....for real!