Suggestions For Resources To Learn More About Scoring?

[Cheryl Upchurch]

Hi. My CP has been in cheer for 3 years and is starting on a senior 3 team this year. I never feel like I understand scoring very well and I'm often surprised to find out who won and lost after watching performances. It seems like there's so much more than just who looks the best… does anyone have suggestions for resources, websites, etc where I can learn more about scoring and how points are won/lost?

 

[Cheer Dad]

No suggestions. I think most of our knowledge is just kind of passed along from long time parents. I know @12stepCheermom learned it on her own and I think @THEJOEL was similar. Any suggestions you two?


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[THEJOEL]

No suggestions. I think most of our knowledge is just kind of passed along from long time parents. I know @12stepCheermom learned it on her own and I think @THEJOEL was similar. Any suggestions you two?


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Here is my disclaimer....It's a double edged sword to actually know what you're looking at.
Deductions, knowing how to max out and general knowledge=EASY
Safety, level appropriateness and raw score=HARD
Regardless of how much you think you know there will always be at least 1 WTF? Moment every season.
Here is what I've used so good luck.
Links to the Varsity scoring system:
Varsity All Star Cheerleading - Varsity Scoring

Training vids:

Varsity Training Videos

 

[Eyes On The Prize]

Maybe you could watch some videos of teams, or a division of teams, with a score sheet in front of you and pick apart the routine as it pertains to the scoresheet. Like "oh this team had good difficulty but execution wasn't as strong as this team's execution who also had equally high difficulty." Reading through the requirements to max out the score sheet in each level will also help you understand the scoresheet.

USASF site would probably be a good start. Then go through and find all the scoring rubrics for all the different EPs, especially the ones your CP's team attends. Most EPs have them available on their sites and are easy to get to.

Maybe talking to people who judge would also be a good resource? Those are probably harder to find though.

I think just reading whatever you can find on judging and score sheets and then trying to watch videos from the judges perspective with what you know about the scoresheets will help a lot.

 

[12stepCheermom]

Here is my disclaimer....It's a double edged sword to actually know what you're looking at.
Deductions, knowing how to max out and general knowledge=EASY
Safety, level appropriateness and raw score=HARD
Regardless of how much you think you know there will always be at least 1 WTF? Moment every season.
Here is what I've used so good luck.
Links to the Varsity scoring system:
Varsity All Star Cheerleading - Varsity Scoring

Training vids:

Varsity Training Videos

What he said.

I studied grids in my SM days. Got pretty good at scoring teams in the right order. Watched the videos, asked questions. Got annoyed every parent in the gym wanted to know if we won and every disclaimer in the world wouldn't satisfy them if I didn't give them an immediate answer.

I enjoyed it a lot more when I stopped trying to do the coaches and judges job. I haven't looked at a grid in years.


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[THEJOEL]

I enjoyed it a lot more when I stopped trying to do the coaches and judges job. I haven't looked at a grid in years.

Amen to that.
I'm still having a hard time "shutting it off" since we changed programs last year. It really does suck the joy out of it.
At our last program I was "that parent" even to the point I was asked about things by coaches. It's not fun.

 

[dawgshow]

Amen to that.
I'm still having a hard time "shutting it off" since we changed programs last year. It really does suck the joy out of it.

Me too! I still find myself going "well, there goes first place" but I don't obsess like I used to. It's important to be knowledgeable enough to understand what is going on, but not so knowledgeable that you're playing coach/judge.

 

[Cheer Dad]

I think having an idea of how a scoresheet works is important because it can help you understand what the coaches are doing and maybe why your HIT routine doesn't win against a team with a stunt fall but had more difficulty.

Beyond that who cares. Let the coaches and kids do their job.


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[cheer25mom]

I learned a lot from reading on usasf.net. The level safety rules are all spelled out there. Also the varsity scoring system link above. Some things just come with time, watching routines, and becoming more familiar with what scores well, what clean execution looks like, and picking up the terminology.

I can see where people are coming from saying just let it go, but I think knowing the scoring system and being able to explain things to other parents truly headed off a lot of drama. I could say, well that team had x and we only did y, or their execution was cleaner ect and it often diffused new, angry parents who truly didn't understand why we hit clean and didn't do well.
I feel like a loss is easier to accept when you understand WHY.

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[Cheryl Upchurch]

Thanks everyone, great suggestions!