All-Star It's March!

[mamabear]

The week after placements for the new season :p

Omg...you are so right on with this reply. Our gym waited an extra week and a half to announce placements last year, because they waited for some of the changes to be announced.

 

[AlwaysLearning]

Knowing most gyms have tryouts at the beginning of May, all changes that affect next season should be finalized, & published in January. This gives time to answer any questions and publish clarifications if needed.


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[TheVipersMom]

I'm hoping restricted j5 is a thing!!


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[MZ3]

Me too!


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[Keep_Believing]

@RulesGuy ?

 

[cheermommaRN]

Was told the vote has no influence over decisions that will be made. If that is true, I am confused why they hold a vote.

Well the first problem is if you look at the amount of respondents...311 out of how many USASF credentialed gyms in the country? Unfortunately when members don't vote it leaves the board to fill in the blanks and decide what they want. The last rules drop was ugly and I expect this one to be as well. The fact they are going backwards is interesting, we just cleaned up the coed Worlds divisions and now they want to add one back in taking us to the Large Limited Coed days.
I do 100% agree with changing the division names from tiny-mini-youth-junior-senior to U5, U11, U15, and U18. Its small but it's a step towards being more in line with other youth sports. Now they just need to fix the cut off age so it's 12/31 instead of in the middle of the year. In diving your division is determined by how old you turn during the competition season, so my 10 year old competed in the 11-12 Age Group because she turned 11 during that season.
As for J5R, I'm shocked at the numbers it pulled considering we JUST rode this bull during the last rules voting and it was overwhelmingly shut down by USASF. So I'm expecting that even if it gets "voted" as yes, it will be veto'd by the board.
@Andre @King Are they going to Livestream the Rules Discussion like they have done in the past? Or did that ship sail already?

 

[Ashley]

Well the first problem is if you look at the amount of respondents...311 out of how many USASF credentialed gyms in the country? Unfortunately when members don't vote it leaves the board to fill in the blanks and decide what they want. The last rules drop was ugly and I expect this one to be as well. The fact they are going backwards is interesting, we just cleaned up the coed Worlds divisions and now they want to add one back in taking us to the Large Limited Coed days.

My first thought was that adding International Small Coed more closely aligns with college. So, for example, Louisville could send Large coed and All-Girl to worlds, but not Small Coed.

Plus, the way it is now, it's all or nothing for those divisions. IOC5 can have up to 12 males, IOC6 up to 16, but you really can't be competitive in those divisions if you only have a few guys. At worlds, you'll get destroyed for group stunting as opposed to partner stunting and you have to put up 8 stunts.

So I see the reasoning for it. But maybe leave it to one level or the other and not both.

ETA: I just saw they wanted to create a new senior coed division, I thought you were referring to the new open divisions. That's so unnecessary.

 

[BlueCat]

Was told the vote has no influence over decisions that will be made. If that is true, I am confused why they hold a vote.

I wouldn't say it has NO influence, but it is not binding on the Board. The Board has the authority to make whatever decisions it wants, regardless of opinion or vote. This is part of the reason that the makeup and selection of the board and officers needs to be much different and much more open. The chairmanship and most board seats are permanently locked in to specific people or companies without any realistic chance of change. That is not the proper way to set up a governing body.

 

[PeanutsMom]

Speaking of rules, can someone point me in the direction of USASF rules not geared towards safety? I don't know what I'm doing wrong but all I can find are safety rules. In particular, I believe there is a rule that an athlete cannot compete on more than (3) teams at any event. If this is true, I would love to know if that applies to just (3) all-star cheer teams, or includes all-star dance teams too at the same events.

We have an athlete that competes on (5) teams at cheer/dance comps - (6) if she's doing a dance solo. It is a nightmare when schedules come out! There are SO many timing conflicts and all of the teams wait and wait for a final schedule until the gym can get the schedule to work out for what is best for this one athlete. We always wait to see which team draws the short straw and is the last team for her to perfom on for the day because she's obviously exhausted. Did I mention her mother works at the gym and it has proved pointless for anyone to say anything?

 

[cheerisloving]

My first thought was that adding International Small Coed more closely aligns with college. So, for example, Louisville could send Large coed and All-Girl to worlds, but not Small Coed.

Plus, the way it is now, it's all or nothing for those divisions. IOC5 can have up to 12 males, IOC6 up to 16, but you really can't be competitive in those divisions if you only have a few guys. At worlds, you'll get destroyed for group stunting as opposed to partner stunting and you have to put up 8 stunts.

So I see the reasoning for it. But maybe leave it to one level or the other and not both.

ETA: I just saw they wanted to create a new senior coed division, I thought you were referring to the new open divisions. That's so unnecessary.

I know extra divisions are frowned upon but I think the Open teams need small/large divisions. It's needed. There are so many gyms that could field more aged out athletes, and teams that are strong, but don't max out, can stand a chance.

Not to mention huge gyms with a large senior population, could always put age eligible senior athletes on the open squads.

 

[Ashley]

Speaking of rules, can someone point me in the direction of USASF rules not geared towards safety? I don't know what I'm doing wrong but all I can find are safety rules. In particular, I believe there is a rule that an athlete cannot compete on more than (3) teams at any event. If this is true, I would love to know if that applies to just (3) all-star cheer teams, or includes all-star dance teams too at the same events.

We have an athlete that competes on (5) teams at cheer/dance comps - (6) if she's doing a dance solo. It is a nightmare when schedules come out! There are SO many timing conflicts and all of the teams wait and wait for a final schedule until the gym can get the schedule to work out for what is best for this one athlete. We always wait to see which team draws the short straw and is the last team for her to perfom on for the day because she's obviously exhausted. Did I mention her mother works at the gym and it has proved pointless for anyone to say anything?

The crossover rules are in the age bracket towards the end.

http://usasfrules.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/USASF-Age-Grid-14-15-Rev-5-20-14.pdf

"An individual will not be permitted to crossover from one program to another within the same event (Exception: An athlete from one gym may crossover to one additional gym’s Level 6 team provided (s)he meets the age requirement. For the 2014-15 season, an all-star cheerleader is limited to crossing over to 2 (two) additional cheer teams from their gym per competition. Therefore, an athlete may compete on one team and crossover to two more teams from the same gym during the competition. An event producer may choose to be more restrictive than the rules above for crossovers limiting the number of teams an athlete may crossover to further; however an event producer may not be less restrictive than this. Crossover limitations above do not include athletes that crossover from cheer to dance."

So unfortunately, the 3 team limit only applies to cheer.

I know extra divisions are frowned upon but I think the Open teams need small/large divisions. It's needed. There are so many gyms that could field more aged out athletes, and teams that are strong, but don't max out, can stand a chance.

Not to mention huge gyms with a large senior population, could always put age eligible senior athletes on the open squads.

I agree, I think adding a small coed division is a good middle ground between 0 guys and 12 guys. But I worry about the divisions shrinking even more at competitions - there's already usually only a few teams in each open division.

To be clear though, this doesn't create a small/large all-girl division for open. It's just coed and only small coed.

 

[cheermommaRN]

I agree the international open divisions need a small category...what we don't need is yet another senior coed (under 18) division. The whole point of reordering it years ago was the feeling we had to many coed divisions. Did I miss something where all of a sudden we need it back?


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[PeanutsMom]

Thanks @Ashley!

That is what we assumed (feared), but hoped it might be for cheer and dance. :(

The crossover rules are in the age bracket towards the end.

http://usasfrules.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/USASF-Age-Grid-14-15-Rev-5-20-14.pdf

"An individual will not be permitted to crossover from one program to another within the same event (Exception: An athlete from one gym may crossover to one additional gym’s Level 6 team provided (s)he meets the age requirement. For the 2014-15 season, an all-star cheerleader is limited to crossing over to 2 (two) additional cheer teams from their gym per competition. Therefore, an athlete may compete on one team and crossover to two more teams from the same gym during the competition. An event producer may choose to be more restrictive than the rules above for crossovers limiting the number of teams an athlete may crossover to further; however an event producer may not be less restrictive than this. Crossover limitations above do not include athletes that crossover from cheer to dance."

So unfortunately, the 3 team limit only applies to cheer.

 

[AngelsMum24]

Well the first problem is if you look at the amount of respondents...311 out of how many USASF credentialed gyms in the country? Unfortunately when members don't vote it leaves the board to fill in the blanks and decide what they want. The last rules drop was ugly and I expect this one to be as well. The fact they are going backwards is interesting, we just cleaned up the coed Worlds divisions and now they want to add one back in taking us to the Large Limited Coed days.
I do 100% agree with changing the division names from tiny-mini-youth-junior-senior to U5, U11, U15, and U18. Its small but it's a step towards being more in line with other youth sports. Now they just need to fix the cut off age so it's 12/31 instead of in the middle of the year. In diving your division is determined by how old you turn during the competition season, so my 10 year old competed in the 11-12 Age Group because she turned 11 during that season.
As for J5R, I'm shocked at the numbers it pulled considering we JUST rode this bull during the last rules voting and it was overwhelmingly shut down by USASF. So I'm expecting that even if it gets "voted" as yes, it will be veto'd by the board.
@Andre @King Are they going to Livestream the Rules Discussion like they have done in the past? Or did that ship sail already?

Voting was also limited to a limited number of members. No at all USASF members were given the option to vote on all the issues...only professional members were allowed to vote on some.

 

[ACEDAD]

Can they do a no unnecessary mesh and cut out rule? Seriously! Either full top or half top not a stomach cut out so your both!

What would be "necessary" mesh and cut outs?


**ACE: we're coming to your city.**