- Oct 14, 2012
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ill give it a season or two... People were too, skeptical of the extra small division being added and now people are ok with that division, atlthough i wish it wouldve stayed with restrictions for one more season for smaller gyms. But i do think it takes more then one year to build up anything to be successful. I really havent seen any teams outside lady lux from cea and the international non tumbling team out of cheersport sharks though.I would argue the opposite and these examples further eliminate the need for a NT division. Alicia Sacramone and every other apparatus specialist never would have made it on to the national circuit if she didn't have all of the elite elements on every apparatus. You can't be an Olympic level gymnast with level 4 gymnastic skills on any apparatus. Drew Brees could never be an NFL defensive lineman - he's a specialist at his position just as all players are. With the current scoresheets the worlds levels are very similar when it comes to specialists. I know more than a few World Champions who do not have strong level 5 tumbling, but they are the best on the team when it comes to stunts, just as some are not strong bases or flyers but their tumbling is the best on the team. Those athletes contribute the most for the parts of the scoresheet they are strong in, and smart coaches put a team together to maximize each area of the scoresheet versus "full team everything". The industry determined that the XS division shouldn't have any restrictions and opened the division to all teams, and given less athletes are available to fill senior worlds teams the division is exploding. Unrelated, - if the majority of gyms can't field a team of more than 20 athletes that's something the industry should be concerned with.