All-Star From Courtney Pope - "the View From Backstage At The Naccc..."

[CharlotteASMom]

Did you run back into the cheer bunker McLovin? ;)

 

[just_kay_today]

At the risk of being absolutely KILLED, I want to say that I personally think it is possible what ceacoach posted is accurate. While I do not believe it needed to be said or posted by someone so high up and respected in our industry, if any one of us "nobody's" said it, people would be shimmying us like crazy! I do not have an iron in this fire, but I am not ignorant to the fact that politics are very rampant in our sport and coaches and industry leaders can and will push for change if they feel like their gym or one of their teams is not keeping up with the standards. It is completely believable and conceivable that the WC coaches want doubles eliminated from Youth 5 because they got beat by CEA. I'm not saying that is 100% fact as I do not know that, but I do believe it is possible.
However, I also believe ceacoach has her own agendas that would benefit HER teams and HER gym as well. So it's across the board that people high up in our industry can and will push for rules to change and/or stay the same to benefit their gym.

That's very fair and even-handed. I wonder how the coaches from the lower levels, with issues and agendas that needed to be addressed, felt when the entire meeting was dominated by issues that only effect a fraction of the industry's athletes.

 

[notimeforthat]

After reading all the posts the only thing that is jumping out to me is that CEA are the only ones that are in favor of not restricting the Y5.
I know there are politics involved... there always is.... but the majority of programs that post here are in favor of the restrictions...and no one is mentioning them by name.
Some kids can handle doubles at an early age.... some cannot. The scale tends to weigh more on the not so why is CEA so upset about the restrictions?? You can teach them all you want... I would like to know how many youth elite kids that are competing doubles this season are NOT cross competing on Jr 5???

 

[ringchaser]

talk about opening a can of worms, yikes! ceacoach seems to have her own agenda as well, jmo.

 

[ceamomof2]

I've seen many more girls get hurt on the senior level teams throwing doubles and fulls. I've got a senior 5 and youth 5 athlete. My oldest has stopped working on double fulls because of the risk to her knees and everything else. I think it starts with the coaching that the older girls received when they were learning their basic skills....ie the BHS many years ago. The tumble coaches have evolved from that time to now. (or at least my children's have) My oldest child was originally taught by a coach at a small cheer gym who believed throwing it was everything. It didn't have to be right. Today that skill still haunts her. She won't progress much past where she is because of her improper technique even though she is now under a much more qualified coach. My youngest child started with a gymnastics coach and has blazed through skills like crazy. Note, i said gymnastics coach. She is only allowed to advance to the next skill when they say she's ready. She has front tumbling as well as back tumbling. It's crazy the difference between my 2 athletes. Maybe this fight needs to address the way our athletes learn the skills, the coaches doing the teaching, and the way our judges score improper tumbling. Isn't it possible that if judges were harsher when scoring "bad technique", then gyms would address their athletes individually instead of an governing agency limiting divisions across the board.

 

[ceamomof2]

After reading all the posts the only thing that is jumping out to me is that CEA are the only ones that are in favor of not restricting the Y5.
I know there are politics involved... there always is.... but the majority of programs that post here are in favor of the restrictions...and no one is mentioning them by name.
Some kids can handle doubles at an early age.... some cannot. The scale tends to weigh more on the not so why is CEA so upset about the restrictions?? You can teach them all you want... I would like to know how many youth elite kids that are competing doubles this season are NOT cross competing on Jr 5???

My child is not on a junior 5 team and is throwing doubles with youth 5.

 

[ringchaser]

Last year at NCA CEA Youth Elite and WC Twinkles fought a close battle and CEA just slightly edged out a fantastic team from WC by the slightest of margins. On the scoresheets for WC they were instructed to "add more double fulls". Since that day there has been a concentrated movement to eliminate double fulls from Youth 5 in the name of safety. This may just be coincidental. All I know is our gym lost consecutively to the powerhouse in New Jersey for almost a decade non stop in almost every division and we never asked for skill levels to be restricted, we just worked harder. Leaving soapbox now...

 

[supertwink]

Last year at NCA CEA Youth Elite and WC Twinkles fought a close battle and CEA just slightly edged out a fantastic team from WC by the slightest of margins. On the scoresheets for WC they were instructed to "add more double fulls". Since that day there has been a concentrated movement to eliminate double fulls from Youth 5 in the name of safety. This may just be coincidental. All I know is our gym lost consecutively to the powerhouse in New Jersey for almost a decade non stop in almost every division and we never asked for skill levels to be restricted, we just worked harder. Leaving soapbox now...

Wow...these are the same two Y5 teams that also battled it out at Cheersport, with a different, although no less close outcome. From my understanding, many of these children have become friends despite the competitiveness of their sport, why would you fuel the fire and add drama now? I agree, your agenda is suspect here.

 

[ringchaser]

i agree supertwink guess cheersport slipped her mind, this is just tacky especially for a gym owner.

 

[mstealtoyou]

Cheer Athletics

ECE

 

[rallycat97]

i agree supertwink guess cheersport slipped her mind, this is just tacky especially for a gym owner.

Cheersport and NCA were 2 very different competitions and judges. Think it's fair to say that Twinkles had a better showing both days at Cheersport vs. our Day #1 not so good day..and Day #2 better, but still not perfect day. We know Cheersport is a deductions competition. At NCA think it's fair to say that both teams had equally great showings on both days. Point here is maybe double fulls was the difference at NCA.

 

[supertwink]

Cheersport and NCA were 2 very different competitions and judges. Think it's fair to say that Twinkles had a better showing both days at Cheersport vs. our Day #1 not so good day..and Day #2 better, but still not perfect day. We know Cheersport is a deductions competition. At NCA think it's fair to say that both teams had equally great showings on both days. Point here is maybe double fulls was the difference at NCA.

Whether double fulls were the difference or not makes no difference. The point here is that this is a gym owner, who is supposed to set a standard for sportsmanship between cheerleaders, pointing fingers on a public message board about what she "thinks" may be the motivations for another gym owner's support of a rules change. It is grossly inappropriate. These kids have made great strides to overcome what has been an especially nasty rivalry, and something like this could undo all the good that has been done.

 

[rallycat97]

Whether double fulls were the difference or not makes no difference. The point here is that this is a gym owner, who is supposed to set a standard for sportsmanship between cheerleaders, pointing fingers on a public message board about what she "thinks" may be the motivations for another gym owner's support of a rules change. It is grossly inappropriate. These kids have made great strides to overcome what has been an especially nasty rivalry, and something like this could undo all the good that has been done.

You opened the door to the Cheersport/NCA comparison. I simply commented on that and the specifics between those 2 competitions. I'm a parent with a kid on that team and I simply acknowledged that yes in Cheersport we got beat and in NCA we beat them. My point is that right or wrong, let's not take away from what the KIDS that COMPETED actually did. As a parent, that has nothing to do with anyone's agenda. Simply about giving the kids the kudos they deserve despite all of this drama.

 

[supertwink]

You opened the door to the Cheersport/NCA comparison. I simply commented on that and the specifics between those 2 competitions. I'm a parent with a kid on that team and I simply acknowledged that yes in Cheersport we got beat and in NCA we beat them. My point is that right or wrong, let's not take away from what the KIDS that COMPETED actually did. As a parent, that has nothing to do with anyone's agenda. Simply about giving the kids the kudos they deserve despite all of this drama.

The kids are amazing. ALL of them. The kids have ALWAYS been amazing, at EVERY level and form every gym. The adults, on the other hand, make me wonder.

 

[cheer8]

I have a question on this subject for all of the coaches who have worked with Youth Level 5 athletes.... Why now after 5 plus years of having the division is it now not safe? Has there been a huge increase in injuries of youth age athletes? Is there a fear that some coaches don't follow the perfection before progression rule? (to me that is a problem with the coach not the division -why punish those coaches/gyms that follow that philosophy and have talented young athletes)

And on the other thread I asked...how many of the previous World Champions were on Twinkle, Youth Elite and Stingray Teal or any other youth 5 team. I think Y5 created some amazing athletes!

Would be so sad to see this division go away!

Youth 5 has been around for more than 5 years. Before levels there was only 1 level.
First I am in favor of keeping youth 5 or restricted youth 5 bc I want one again one day.
But I remember going to cmpetition back in the day at large nationals and seeing all these youth kids doing what is now level 5 skills and wow it gave me a heart attack! LOL
I advise if you try to have one in the future train these kids from day 1 strength and agility... and proper tech so everyone doesn't have a heart attack at competitions and to keep the kids safe!