All-Star Purpose Of Safety Certification For Coaches

[REA Dad]

Little league has pitch counts for the kids. Like you said there are rules that can be enforced during practice if a officer of the program sees the Infraction

Football has as you said rules that are enforced during practice. Chop blocks clipping etc. all in place for safety. Again a coach can be held accountable at any given time.

The underlying issue is in cheer leading you have coaches that are teaching skills that are known to not be legal at any level We have a unique situation in cheer, if a team does 10 comps a year that is a lot. But at the most counts for 20 days or about 20 hours. Yet a team will practice a minimum of 2 days a week for a minimum of 2 hrs a practice 208 hrs a year. Not including clinics, camps, and extra practices Clearly more time spent in practice. The reason more injuries are received in practice.

While I am getting a better understanding of the angle you are trying to move this discussion towards, I think the current system the USASF has in place is a pretty good one. From a technical aspect many stunts could wander into the illegal area if something goes wrong while practicing them.

I disagree with your football comparision too. If a player clips or holds someone in practice how would the coach be held accountable? If a coach was removed, punished or suspended for every clip, chop block or hold during a practice there wouldn't be enough people in the world to keep replacing them!

Oh and while there is a pinch count in a game in Little League, there is no pitch count in practice (at least not in our league).

 

[cupieqt]

When I became credentialed I did so through level 4 because right now my gym fields teams up to level 3. I wanted to be certified to teach at least one level higher than we competed. I haven't coached a level 4 team since 2007. I was certified through level 5 up until then also. When I took the test I realized that, since it had been so long since I coached level 5 that I was outdated on my knowledge of rules for skills at that level. I found the tests to be pretty easy but my newer assistant coaches (that are amazing and quite knowledgeable of cheer) did not find them as easy b/c of their inexperience. I agree with @Andre that the certifications help weed out the idiots that shouldn't be coaching.

I would never knowingly break the rules, however incidental rule-breaking will happen when we are trying to come up with new, creative load-ins, dismounts, transitions, tumbling passes, etc. at practices. I also know that if 2 catchers is NOT safe for one group but a piece of cake for another, I would allow the group that could easily execute the skill to do it. When in doubt tho, I don't. Andre also said this earlier but it really depends on coaches knowing what their athletes are capable of.

When I became credentialed I did so as a promise to my athletes and their parents that I know what I'm doing and that I'll do everything I can to keep them safe. I cannot prevent all accidents or injuries but I can eliminate stupidity and recklessness.

I do think illegalities at competitions should be reported and a warning/infraction, etc from the USASF given if the same illegality is reported more than once (twice? Three strikes you're out?). I also think that a team with multiple (more than 5?) blatantly illegal skills should be disqualified--and I mean for extreme cases only, I don't want to see teams get disqualified for incidental things that may happen bc their routine was just a hot mess and didn't go as practiced.

This is a very interesting thread. I think it's a great topic!

 

[wcdad]

While I am getting a better understanding of the angle you are trying to move this discussion towards, I think the current system the USASF has in place is a pretty good one. From a technical aspect many stunts could wander into the illegal area if something goes wrong while practicing them.

I disagree with your football comparision too. If a player clips or holds someone in practice how would the coach be held accountable? If a coach was removed, punished or suspended for every clip, chop block or hold during a practice there wouldn't be enough people in the world to keep replacing them!

Oh and while there is a pinch count in a game in Little League, there is no pitch count in practice (at least not in our league).

In football a coach would be held accountable if he was teaching a line stunt the involved a chip block or a clip. If a coach is actively teaching a stunt known to be illegal in cheer I can tell you there are very few parents that would know.

The little league here does have a count on pitchers during practice as well as games

 

[CharlotteASMom]

In a competition setting, do all rules apply even if you are not competing against someone? In other words is the only consequence for an illegality the loss to another team?

 

[King]

In a competition setting, do all rules apply even if you are not competing against someone? In other words is the only consequence for an illegality the loss to another team?

At the moment yes. Until all rules are enforced by the USASF and not the event producers this won't change. EPs are scared to lose customers if they strictly enforce the rules.

 

[CGAcheer]

When I was getting credentialed, I was within earshot of another person taking the "hands on" portion of the test. I obviously don't know if she passed or not, but if she did, then I would have to say that credentialing is meaningless, if she didn't pass then I would say that it does help weed out the idiots.

But how do you tell the person who didn't pass the test from the person who just has never taken the test?

 

[King]

When I was getting credentialed, I was within earshot of another person taking the "hands on" portion of the test. I obviously don't know if she passed or not, but if she did, then I would have to say that credentialing is meaningless, if she didn't pass then I would say that it does help weed out the idiots.

But how do you tell the person who didn't pass the test from the person who just has never taken the test?

You don't. A card that is only checked at worlds really.

This is what the whole athlete registration system is supposed to fix. We shall see about it... but I have my doubts. PS - anyone registered on it yet?

 

[CGAcheer]

You don't. A card that is only checked at worlds really.

This is what the whole athlete registration system is supposed to fix. We shall see about it... but I have my doubts. PS - anyone registered on it yet?

Does the actual requirement start this year? I know the usasf is pushing it as mandatory, but I saw somewhere else that it wasn't required til next season and I haven't received any "make sure your athletes are all registered" type emails so you can compete with us this season.

 

[MomOf2ThatsMe]

This is what the whole athlete registration system is supposed to fix. We shall see about it... but I have my doubts. PS - anyone registered on it yet?

Yes. I got my email last week. It was easy, I just had to fill in the blanks that the gym didn't put in- address, phone number.

 

[MomOf2ThatsMe]

In a competition setting, do all rules apply even if you are not competing against someone? In other words is the only consequence for an illegality the loss to another team?

There is a video out there floating around of a mini 2 team who was at a comp and nobody else in their division, so they threw whatever tumbling they had, including a couple fulls.

 

[icame2WERQ]

There is a video out there floating around of a mini 2 team who was at a comp and nobody else in their division, so they threw whatever tumbling they had, including a couple fulls.

I think I know what video your talking about; but I'm pretty sure they went as level 5, and the judges were confused what level they were competing in.

 

[King]

Does the actual requirement start this year? I know the usasf is pushing it as mandatory, but I saw somewhere else that it wasn't required til next season and I haven't received any "make sure your athletes are all registered" type emails so you can compete with us this season.

I believe it is. But there is a responsibility issue with the system. It allows gyms to register athletes (I believe) built into the system. HUGE problem with that.

 

[CGAcheer]

I believe it is. But there is a responsibility issue with the system. It allows gyms to register athletes (I believe) built into the system. HUGE problem with that.

After the gym registers an athlete, it says it will email the parent to upload a copy of the birth certificate. What would be wonderful, is if I could just upload a spread sheet with all the info, they email to confirm and get the birth certificate and then allow me to use that database to automatically cover waivers and competition registries. Then there would be a value to it at the individual consumer level. Doing it once is a whole lot better than having to do it for each competition.

 

[King]

After the gym registers an athlete, it says it will email the parent to upload a copy of the birth certificate. What would be wonderful, is if I could just upload a spread sheet with all the info, they email to confirm and get the birth certificate and then allow me to use that database to automatically cover waivers and competition registries. Then there would be a value to it at the individual consumer level. Doing it once is a whole lot better than having to do it for each competition.

That is the problem though. A gym is now responsible for the validity of an athlete. The athletes should be responsible for the information solely. If they have to go through the hassle of uploading a birth certificate and paying why not just have them do it all?

 

[socratesofcheer]

At the moment yes. Until all rules are enforced by the USASF and not the event producers this won't change. EPs are scared to lose customers if they strictly enforce the rules.

Word on the street is, USASF will be in charge of legalities at major events this season. That was the last I've heard, but, I'm positive that is subject to change.