All-Star Save Youth 5

[cheermommaRN]

I would hate to see this division go completely. I think Elaine was the one who said currently there are 10 Y5 teams in the country and less the half are TRUE level 5, the rest are more close to 4. I understand that CEA has a thriving Y5 but how fun is it to compete against WC...every competition...or have no competition at all until you get to NCA?
I think by restricting this division it will allow more gyms to take a crack at it. Gyms out there that have a youth 4 team with a handful of fulls that would never dream of going 5 because they feel they would get clobbered by "the big dogs". If we leave it the way it is what happens to the division in say 5 years? Will it still be the same 10 gyms?
And I definitely don't agree with the idea that the decisions made during this voting cycle will change the sport forever. Heck they changed the age guidelines and now are trying to change them back...lol.
And yes, holding these kids back will only help them perfect their skills, anyone can get better. Everyone asked "how can Spirit be that clean this early?" because they live by this philosophy, everything must be perfect down to the toe point before you move on. Large limited does 5 back walkovers every tumbling practice and then has to line up just like Jr 2 to prove themselves. If it's not perfect they do it again. I once thought they were crazy, now I drink the purple koolaid...

 

[King]

I think I voted to enslave youth 5.

 

[Mrs.CheerExtreme]

Many people say that there are not many youth aged kids who have a full or double full for that matter and because there aren't that many people in this division that it shouldn't be there anymore, but think about these youth kids for a moment who DO have these skills. How many hours have they spent in the gym to get these skills when they could've been playing with barbies like their classmates? Have you ever seen a youth 5 kid who lands their full for the first time at competition? Have you seen the smile on their face, that chest stuck out in pride? Its moving. It reminds you why you love the sport. But youth 5 is not just for those youth kids wtih fulls and doubles. Not every gym has a youth 4 team and in order to help these kids grow they are often put on youth 5. I have seen youth 4 kids go to Kernersville in May for youth elite and in October at the showcase they are a completely different child. They still may not be throwing that full, but they have learned to base or fly at an elite level. Their jumps have gotten better, they can dance without looking like a flopping spaghetti (not that there aren't youth kids who can dance), but once again its that pride that makes the difference. Not only have they grown as an athlete, but their confidence has grown. They realized that their coaches and parents believe in them. They get to be a part of something that is greater than themselves. They know that they should have a full to be on a L5 team, and the fact that they didn't have it and still made it is a HUGE confidence booster. Not only that but the true youth 5 kids who have punch through to whip double double give these kids something to aspire too. Having other amazing athletes on their teams makes them want to be like those other kids. They want to be the last tumbling pass on youth 5, they want to be the center or front row of jumps or the dance or stunt sequence so they work harder than probably ANY other athlete in the gym to achieve that. No, their not self-centered they just want to be better than they already are. All of this leads to a gigantic growth as as athlete in these kids. I really wish all of you will one day see a youth 5 kid like this is May at try-outs and then watch them at the last competition of the season. You will be absolutely amazed at the difference. Youth 5 isn't just about 10 year olds with double fulls its also about those 10 year olds who will one day have a double full.

 

[Ashay]

I vote restricted youth 5

 

[CharlotteASMom]

Last one... I hate to think that a young girl is competing a double full and winning major national championships on a level five team when they are youth aged, and then have ALL of juniors and seniors with VERY little too look forward too... I recognize that there is a certain level of prestige being on an older team and there is obviously worlds, but it's hard for some people to get really excited about doing the exact same thing for 8 years... JMO

Amen!

 

[cheermommaRN]

I think I voted to enslave youth 5.

Use the centrifical force of their double fulls to power a small town maybe?

 

[BubbleToes]

I don't know if I buy this "nothing to look forward to" stuff. If you're out just for the win of a national championship, why aren't all these young athletes giving up now? ANY aged kid can get burned out, but I don't think the winning of a national championship, or Worlds for that matter EVER becomes boring. If they love the sport, they will continue to want to thrive and win those competitions.

 

[kristenthegreat]

If something NEEDS to be done to keep it, restrict it. If that means these kids have the extra time to perfect their fulls, stunts, and pyramids, fine. Prettier youth 5s means prettier junior 5, which means prettier senior 5s. And MORE of them, now that they've got the training ground..

 

[twinmom]

I don't know if I buy this "nothing to look forward to" stuff. If you're out just for the win of a national championship, why aren't all these young athletes giving up now? ANY aged kid can get burned out, but I don't think the winning of a national championship, or Worlds for that matter EVER becomes boring. If they love the sport, they will continue to want to thrive and win those competitions.

I agree with this! I would like to know how many of the kids who have worlds rings on Shooting Stars, Senior Elite, Stingray Orange, were also on Twinkles, Youth Elite and Stingray Youth 5. I would guess quite a few! Youth 5 must have been doing something right all these years to produce athletes of this calibur!

 

[Cheerfan1234]

My problem with Youth Level 5 is that most of the teams I've seen look like sloppy messes....It's great to watch fetuses throw double fulls, but what is being overlooked are the fundamentals...motions, jumps, body positions....I can't say I have ever really enjoyed watching this division, but I do agree that it has a place in our industry..Restrictions need to made in tumbling so we can keep YL5 while allowing these athletes to mature and progress in ALL areas of cheer.

 

[CAmom]

I think Roger from Stingrays actually made the best point. Although he has a strong program and did not want to get rid of Y5, he did want to restrict it. His argument was that so many of these kids actually move up from lvl 3 teams. Restricting the division allows them to learn not only level 5 tumbling, but basing and flying skills at a more natural progression.

 

[ufomom]

I hate it when people call kids "fetuses". Peanut at least sounds cute. Carry on.

 

[King]

I hate it when people call kids "fetuses". Peanut at least sounds cute. Carry on.

Yet no one cares I wish to enslave them. Weird.

 

[ufomom]

 

[BubbleToes]

The term "fetus" really doesn't apply when you're talking about Youth, does it???????