Didn't Top Gun SO5 change division for a bid competition and end up going to worlds? Or did I just make that up? My brain does that sometimes...
Yeah you pretty much made that up. They don't do that and don't have to.
Top Gun has had an SO5 team for 2 years. The ONLY Worlds level teams at Top Gun are IOC6, IOC5 and Semi-Limited Coed for Cheer, Open HH for Dance. If you are a Level 5 OR near Level 5 athlete and you don't make those teams (dependent upon your age), then the other options currently available to you at Top Gun is SO5, Coed 3 and Senior 2 if you are a senior aged athlete. There are NO level 5 teams Junior and below...YET!
Top Gun doesn't just take skill level into consideration when placing you on a team, especially for their SO5 team. They consider all the factors, including the younger athletes ability to interact with the older athletes on the team. The older athletes are VERY protective of the younger ones. However, this is still a level 5 team, so you need to keep up and keep challenging yourself AND that rule is for everybody on the team regardless of age.
Now back to the original posters question about Worlds. I am of the opinion that SO5 and Junior Level 5 athletes DO NOT belong at Worlds. I think Worlds should be the BEST of the BEST and the pinnacle of one's cheer career.
SO5 is limited in the level 5 skill level they are permitted to compete, so therefore do not belong there as well. In no way do I not think these athletes work any less hard than the other level 5 athletes or ANY LEVEL athlete for that matter. Some athletes just don't have what it takes to progress any further than where they currently are, but that doesn't mean they don't work hard.
Geez, I haven't posted a War and Peace response in a long time. Happy Posting Everyone!