All-Star Amazing Level 2 Teams?

[5-6-7-8]

Athlete credentialing, and I think someone mentioned that a team must be made up of a majority of "level" athletes (be it 50% plus one, or whatever percentage.) To be honest I haven't thought it all the way through, but something of this nature would let small gyms still have their crossovers, but at least puts a framework in.

In tennis (USTA), there is rating system used for each person. In the beginning, one does a "self rate" and from then on out, the computer determines your rating based on the previous season's win/loss record. You can never play down, but play up as much as you want to. It certainly isn't a perfect system, but it works I think for the majority of players. Their system goes so far as to look at WHO someone played against and how they fared (maybe not unlike the BCS rankings in college football.) Not saying cheer has to go to this extreme, but with something like a "self rate" and making sure a team is comprised of at least a majority (50% +1, 60%, 75%, whatever) of "level" skilled athletes might be a step in the right direction.

Once an athlete is registered and given a unique ID number, a computer could quickly analyze team rosters for anomalies as well. And to prevent "athlete A" being registered, and "athlete B" competing instead, I bring back the shoe tag idea.

Of course this is all good in theory, I get it isn't easy to just flip a switch and start something of this nature. Just thinking out loud (or with my typing fingers I guess.)

 

[PCMegan]

Athlete registration would be a place to start. And then, in consideration of the smaller gym challenges, allow crossovers only one level up or down. Not a perfect solution, but better than what is happening here.

I'm just not sure how it all would work out. It's a topic that could go on for hours and hours. I just can't figure out the progression of athlete registration. Let's see if we can all progressively come up with some steps -

You would:

1. As a gym - register the each athlete to your gym and to _______________ team(s) in your gym.
(Right now the rule states that an athlete can cross up to 2 other teams other than their original team. I personally feel that 2 would be substantial. But that's just me.)

2. ...... ....... ...... what else? This is ALWAYS where I get stuck. Where do you go from there? What is the next step?

 

[5-6-7-8]

I know that everyone focuses on tumbling when talking about leveling down, but for me it's more obvious in stunting and jumps. If you are a level 3 athlete, for example, a level 1 thigh stand or prep-level stunt is a piece of cake, you know? I certainly don't have the solution, but it's frustrating to watch as both a spectator and parent. I hope a solution is on the horizon.

I agree with this. Tumbling is one part. But I think it is definitely more obvious with the stunting, jumps, general timing / sharpness.

 

[CoachTamara]

The thing is just if we're talking about cross overs from one team to the next - that's one thing. If you're compromising a team of level 3,4,5 athletes just to stack and win - are we truly understanding what this competitive industry would come to?

Completely agree.
All the talk is about saving the small gym, but guess what-I AM a small gym and I don't need crossovers to fill every team to the max. I have two crossovers total, and they were needed to fill spots that were lacking. However, I used two kids; not ten. A small gym should not have to use excess crossovers to succeed-if so, they are doing something wrong. If you are a great gym, you cannot tell me you need those level 5 athletes on a level 2 team. "They want a chance to base/fly/be with friends." Really? I highly doubt that one.
Stacking teams is taking complete advantage of the situation. Good for your new jacket, but seriously, give me a break. I'm sad for the other teams that are trying to field true teams in the correct division. This is what hurts small gyms more than any crossover rule ever could.

 

[5-6-7-8]

I'm just not sure how it all would work out. It's a topic that could go on for hours and hours. I just can't figure out the progression of athlete registration. Let's see if we can all progressively come up with some steps -

You would:

1. As a gym - register the each athlete to your gym and to _______________ team(s) in your gym.
(Right now the rule states that an athlete can cross up to 2 other teams other than their original team. I personally feel that 2 would be substantial. But that's just me.)

2. ...... ....... ...... what else? This is ALWAYS where I get stuck. Where do you go from there? What is the next step?

I agree with the "how it would all work out" part...my brain just gets stuck in an endless loop.

 

[PCMegan]

Hmmmm..... more thinking aloud (typing aloud). Feel free to jump in.....

You register an athlete to those team(s), and once they are registered to those 3 teams, they wont be allowed to register for any others. Now, what happens if one of the teams you have in a gym dissolves for whatever reason, (ie: can't be successfully competitive at that level, you split athletes onto higher/lower levels due to either athlete progression or demands that athletes need another year on a lower level... etc.) What if that happens? Do you update an athlete's registration? Is there a time frame you have to do that within? Like before competition season starts? Or can this be an ongoing process. Who moniotrs this? Does this create job oppotunities? (hahahahahahaahaha) Seriously though, if this were the direction things went in - It would definitely have to be an online registration site that you could use. It would have to be available for each gym under USASF with the accessibility of a few accounts (username/password) per gym. You could log in frequently and change your teams/levels/athletes/accounts, etc. Is this even making sense? LOL.

 

[TheUltimateFan]

I'm just not sure how it all would work out. It's a topic that could go on for hours and hours. I just can't figure out the progression of athlete registration. Let's see if we can all progressively come up with some steps -

You would:

1. As a gym - register the each athlete to your gym and to _______________ team(s) in your gym.
(Right now the rule states that an athlete can cross up to 2 other teams other than their original team. I personally feel that 2 would be substantial. But that's just me.)

2. ...... ....... ...... what else? This is ALWAYS where I get stuck. Where do you go from there? What is the next step?

I would start simply by registering each athlete at a specific level (much like gymnastics does). The number of teams they compete on would be a program/personal decision and irrelevant as long as every team that athlete competed on was no greater than one level up or less than one level down from their declared level.

Where I get stuck is wondering how you would manage this for programs that aren't members of USASF. Perhaps the EPs would need to have a hand in this. Then programs adhering to USASF standards could choose to only attend competitions that enforce the policy.

 

[MomOf2ThatsMe]

Hmmmm..... more thinking aloud (typing aloud). Feel free to jump in.....

You register an athlete to those team(s), and once they are registered to those 3 teams, they wont be allowed to register for any others. Now, what happens if one of the teams you have in a gym dissolves for whatever reason, (ie: can't be successfully competitive at that level, you split athletes onto higher/lower levels due to either athlete progression or demands that athletes need another year on a lower level... etc.) What if that happens? Do you update an athlete's registration? Is there a time frame you have to do that within? Like before competition season starts? Or can this be an ongoing process. Who moniotrs this? Does this create job oppotunities? (hahahahahahaahaha) Seriously though, if this were the direction things went in - It would definitely have to be an online registration site that you could use. It would have to be available for each gym under USASF with the accessibility of a few accounts (username/password) per gym. You could log in frequently and change your teams/levels/athletes/accounts, etc. Is this even making sense? LOL.

I would prefer that athletes be registered as a level for the season, and they can go up one level, or down one. That is THREE potential levels for an athlete to compete at. I honestly don't think an athlete should particularly need to be updated as most kids don't jump two complete levels in a year in *every* aspect of the sport- tumbling, jumps, dance, stunts, etc. I would give gyms until... Maybe mid-September to change around their roster and call it done.

 

[PCMegan]

Well if a gym wasn't a USASF gym but wanted to compete at a USASF event they would have to simply follow the rules or else could not compete. But this is obviously a huge change and would be widely known and announced so it's not like you'd show up to an event and be blindsided.

 

[PCMegan]

I agree with the levels. That is a much better way to look at it.

Registered as a level. Would that registered level be dependent on what level team that athlete is competing on or rather the skills you have as an athlete?

 

[RockstarCheer]

I'm am particularly surprised, because RockstarCheer (Scott Foster) owns World Spirit Federation (WSF) a Varsity Brand company. I guess I just expected them to lead by example, see what happens when we guess. Technically there is nothing illegal about the creation of this team, nor its competing at NCA in that division though.

Anyhow, good luck to all teams involved.

I don't know who you are, but you need to stop talking about me publicly or privately, especially if you're going to lie about me. I DO NOT own WSF, and I don't work for WSF. I sold WSF in 2006. So please keep my name out of your posts. The only company I own is Rockstar Cheer.

 

[TheUltimateFan]

Well if a gym wasn't a USASF gym but wanted to compete at a USASF event they would have to simply follow the rules or else could not compete. But this is obviously a huge change and would be widely known and announced so it's not like you'd show up to an event and be blindsided.

So there we go, that issue resolved. Now, on to the next one. The point raised above.

I would think that by making the level declaration happen somewhere after the season starts, as mentioned above, would resolve the issue with athletes who enhance their skills one full level within a single season. They can, afterall, compete one level up. I wonder, how often do coaches see an athlete advance more than one level in a single season? Does it happen?

 

[DJ]

I don't know who you are, but you need to stop talking about me publicly or privately, especially if you're going to lie about me. I DO NOT own WSF, and I don't work for WSF. I sold WSF in 2006. So please keep my name out of your posts. The only company I own is Rockstar Cheer.

Sorry, you go it.

Congrats on your win - good luck in Dallas.

 

[TheUltimateFan]

I agree with the levels. That is a much better way to look at it.

Registered as a level. Would that registered level be dependent on what level team that athlete is competing on or rather the skills you have as an athlete?

Another tough question. What if there is a small gym that can't field a level 5 team? Do they register their level 5 athletes as level 4 (thereby allowing them to compete level 3)? Then we have defeated our own intent.

 

[PCMegan]

Exactly. That's why I was saying register them to the teams they are competing on instead. IDK it's just one huge circle. Which is probably why it hasn't been figured out by now.

The poopy thing is that people are always going to "cheat" somehow.