All-Star Rumor Control-senior Age Change

[cheer8]

Not really - most of the "whining" is coming from adults. My daughter (16) isn't going to be on a Senior 5 team if they change the age range to 16-16. So it has nothing to do with her getting "beat out" - she isn't going on the team either way. I'm reading the thread about the block party, then I'm reading this thread. Can you really not see where as parents we might think Worlds is not the place for a 12 year old? YOU might not like it but oh well.

Isn't it funny how when I used the word "cry" you wrote me an essay on how offensive it was and where I could "stick" my post. But when someone shares your point of view and uses the word "whining" (awfully similar to "crying", no?) you want to shimmy all you possibly can. Double standard much?

Those are words of someone elses, I liked this part:
Again, 12 year olds belong on a senior team. If you don't want your 12 year old on a senior team, then don't. Seems easy enough to me.

So therefore what we are trying to say is if you are a parent and you don't want your 12 year old on the senior team or go to the block party then don't let them... But don't take away from the other kids and parents that would let them... Like I told someone the other day at worlds- I will let my daughter one day be on a senior team at age 12 but she will not come to the block party until she is 16 or 17 or maybe never! LOL
God Bless you Just-a-Mom

 

[cheer8]

@WakaFlaka I was using that as an example of the difference in ages. Everyone keeps saying "Oh, the senior athletes are so wonderful with the younger ones. They are like little sisters to them...they aren't exposed to ANYTHING bad..." I disagree. Do you really think that these kids that are "falling down drunk" at Worlds aren't at practice talking about how excited they are about getting wasted before the block party?

They would be kicked out of our gym for doing this and so therefore it wouldnt be going on and the younger kids would see a lesson learned

 

[fierceboardmama]

Not arguing if a 12 yr old "belongs" on a senior team or not. But, is that what is best for the industry. Jr. 5 took a major hit this year in quality and quantity. I suppose it will take another hit this coming season.

No other sport I can think of moves kids up based on ability, if you have a 5 year old throwing elite gymnastics skills should she compete at the olympics? In peewee cheer you dont see varsity squads recruiting 9 yr olds to fly. This aspect of allstar cheer has always bugged me. This is why you have little girls knowing more then they should when they are sitting around listening to the seniors date night with her boyfriend and what they did. JMO

 

[WakaFlaka]

And as far as 12 year olds sitting around listening to the older kids talk about their weekend habits, etc. etc., I guess my daughter must be anti-social or something because she never engaged in those conversations with the older girls. During the moments at practice where they weren't actually practicing, she jumped on the trampoline or talked to the other younger kids (14 and 15 year olds) on the team. And funny enough, most of the time it was about church and youth group and how badly they wanted to win worlds...[/quote]

Exactly, great point!!! My daughter has always been the younger kid on the team and she tends to gravitate to the kids more her age, just as the older kids do. When in the gym she practices with her team and "plays" with her friends.

These "bad" acts that are talked about are far and in between. Not only that, you typically know which kids on the team would likely do that and as a result you keep your young or older child away from them.

If the age was changed to 14, look at how many kids that had a "major" impact to the teams that placed, that we would not have been able to see perform??? F5 has them, Sr. Elite has them, Rays, Panthers, etc. all with major roles on the team. JMO.

 

[cheer8]

If the age was changed to 14, look at how many kids that had a "major" impact to the teams that placed, that we would not have been able to see perform??? F5 has them, Sr. Elite has them, Rays, Panthers, etc. all with major roles on the team. JMO.[/quote]

Excellent point!

 

[Nothanks]

It's not just the block party though. If that's what the 12 year old's teammates are doing at Worlds, what are they talking about at practice? Is it appropriate for a 12 year old to be on a team with high school kids, many of whom are probably bragging about the parties they went to last weekend, or the boys they're seeing, or whatever. If your child isn't the only 12 or 13 year old on the team, it's probably not a big deal, but if they are, then what? Should they stand in a corner away from the rest of the team all night? Or is it okay for them to be exposed to those things?

It's the same reason I'm not entirely comfortable with international 5 being 14+, and I'll never leave my open 6 team. The only high schooler on our team, who was 17, spent the weekend with her mom while the rest of the team bonded and went out and hung out. We get the sense that she sometimes doesn't quite fit in.

agreed...even being on an open 6 team this year, at 2o years old, i even felt somewhat secluded and "not a part of the team" because a majority were over 21 and bonded by going out together, at locale where I'm not permitted because of age.

 

[WakaFlaka]

No other sport I can think of moves kids up based on ability, if you have a 5 year old throwing elite gymnastics skills should she compete at the olympics? In peewee cheer you dont see varsity squads recruiting 9 yr olds to fly. This aspect of allstar cheer has always bugged me. This is why you have little girls knowing more then they should when they are sitting around listening to the seniors date night with her boyfriend and what they did. JMO

Here we go with the exagerations again!!! 5 yrs olds and 9 yrs olds? The thread is about 12 year olds.

Some schools allow 8th graders to compete on high school teams, is it wrong if they choose some for their team?

 

[fierceboardmama]

Here we go with the exagerations again!!! 5 yrs olds and 9 yrs olds? The thread is about 12 year olds.

Some schools allow 8th graders to compete on high school teams, is it wrong if they choose some for their team?

" Exageration " maybe, but the point is clear, just because someone has the skills regardless of age, I am against 12 yr olds on senior teams. Kids grow up way to fast as it is in society, let them have something to look forward to as they age up. again JMO

 

[fierceboardmama]

If the age was changed to 14, look at how many kids that had a "major" impact to the teams that placed, that we would not have been able to see perform??? F5 has them, Sr. Elite has them, Rays, Panthers, etc. all with major roles on the team. JMO.

Excellent point![/quote]
I think it has a Major impact yes, but reality no 1 kid or 2/3 makes the entire team win nor loose. Its the team as a whole, and no one is irreplaceable in this sport.

 

[peytonnmariee]

That sounds really odd, I have a 6th grader who just turned 12, unless the 11 yr old is ver advance there is no way they could be in 8th. 14 and 13 yr olds are in 8th because by freshman yr they are 14-turning 15 into sophmore year. But getting back on topic, I agree the age for any senior team should be 14, and I wish the Junior bracket would be more defined too, because as of now you also can have 5th graders with 10th graders depening on birthdays. I guess here will always be some flaws just like in any sport

yes, i was 12th in 8th, and she is advanced.

 

[The bow lady]

i would love this[/quote
This would eliminate all the sr. teams taking jr. age alternates to worlds. Sounds fantastic!

 

[armycheermom]

I like this idea, in theory. But what it also doesn't allow for is that beast athlete who has every level 4/5 skill down pat and happens to be 8. Do you have a mini 4 or 5? We had a few minis last season that had doubles, but it wasn't enough to make a team (and we are at a huge gym,) so they crossed over to higher level teams in order to keep growing their higher-level skills.

This is actually one of the reasons, why I believe cheer isn't taken seriously. My daughter used to be a gymnast, & I compare gymnastic & cheer a lot, so bear with me.....In gymnastic, you have to be 16 to compete in senior elite level events. Now my daughter & a few others, at 8-10,were amazing gymnasts & could properly do the elite level skills, but they had to stay with their age group, because rules don't change for a few amazing athletes. And in every sport out there, it's pretty much the same standard. Now why in cheer, do we feel the need to have 8 year olds on senior 4 teams, just because they can do the skills? If we want to be taken seriously we need to have age caps & level caps, for the top & bottom and we need to explain to Susie and her mom, "yes, you are an amazing cheerleader, but you can't compete on sr. 4 until you reach this age"
Just think about it: if little Susie can throw a beautiful double & can stunt like Maddie G at 9, think of what she'll be like at 14!?

It will never work

Care to explain why it will never work?

 

[Mamarazzi]

This is actually one of the reasons, why I believe cheer isn't taken seriously. My daughter used to be a gymnast, & I compare gymnastic & cheer a lot, so bear with me.....In gymnastic, you have to be 16 to compete in senior elite level events. Now my daughter & a few others, at 8-10,were amazing gymnasts & could properly do the elite level skills, but they had to stay with their age group, because rules don't change for a few amazing athletes. And in every sport out there, it's pretty much the same standard. Now why in cheer, do we feel the need to have 8 year olds on senior 4 teams, just because they can do the skills? If we want to be taken seriously we need to have age caps & level caps, for the top & bottom and we need to explain to Susie and her mom, "yes, you are an amazing cheerleader, but you can't compete on sr. 4 until you reach this age"
Just think about it: if little Susie can throw a beautiful double & can stunt like Maddie G at 9, think of what she'll be like at 14!?

I understand what you're saying. Unfortunately, I suppose, there are those kids out there that hit their growth spurt at puberty and don't get a chance to fly anymore, though I'm sure they can still stunt and tumble.

 

[CGAcheer]

This is actually one of the reasons, why I believe cheer isn't taken seriously. My daughter used to be a gymnast, & I compare gymnastic & cheer a lot, so bear with me.....In gymnastic, you have to be 16 to compete in senior elite level events. Now my daughter & a few others, at 8-10,were amazing gymnasts & could properly do the elite level skills, but they had to stay with their age group, because rules don't change for a few amazing athletes. And in every sport out there, it's pretty much the same standard. Now why in cheer, do we feel the need to have 8 year olds on senior 4 teams, just because they can do the skills? If we want to be taken seriously we need to have age caps & level caps, for the top & bottom and we need to explain to Susie and her mom, "yes, you are an amazing cheerleader, but you can't compete on sr. 4 until you reach this age"
Just think about it: if little Susie can throw a beautiful double & can stunt like Maddie G at 9, think of what she'll be like at 14!?

Care to explain why it will never work?

The problem is that Cheerleading is a unique blend of individual skill while being a team sport. Nothing else that I can think of is this way.
Gymnastics is individual, you don't have to find 19 other level 7 girls to have 1 compete level 7.
Other team sports don't have such individualized skill limitations. Every quarterback can throw the football, but some can throw it a whole lot better, but there aren't rules against throwing it 50 yards if you can. Your faster runners aren't told to slow down, etc.

The system we have now works great, it provides a level playing field by allowing certain skills at certain levels and for the most part you compete against other teams with similar age range. But it also gives the coaches, who are there with the kids and know their individual maturity and skill level, the opportunity to fully utilize the talents of their particular gym.

 

[armycheermom]

The system we have now works great, it provides a level playing field by allowing certain skills at certain levels and for the most part you compete against other teams with similar age range. But it also gives the coaches, who are there with the kids and know their individual maturity and skill level, the opportunity to fully utilize the talents of their particular gym.

I understand where you're coming from and not that you are one of the people saying/demanding that cheer become a sport, but if we leave the system the way it is now we will never be recognized as a sport. It's hard for the outside world to take us serious,if we have 8 year olds on the same team as 15 year olds & the only excuse is, "she has the talent to be on the team" or "we can't have a full team without her."