All-Star Poll On Image Of Allstar Cheer

[tumbleyoda]

Personally speaking I think the survey while a great idea, is tilted (like many surveys are) in the direction Varsity/USASF already wants to go.

 

[Cheer_Explosion_Coach]

Personally speaking I think the survey while a great idea, is tilted (like many surveys are) in the direction Varsity/USASF already wants to go.

How so?

 

[tumbleyoda]

The "toning" down of the show aspect of cheerleading. The makeup and the crop top questions - which has been talked about by Varsity for several years. If you eliminate crop tops and the make up to be accepted as a legitimate sport would it still be the same show? Skill wise I believe so. But would it have the same draw without the flash and the bling and attitudes? Being a sport will definitely limit a lot of that which many die hard cheerleaders love. How many questions were asked about Universal scoresheet? Or independent judges not being contracted by the EP's but by an independently trained and qualified judging organization? What about some programs still getting legality deductions while others can "persuasively argue" performance error which is a smaller deduction and can make the difference between first and second place at a major competition. Or even taking away a division so there is more competition? IMO those are greater impediments to being considered a sport than the questions they asked. JMO.

 

[Bystander]

I agree with tumbleyoda 100 percent on this! Unless the survey is done by an independent company without an agenda I can totally see it being used to push a certain agenda!

 

[AaronHilton]

haha did it. but it was weird. Crop tops and make up is what makes all star cheerleading fierce =] point blank.

 

[kristenthegreat]

OOhhh Question #12. You gave me a good old fashioned giggle (as I am, after all, HORRENDOUSLY old-fashioned).

I was disappointed that some questions didn't have a middle option. I can't remember which ones, but some I wasn't completely set on 'Yes/No'.

 

[newcheerdad]

Personally speaking I think the survey while a great idea, is tilted (like many surveys are) in the direction Varsity/USASF already wants to go.

A million times, this. The survey was clearly NOT the survey I was expecting in terms of "acceptance as a sport". Things like uniforms and makeup are nibbling around the edges of the real problems with cheer.

 

[nccheerdad]

A million times, this. The survey was clearly NOT the survey I was expecting in terms of "acceptance as a sport". Things like uniforms and makeup are nibbling around the edges of the real problems with cheer.

As a guy who does market research (mostly survey-based) for a living - and a good amount in the cheer industry, there are countless issues with this survey. The biggest one is the targeted sample to complete the survey. If you are trying to "better understand public image of all-star cheerleading," (as the survey suggests), don't ask the people who are already involved with it - go right to the source - the public! Talk to parents/kids in dance, soccer, music, school/rec cheer, whoever else not involved in all-star. This is just a classic case of sample bias, which leads to inaccurate data on the back-end. I don't know who is conducting the research - whether it be in-house or a 3rd party - but they really need to be careful in their analysis to make anything out of this effort.

 

[BlueCat]

As a guy who does market research (mostly survey-based) for a living - and a good amount in the cheer industry, there are countless issues with this survey. The biggest one is the targeted sample to complete the survey. If you are trying to "better understand public image of all-star cheerleading," (as the survey suggests), don't ask the people who are already involved with it - go right to the source - the public! Talk to parents/kids in dance, soccer, music, school/rec cheer, whoever else not involved in all-star. This is just a classic case of sample bias, which leads to inaccurate data on the back-end. I don't know who is conducting the research - whether it be in-house or a 3rd party - but they really need to be careful in their analysis to make anything out of this effort.

I thought the same thing. The results could potentially be VERY skewed and VERY misleading.

 

[SharkDad]

Great observations by tumbleyoda and nccheerdad

The important question that needs to be asked is: If you think cheer is not considered a sport, what areas should be focused on for change? Then have a "Select all that apply" section with items like safety, rules standardization, scoring standardization/judging, athlete registration, lack of a nationals competition system etc.

That would be a way I would focus the efforts of my organization in the most effective direction

 

[CharlotteASMom]

I actually thought it was a good start. The survey is a good barometer for determining whether the Allstar community thinks the flash and show is integral to our sport. If the overwhelming majority feels it is not neccesary then take it to the public.

 

[lexperez]

done!

 

[MomOf2ThatsMe]

I actually thought it was a good start. The survey is a good barometer for determining whether the Allstar community thinks the flash and show is integral to our sport. If the overwhelming majority feels it is not neccesary then take it to the public.

I agree. How would everyone have felt if USASF had polled the general public, and then made decisions based off of that? Everyone would have been complaining (rightfully so) about TPTB making changes based off of how people outside of allstars perceive the sport, and it doesn't even affect them.

 

[newcheerdad]

The problem wasn't so much asking the questions (although some of them were leading, to be sure), but the context.

Because if the USASF really thinks that bling on uniforms and makeup is the primary reason cheer isn't taken seriously as a sport (much less an olympic sport) then they really aren't paying attention. And even if it is, then asking people in the industry seems to be the wrong audience.

 

[SharkDad]

I agree that we shouldn't speculate on the intentions of the USASF in making this survey. We've never seen one before so we should be happy they are taking this step and be hopefuly in the results.

Invite people you know to take this survey so that we have the best sample possible.