All-Star Teams Dropping Levels So They Can Win?

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I totally agree with the teams that truly need to drop down because they are doing awful in the level they are currently in. I just cant stand the teams that dont need to drop down, and do so only to get a 1st place title. It happens so much and thats the side thats not fair.
 
I know of a team that has been level 4 all year, dropped to level 3 for NCA and won, and are back at level 4 for the rest of the season. Needless to say I've lost a lot of respect for that program.

I also know of a team that did a similar thing for NCA and I also lost respect. If you drop a level and stay there, it's one thing. But to go back up to the original level you were is something else. Not sure how many would agree with us on this though!
 
I don't feel as strongly about this as some of the posters, I don't think it's fair, but to get this worked up about it is quite pathetic itself. I have seen a few instances where I find this to be okay, for example PCT Cobras from Canada competes SO5 when they are here, they have decent level 5 stunting, and quite a few athletes who full, and overall a lot of jumps to back, but competing in America, they don't stand a chance in SO5, so for Indy they went level 4. I think in cases like this, I understand, not only crossing between countries, but even in the country. If you put your team level 4 with mostly tucks in tumbling, but you can stunt level 4, you are not going to be competitive at NCA or Cheersport against teams that jump, tumble, and stunt all at level 4. If it is a small competition where you are dropping a level simply to guarantee a win, I do not agree with it, but being so harsh on teams that just don't want their spanks handed to them at a large competition like NCA, Cheersport, Indy, etc. is a bit much.
 
This hypothetical team I mentioned in my post above, I was going on the assumption that they were decently successful in level 4 in smaller competitions, but just wouldn't be at one of the bigger competitions, not that they were terrible in level 4 and dropped out of necessity
 
Maybe there's just not enough girls to be the level that some of the girls are able to compete on. This season my team combined our 4.2 and 4 to make a 3 and at times we still struggle, But at practice we build on our 4 and 5 skills for the next season. If there isn't enough girls to say make a decent level 4 team..Why bother losing all the time when you have 6 or 7 other level 3 girls to just make a large 3?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ww43N0Gt9U
 
I don't feel as strongly about this as some of the posters, I don't think it's fair, but to get this worked up about it is quite pathetic itself. I have seen a few instances where I find this to be okay, for example PCT Cobras from Canada competes SO5 when they are here, they have decent level 5 stunting, and quite a few athletes who full, and overall a lot of jumps to back, but competing in America, they don't stand a chance in SO5, so for Indy they went level 4. I think in cases like this, I understand, not only crossing between countries, but even in the country. If you put your team level 4 with mostly tucks in tumbling, but you can stunt level 4, you are not going to be competitive at NCA or Cheersport against teams that jump, tumble, and stunt all at level 4. If it is a small competition where you are dropping a level simply to guarantee a win, I do not agree with it, but being so harsh on teams that just don't want their spanks handed to them at a large competition like NCA, Cheersport, Indy, etc. is a bit much.

This is exactly how I feel about it too! I mean PCT SO5 would have had to compete against top gun, world cup and maryland twisters SO5, and frankly, it was a little ridiculous sounding to me, especially since they started the year as a coed 4 maybe SO5 team. I also know quite a few people that are strong tumblers but weak stunters or vice versa, that are on two teams to build up those stunting skills, while not being bored with the tumbling progressions, which I find to be alright. I'm a little skeptical about saying that when you see a really good team, lets say in level 3, at a competition, that they should go 4. One year I was on a team where this was the case, we were level 3 and went undefeated the entire season. We had full team double toe spring springs and almost full team round off tucks, just because we basically maxed out our level doesn't mean we could go level 4, we had barely any athletes that could standing tuck/running layout. We were just fortunate enough to sweep the year.
 
Just to clarify, I don't think anyone has said teams should push themselves beyond their reasonable level or that teams that have struggled shouldn't drop down - nobody wants to see another team flounder. The issue was successful teams that drop a level to try and assure themselves a win at the big comps.
 
Just to clarify, I don't think anyone has said teams should push themselves beyond their reasonable level or that teams that have struggled shouldn't drop down - nobody wants to see another team flounder. The issue was successful teams that drop a level to try and assure themselves a win at the big comps.

Which is what I hope my post addressed? I can clarify if it doesn't.
 
What ever level the "Level 5" athlete crosses over to, they will still have to abide by that level rules. So it isn't cheating. If they are crossing onto a level 2 team, just because they have a full, you will not see it. You will only see back handsprings and maybe some level 1 into level 2 skills.
 
plus, being in a higher division makes you work harder. if i was placed in the harder division, i would work for the skills i want so i would be more competitive, instead of gliding easily not improving on the level below
 
What ever level the "Level 5" athlete crosses over to, they will still have to abide by that level rules. So it isn't cheating. If they are crossing onto a level 2 team, just because they have a full, you will not see it. You will only see back handsprings and maybe some level 1 into level 2 skills.

The points being made are not that the level 5 athlete would compete level 5 skills, so I don't know where you're getting that from, the point is that teams are using athletes that are not "true" to that level are competing in that level.
when I say true to that level, I mean an athlete who can only tuck, do multiple standing handsprings, and stunt level 3, competing level 3, not an athlete who can double, competing only a single handspring in standing. The sport is more enjoyable for all involved if athletes are surrounded by those at the same skill level as them, this is one of the reasons it is not good to place a level 5 athlete with level 3 athletes, it belittles the athletes on the lower level team and makes them believe they are not good enough to win without the assistance of someone else.
 
Crossing a few athletes down one level is acceptable, but when teams cross almost all of their team to another team, that's absurd! And when level 5 kids are crossing on level 2 and 3 teams, that's plain old cheating to me! JMO though!

My Lvl 5 daughter has been doubling onto our Lvl 3 team on and off all season due to injuries and girls quitting. In no way shape or form to I think that she is cheating. She does RO HS tucks and jumps to handsprings on one team and RO HS Full and Jumps to back on the other. Yes, I don't ever worry that she's not going to land her tuck, but I also don't worry about her not hitting her skills on her level 5 team either.
 
My Lvl 5 daughter has been doubling onto our Lvl 3 team on and off all season due to injuries and girls quitting. In no way shape or form to I think that she is cheating. She does RO HS tucks and jumps to handsprings on one team and RO HS Full and Jumps to back on the other. Yes, I don't ever worry that she's not going to land her tuck, but I also don't worry about her not hitting her skills on her level 5 team either.

I doubt the person means them crossing due to injuries.. if an athlete needs to cross due to injuries, that is a different situation than placing athletes capable of level 5 on level 3 for an advantage
 
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