The Worlds scoresheets this year mathematically represent what it was supposed to be last year. For club an emphasis on building while a smaller emphasis on tumbling and less on choreography. It has been mathematically figured out so there are no gotchas this year, just REALLY big categories the judges have free reign to judge upon. If they look intimidating.. they are.
For international the emphasis on building has been fixed as well, and there is no more tumbling towards a globe. A team that does level 5 tumbling (even the minimal amount) will lose very little as long as they stunt, basket, and pyramid well. It effectively eliminates the need for large amounts of tumbling and long drawn out tumbling. It does, however, still put the international teams at a disadvantage. While the international teams might be on par with stunts, baskets, and pyramids there is a solid 15 point advantage for the US teams to make sure they have the required amount to get in the top level. Long story short, the US still has an advantage but you will see a stunting US team win.
The smartest thing would be an NCA style scoresheet (which has been adopted by Varsity) for everyone. The mechanics of the sheet are the most solid and make the most sense to coaches, fans, and cheerleaders alike. It is also one of the most consistent from event to event (a feet that not a lot of other scoresheets can claim).
I do think there is a gigantic weakness to the NCA scoresheet that I have only recently 'cracked'. The problem people have had is that stunting is not properly rewarded. On the reverse I have never thought jumping was properly rewarded for how hard it is (shocker). BEcause of the stunt issue Varsity recently applied a stronger percentage to building than it did tumbling. To me it is like trying to open a door that says 'pull' by pushing really hard. It sorta solves the problem but not really.
So what is the problem? Well, depending on the skill the hard part might be the difficulty... or the hard part might be the execution... or it might be both. Stunting/pyramids is all about the difficulty and less about the execution. Jumping/Baskets are all about the execution and less about the difficulty (if I never see a quintuple jump sequence again it won't be too soon). Tumbling is equal parts execution and difficulty. So how do you reward those skills properly BUT not change how the scoresheet works for Varsity so a judge doesn't have to do a lot of math? You do weighted percentages!
Stunts/Pyramids should be 65% difficulty and 35% execution
Jumps/Baskets should be 65% execution and 35% difficulty
Tumbling should be 50%/50%
I have already worked out the math to do it (the concept is simpler than the execution but Varisty uses computer based scoring so this isn't a big deal to program in) and I will provide examples if needed. But the core concept is now that Orange or Panthers or Brandon or WCSS or F5 cannot max out the scoresheets. Instead a team has to Jump like Orange, Basket like Panthers, Stunt like Brandon, Perform like WCSS, and tumble like F5. It makes routine strategy a good bit more deep because the high level is a lot harder to attain. The best part is it can be applied to all levels and have equally an effect.
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BlueCat if you have scores from last year in any division at NCA I would like to put them in and see how they pop out and see what would have changed.
