All-Star Is It Ok To Mark An Entire Routine In Competition?

[cupieqt]

alright so i decided i shall add in my 2 cents on the matter, last season my team was having difficulties getting ready for our first competition of the year (bit of a different story but still) our routine had constantly been having issues with timing people quitting and placements as well as how we were able to hit certain skills our whole team wanted to just forget about the competition because we felt we were not ready as a group to perform but considering we'd already paid the fees and travel expenses to compete in ohio our coaches decided not to cancel we went and performed and our routine was a mess to say the least but our coaches couldnt be happier we tried as hard as we could to put our routine out there for people to see so we could get feedback from judges on what to fix and how to clean it up before any of the other teams in ontario that would be in our division (competition was in october first one in our area was late november) this gave us that boost we needed to compete all the new girls to the gym got the feel for the crowd we got a feel as to what it would be like to compete together, and honestly i have never been happier with how things went i think competitons that have no pressure on them by the coaches to do well only end up helping the team in the long run yeah it sucks to pay to go to a competition and not see your child run full completely but this gives them a chance to feel better about the team and routine as a whole plus in this case i would much rather mark or be a mess at a competition that doesnt matter and save the 'game face' or whatever for when it counts

That was the longest sentence I have ever read in my entire life.

 

[ssccxnce]

That was the longest sentence I have ever read in my entire life.

yeah me and wrods dont got to get her so goodly
lol im an art major not english

 

[nlow]

Ok, this is where I become the most unpopular person on the board: This is one of the reasons why our "sport" will never be considered a "real sport". To go to a competition which is the equivalent of a game in other sports and not compete is totally absurd. I have never seen a football team show up to a game and claim we were all parting over the weekend so lets not put on pads and play touch ball instead of tackle. Competitions are scheduled months ahead of time so to say it was too soon after the christmas break is not an excuse. I'm sure they knew it would be close to the end of the break when it was scheduled. Other sports play on, before and after christmas. The whole point of a COMPETITION is to COMPETE!!!!! If you want to practice that is what your gym is for pure and simple. Even for people to say that it would have been better for a L5 team to do a L3 routine is sad. They are L5 for a reason and if their routine is unsafe to perform then they should have a L5 routine that can be done safely. When a team/athlete show up to a competition/game you are expected to perform/play to the best of your abilities if this cannot be done then you withdraw. For example Serena Williams injured withdraws from Brisbane and if she is not up to snuff I'm sure she will not show up at Australian Open and go on the court without her rackets and half-azz it. I'm not stating this to come at UA or any other team but just stating something that should be the obvious, and no number of new rules or regulations can ever cover the fact that if we want our sport to be treated and respected as a sport we have to treat it as so. Don't get me wrong, I think cheerleaders are some of the most fearless, fiercest athletes ever. They take a licking and keep on ticking and have nothing left to give because it was all left out on the COMPETITION FLOOR so please please please I beg you do not shortstop or cheapen this SPORT with bs excuses for shortcomings.

 

[SharkDad]

The problem with this thread isn't that there is discussion going on or that the UA name was thrown out. It's that people are going beyond being opinionated and are actually being flat out judgmental.

We are all qualified to say "I don't like that UA teams marked parts of their routines"

NONE OF US (unless we are UA coaches or athletes) have the right to say "marking part of the routines is wrong" or "that is a waste of time" After all who are you to judge if it's right or wrong?????

For parents who say "I would never let my kid do that" I have seen LOTS of parents make this statement behind viewing room wall, but completely change their statement when they actually face the situation or coach.

Is It Ok To Mark An Entire Routine In Competition?

@rmp99 I'll answer your question: YES. It is ok all day long. Some people may not like it, but if a coach earns a Worlds bid, makes the finals and then has his/her team mark the routine, then it is their decision and I will respect them for it. I WON'T ridicule them, call them stupid, ninny-heads, or tell them they are wrong. If I think they are wrong I will keep it to myself and then show the world my opinion by earning the right to go to worlds with my team and then doing it my way.

Last thought:

Dare I say it, dare I call out another gyms name in this thread, I dare I dare...........FAMOUS.

nlow you should never post about things don't know that facts of. You'll get called out a majority of the time. Don't be surprised

 

[nateairnj]

I think it's absolutely OK to mark an entire routine at competition. Everyone seems to be looking at it from the audience perspective - and not the coaching perspective. If they just got back from break and they are going to a LARGE national in a week or two following the event - go for it "EXHIBITION!" Which is what is sounds like they did.

You have to know that back in the day in Miami - teams would only compete with half routines or 2:00 ALL MUSIC All-star routines because their routines simply weren't finished. We have all seen CA go out and do their 1.5 or 2 - 8 count dances at competitions, even stingrays marked elements at competitions this season.

It was probably a chance for the coaches to analyze changes they have made in the routine on a larger scale....get feedback from judges about the routine, the choreography & different elements. It's also a way to have their L5 kids there to support the rest of the program, instead of them just not doing anything.

I'll just say this - I've worked with COA for many years and if they weren't all dressed alike, wearing the same shoes and going full out - I imagine they only paid a small fee to have those kids on the floor ($5 per athlete) of if they had enough other teams - probably just did an exhibition free!

 

[CALIGIRLzz]

Ok, this is where I become the most unpopular person on the board: This is one of the reasons why our "sport" will never be considered a "real sport". To go to a competition which is the equivalent of a game in other sports and not compete is totally absurd. I have never seen a football team show up to a game and claim we were all parting over the weekend so lets not put on pads and play touch ball instead of tackle. Competitions are scheduled months ahead of time so to say it was too soon after the christmas break is not an excuse. I'm sure they knew it would be close to the end of the break when it was scheduled. Other sports play on, before and after christmas. The whole point of a COMPETITION is to COMPETE!!!!! If you want to practice that is what your gym is for pure and simple. Even for people to say that it would have been better for a L5 team to do a L3 routine is sad. They are L5 for a reason and if their routine is unsafe to perform then they should have a L5 routine that can be done safely. When a team/athlete show up to a competition/game you are expected to perform/play to the best of your abilities if this cannot be done then you withdraw. For example Serena Williams injured withdraws from Brisbane and if she is not up to snuff I'm sure she will not show up at Australian Open and go on the court without her rackets and half-azz it. I'm not stating this to come at UA or any other team but just stating something that should be the obvious, and no number of new rules or regulations can ever cover the fact that if we want our sport to be treated and respected as a sport we have to treat it as so. Don't get me wrong, I think cheerleaders are some of the most fearless, fiercest athletes ever. They take a licking and keep on ticking and have nothing left to give because it was all left out on the COMPETITION FLOOR so please please please I beg you do not shortstop or cheapen this SPORT with bs excuses for shortcomings.

So football teams who have clinched a playoff spot don't put in their 2nd string to save their Players from getting hurt? Come on.

 

[acheer]

If you cant go full out you're not ready for competition. Personally just dont see the point!

 

[CALIGIRLzz]

Maybe, combining the other performances where people were marking, it FELT like 50%-90% of the routine was marked. I know, for me personally, that after a competition, I tend to blend things together..so I might have thought that it was a lot more of the routine because I was combining stuff together. I might have thought..I dunno, CEA had like 20 whip doubles because I was combining all of their teams into one big mental mess. I also find that people either remember the very beginning or the very end. 10 minutes after watching that video, my brain only remembered the confusion of seeing them mark stuff at the beginning, and that's what it held onto. I do that sometimes

But yeah, I find it awkward to watch somebody mark a routine at a competition. I know you might have already paid the comp fees, but you didn't pay the spectator/parking/food/beverage/etc fees, which could have been spared. I appreciate them not wanting to go crazy with a routine the week before a big comp, but I might have skipped putting something like this on the schedule in the first place knowing that we're NEVER as ready after a break as we'd all like to think lol. As a performer, I also know sometimes I don't put as much effort into a routine when I mark stuff. It's not intentional, but I'm not going through the whole performance and it unintentionally can suffer. What's done is done though..

I agree, it was disappointing not seeing a full routine. I was especially disappointed not seeing J5 go. I have been impatiently waiting to see all their changes. I didn't even understand it until I spoke with a friend who's children are on the team.

Ok so other gyms were disappointed because they don't go to SuperNatl's, I get that. However we as a gym we are not solely there to put on a show for other gyms.

If the parents are ok with spending the money for parking and admission, why should anyone else care?

Pay for the Majors this weekend and see a marked routine, then you have something to talk about.

Let's also not forget the kids who cross compete. The three level 5's went back to back. How would you feel if your child had ZERO time between performances? I am pretty sure most comps allow at least 15 mins between.

Not our fault other level 5 teams pulled out at the last minute.

So to answer the question, yes it's absolutely ok to mark parts of a routine or an entire routine if the coaches see fit. Will it cause complete chaos on this board, of corse it will.

And to the original poster, really the team was out of uniform?? I sat on the floor for all 3 teams and didn't notice anything. But I guess that's what happens when you're not hating and trying to find every flaw on the floor. Imagine what would be said if they had thrown the routine and tanked.

Good luck to all teams competing this weekend! It's going to be a great weekend.
out.

 

[Fab4lvr]

I was at the same COA competition. One of UA's level 5 teams went full out I think their restricted 5. The Large Co-Ed 5 did everything but jumps and standing tumbling. I was impressed with their stunts. I am not getting where you are saying they marked 90 percent? But I have seen teams in the past from various gyms mark certain aspects of their routines for whatever reasons. I do not know the reasons so I do not feel I should judge.

 

[Fab4lvr]

One other note I saw a great deal of level 5 tumbling on senior teams. Not sure where you are getting that only one little girl tumbled.

 

[nlow]

So football teams who have clinched a playoff spot don't put in their 2nd string to save their Players from getting hurt? Come on.

I'm assuming you mean sit the 1st string and yes this is done but you had best to believe that the people on the field is going full out, they are not playing flag football.

SharkDad I don't mind getting called out, I'm a big girl and can take it. If none of the athletes from Famous went to the J5 team ok and if some did that's ok too.

And I guess when I go to the Majors and if a team there decides to mark some aspects of their routine then their coaches will have a valid reason too.

 

[CatFan22]

Ok, this is where I become the most unpopular person on the board: This is one of the reasons why our "sport" will never be considered a "real sport". To go to a competition which is the equivalent of a game in other sports and not compete is totally absurd. I have never seen a football team show up to a game and claim we were all parting over the weekend so lets not put on pads and play touch ball instead of tackle. Competitions are scheduled months ahead of time so to say it was too soon after the christmas break is not an excuse. I'm sure they knew it would be close to the end of the break when it was scheduled. Other sports play on, before and after christmas. The whole point of a COMPETITION is to COMPETE!!!!!

Yes, but if the football team's opponent pulled out of the game and they had no one to compete against, there wouldn't even be a game. AGAIN, the other Level 5 teams pulled out of this competition, so they weren't competing against anyone....it was essentially an EXHIBITION.

 

[ultimatealexa1]

Okay so from the perspective of someone who competed on one of the teams that marked part of their routine...
Personally I think this was the BEST decision for my team. We just got back from break and made some changes to our routine .. This competition for me was a confidence booster for next weekend in Indy! We went out there and the parts that we had changed in the routine we did! The changes in the running tumbling, pyramid, and stunts were competed full out. If you want to see the routine full out then we will see you Indy!

 

[kristenthegreat]

...How can you build confidence in a routine if you don't actually DO the whole routine? I mean- I get that. I get going to a smaller competition in between big ones to A) Save money B) Work out kinks in new stuff you're doing..etc. But I'm not gonna be confident that I can hit my whole routine if I don't actually do it. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned lol. I also understand doing an exhibition type routine more towards the beginning of the season. I understand one or two stunt groups marking or somebody marking tumbling, particularly if there are injuries/fill-ins. I dunno, it just seems silly to me. That goes for all programs. If you're not going to be ready for a competition, why bother going? Now, I've seen some level 5s exhibition before, and they did the whole routine. Maybe not pushing hardcore for skills, but they were still hitting skills in their level (Starlites and I believe Odyssey came to a comp at Atlantic City and did their routines the year I did allstar).

It IS your routine, your gym, and your coaches decision. But just because you make a decision doesn't mean people don't get to question it. I do, however, find it an absolutely fascinating discussion. It helps having it be about an actual gym, because then we're getting REAL responses, and not somebody just hypothetically playing devils advocate for the fun of it.

 

[SharkDad]

Even with an event like the Majors, I don't see why anyone feels entitled to whatever level of routine a team puts out?

They don't sign contracts with us to ensure the performance is worthy of our judgement. Teams compete or prepare for future competitions any way they feel is best. Our place is just to support them no matter what. That's cheerleading.

If you can't be supportive of teams because they don't fit your idea of preparation, uniform, or competition, perhaps you are the problem. (this is a blanket, rhetorical statement, not directed at anyone)