All-Star Scoring Question

[Cheerfun2]

Hi, this is probably a stupid question...but I have always wondered about this. When you are at a comp that doesn't create small, medium, large divisions, is there any scoring consideration given to the fact that a larger team has to keep 6 or 7 fliers in the air vs say 4? My daughter is a crossover and is on a small team (18) and a large team (28.) I am always amazed at how different the two teams look, and can't imagine how you can even compare them. Both teams are doing quite well this season, but we are going to a comp this weekend that doesn't differentiate team sizes. I am biased toward liking how large teams look on the mat, and wonder if judges share this bias? Or as I suggested, do the small teams benefit just because statistically it is easier to keep four flyers up rather than 7? Does this question even make sense? :)

 

[retiredl5cheer]

Scoring is all about ratios, not the actual number. So if you have 20 kids on the floor, you want to maximize your ratios and have 5 stunts. 30 on the floor, 7 stunts. Etc. Large teams can score a higher overall impression score because of the more visual nature of a routine with 30+ people, but it's also harder to clean routines before there are more people to synchronize.

 

[DaniV]

@Cheerfun2 in my experience as a coach, when we have had large and small combined in to one division, the large team typically does better on the overall impression and routine creativity portions but that is not always the case. They are still judged on the same ratio's and skill levels. It is much harder to get 28 kids to have perfect sync and great technique than it is to do the same with only 18. Judges only look at the total number of stunts in comparision to the total number of kids on the floor. If they have kids standing around and are using front spots, your smaller team will score better if you use all of the athletes possible.

 

[retiredl5cheer]

@DaniV are we the same person? I don't think this is the first time this has happened...

 

[DaniV]

@DaniV are we the same person? I don't think this is the first time this has happened...

Great coaches think alike? ;)

 

[Cheerfun2]

Thanks so much, y'all! That does make sense. So I guess having one or 2 extra athletes out there to tumble during the stunts doesn't hurt unless you have 4 or more?

 

[retiredl5cheer]

Thanks so much, y'all! That does make sense. So I guess having one or 2 extra athletes out there to tumble during the stunts doesn't hurt unless you have 4 or more?

Nope. If they're leftovers (can't make a stunt out of them), then tumbling is the best thing they can be doing.

 

[BlueCat]

Scoring is scaled to the number on the floor, but deductions are not. The popular notion is that large teams have an advantage, but you could make an argument that small teams have the scoring advantage. (Both teams drop 10% of their stunts, the large team get significantly more points taken away.)