I wouldn't imagine that having to wear full tops will drive anyone to stop cheering. If you're here only for the crop tops, well, you're here for the wrong reasons.
I do, however, see more parents/athletes willing to start all-star cheerleading if more people are in full tops. I'm sure that the idea of crop tops drives people away. People involved in all-star cheerleading look at what we're doing as an athletic endeavor... because it is. But I would bet you that the VAST majority of "outsiders" look at what our athletes are wearing and are assuming that what we're doing is more similar to a beauty pageant than a gymnastics meet.
I never, ever would have been comfortable in a full top and that was a HUGE factor in which gym I chose to cheer at. If there were no gyms in my area that met my needs while wearing full tops, I would have most likely left all-stars.
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These two statments kind of conrtidict eachother don't you think???
With that being said I have seen the sport grow tremendously since I started in 1997 and It grew with people wearing crop tops, full tops, 3/4 tops, etc. It grows because we the gym owners love what we do and we market and grow our buisness. There are dads that don't let there kids do gymnastics because of the leo, there are mom's that don't let thier boys do football because it's dangerous, there are parents that choose no sports because they are not athletic...
This image rule is designed to "make the outside world" and some "dad that doesnt like the uniform, makeup, dance moves, etc" think better of us. I have never defended or had to sell my buisness to a dad due to clothing choices.... rather it is the dad with no boys that needs his daughter to do soccer or softball or volleyball NOT because of uniform but because he understands those sports!!!
This is the wrong way to build an industry like ours. We must understand that just like in any buisness we won't apeal to everyone and to have a model of "be all things to all people" is a recipe for desaster. It is far better to have a diverse population which will attract by its very nature MORE CUSTOMERS!!!!