All-Star Small Gym Divisions

[coach12]

I really dont like this division. It just feels like a cop out to me. I hate to see teams brag how they won when I know they took the easy way out and competed in this division. Even if we were considered small gym, we would not be competing in that division. We are always up for a challenge.
Even though we are a pretty well know gym in our area, we are not that big. We usually have about 100 kids every year. I guess we are not a small gym, but we are no where near a large one. So maybe we should have a medium division??
I think smart coaches and gym owners can compete with anyone as long as they put their kids in the right levels and divisions and have good routines that work the score sheets.

 

[allthatglitters]

Same.. I saw tons of it at Cheersport Nationals. I couldn't help but think that they won because of how little and easy the competition was. It's like a big give-a-way.

 

[CEAlover08]

Same.. I saw tons of it at Cheersport Nationals. I couldn't help but think that they won because of how little and easy the competition was. It's like a big give-a-way.

I've been to competitions that the small gym category is actually more intense than the large gym category.

 

[eliteathletics]

While I understand what you are all saying if you dont live it you probably dont get why its important. It is NO more cheating than if a large gym takes say 36 of their athletes that have say a level 4 tumbling and put them into a level 2 division so that that team can win or at least have a chance. If a team is winning in small gym and also taking grand champs for their level- didnt they just beat large gyms? I have been at many competitions where our small gym teams had more teams to go against than the large gyms, also been combined to compete against large teams. It is a needed division to help small gyms compete and grow into large gyms.

 

[Num1Stunta]

Has anyone managed to remember the fact that high school and college sports have a distinct separation between large and small schools? (i.e. D1, D2, D3) That's literally every other sport, including cheer. I don't see anyone complaining that being a division 2 team at NCA nationals is a "copout" so why is a small gym category a "copout"? These separations exist for a reason.

 

[Num1Stunta]

Has anyone managed to remember the fact that high school and college sports have a distinct separation between large and small schools? (i.e. D1, D2, D3) That's literally every other sport, including cheer. I don't see anyone complaining that being a division 2 team at NCA nationals is a "copout" so why is a small gym category a "copout"? These separations exist for a reason.

 

[coach12]

Has anyone managed to remember the fact that high school and college sports have a distinct separation between large and small schools? (i.e. D1, D2, D3) That's literally every other sport, including cheer. I don't see anyone complaining that being a division 2 team at NCA nationals is a "copout" so why is a small gym category a "copout"? These separations exist for a reason.

I personally think high school & college cheer is a completely different thing than all star cheer. JMO.

 

[CGAcheer]

Has anyone managed to remember the fact that high school and college sports have a distinct separation between large and small schools? (i.e. D1, D2, D3) That's literally every other sport, including cheer. I don't see anyone complaining that being a division 2 team at NCA nationals is a "copout" so why is a small gym category a "copout"? These separations exist for a reason.

The difference is that Allstar has levels, so if you level your teams appropriately then there is no reason that a small gym can't compete with a larger gym.

School based sports don't have levels, so a big schools best 20 out of 5,000 kids might be 20 level 5 kids and the best 20 out of a school with 120 kids might be 15 kids with handsprings 4 with a cartwheel and 1 kid who got lost and happened to walk in on cheer tryouts. or you could take those 20 from the small school and make a level 2 team and have a decent chance against 20 level 2 kids from the giant school

 

[WyldWon]

It seemed to me like she was just preaching about how she had the balls to go against big gyms and wanted a pat on the back. It sort of rubbed me the wrong way.
I know UCA just puts you in small gym whether you ask or not, so it's frustrating when people say others use small gym as a cop out. We were in small gym, and would've been just fine being put in with the large gym division, the more competition the better.

How does the comp company know your a small gym? I know a local gym that has slightly over 100 kids and routinely enters as a small gym when they are not, who monitors this?

 

[tumbleyoda]

The difference is that Allstar has levels, so if you level your teams appropriately then there is no reason that a small gym can't compete with a larger gym.

School based sports don't have levels, so a big schools best 20 out of 5,000 kids might be 20 level 5 kids and the best 20 out of a school with 120 kids might be 15 kids with handsprings 4 with a cartwheel and 1 kid who got lost and happened to walk in on cheer tryouts. or you could take those 20 from the small school and make a level 2 team and have a decent chance against 20 level 2 kids from the giant school

Eliminate gyms being able to crossover and drop cheerleaders 2-3 levels just to beat a local competitior so they have bragging rights or to avoid stronger competition and then get rid of the small gym divisions because it won't be needed. Let true level 2's compete against true level 2's not level 2's competing against 4's and 5's dropped dowm to compete as Level 2 simply because the rules allow it. Just like the rules allow small gym divisions for those that choose to enter it.

 

[NEliteSteven]

The difference is that Allstar has levels, so if you level your teams appropriately then there is no reason that a small gym can't compete with a larger gym.

School based sports don't have levels, so a big schools best 20 out of 5,000 kids might be 20 level 5 kids and the best 20 out of a school with 120 kids might be 15 kids with handsprings 4 with a cartwheel and 1 kid who got lost and happened to walk in on cheer tryouts. or you could take those 20 from the small school and make a level 2 team and have a decent chance against 20 level 2 kids from the giant school

Well, there are divisions based on school size. Then you have your Non Tumbling, Novice, Non Building, etc. I'd say that's similar to levels.

 

[NEliteSteven]

I really dont like this division. It just feels like a cop out to me. I hate to see teams brag how they won when I know they took the easy way out and competed in this division. Even if we were considered small gym, we would not be competing in that division. We are always up for a challenge.
Even though we are a pretty well know gym in our area, we are not that big. We usually have about 100 kids every year. I guess we are not a small gym, but we are no where near a large one. So maybe we should have a medium division??
I think smart coaches and gym owners can compete with anyone as long as they put their kids in the right levels and divisions and have good routines that work the score sheets.

You should go to varsity and watch some small gym levels 3 and 4 from UCA, compared to non small gym. I wouldn't say it's any easier to win. If UCA posted scores, I'm sure it'd be pretty even between the 2 divisions. I'd be just fine if they didn't have small gym, because we'd do just as well. But for you to point the finger and say it's a cop out, and that if you win it doesn't count is ignorant.

 

[CEAlover08]

You should go to varsity and watch some small gym levels 3 and 4 from UCA, compared to non small gym. I wouldn't say it's any easier to win. If UCA posted scores, I'm sure it'd be pretty even between the 2 divisions. I'd be just fine if they didn't have small gym, because we'd do just as well. But for you to point the finger and say it's a cop out, and that if you win it doesn't count is ignorant.

My gym is a small gym and we competed at UCA. Our division was actually harder tha the large gym in some aspects. Also at many other competition we've won grand champs. We've also had the highest score out of the whole competition before.

 

[CEAlover08]

The difference is that Allstar has levels, so if you level your teams appropriately then there is no reason that a small gym can't compete with a larger gym.

School based sports don't have levels, so a big schools best 20 out of 5,000 kids might be 20 level 5 kids and the best 20 out of a school with 120 kids might be 15 kids with handsprings 4 with a cartwheel and 1 kid who got lost and happened to walk in on cheer tryouts. or you could take those 20 from the small school and make a level 2 team and have a decent chance against 20 level 2 kids from the giant school

There still is a need for this division becasue when you have more stunt groups on the mat, you get more points. If teams only had three stunt group (small gym) and they went against a team with 5 stunt groups (large gym) the large gym would get more points becasue they have more groups in the air.

 

[coach12]

You should go to varsity and watch some small gym levels 3 and 4 from UCA, compared to non small gym. I wouldn't say it's any easier to win. If UCA posted scores, I'm sure it'd be pretty even between the 2 divisions. I'd be just fine if they didn't have small gym, because we'd do just as well. But for you to point the finger and say it's a cop out, and that if you win it doesn't count is ignorant.

ok NEVER said it doesnt count. I am probably referring to teams that pick this division purposely because they think its easier. I guess its the same thing as gyms that put their teams in lower divisions to get the win. That is more my problem with this division.
Every year we add more and more divisions. I just feel its getting out of hand. Where does it stop.