All-Star Covid-19 / Varsity Response

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5/6 months on from when things started to get really bad with Covid, how are your state's/country's situations now? Are things starting to improve?

I'm no longer involved with cheer but I know in England (not sure about the rest of the UK), cheer gyms started re-opening around the end of July and have had/are having tryouts. Not sure about stunting or competing.

Schools in all UK countries are starting straight back in with face to face/in class teaching (with safety measures). Scotland are back already but England, Northern Ireland and Wales start back in September.

We still aren’t allowed to stunt. Our gym has gone back but I personally won’t return until it’s safer In general. We’re based in Greater Manchester so the spikes there (mainly 18-24) concern me. Our gym has made a fantastic effort to deal with it all, checking temperatures and social distancing markers, but part of me doesn’t trust the younger kids to be around them.


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We still aren’t allowed to stunt. Our gym has gone back but I personally won’t return until it’s safer In general. We’re based in Greater Manchester so the spikes there (mainly 18-24) concern me. Our gym has made a fantastic effort to deal with it all, checking temperatures and social distancing markers, but part of me doesn’t trust the younger kids to be around them.


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Ah I see. Totally understand your reservations. Hopefully those spikes are under control soon and you'll feel able to return soon.
 
5/6 months on from when things started to get really bad with Covid, how are your state's/country's situations now? Are things starting to improve?
Not really. Most college teams who normally start end of July/early August have not started practices yet. No (or none that I know of) camps were held. Many will not be allowed to cheer at football games (and many college divisions have cancelled or "postponed" football anyway). My state will not allow high school football or fall cheer until February which will conflict with allstar in a big way. My state is not allowing stunting and schools and colleges are either going to be completely remote or hybrid with only some in person education. Our governor has mandated no gatherings over 50 people and if you are at home with more than 10 people you have to wear a mask and we have travel restrictions. The state my kids go to college is a bit more open - some allstar gyms are stunting, some schools are having full in person and sports - I think they left it up to each district; no travel restrictions and is more business friendly. It varies greatly depending on where you live.
 
Daughters AS team has choreography starting this week, they can stunt with masks. As a state we we doing great for now. She coaches HS cheer and as of now no football and HS comps being discussed. I do not have high hope for either .....
 
Where I live is pretty wide open. Schools are going back full time in person. I know sports are practicing, but I believe games/comps have been delayed a few weeks. No travel restrictions. The college I went to's football home opener is set, but with no spectators, they do plan on having spectators later in the season (though of course, things could change).
 
Football is happening here, both college and high school, over the objections of the health department. Spectators are very limited (12 foot distancing is required), and high schools are streaming games. Cheer is focusing on competition, as is marching band-they aren't doing games. Many of the school cheer teams are running tryouts now. Even if they were able to do tryouts over the summer, they're often adding members to replace those who are doing virtual school, or who have been pulled from the team due to COVID risk, and just to have more alternates. Similarly, most of the All Star teams have some alternates training with them (who are also on other teams, so an alternate might be on Senior 3 normally, and cross as an alternate to Junior 3, or be on Junior 3 and be an alternate on Junior 2) to substitute in because they assume they will need them.

There have been cases that have turned up in several high school football teams so far. None reported from cheer teams, but that might be just that football gets all the attention.
 
My state is doing very well in COVID(now...we were very bad months ago) numbers and laws about masks/sanitization/etc.

Most schools around here are going back on an A/B day schedules where students will go every other day, the days depending on whether they are an A or a B day student. Masks we be worn all day. There is also a completely remote option. No word yet on school athletics...have been pushed till late September for right now, but we are expecting them to be pushed to January.

As for all star, gyms opened beginning of July. Tumbling ONLY until August, and even now, stunting is limited time during practice and no fancy pyramids or stunts. School cheer sadly still tumbling only. We are taking it one day a time. All star season is definitely more hopeful than school cheer, which makes no sense, but c’est la vie.
 
Not sure what's happening in NY in terms of athletics, but I know CT is trying to decide if HS even HAS fall sports. My mom coaches VB, and the coaches want to push to the Spring Season. Who knows what CIAC decides to do.

Both states are doing VERY well numbers-wise, though. So who knows?
 
Not sure what's happening in NY in terms of athletics, but I know CT is trying to decide if HS even HAS fall sports. My mom coaches VB, and the coaches want to push to the Spring Season. Who knows what CIAC decides to do.

Both states are doing VERY well numbers-wise, though. So who knows?
My daughter coaches HS cheer In CT and is on hold to c what happens!!! Tired of the back and forth!!!
 
We have 0 indoor dining or health/fitness clubs open in NJ so far but they are trying on sports: all Star is allowed to train but I believe stunting/contact has to be outside and masks are to be worn at all times. In terms of school, as of now the NJSISA is allowing outdoor fall sports, though the schedule is shorter for football. So cheer is a go but volleyball and gymnastics are not. Most other club/youth sports leagues are running as normally as they can (lax,soccer etc)

School openings are up to each district so while many are all virtual, some are hybrid A/B as mentioned above. Most schools don’t start until early September so we will see what happens. I expect closures as soon as first cases happen...
 
I'm glad to see the American Academy of Pediatrics is pushing for kids to be back in school this Fall:

“The AAP strongly advocates that all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school.”

The AAP cites "mounting evidence" that transmission of the coronavirus by young children is uncommon, partly because they are less likely to contract it in the first place.

On the other hand, the AAP argues that based on the nation's experience this spring, remote learning is likely to result in severe learning loss and increased social isolation. Social isolation, in turn, can breed serious social, emotional and health issues: "child and adolescent physical or sexual abuse, substance use, depression, and suicidal ideation."

Doctors Call For Reopening Schools Despite Coronavirus Crisis : Coronavirus Live Updates : NPR
Why A.A.P. Guidelines Are Pushing for Schools to Reopen This Fall - The New York Times

What about the children who have parents who are essential workers? They could easily catch it from their parents and unknowingly take it to school. At this point there are so many unanswered questions and conflicting information about the corona virus it’s hard to know what to do. Then flu season starts and that’s a whole different discussion. Things are scary and I for one wouldn’t want to be making these critical decisions.


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Questions and just general musings.

I see that choreo camps and such are starting to happen (evident on the social media.)

1. How is your gym navigating these sorts of camps? Especially if you may not be able to stunt?

2. How comfortable are parents right now with proceeding with camps and choreo type fees not knowing if there will be a season?

3. I wonder how much of the choreo is going to be recycled from last season since it never saw the Worlds or Summit floor? Hard because you do want to innovate, depending on how you scored all season, if it ain't broke don't fix it, amiright? (Most teams do a Worlds upgrade and some weren't even competed so why waste it?)
 
Questions and just general musings.

I see that choreo camps and such are starting to happen (evident on the social media.)

1. How is your gym navigating these sorts of camps? Especially if you may not be able to stunt?

2. How comfortable are parents right now with proceeding with camps and choreo type fees not knowing if there will be a season?

3. I wonder how much of the choreo is going to be recycled from last season since it never saw the Worlds or Summit floor? Hard because you do want to innovate, depending on how you scored all season, if it ain't broke don't fix it, amiright? (Most teams do a Worlds upgrade and some weren't even competed so why waste it?)
We r in middle of first part of Choreo now, 2nd part is after Labor Day ......have to do it....can’t put on hold to c what happens. I am lucky daughter is young adult and pays for it herself.
 
We have full practices and choreo, all in masks the whole time. So far no outbreaks in the gym as far as I know of. We got a comp schedule with “normal” comps including Cheersport.

I’m assuming if some of these comps are not going ahead that we’ll get refunds for comp fees paid.
 
What about the children who have parents who are essential workers? They could easily catch it from their parents and unknowingly take it to school. At this point there are so many unanswered questions and conflicting information about the corona virus it’s hard to know what to do. Then flu season starts and that’s a whole different discussion. Things are scary and I for one wouldn’t want to be making these critical decisions.
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I respect your opinion, and I agree, I wouldn't want to be making these decisions. With that said, I do feel there is a point where you have to look at death percentages, recovery rates and weigh the consequences on mental, physical, and financial well being for many years ahead. I have turned TV off, but I'm paying close attention to the stock market, because money never lies. Right now, Alphabet, Microsoft, Adobe, Facebook, Google,Netflix, Visa, Mastercard, Citigroup, Paypal, etc, etc are doing very well. Obviously that makes sense, we are primarily working, schooling, shopping from home, but what is the incentive for these powerhouses to want us to return to normal? There is none. Corporations and the wealthy are heavily invested in these stocks, they will be fine. Those that will hurt the most from virtual learning will be kids in poverty. The small and medium businesses are on life support. I'm well aware my opinion is not a popular one, but I do believe if these billionaires were losing money, this pandemic would be looking much different.

Meet the 11 US billionaires whose fortunes have grown the most during the pandemic | Markets Insider
 
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