All-Star Illegal Athletes

[ztaprincess]

Yes I have seen it. In fact we had several kids at our gym that went to school with an athlete in question and attended birthday parties for the athlete. Everyone knew the athlete's real age - but the accusing gym was viewed as the villian once it was reported.

As long as the right thing was done then I wouldn't care if I was looked at as the villian. I am glad that the gym turned them in instead of just complaining about it. I see too many times people get upset with stuff like this but don't do anything about it when they can. Sort of like what happened at NCA College Nationals last year and people said that everyone else does it so why did they get in trouble, because they got caught and turned in.

 

[cheerheart4life]

I know a lot of teams do it and not everyone cares, but it's still not right and not fair to the other teams following the age rule. Theres a reason that the rule is there. Those aged out athletes can go cheer open. Cheaters sure can win, but what does that say about a program? Just my opinion

 

[omgitsalexlc7777]

Do you have proof that they have faked it? If so then have you contacted the USASF?

I feel like those that know for a fact it is happening and do nothing are just as bad as those in the gym who are doing it because you are allowing them to get away with it. I am pretty sure several people from the USASF have said before that if there is proof something like this is happening to contact them with the proof. Heck if you have proof and don't want to contact them send the info to someone who will.

We want to contact USASF about them, but the only proof we have is what we know from knowing the other people on the team, and we would need more proof than that.

 

[Katybugmom]

I have wondered, what keeps a team from turning in a random child's birth certificate and then putting someone else out on the floor if there are no pictures involved.

 

[tumbleyoda]

As long as the right thing was done then I wouldn't care if I was looked at as the villian. I am glad that the gym turned them in instead of just complaining about it. I see too many times people get upset with stuff like this but don't do anything about it when they can. Sort of like what happened at NCA College Nationals last year and people said that everyone else does it so why did they get in trouble, because they got caught and turned in.

I agree with you that I would not care if I was thought of as a villain as long as I knew I was right. However the problem from incidents that I have heard is that gyms that did not report it did not believe that even if they reported it that an EP or anyone at USASF would do anything about it. For some they believed their report would fall on deaf ears. For others they "claimed" (I only say that because I do not know definitively) that they had reported things before to EP's and to USASF and were ignored or told somehow it was ok.

There is a perception (rightly or wrongly) that some gyms can just get away with things that others can not. Some of you may remember a few years ago there was a small gym in NC that was accused by another gym of using overage athletes in some divisions at a local comp. Everyone slammed them to the ground. The EP even called other smaller comps and tried to get the other EP"s to refuse to let them compete. Yet when the gym stated that others did the same thing at the same event and asked the EP to check their records they were refused. In no way am defending the gym - it was proven that they cheated. The small gym did beyond a shadow of a doubt use overage athletes is some divisions. But if you check records for one, you should check it for all. If you bounce one out, bounce all. If you gonna go to the end to punish one, do the same for all.

 

[gi_cheer]

I'm pretty sure forging a birth certificate (a government ID system) is illegal...like...as in, against the law. Those forging birth certificates should be worried about more than just USASF.

 

[cheerheart4life]

I have wondered, what keeps a team from turning in a random child's birth certificate and then putting someone else out on the floor if there are no pictures involved.

That actually happened to a team I was on at worlds. The guy filling in wasn't too old, but he still wasnt on the list that the coach sent in for usasf. He went as the other athletes name and actually walked around with a lanyard with the other guys name on it! It wasn't right. I actually didn't know about it till somebody told me a couple weeks ago. I just thought the other guys lanyard was an extra and he had lost his....

 

[ztaprincess]

I think that at registration all athletes should have to show a form of ID, preferably a government or state issued ID such as a license/state ID card, passport, or military ID. All of these things will have the persons age and name alone with a picture so it would make it harder for situations like mentioned above. If you are competeing on a senior club team you should have some form of ID already so it wouldn't be much to as, state ID cards are not that expensive for those who don't have a license or passport.

 

[cupieqt]

That actually happened to a team I was on at worlds. The guy filling in wasn't too old, but he still wasnt on the list that the coach sent in for usasf. He went as the other athletes name and actually walked around with a lanyard with the other guys name on it! It wasn't right. I actually didn't know about it till somebody told me a couple weeks ago. I just thought the other guys lanyard was an extra and he had lost his....

What team was this? That happened in 2011?

 

[cheerheart4life]

What team was this? That happened in 2011?

Sorry I don't wanna turn them in after it happened. I wish I would have known earlier

 

[garretttt]

I know of a team that had SEVERAL athletes compete illegally at worlds...

 

[Jule]

At our regional and national comps in Germany, there is always a mandatory ID check right before your take the mat.
Of course everyone has te be registered as well but the coach then hands the staff all of the athletes' IDsand the call every person foreward and check with the photo on the ID. It might seem unnecessary but I guess it works pretty well.

 

[imrichhowboutu]

I will say that I don't think it is right, especially when it comes to senior aged athletes.

When my brother and I were in little league, my mom faked his birth certificate so he could be on a team with all of his friends. Granted she made it so he was older, but she thought nothing of it. I can see this not being an issue for a mother who has a daughter on a level 2 team where all her friends are youth, and she is just past the cut off and junior. To some parents, cheer is just fun for their kids.

But here we are talking about 19/20 y/o kids, I don't think it is right, and I am surprised that no one on the team cares.

 

[SparkleSpankies]

1: Why can't people follow rules.. I am 100% sure that the few athletes that these programs are "squeezing" in do not make much of a difference on a team of 30.

2: I like the birth certificate/photo idea. Doesn't solve the forging issue which is probably a bigger problem the USASF but at the same time, at world level competitions especially, could be a check in like an airport... so you would go off the list, check off the team member... I dunno, just a thought.

3: I like this topic, you are right, just some healthy discussion

 

[Num1Stunta]

I know of a couple of gyms who break these rules. One had a 20 year old with only a roundoff bhs competing on Senior 3. I also saw another one with a Senior 3 who kept a flyer on their team who had NO tumbling 2 years after she aged out. Mind you, I saw this on facebook, so I don't even think it's a secret. The parents must know, and maybe they don't care? Neither of these teams ever won anything outside of the local circuit, so it was never challenged. There are plenty of gyms in our area who compete only locally and violate this rule pretty regularly. The USASF really should be more present in this arena. I guess no one cares- if you're not someone who's winning on the regional or national level, what difference does it make? It's not a chance I'd personally be willing to take, as I think it calls your whole program's integrity into question. If someone were to call you out on it, then they'd be forced to start questioning all of your accomplishments. It de-legitimizes everything you've worked for. I wouldn't risk my reputation on something like that regardless, but ESPECIALLY if it's not really boosting your score that much. JMO