All-Star Worlds.....to Medal Or Not To Medal, That Is The Question

[MYOD]

Should a team go to Worlds only if they had a good chance to be in top 10?

 

[PghxCheer2]

Not at all. If you're in a division like small senior, Top Ten is still a HUGE deal. Most of the teams that crack top ten could take home a globe on any given Sunday, and they came there with rightfully earned paid bids. Then there's other divisions that have diminished the value of a Top Ten placement trophy because you receive it by default.

In the end it's all up to the parents/coaches/athletes. Would I personally spend 1000s of dollars to attend Worlds more than once if I knew my janky team that can barely keep up a fullup was going to go, compete once, and take 88th place in small senior? No. But I'm pretty competitive so I'm not somebody that's going to be content with the whole "worlds experience" deal. If I'm going to pay that much money to go to a competition, I would at least want to know I had a very reachable goal of being able to compete twice and hit an actual level 5 routine. Then there's plenty of other people that would be completely fine with going, getting the 88th place, and spending quality team time at Disney. It's really in the eye of the "bid-holder" (see what I did there?)

 

[Mcfierceburger]

Of course NEVER GIVE UP!! Even the best teams started at the bottom... GO TEAM GO!

 

[IzzyFierce]

Should a team go to Worlds only if they had a good chance to be in top 10?

As someone whos never been to worlds, and its my dream to go... if my team got a bid, we would go, whether we were going to place well or not. My level 5 team is VERY young. We're senior, but most of us can still compete junior for a good 2 more years. My gym is new so getting a bid would be great, going would be awesome and placing in the top 15 would be unbelievable. And as much as I like to hope and dream that we can do it... you HAVE to be aware of who youre going against and their reputatuion/skill level. :/

 

[tucknduck]

Should a team go to Worlds only if they had a good chance to be in top 10?

Don't the athletes setrtle the score on the floor, not in someone's mind who should be a top 10?

 

[Aussiekat]

Different gyms have different standards, short term goals, long term plans. Some big names won't let teams go unless they earn a paid bid, some lesser known gyms want their kids exposed to the best cheerleading in the world. Sometimes it takes coming last to realise how much more you have to do to come first, especially in areas where your gym may be the big fish in the little pond. I know that I'm going to worlds with no hope of medalling, but the fact that I'm even going is one of the biggest accomplishments of my life. I'm aware that people will probably watch my team and question whether we have the skills or deserve to be on the mat, but only we know the distance we have travelled to be the athletes we are today, and that is what we have chosen to determine our success by. Every competition, every training session, every hit or bust or fight or fall or win or loss is an opportunity to learn how to be better. Being able to stand next to the best athletes in the world and know that I earned my bid to be there, whether I come top ten, or twenty, or don't even rate a mention... well for some kids that's a pretty big life lesson.

 

[12stepCheermom]

As someone whos never been to worlds, and its my dream to go... if my team got a bid, we would go, whether we were going to place well or not. My level 5 team is VERY young. We're senior, but most of us can still compete junior for a good 2 more years. My gym is new so getting a bid would be great, going would be awesome and placing in the top 15 would be unbelievable. And as much as I like to hope and dream that we can do it... you HAVE to be aware of who youre going against and their reputatuion/skill level. :/

You sound like you could be from my gym. Everything you said is right on track with us. Our ages are not young, but the team is. Basically none of our kids have ever competed level 5 and theyve surely never done it together until this year. We got an at large with our first ever level 5 (our gym is only in its third year) but were going!

 

[lakerfantlc]

I think to a certain point every team that qualifies to go to Worlds should go and leave it on the mat..that being said...there are way too many bids given out. I wish it were more difficult to get a bid.....there is such a HUGE divide in some of these divisions between first and 10th or 20th...honestly...there will be SO many teams at Worlds that should have been restricted 5...IMHO...it sometimes makes for a long weekend...:/

 

[Fightz]

I think every team or gym needs to start somewhere... Last year at worlds I was talking to some moms from another gym and they said how the first year their kids went ( all on the same team) they didn't even make it to finals, then the next year they made top ten, and then after that they won the gold! So maybe going and not placing well gives a team motivation...my team went from not making it to finals to making top ten, and now that I am aged out and no longer on that team, I can say that was the best moment of cheer for me ever!

 

[IzzyFierce]

You sound like you could be from my gym. Everything you said is right on track with us. Our ages are not young, but the team is. Basically none of our kids have ever competed level 5 and theyve surely never done it together until this year. We got an at large with our first ever level 5 (our gym is only in its third year) but were going!

We're actually from the same area ;] Aviators is one of my favorite gyms to watch whenever we go to comp. I havent seen your level 5 team, except for once this year, but the level 4 coed team last year was AMAZING.

 

[alexamarysouza]

Should a team go to Worlds only if they had a good chance to be in top 10?

I think it'd be good to go early on just for the experience. Even if you don't place top 10, or even anything high, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger! and every team has to start somewhere!

 

[peytonnmariee]

a little off topic, but i think that bids are passed out for a lot of teams, not earned. i think in order for you to get bid they should have a range of scores you must get. then with those scores it should be split up by at large, partial paid and full paid.

 

[lakerfantlc]

a little off topic, but i think that bids are passed out for a lot of teams, not earned. i think in order for you to get bid they should have a range of scores you must get. then with those scores it should be split up by at large, partial paid and full paid.

I also think they should hand out bids according to size of venue and space etc to run the event..

 

[peytonnmariee]

I also think they should hand out bids according to size of venue and space etc to run the event..

yes, when a competition is giving out 6 bids and 8 teams are going for bids, thats a problem!

 

[lakerfantlc]

yes, when a competition is giving out 6 bids and 8 teams are going for bids, thats a problem!

agree!!!!