All-Star Worlds 2014: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

[FA_pinknation]

Controlling the drinking is not as hard as you think
We brought 5 teams/125 athletes to worlds ranging from 12-30 years old.
Our rules were clear for monday night
under 18: 1:30am curfew , no drinking
18-20: 3am curfew, no drinking
21+: 3am curfew, moderation accepted
When we handed out block party bracelets we collected everyone's park hopper. If you were caught breaking the rules we destroyed your park hopper (no parks on Tuesday). If you followed the rules you could pick up your park hopper the next morning before heading to Disney.
Out of 125 athletes, about 90% got their park hoppers back and no one got it confiscated for excessive drinking. Did some drinking fly under our radar? Probably. But with strict rules it kept athletes controlled and discreet and scared most enough to resist temptation.

Even though the drinking age where we live is 18, our athletes were very understanding of these rules and most valued their reputation/spot on next year's team much more than one night of partying.

 

[CheerRehab]

The funniest part of all these post to me is that the people I see drinking the most at Worlds, NCA, Cheersport and every other national competition is the parents. I flew to NCA with a team of parents that were completely trashed by the time we landed in Dallas. I have literally watched parents walk around the competition with Starbucks cups filled with booze and every bar within a 20 mile radius, hotel bars, and lobbies are filled with drinking parents. Drunk parents has become a huge part of what I expect to see at national competitions. If I see it, I'm sure the athletes do as well, and maybe, like me, they have gotten the notion that drinking is a part of the whole All Star Nationals experience. I think that if we want to have a huge influence on drinking at worlds we should start with us. Yes I realize we are grown and it s legal but I think its far fetched to say this desire to drink at worlds is implanted by other athletes.

ETA: This was not towards @mecheermom but to everyone posting regarding alcohol

The difference is that while the parents are present, they aren't there to compete. It's a shame that some parents need to get bombed to attend but the reality is that they are by themselves. They are not on the team. They might embarrass the gym if they're wearing a shirt with their kids team on it, but they are not athletes. They did not commit themselves to perform at their highest level. For the kids- It's a cheer competition, not a rave. If you're not there to work hard and be a committed part of the team, you shouldn't have signed up in the first place. You're at the competition to work. Party on your own time. A competition is the gym's time.


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[GreenStormLucy]

If the blue v black CA / black vs blue CA jokes don't start in the next 5 comments then the entirety of the fierceboard is clearly still cruising the strugglebus.

That's what I was waiting for.


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Oh, i started this in the "A well known athletes switches gyms thread" - guess my worlds hangover is - over.

 

[Klynn641]

not that it should be disney's responsibility... but i do not understand why they don't crack down on it? especially if their security/police are present and supervising that nothing gets out of control. if they're blatantly drinking in public, ask for ID. if they're really 21 no big deal. if they aren't, give them an underage drinking ticket or put them in like disney jail until a parent or adult chaperone they are with comes and gets them (and parents notified.) i think we'd see change happen real quick if there were real consequences. otherwise, it will continue until tragedy strikes, and i don't want to see that happen.


my high school team one year was all about being drunk and doing drugs. since it was school sponsored, our baggage had to be dropped off at school and the coaches/principals went through it and then sealed it with a zip tie until we got to the airport (and we left from school together, so no one was going home and adding stuff and buying a new zip tie.) but yet a whole lot of drugs and alcohol still got to disney. i won't share the crazy ways how, since i'll probably give some crazy kids ideas, but it was EXTREME. there was also a separate group of parents who purchased their kids a case of beer once down there. they were caught and allowed to compete, but suspended when we returned to school and not allowed to walk at graduation. the entire program is no longer allowed to leave the state. see, real consequences make change happen.

If the kids went to Disney jail and then had to remain there until they got released to their coaches that might help out the situation. The last thing the coaches want is the humility of spending their whole evening (especially if celebrating a win) getting their athletes released to them. Then the coaches would be responsible for the athletes behavior the remainder of the trip. If the coach was scheduled to depart prior to the athlete departing then they would have to transfer responsibility for the athlete to another adult staying at the resort. If nothing else the drinking would take place far more discreetly than happens currently. Personally I feel it would reduce the partying significantly. Handled in this manner police would not be involved, tickets issued, court appearances etc. And, there would not be anything permanently indicated on the athletes police record as a result of their behavior.


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[omgitssydthekid]

I saw the scores in semis, there was no tie. This is still a mystery . As is what "technical difficulties" made KC Cheer compete again in finals.

I am not affiliated with Kc Cheer but we are from the same area and I know many athletes and parents. From what I heard, there were music issues during their routine. I believe it was during stunts but I am not certain. And the dead spring in the floor but I'm not sure if that was part of why they got to go again.



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[jcheermom]

The difference is that while the parents are present, they aren't there to compete. It's a shame that some parents need to get bombed to attend but the reality is that they are by themselves. They are not on the team. They might embarrass the gym if they're wearing a shirt with their kids team on it, but they are not athletes. They did not commit themselves to perform at their highest level. For the kids- It's a cheer competition, not a rave. If you're not there to work hard and be a committed part of the team, you shouldn't have signed up in the first place. You're at the competition to work. Party on your own time. A competition is the gym's time.


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I agree. Parents can enjoy themselves and have fun, and even have a few drinks, but it is inappropriate to get trashed at these events. You are there to support your team and most of the time your CP, so please keep it classy. By all means, have fun, but don't embarrass yourself, your gym, and most of all your CP. You are under no obligation, in that, as a parent, you are not there to compete, but you are under a moral obligation to present yourself and your gym with dignity and not create a bad reputation for your gym when you are loud, obnoxious, rude, and embarrassing.
For the athletes, once they are on their own time and competition time is over, there are appropriate ways to let off steam and celebrate. I think some gyms lay down the rules, guidelines and consequences, while others don't, and the same goes for the athlete's parents. Pushing their limits seems to be the trend nowadays.


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[Official OWECheer]

I can't be the only one who feels this way...

 

[just_kay_today]

The good: (these are in no particular order, just listed)

1. Bangkok
2. Seeing the Large Coed division hit team after team! Such an awesome division!
3. IAG and IOC Divisions were amazing!
4. My friends, and CP's friends winning rings. I'm happy for them!

The great:

1. Coed Elite hitting Zero Deductions for Amy!
2. Seeing my CP's face as she skipped out onto the Worlds stage, representing CEA Kernersville, for the final time, as a Senior. She was thrilled and honored to wear the Xman (Thanks Coach Sarah)!

• Finally, the greatest part of 2014 Worlds was getting to spend time with my CP, and good friends as my adventures in Teal came to a close. I watched so many great routines, got so many sweaty hugs. I laughed out loud and I cried. No matter what places my daughter or her friends'/gym mates took; whether they globed or did not; whether they hit or did not; the best part of Worlds was seeing her with them, and how happy they all were doing what they love!

 

[Official OWECheer]

Gorgeous, this must be Wildcats.


I am still dying of laughter from this.


YES. I wish every point dancer were this fierce. Being tall makes this 10x harder for me lol.

 

[Cheeranswers]

I am still dying of laughter from this.

omg no. at worlds i saw SO many people "trying" stunts on the grass. its all fun and games until they drop the person, which i saw every.single.time. i get that this one was funny, but he could have been seriously hurt. i watched people try to coed stunt on the grass and he dropped her pretty much straight on her head. this is sooo dangerous!!

ETA: sorry, not directed at you, just remembered after seeing this vine

 

[UCFKnights07]

did anyone ever find large senior score breakdowns, from day 1 and day 2?

 

[Cheeranswers]

did anyone ever find large senior score breakdowns, from day 1 and day 2?

day 1:

 

[UCFKnights07]

day 1:

has one from finals ever surfaced?

 

[Official OWECheer]

omg no. at worlds i saw SO many people "trying" stunts on the grass. its all fun and games until they drop the person, which i saw every.single.time. i get that this one was funny, but he could have been seriously hurt. i watched people try to coed stunt on the grass and he dropped her pretty much straight on her head. this is sooo dangerous!!

ETA: sorry, not directed at you, just remembered after seeing this vine

It's all good! But yeah, I totally get what you're saying.

 

[Helen uk uni cheer]

For people who competed at Worlds from international teams, how long did it take you to get used to the time change while in Florida?

I know a someone from the uk who competed in icu for england and for unity black and they left a week before icu worlds began. I think it was to get used to the time change and climate but most likely it was cheap