All-Star Varsity Scoring Update: Squad Tumbling - 75% = 100%

[MaineStar234]

My small gym of around 80 full year athletes has been working so hard for full team tumbling. This year on level 4 we had 14 of the 18 throwing standing tuck, standing double bhs to tuck or layout, and running layouts. 3 of the 4 without those skills at least had round off handspring tuck and the fourth had round off double handspring. We scored extremely well in tumbling because of this, so it's upsetting that they would change the rules just for small gyms. We can work just as hard as the big gyms to make it to their level, it just takes a couple years of hard work. Give us the chance to rise to the challenge!

 

[ASCheerMan]

We scored extremely well in tumbling because of this, so it's upsetting that they would change the rules just for small gyms. We can work just as hard as the big gyms to make it to their level, it just takes a couple years of hard work. Give us the chance to rise to the challenge!

Who said anything about changing the rules for (or because of) Small Gyms???

 

[ASCheerMan]

Perhaps, we should be scaling back across the board on the scoresheet instead of continually hammering tumbling. How about only allowing 1 jump sequence max with 3 of your teams best jumps? Or what about no longer requiring a variety of baskets? How about only 1 stunt sequence allowed? Can we please get rid of squad tumbling that forces half the team to tumble twice? That just freed up 4 eight counts of your routine for clean transitions, actually choreography and motions, something we hardly see anymore! It would bring the focus back to execution, while leaving room for the difficulty to be rewarded I understand the concern, but I dont think the solution is addressing the big picture as well as it could.

Actually, what you suggested (capping the number of skills used to configure your score is in the works as well. The only reason we posted the 75% = 100% idea early was because it may affect actual tryouts and selection process. Everything else, including capping skills, affect routine choreography but not really team selection.

 

[TheVipersMom]

Actually, what you suggested (capping the number of skills used to configure your score is in the works as well. The only reason we posted the 75% = 100% idea early was because it may affect actual tryouts and selection process. Everything else, including capping skills, affect routine choreography but not really team selection.

Do you actually agree with this mess like the 75%=100% and the capping of skills?

Or do you have to agree because of who you are and your just posting the info?

I'm not trying to be rude at all.. So please forgive me. It's just rather frustrating.

 

[Rudags]

ASCheerMan - Don't fall off your chair.... I love the new rule. Ive really only ever put my teams together in the past with '75%' which allowed for bigger stunts to be thrown. I had a few Level 2 girls on my Senior 5 team this past year simply because they could hold big stunts up in the air. Thank you so much for catering this rule to me! Now we just have to try to get me to attend Varsity events

 

[ASCheerMan]

Do you actually agree with this mess like the 75%=100% and the capping of skills?

Or do you have to agree because of who you are and your just posting the info?

I'm not trying to be rude at all.. So please forgive me. It's just rather frustrating.

I think a MUCH BIGGER deal is being made about this than is necessary. When all is said and done, Difficulty Score has SO MANY elements considered that the difference between 75% and 100% is negligible.

Judges haven't been penalizing teams for having a few athletes not involved in a sequence and this idea compliments that reality.

Every single coach we ran this buy thought through the idea and LOVED IT. That's why I'm shocked people are reacting so passionately against it. It definitely makes me think we need to review its purpose and implementation.

Part of me wonders if people are upset because they are linking this to the USASF announcement and it feels like things are changing everywhere. I probably shouldn't have posted this here. We could have let coaches know without broadcasting it to the world and avoided some of the anti-varsity drama that continues to linger.

 

[Ceacoach]

So if 3/4s of your team has....lets say....fulls.... and you don't, where does your desire to get one go? I think we just created some lazy athletes.

I think this is beautiful.. And will
Solve so many issues involving the longevity of
Our athletes. Football teams don't require athletes to play all positions equivalently. This allows for "special teamers"
In Allstars to make the team
Of their dreams and allows
For athletes to hone and develop other level 5 contributions to guarantee their position. I think it will allow 8 counts for creativity
That have been so absent in our routines of late. Well done

 

[AScheer]

I agree and don't agree with this. I LOVE that its not so tumbling based. I've always built teams around stunting first anyways, and we've been successful so far. If I went strictly off tumbling then I wouldn't of had 3 of my best flyers last season. I believe I've heard CEA doesn't focus completely on tumbling either, and clearly it works for them.

What I don't like is that 100% and 75% score the same. Even from a coach that has never had 100% tumbling I don't think I should get the same credit for a team that does. I agree with what someone else said make 75% score high, but still leave room to credit the 100% level appropriate tumbling!

And Varsity can avoid the subject all they want but, with the exception of 2 girls, every athlete of mine that has left cheer has been for financial reasons. It would be nice if entry fees & uniforms weren't as high they are. Varsity can devote all this time to changing rules and scoresheets, but why not put some of that effort into lowering your uniform prices or entry fees? The economy has been awful and its still not over. Want to stop losing athletes, fix the costs!

 

[cheerKT]

Interesting points here. I'm curious how this will play out.

I'm perhaps not as completely opposed as I was at the beginning, but you still can't convince me that 100% of tumbling should get scored the same as 75%. More kids on the mat doing the skills should = higher scores (assuming they are landed, clean, etc)

 

[cheerKT]

And let me add I'm probably the first person you should expect to support this. I never progressed above level 3 in tumbling. I would have LOVED the chance to be on a level 5 team. But I didn't have the tumbling, so I was never placed on one.

 

[Ceacoach]

I also believe this is a good step towards making the sport safer in a guaranteed way. Now a coach can choose the prettiest, most consistent passes without having to push that last athlete to throw the skill. It will also cut down on the overall fatigue of the routine.

If a team has 100% skills not all athletes have to throw every skill involved .. A different 3/4 can participate in standing backs than the group that throws hs backs in a level 4 routine. Leaving only 50% that have to throw both in the routine. That is a distinct advantage for a team that does have full squad skills. Can't wait to see the transitions this allows.

 

[Drkilluzionz]

I havent been the biggest fan of what the USASF and Varsity have been dishing out lately but this particular matter I am in favor of.

I think cheerleading has become too compulsory largely due to the emphasis on squad everything. I miss the days when you could do something creative and visually appealing b/c it flowed and kept your routine entertaining not just flip-run-build, flip-run-build.

 

[drewpate]

I'm not surprised by this, but I can say I'm a little dissapointed. I really feel this could hurt participation in level 1, which at all ages I feel is a vital part of our sport. It also removes a huge advantage I have over other teams (at least the ones in my area that I see every weekend). I've already had my teams beat in tumbling at some regional comps (most notably at an NCA event for what it's worth) by teams with sub par difficulty, execution, and quantity. While I chalked that up to poor judging, this will make it worse.

Another thought, it's easier to judge whether a team has full squad than it is 75%. And it's harder to explain to parents why we scored equal to a team we had more skills than.

However ASCheerMan , I can see its merit and it is better than the half plus one that was mentioned in 'that' announcement from the usasf. It will actually help a couple of our teams, and make choreo easier, it just removes a competitive advantage that my teams (already selected) have so I'll be a lil bitter . And it's going to make them have to go HARD in tumbling to set themselves apart, but I'm okay with that lol. (this is all from a medium gym perspective in case it matters. Right around 200)

kingston
Do you think this would this have changed the way some of the rays teams are made being that NCA is your main focus (outside of worlds)

 

[MaineStar234]

Who said anything about changing the rules for (or because of) Small Gyms???

It was just one person, but it still bothered me...my APUSH exam is today so I was really stressed last night and seeing that one post kind of ticked me off, but, yes, I know that its probably not the reason they changed the rules, I just get dramatic and wanted to post my opinion!

 

[hopskipandjump]

It helps my gym, but I also believe if you have the skills and talent, you should be rewarded for it. Cost is probably the reason most children leave all star cheer. And another point I would like to bring up: we should really be making as big a fuss over our level 1-4 teams as we do our level 5 teams. Maybe then, we can relax and enjoy the sport the way it is supposed to be enjoyed instead of feeling pressured to have that level 5 team. Let's face it; you have a level 5 team, you pick up more people. If you have a winning level 5 team, you often own the town.