All-Star Summit Or Us Finals?

[CheerBank]

Were all the US Final venues cash only for admission? The one in Providence was.

 

[FamUsM0m]

Every year our gyms (3 in total, sometimes 4) attend US Finals Virginia Beach. So roughly 20 teams maybe? I don't know, I could be off on that count. This year they did well. However, their comps never run on time and are always highly unorganized. The staff the convention center is rude (witnessed at another comp at same venue) this year my CP took the season off. It was the best decision she could've made for herself but we both miss it terribly. She went this year to watch her BFF perform and they were almost an hour behind for her team due to an injury because there was a "large bump" in the mat. Apparently, a girl on one of the level 6 teams was doing a full and broke her ankle. I don't know if it is actually broken and which team it was but my thoughts are with her.
I wouldn't mind trying Summit though as a change of scenery. We have been with FAME for 8 years and every year we go to US Finals because it's literally in our backyard. They can run a full practice 2 hours before comp and walk to the venue if they wanted to lol. (They wouldn't because it would mess up hair an makeup but you get my point) I'm glad to see some other options out there as far as end of year big events. I do not agree, however, that it is not prestigious. Tell that to the kids who are level 1-4 and you are basically telling them that they don't matter. They introduced rings this year to overall winners. I think that is a great idea and seemed to boost up the morale a little. The J5 won rings this year.
Congrats to all the teams for their successes this year. Can't wait to be back in comps this season :-)

 

[MaineStar234]

Here my take on US FINALS this year:

Arrival: My CP and I decided we wanted to come a 3 hours before her meet time to support other teams in our program and watch some other teams. They would not allow CP (who is full dressed in uniform bow & all) into competition halls unless she had a wrist band. Wrist bands were being giving at meet times:banghead:

During: for the most part comp ran on time (until level 5 divison, there were several back to back injuries). some of the scoring hmmm very questionable but ok. Pros: They did have more than enough seating this time (yay).

Awards: A mess...awards were behind, they would not let anyone in hall D until everyone from previous session had cleared out the hall. Ok fine but dont have 300-400 parents and athletes, spectators standing in hallway. Since the whole purpose of all the restrictions was due to you exceeding fire code last year. I have never seen so much police/fire presence at a cheer competition in all my 10 years of allstar cheer. As well as the 2 private security teams hired for this event. Pro: again there was more than enough seating for everyone

Cheer perfection: Hall C which was designated for vendors, concession and for teams to meet their teams had a huge US Final backdrop for pics. (they were trying to stop everyone from being in the lobby) There was also a TLC Cheer perfection back drop for pics. This is where some of the kids, coaches & parents from Youth Silver were hanging out for pics & autographs. When I purchased my ticket there was Cheer perfections 5x7 postcards at the ticket counter. Preview clips for Cheer perfection next season which is to air this summer was shown through out the comp during intermission and breaks as well as each awards ceremony.

Wrist bands were not enforced at all in Providence. All of our gym's kids got in without them. I was surprised, as I arrived when our first team had to meet so I was given a wrist band then, but everyone who got there later on entered the competition without having to wait to meet the coaches for band.


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android || Upgrade Your Account!

 

[FierceCheerMama]

Personally...there is no comparison. The level of competition, the difficulty of getting a bid to the summit...just not on the same scale as US Finals. We've gone to US Finals 2 years in a row, it's just like any other comp all year. The summit was by far the toughest comp I have ever seen for levels 1-4. Scores of 93-94% are NOT enough at the summit, not even enough to come back for day 2. No room for errors, no wiggle room. It was an awesome experience! My cp keeps saying she wants to make it back next year...and we haven't even left Florida yet to head back home!


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android || Upgrade Your Account!

 

[SarahS]

Were all the US Final venues cash only for admission? The one in Providence was.

VA Beach took credit cards or cash, and it looked like it was convention center staff in the ticket booths (not US Finals staff).

 

[jennarap]

don't have anything against US finals but to me, its way more prestigious to win the summit. Just about anyone could get a bid to US finals where its a lot harder to get one to the summit. I love that they are really trying to make a competition that is a lot similar to worlds for lower levels.

 

[cheernerd5678]

I saw a tweet from them on Sunday about how they were sorry they did not have time for people (assuming they meant fans) on Saturday since they were busy with their teams but that they were heading back there on Sunday and were looking forward to seeing everyone. Wonder if anyone actually cared that they made a special appearance Sunday? It took everything I had not to tweet a snarky response.

I bet people did, sadly enough. The girls from my gym who went to US Finals KC were super excited to get pics with the two girls who were trying to be on Youth Silver (which clearly didn't happen since they were competing with the J1 or Y1 or whatever was there).
It's not even that they admire them, it's just the fact that they're on TV.

They introduced rings this year to overall winners. I think that is a great idea and seemed to boost up the morale a little. The J5 won rings this year.

I saw the rings and was confused. So they get US Finals rings now? That's fun!

 

[momma2mycheerprincess]

Personally...there is no comparison. The level of competition, the difficulty of getting a bid to the summit...just not on the same scale as US Finals. We've gone to US Finals 2 years in a row, it's just like any other comp all year. The summit was by far the toughest comp I have ever seen for levels 1-4. Scores of 93-94% are NOT enough at the summit, not even enough to come back for day 2. No room for errors, no wiggle room. It was an awesome experience! My cp keeps saying she wants to make it back next year...and we haven't even left Florida yet to head back home!


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android || Upgrade Your Account!

Agreed! I saw very little mistakes all weekend, and very tight competition. CPs team was amazing....but so was every other team in their division. There was no way to guess how they would end up at all!!

The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android || Upgrade Your Account!

 

[smileyreilly96]

I competed at the Summit this weekend with some of the best teams out there...my gym brought two teams and each are coming home with the rings. it was an amazing experience, this was as close I would get to going to worlds. Getting the opportunity to compete in the "Milkhouse" was breath taking, knowing that some of the best athletes out there competed on the same floor. It was very well organized, and it was like "worlds" for the non level worlds team.

Congrats to your 4.2! It was such an honor to compete against you guys! :)


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android || Upgrade Your Account!

 

[beelovesfury99]

Which US Finals were you at?

The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android || Upgrade Your Account!

 

[ECE_Sam]

Congrats to your 4.2! It was such an honor to compete against you guys! :)


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android || Upgrade Your Account!

awww thank you, that really means a lot! I have to say my team and I thought it was a very very hard division to compete in....but at the end of the day win or loose we had an amazing experience! we're so fortunate to even get the chance to receive the bid. good luck this upcoming season (:

 

[Valvalmom]

Here my take on US FINALS this year:

Arrival: My CP and I decided we wanted to come a 3 hours before her meet time to support other teams in our program and watch some other teams. They would not allow CP (who is full dressed in uniform bow & all) into competition halls unless she had a wrist band. Wrist bands were being giving at meet times:banghead:

During: for the most part comp ran on time (until level 5 divison, there were several back to back injuries). some of the scoring hmmm very questionable but ok. Pros: They did have more than enough seating this time (yay).

Awards: A mess...awards were behind, they would not let anyone in hall D until everyone from previous session had cleared out the hall. Ok fine but dont have 300-400 parents and athletes, spectators standing in hallway. Since the whole purpose of all the restrictions was due to you exceeding fire code last year. I have never seen so much police/fire presence at a cheer competition in all my 10 years of allstar cheer. As well as the 2 private security teams hired for this event. Pro: again there was more than enough seating for everyone

Cheer perfection: Hall C which was designated for vendors, concession and for teams to meet their teams had a huge US Final backdrop for pics. (they were trying to stop everyone from being in the lobby) There was also a TLC Cheer perfection back drop for pics. This is where some of the kids, coaches & parents from Youth Silver were hanging out for pics & autographs. When I purchased my ticket there was Cheer perfections 5x7 postcards at the ticket counter. Preview clips for Cheer perfection next season which is to air this summer was shown through out the comp during intermission and breaks as well as each awards ceremony.

I have always enjoyed US Finals, but I agree with everything you said! On two occasions I had to hunt down coaches In the halls when our kids were stopped for not having bracelets. Why not send gyms tickets for their athletes prior to the event and the athletes can use them to get their hand stamped just like the parents. Instead, they are given flimsy wristbands that had to come off for practice. They wouldn't even let kids into the awards without the bands.

I felt many of the staff was rude. No problem if you need people to move out of an aisle or move to the center of the seating, but for goodness sake, be nice about it.

The spectator info on the event page that said utilize the beach and minimize your time at the CC was just wrong. If I'm paying the price to enter, I'm going to be there for all my gym's teams!

The number of injuries in the final session was downright scary. Thank goodness no one was hurt more seriously.

And the whole Cheer Perfection advertising was just wrong. Regardless of the team's talent, one gym at a competition should not be promoted in that manner is simply unfair. Why not have advertisements for Cheer! at Worlds, or hand out flyers for Tryouts for a team. As far as I'm concerned, what they did with Cheer Perfection was akin to solicitation, which I believe is not allowed.

 

[cheermuse]

Im just glad they didnt enforce the in/out rule. They do need to look at option finding a venue that can handle the large amount of teams this location brings. This would mean loking outside of Virginia Beach (hampton roads) area.

 

[cheermuse]

I bet people did, sadly enough. The girls from my gym who went to US Finals KC were super excited to get pics with the two girls who were trying to be on Youth Silver (which clearly didn't happen since they were competing with the J1 or Y1 or whatever was there).
It's not even that they admire them, it's just the fact that they're on TV.


I saw the rings and was confused. So they get US Finals rings now? That's fun!

Yes, the rings is something new this year for overall division winner.

 

[AshleyErin]

I personally attended US Finals in VB last year and I didn't really find it to be a significant comp that stands out in my memory. Right now I'm even struggling to remember details. All I do remember is that I thought the scoring in some divisions was completely whack and there were too many people in the halls. This might be because it wasn't my last comp of the season, but it just doesn't really seem prestigious to me. That being said I really like the idea of the summit and hope it takes off!