- Mar 29, 2012
- 3
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1. If these changes were such an imminent safety concern that our stated democratic process could not be followed, why are they not effective immediately? The tumbling skills that wouldn’t be allowed next season—thousands of athletes will be competing these skills in less than a month at USASF’s own competition. If USASF feels so strongly that these skills are an immediate safety hazard, why are they allowing the skills to be competed at the most pressure-filled event of the year, and in USASF’s name?
2. If these changes are being made as imminent safety needs, why did Les say the Rules Committee needed to meet today, the day after the changes were released, about them? If these were safety issues, why haven’t they been thru the Rules Committee already?
3. If these specific tumbling skills are so dangerous that we can no longer allow athletes to compete them, why are we allowing downward inversions, twisting release moves, etc., etc. Why were there no stunt changes?
4. If the uniforms and choreography are so inappropriate and egregious as to warrant mandated change, why haven’t event producers been willing to issue deductions for it? Most all of the major event companies’ competition guidelines allow them to do this.
5. If the idea behind the bow and uniform changes is to make cheer appear more athletic to outside observers, isn’t it contradictory to take out some of the tumbling skills that showcase our athleticism at its best?
6. Since when does everyone involved in the cheerleading industry care so much about what everyone outside of the industry thinks? From the outcry last night, it appears that most of the people involved in the industry on a daily basis believe our industry is GOOD for kids—we develop young men and women who have incredible physical talent, understand character comes from hard work and challenge, and who know what it means to be a leader and a role model. If people outside of our industry think we’re weird/crazy/out there, well, so are other “subcultures”—pageant girls and moms, Star Wars fanatics, etc.—when compared to the mediocre mainstream!
2. If these changes are being made as imminent safety needs, why did Les say the Rules Committee needed to meet today, the day after the changes were released, about them? If these were safety issues, why haven’t they been thru the Rules Committee already?
3. If these specific tumbling skills are so dangerous that we can no longer allow athletes to compete them, why are we allowing downward inversions, twisting release moves, etc., etc. Why were there no stunt changes?
4. If the uniforms and choreography are so inappropriate and egregious as to warrant mandated change, why haven’t event producers been willing to issue deductions for it? Most all of the major event companies’ competition guidelines allow them to do this.
5. If the idea behind the bow and uniform changes is to make cheer appear more athletic to outside observers, isn’t it contradictory to take out some of the tumbling skills that showcase our athleticism at its best?
6. Since when does everyone involved in the cheerleading industry care so much about what everyone outside of the industry thinks? From the outcry last night, it appears that most of the people involved in the industry on a daily basis believe our industry is GOOD for kids—we develop young men and women who have incredible physical talent, understand character comes from hard work and challenge, and who know what it means to be a leader and a role model. If people outside of our industry think we’re weird/crazy/out there, well, so are other “subcultures”—pageant girls and moms, Star Wars fanatics, etc.—when compared to the mediocre mainstream!
