Resolved: USASF has made all star cheerleading better

[ACEDAD]

This is a thread to debate the following:

Resolved: USASF has made all star cheerleading better.

I'm sure I will be involved in this thread a great deal. Many people have seen me as a shill for USASF, or on their secret payroll or just as an idiot. Whatever.

There are a number of issues that USASF hasn't dealt with very well. But with all the positives and negatives combined, USASF has put cheerleading in a better position. NACCC probably intensified the attention on the need for a single rule book. But USASF actually made it happen. Cheersport pioneered the Level play system. But USASF actually brought it to event producers across the board.

The USASF coaches credentialing program has received criticism (some of it perfectly valid), but parents now have a way of judging if coaches have at least some knowledge required to teach their child.

There are other reasons, but I'll start with this.

For what it's worth, i might argue the opposite side in a later post.

 

[KB_Legend]

Not sure what you are looking for here as far as responses... but as far as I'm concerned you are 100% correct! There are, in my opinion, MANY improvements that need to be made in the industry still, but the USASF has gotten the figurative ball rolling. Thanks to the USASF we have taken huge leaps forward as far as the safety, unification, and credibility of the sport, it's athletes and those of us who make a living through all star cheerleading are concerned. There are changes that need to be made within the USASF itself, for example making the federation more transparent and giving it's members more of a voice and more importantly an actual vote, and also changes that need to be made within the industry itself but hopefully things can continue to improve and we can continue to move forward. All sports have a strong governing body and I think the USASF is filling that roll for all star cheerleading, and for that I am thankful, and also hopeful for the future of the sport!

 

[gerrymd8]

ACE Dad, I do agree that USASF has brought so many improvements to the sports, especially cohesiveness. I have repeatedly criticized the credentialing program which has brought NO response, so I have serious concerns with regards to if they truly care as much as they profess. Perhaps you have someone that I can speak to directly? Please do not tell me to email a certain L.S. I have never received a reply and I am not being rude. I am truly at a loss.

 

[King]

Of course it has made the sport better. Just because the USASF has flaws does not mean we would be better without it or where we are if it had never existed. My main concerns are that the USASF slows its growth and evolution. Our sport has not yet reached a completely stable maturity. Rules, divisions, legalities, and competitions are all still floating a lot of new ideas and changes every year. I think there is at least another 10 years of true changing going on until cheerleading reaches the point where the sport has figured itself out completely.

 

[Deleted member 15]

Not sure what you are looking for here as far as responses... but as far as I'm concerned you are 100% correct! There are, in my opinion, MANY improvements that need to be made in the industry still, but the USASF has gotten the figurative ball rolling. Thanks to the USASF we have taken huge leaps forward as far as the safety, unification, and credibility of the sport, it's athletes and those of us who make a living through all star cheerleading are concerned. There are changes that need to be made within the USASF itself, for example making the federation more transparent and giving it's members more of a voice and more importantly an actual vote, and also changes that need to be made within the industry itself but hopefully things can continue to improve and we can continue to move forward. All sports have a strong governing body and I think the USASF is filling that roll for all star cheerleading, and for that I am thankful, and also hopeful for the future of the sport!

This topic came from me asking "What has the USASF done to make cheerleading better? Common Rules/Divisions are the 1st thing that come to mind and one could argue that was done pre-USASF by the NACCC. Worlds is the 2nd things and one could argue its done as much harm as good."

I asked the question to find out how people think the USASF has helped the Athletes, Parents, Coaches, Gyms, and/or Event Producers. What actions have they taken and what have been the intended and unintended consequences, positive or negative?

 

[Deleted member 15]

So far we have
1. Single set of Rules (Acedad)
2. Levels (Acedad)
3. Coaches Credentialing (Acedad)
4. Safety (KB_Legend)
5. Credibility of the Sport (KB_Legend)

I left of KB's Unification because I believe you were referring to the Rules & Levels. Please let me know if I'm incorrect.

 

[just_kay_today]

There are also the scholarships, the Parent Action Committee and athlete insurance. I'm not a coach, or much of an expert on the USASF or rules, but as a parent, those are the two things that have really caught my attention. I continue to try to educate myself by reading the site, threads like this and the "Crazy Ideas" thread, and asking questions.

 

[Deleted member 15]

1. Single set of Rules (Acedad)
2. Levels (Acedad)
3. Coaches Credentialing (Acedad)
4. Safety (KB_Legend)
5. Credibility of the Sport (KB_Legend)
6. Scholarships (RJsExtremeMom)
7. Parent Action Committee (RJsExtremeMom)
8. Athlete Insurance (RJsExtremeMom)

Insurance was included because the USASF streamlined it. Gyms had insurance prior to the USASF and I know some gyms still use different providers.

 

[xpressjag]

I think the USASF should seperate coed teams completely even at level 2. I have seen teams that almost have 8 guys on a level 2 team and to say it doesn't make a difference is not true. Judges, people, and athletes look at guys differently at any level. Yes, an all girl team can beat a coed team but it takes much more work.

 

[Brenner]

I agree that the USASF has made things better.

I would like to hear from someone that thinks the USASF has not made things better that was actually.. an adult... involved in All Star Cheerleading... pre- USASF. I wonder how many of us are actuallyout there.

If you are a coach at a gym that moves athletes up through the levels from season to season. Following the proper progression of the rules and skills allowed within the rules. I think we can agree that it helps coaches teach the proper progressions and cheerleaders will have less injuries and more confidence with new skills.

 

[Deleted member 15]

If you are a coach at a gym that moves athletes up through the levels from season to season. Following the proper progression of the rules and skills allowed within the rules. I think we can agree that it helps coaches teach the proper progressions and cheerleaders will have less injuries and more confidence with new skills.

Good coaches doing this before the USASF and bad coaches still are not.

 

[Deleted member 15]

1. Single set of Rules (Acedad)
2. Levels (Acedad)
3. Coaches Credentialing (Acedad)
4. Safety (KB_Legend)
5. Credibility of the Sport (KB_Legend)
6. Scholarships (RJsExtremeMom)
7. Parent Action Committee (RJsExtremeMom)
8. Athlete Insurance (RJsExtremeMom)
9. Progressions (Brenner)

 

[Brenner]

If you are a coach at a gym that moves athletes up through the levels from season to season. Following the proper progression of the rules and skills allowed within the rules. I think we can agree that it helps coaches teach the proper progressions and cheerleaders will have less injuries and more confidence with new skills.

Good coaches doing this before the USASF and bad coaches still are not.

There were people out there trying to be good coaches...but didn't know the proper progressions.... there was no handbook.
Back in the day...who knew that doing a log roll for a year would make twisting out of a prep sooooo much easier. I know it sounds stupid now, but we just put kids up in a prep and told them to twist.

Same with running tumbling. The kid got a full and then we said "hey lets put a front tuck on the front of it"....but now that kid has been doing front through to layout for a year..then gets the full... then front through to full does not seems so hard.

As far as "bad coaches still not"...if your gym fields teams in all of the proper levels...and levels their athletes correctly... It helps the bad/or uneducated coaches keep their kids safe.

 

[Deleted member 15]

The difference in where each of us stands seems to be what each of us gives the USASF credit for. I'm not diminishing the importance of progressions, but I am questioning the influence the USASF has on coaches using them. Coaches were teaching in progressions before levels, the NACCC, or the USASF. I think that would have continued without the USASF.

If I am trying to be a good coach and Google "cheerleading progressions", "stunt progressions" or "tumbling progressions" I get plenty of results without the USASF being on the first page of any of them. If a good coach wanted to learn about teaching progression there are plenty of non USASF resources.

As far as "bad coaches still not"...IF your gym fields teams in all of the proper levels...and levels their athletes correctly... It helps the bad/or uneducated coaches keep their kids safe.

That's a big IF.

 

I think their should be more small gym owners on the board for voting reasons! But being in this sport for 15 years and all those years without USASF was ok, but I think for those new gym owners learning the field it really helps out a lot. I kind of wish 15 years ago I had a little more direction being a 19 year old gym owner! Just keep trying to look out for the smaller gyms so the business of cheerleading keeps growing. Thanks