All-Star Time To Intervene?

[tdittmar]

Do parents really stick around for that? For that season maybe, but usually they are long gone as soon as possible...

Everyone wants to win... I would think it's going to be a hard sell for your gym if you are constantly in last place.

We have a gym in our community that is exactly like this. At our last comp I watched their j2 team and they had 4 handsprings out of 18 girls. Of course they get last. Their level 4 is very similar. I just don't think the owners/directors are thinking about what's best for the team. The last few years they have placed last or close to last at every comp for every team. I feel so bad for the girls because the gym keeps gaining new people each year and they seem to run it well but to see the tweets and posts about "we'll get 'em next time" and thinking, well no, you probably won't makes me sad. That's why cp goes to a gym an hour away. At least I know they will be successful at whatever level they compete at.

 

[Mclovin]

This takes me back to numerous conversations we had about this in previous years -- Athlete Certification -- A USASF representative has to certify every athlete in your gym in stunts and tumbling. If an athlete can only safely perform a level 3 tumbling pass, then they are not allowed to compete a pass any higher than that for that season. If a base can only safely base a level 3 stunt, they cannot participate in a stunt at any higher level, and so on and so on. Gymnasts have a very similar certification I believe. They have to compete and score a certain score before they will be allowed by USAG to move on to the next level of gymnastics. Since cheer is a team related sport, you could have lower level athletes on higher teams, they just wouldn't be allowed to do anything they weren't certified to do. Does that make sense?

I remember many discussions taking place about this in past years. Many had different solutions or opinions. This one is my favorite.

 

[TheUltimateFan]

Call me crazy, but this is already "regulated" with deductions. You cannot tell me the coaches and parents don't see the placements and scores and are clueless about why they are in last place. You constantly compare to the other teams in your division.
If I have a team that is a total trainwreck, it may take awhile to make the decision to move down because it's not an easy one. We all have days where nothing will hit, but it might take the parents going and watching the team at competition to see where they stack up. It's much easier to be like "well, we got last at competition and we are not even close to being able to compete. I think it's time to move down." It may be the only way parents understand. Also, gyms that level up the teams to compete higher than they should are not going to last long... It regulates itself (although I know that is not what people want to hear).

I'm wondering if this competition is one where scores aren't announced. I've seen some programs like this that do anything they can to keep parents from discovering just how badly they scored compared to others in their division. These are the same types of programs that rarely compete where the more experienced programs show up.

 

[NEliteSteven]

I just don't understand. You better believe my kid would be out of a gym if they consistently got last place every competition. This sport is way too expensive for that business.

 

[dawgshow]

I just don't understand. You better believe my kid would be out of a gym if they consistently got last place every competition. This sport is way too expensive for that business.

However, if you go to competitions where you are consistently the only one in the division or there are only two teams, an uninformed parent wouldn't know just how bad or dangerous a team is.

 

[Rayne Graff]

I judged choreo against a team like this last season.

They routinely score low so I ended up eventually at the end of the season suggesting that they consider dropping down to a lower level to work on fundamentals to improve performance, ability and confidence. Time will tell if they considered the comment.

 

[cheercurl]

Yesterday at a competition there was a level 4 team out on the floor that will remain nameless. I can't even count the amount of stunts that fell, flyers that face planted, bases and backspots that hit the floor, bad tumble busts and numerous safety issues. The crowd was covering their eyes and literally getting into the fetal position in their chairs watching these athletes hit the floor, hard, over and over, again. By the time the team got to their dance, the whole audience was cheering them on in relief that noone was seriously hurt. This was far beyond any "just having a bad day", these athletes were, obviously, being requested to do stunts and tumbling they just weren't ready for, physically or mentally . Is there ever a point where someone intervenes and tells a gym you have to compete that team at a lower level for the safety of the kids?

Hey I know that team...except they were a level 5!

 

[catlady]

Uninformed parents? I'll take this one.
Moms and Dads, if the audience reacts to your cp's routine like this.....


it means it is time to find a new gym.

 

[DropAndRun]

Athlete Certification -- A USASF representative has to certify every athlete in your gym in stunts and tumbling.

While I think this idea is wonderful in theory, the problem is the expense. Who is going to certify all these athletes and where? Who will pay for it? If you do it individually, that will take some time.. From the gyms that have like 400 kids? I can't even imagine. Conversely, if you certify by team, what will you do for the girl on my daughters team who has her ROBHS perfectly, but my daughter does not yet do hers? Will the other girl be held back by certification do to another teammates inexperience? Gymnastics is different- the children compete individually so there is no need for a separate evaluation.

 

[Callmeboots]

While I think this idea is wonderful in theory, the problem is the expense. Who is going to certify all these athletes and where? Who will pay for it? If you do it individually, that will take some time.. From the gyms that have like 400 kids? I can't even imagine. Conversely, if you certify by team, what will you do for the girl on my daughters team who has her ROBHS perfectly, but my daughter does not yet do hers? Will the other girl be held back by certification do to another teammates inexperience? Gymnastics is different- the children compete individually so there is no need for a separate evaluation.

Other sports do this all the time, time really wouldn't be an issue if it was the standard and was expected.

 

[DropAndRun]

My non-gymnastics/cheer, dance, and horse experience is very limited, so I wouldn't know. I do sometimes see kids way outclassed at horse shows, jumping much higher than they should (usually because parents spend a bajillion dollars to buy them an Olympic quality horse who can babysit them in lower levels) but for the most part, they don't last. Either they crash and burn (literally) or they go to a big name trainer wondering why they aren't winning and then they get sent to the division where they belong. It is not regulated by our national governing body though. If I wanted to take my back yard pony to the olympic trials, nothing is stopping me but the first fence I will never make it over.

 

[stuntjumptumble]

Hey I know that team...except they were a level 5!

Same here, I used to go to a gym that had a level 5 like that! Not pretty. They're level 5 again this year. It's not even like they should go restricted....they should go level 4. It's almost like my senior 3 team trying to be level 5......

 

[Mclovin]

While I think this idea is wonderful in theory, the problem is the expense. Who is going to certify all these athletes and where? Who will pay for it? If you do it individually, that will take some time.. From the gyms that have like 400 kids? I can't even imagine. Conversely, if you certify by team, what will you do for the girl on my daughters team who has her ROBHS perfectly, but my daughter does not yet do hers? Will the other girl be held back by certification do to another teammates inexperience? Gymnastics is different- the children compete individually so there is no need for a separate evaluation.

The girl without the ROBHS would not hold your daughter back. She just wouldn't be allowed to compete level 2 skills until she was certified again, most likely the following year.

 

[Rudags]

Yesterday at a competition there was a level 4 team out on the floor that will remain nameless. I can't even count the amount of stunts that fell, flyers that face planted, bases and backspots that hit the floor, bad tumble busts and numerous safety issues. The crowd was covering their eyes and literally getting into the fetal position in their chairs watching these athletes hit the floor, hard, over and over, again. By the time the team got to their dance, the whole audience was cheering them on in relief that noone was seriously hurt. This was far beyond any "just having a bad day", these athletes were, obviously, being requested to do stunts and tumbling they just weren't ready for, physically or mentally . Is there ever a point where someone intervenes and tells a gym you have to compete that team at a lower level for the safety of the kids?

I was at a competition this weekend and saw a few programs like this. It was down right scary to watch and I almost wanted to go tell them to stop. This one team was in warmups in front of us and was doing level 2 stunts (tick rocks and extensions) They were dropping flyers from extensions to their heads. They were not ready to do extensions year and she in the heck weren't ready to be standing on their opposite leg. Nearly every team from this program took last place and the crowd was gasping and turning away. This gym also had bad sportsmanship, coaches, athletes and parents were rude. To me, it was the worst absolute gym I have met to date. I almost wanted to send the owner an email but Im sure she has enough to worry about with 4ish (Pretty sure it was 4) kids being taken off the mat in a stretcher or by am EMT!

 

[LabbyGirlMOM]

This past weekend I was at a competition where I saw a whole gym like this all of their teams in my opinion needed to probably be taken down a level. As a parent it was really hard for me to watch I cringed every time they took the floor hoping and praying that no one would be seriously injured. I am not really sure what the parents from that gym are thinking I can if it were my child we would not be there any more.