2017-18 Usasf Cheer Rules & Age Grid

[littlestALLSTAR]

Personally Yth 5 is just a $ maker for comps. They rarely have a team against them. It is the same as a JR R5 skill wise.


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Tell me about it. This is our fourth year on y5 and the division is virtually non existent.
It's hard to book a flight for an away comp knowing you won't be competing against anyone.

 

[DropAndRun]

Why the venom being spewed at Y5?

We ARE talking about young children here. As the parent of a veteran on a Y5 team (and I can't believe I can say that) I cherish every moment Droplet has left in this division.

Have you ever been the parent of an 8 year old with a full? Maybe you have. Or maybe your child took a more average track. Lots of years in cheer have given me the wisdom to know that ALL paths are ok and wonderful in their own ways and an 8 year old with a full doesn't always a 12 year old on a worlds team make. Conversely, just because your child isn't an 8 year old with a full doesn't mean they can't be a 12 year old on a worlds team if that is what they want. There's something to be said about being with your people and my 11 year olds people are not the worlds kids who throw the same tumbling she does. She is a little girl!

Tumbling came easy for Droplet from the beginning. She worked ferociously to surpass the expectations they had for her at her Russian gymnastics gym that had a small cheer program. She had to perform 835 different versions of perfect back handspring before anyone ever said tuck. She threw her first full there a few years later with those same coaches.

I could go on and on. There's probably no bigger proponent of the Y5 division currently around running their mouth than myself. My now 11 year old is not a flyer. She baaaaaaarely squeaked in to be the shortest J5r base on our team after we lost a few. She just doesn't fit. But she has every restricted specialty to full, standing tumbling to full, etc etc. and has had them for some time.

Because of her size, Y5 is HER home. Youth Elite was the first ever team that ever gave her a true purpose. It's the first team she's ever been just the right size. I cannot express what this team and this division have done for her. It can suck to compete against yourself and it's not the same to take home the jacket when you don't beat anyone to get it. We still treasure every single one though. They are a reminder of how she got here. A reminder of why she stays. A symbol of the sacrifices that come with being an incredibly self driven child who in 6 years of cheer has never looked at me and said "mom, I don't want to go today." She's different than most and that's ok. But in my opinion it's these kids like Droplet that the division was made for and even though we will leave it behind after this year, it would break my heart to see it die.

She's surrounded by 7-11 year olds who tumble at her level. It's incredible. My child didnt have the maturity for this team back then but there are very young children on youth elite with incredibly old souls. It is a magical, once in a lifetime team for these kids and it makes me wish that when those new age grids had come out that they'd given her just one more year as a butterfly.

Not all of us compete under level stunts and tumbling with janky technique and many of these kids grow up to be the very best in the world. Let's not make such statements. If you're ever around when butterflies compete, mine would love to meet you.. skeptic or fan. Id be willing to bet it won't take
long to win you over.

 

[cheermomforever]

Agreed! I've frequently competed against no one in IOC6, doesn't mean it's not worth having (and IO6 is even worse). At least now we have worlds bids to go after, so you're competing for something. Youth 5 has the same thing with Summit.

But Ashley, u have good competition at worlds, would u spend the $$ to go to Worlds if u didn't compete against anyone? That's what happened at summit, 1 team. I am just looking at it as a mom....I never said they r not talented.


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[DropAndRun]

Tell me about it. This is our fourth year on y5 and the division is virtually non existent.
It's hard to book a flight for an away comp knowing you won't be competing against anyone.

But we will see you in Florida atleast!

 

[Ashley]

But Ashley, u have good competition at worlds, would u spend the $$ to go to Worlds if u didn't compete against anyone? That's what happened at summit, 1 team. I am just looking at it as a mom....I never said they r not talented.


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I actually didn't realize there was only one team at summit.

In any case, I've competed level 6 for 10 years, only the last 6 or 7 I've gone to worlds. I competed against no one with no worlds at the end of the season (and no plans to try and go to worlds) plenty of times.

They could kill the division, or they could let the kids perform their skills in a high level division with no teams for a few years until they age up.

 

[DropAndRun]

I actually didn't realize there was only one team at summit.

In any case, I've competed level 6 for 10 years, only the last 6 or 7 I've gone to worlds. I competed against no one with no worlds at the end of the season (and no plans to try and go to worlds) plenty of times.

They could kill the division, or they could let the kids perform their skills in a high level division with no teams for a few years until they age up.

And you.. You are my child's people!

 

[littlestALLSTAR]

But we will see you in Florida atleast!

So excited to see you guys! Missing our friends. XO

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Why the venom being spewed at Y5?

We ARE talking about young children here. As the parent of a veteran on a Y5 team (and I can't believe I can say that) I cherish every moment Droplet has left in this division.

Have you ever been the parent of an 8 year old with a full? Maybe you have. Or maybe your child took a more average track. Lots of years in cheer have given me the wisdom to know that ALL paths are ok and wonderful in their own ways and an 8 year old with a full doesn't always a 12 year old on a worlds team make. Conversely, just because your child isn't an 8 year old with a full doesn't mean they can't be a 12 year old on a worlds team if that is what they want. There's something to be said about being with your people and my 11 year olds people are not the worlds kids who throw the same tumbling she does. She is a little girl!

Tumbling came easy for Droplet from the beginning. She worked ferociously to surpass the expectations they had for her at her Russian gymnastics gym that had a small cheer program. She had to perform 835 different versions of perfect back handspring before anyone ever said tuck. She threw her first full there a few years later with those same coaches.

I could go on and on. There's probably no bigger proponent of the Y5 division currently around running their mouth than myself. My now 11 year old is not a flyer. She baaaaaaarely squeaked in to be the shortest J5r base on our team after we lost a few. She just doesn't fit. But she has every restricted specialty to full, standing tumbling to full, etc etc. and has had them for some time.

Because of her size, Y5 is HER home. Youth Elite was the first ever team that ever gave her a true purpose. It's the first team she's ever been just the right size. I cannot express what this team and this division have done for her. It can suck to compete against yourself and it's not the same to take home the jacket when you don't beat anyone to get it. We still treasure every single one though. They are a reminder of how she got here. A reminder of why she stays. A symbol of the sacrifices that come with being an incredibly self driven child who in 6 years of cheer has never looked at me and said "mom, I don't want to go today." She's different than most and that's ok. But in my opinion it's these kids like Droplet that the division was made for and even though we will leave it behind after this year, it would break my heart to see it die.

She's surrounded by 7-11 year olds who tumble at her level. It's incredible. My child didnt have the maturity for this team back then but there are very young children on youth elite with incredibly old souls. It is a magical, once in a lifetime team for these kids and it makes me wish that when those new age grids had come out that they'd given her just one more year as a butterfly.

Not all of us compete under level stunts and tumbling with janky technique and many of these kids grow up to be the very best in the world. Let's not make such statements. If you're ever around when butterflies compete, mine would love to meet you.. skeptic or fan. Id be willing to bet it won't take
long to win you over.

I definitely cannot knock Y5.

I would rather have those kids on an age-appropriate team with those skills than:

*On a Y2 or Y3 getting bored.
*On J5 or Senior 4/5R when the parent is not comfortable with it due to age range (not everyone wants their 5th or 6th grader on Senior 5R that is high school heavy.)
*On a Senior 2-4 where they may be flying but not being used in other areas. (How many 10/11s do you see who are flying but not being used in other areas?)
*Or on that Senior 5R but not quite keeping up in some areas. Because they may be L5 in stunts but not in jumps, or in tumbling but not basing, etc.)

 

[cheer25mom]

Are the odds of a 6yr with L4 or L5 skills really that high? Some 8yr olds yes, but younger?!? In my area a mini with a tuck would be on a Y3 team. I think for the most part we overstate and draw dramatic conclusions for a reaction. The point I was making wasn't about junior teams. It was in relation to the youth comments and in particular y5. A few comments were about 6yr olds on youth teams with 8-11 yr olds.

No I wasn't just looking for a reaction. It holds true at lower levels as well. I don't understand why an 8 year old should be allowed to do a lay on a y4, but not a s4. The age grid changes hurt small gyms because they cannot retain the kids they train to those levels when they are unable to place them on a level appropriate team.


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[cheer25mom]

Why the venom being spewed at Y5?

We ARE talking about young children here. As the parent of a veteran on a Y5 team (and I can't believe I can say that) I cherish every moment Droplet has left in this division.

Have you ever been the parent of an 8 year old with a full? Maybe you have. Or maybe your child took a more average track. Lots of years in cheer have given me the wisdom to know that ALL paths are ok and wonderful in their own ways and an 8 year old with a full doesn't always a 12 year old on a worlds team make. Conversely, just because your child isn't an 8 year old with a full doesn't mean they can't be a 12 year old on a worlds team if that is what they want. There's something to be said about being with your people and my 11 year olds people are not the worlds kids who throw the same tumbling she does. She is a little girl!

Tumbling came easy for Droplet from the beginning. She worked ferociously to surpass the expectations they had for her at her Russian gymnastics gym that had a small cheer program. She had to perform 835 different versions of perfect back handspring before anyone ever said tuck. She threw her first full there a few years later with those same coaches.

I could go on and on. There's probably no bigger proponent of the Y5 division currently around running their mouth than myself. My now 11 year old is not a flyer. She baaaaaaarely squeaked in to be the shortest J5r base on our team after we lost a few. She just doesn't fit. But she has every restricted specialty to full, standing tumbling to full, etc etc. and has had them for some time.

Because of her size, Y5 is HER home. Youth Elite was the first ever team that ever gave her a true purpose. It's the first team she's ever been just the right size. I cannot express what this team and this division have done for her. It can suck to compete against yourself and it's not the same to take home the jacket when you don't beat anyone to get it. We still treasure every single one though. They are a reminder of how she got here. A reminder of why she stays. A symbol of the sacrifices that come with being an incredibly self driven child who in 6 years of cheer has never looked at me and said "mom, I don't want to go today." She's different than most and that's ok. But in my opinion it's these kids like Droplet that the division was made for and even though we will leave it behind after this year, it would break my heart to see it die.

She's surrounded by 7-11 year olds who tumble at her level. It's incredible. My child didnt have the maturity for this team back then but there are very young children on youth elite with incredibly old souls. It is a magical, once in a lifetime team for these kids and it makes me wish that when those new age grids had come out that they'd given her just one more year as a butterfly.

Not all of us compete under level stunts and tumbling with janky technique and many of these kids grow up to be the very best in the world. Let's not make such statements. If you're ever around when butterflies compete, mine would love to meet you.. skeptic or fan. Id be willing to bet it won't take
long to win you over.

It isnt anything personal against youth 5. The argument was being made that the new age floors were a safety issue. I was just trying to point out that if the USASF truly feels that those skills are unsafe for younger athletes, the age floors do nothing to prevent them from performing them. They just force them to leave their small gyms and seek out larger programs. Which means that small gyms have an even harder time fielding higher level teams.


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[_MRB]

I definitely cannot knock Y5.

I would rather have those kids on an age-appropriate team with those skills than:

*On a Y2 or Y3 getting bored.
*On J5 or Senior 4/5R when the parent is not comfortable with it due to age range (not everyone wants their 5th or 6th grader on Senior 5R that is high school heavy.)
*On a Senior 2-4 where they may be flying but not being used in other areas. (How many 10/11s do you see who are flying but not being used in other areas?)
*Or on that Senior 5R but not quite keeping up in some areas. Because they may be L5 in stunts but not in jumps, or in tumbling but not basing, etc.)

thisssss!
we see too much of this. it hurts that gyms try to field teams that kids barely have the skills for just for the "experience of worlds" or just to "get a bid in this division". why don't you take that L4 team and make then L2 so that they are stronger and have some actual competition. L2 is boring? well... so is watching your lack of skills in L4. don't force it....

 

[KPep]

XS should be an international division for many reasons.

 

[ryanaarontroy]

Open 4 needs to be at summit. It's becoming so popular and I love competing in that division.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Open 4 needs to be at summit. It's becoming so popular and I love competing in that division.

This! You guys will be at NCA right? If so can't wait to compete against someone haha

 

[FamousxMindset]

The bottom age ranges probably did need to happen but a lot of smaller programs (like mine) are going to suffer greatly.