yojaehs It is most definitely up to the gym (and sometimes their families) whether or not to attend Worlds or really any high-level competition for that matter. However there is a difference imho between outright judging a gym as opposed to questioning their judgement on returning to Worlds after receiving default at-large bids several years in a row and still returning without stepping up their game. Besides this is the Fierce Board. We love to judge.
After re-reading my post I read it back as somewhat attacking you personally, I definitely did not mean it that way and if you or anyone else did I'm sorry.
Now let me continue... I see this the same as any other "major" competition.
Let's take NCA for example, some choose to go, some don't. At NCA there is no option to attend for free but the level of competition (all levels) I feel is comparable to Worlds. So do you criticize a team for flying to Dallas, paying for hotel rooms etc. etc. finishing outside of the top 5 and continuing to return? I don't. At my gym we search for competition so we might opt out of a "local/regional" comp so that we can save money and attend a larger comp with more teams to compete against. We don't always win and different teams we take are on different competitive levels within their division. But to attend Indy, NCA, ATL etc. in itself is a motivation for these athletes to push themselves. I think Worlds and knowing that your program will attend on a regular basis should be used as motivation.
The first TWO years my program attended Worlds we placed outside of the top 10, not making finals, the following year we brought home a golden globe and now we are consistently contenders. Had we followed the process many are recommending we follow, we should have gone away and not attended after the first year we didn't make it to finals.
I do hear what you are saying, there are tons of teams that won't make semis and don't even have a chance to make semis. That is why I am a HUGE fan of the 3 day competition set up. I feel that yes, you might have some gyms that choose to pay their way 3 days multiple seasons in a row, but eventually the costs will outweigh the reward. I feel that more gyms will opt out due to costs. If not, so be it and I say let em come on down to Florida and enjoy the sun and fun!
