If you are capable of competing at level 3 or even 4 how is being relegated to only performing level 2 skills not being held back?
I don't see it that way if you are also on a level appropriate team. At a small gym like ours several kids every year cross down a level because it is the only way we can field teams.
But no one said all these kids were cross overs. If they are upper level kids who do big crossover then they are being held back. 
I don't think all of them are crossovers, or that all of them necessarily belong on a level 3 or higher team. I don't feel like the crossovers from level 3 that were mentioned upthread are being held back by doing a level 3 team and a level 2 team. I don't honestly see that scenario as a huge problem, unless it is blatantly being done to stack a team to win. I don't think any of the kids from showstoppers lat year were also on a level 5, unless I am mistaken. Do you really think that a kid's skill development is compromised by helping out on a lower level team while still competing in their level appropriate team?
By helping on a lower team no it is not compromising their development but if L2 is their only team but they are capable of competing L3, 4 or higher then yes I think their development can be compromised.
I would agree with you, but I thought we were discussing those crossing from a level appropriate team.
But not all the kids crossover for whatever reason. In general though if you have kids that last season competed Y2 and now are suddenly on J5 that is a huge jump and makes you wonder a bit. You are talking 3 levels. That seems pretty excessive.
Summit? I know a lot of people say they hate it but, there are plenty of athletes and parents that really want to go.
Btw, there is no denying the gym has talented athletes at all levels. Just look at their last pass and point jumper on Lady Pro this past season. I will bet there are many kids that will be fighting her for those spots this coming season and I am sure they will all be viable candidates. Does not happen if you are weak at the lower levels which is why it kind of surprises me at the possibility of some of these kids moving up having completed on level 2 the previous season. Does that make sense?
I agree that if a huge number make that jump it is excessive and likely because the team was stacked, but I have seem many kids go from having all their level 2 skills but not a tuck to a full and jumps to tuck in a year. More than 1 or 2 kids. All of the show stoppers have all their level 2 skills at a minimum when they start the year. That is clear from what they put on the floor. May of them likely have more than that. I would hope that those with more than that are crossing to a higher level team. It is lowly that some of them don't, and I do think that it holds them back. I can definitely believe that many of them likely gained skills quickly after the start of the season. We had a kid at our gym make the jump from y2 to j4 as a first year cheerleader this year. It isn't a stretch to believe it could have been to R5.
