All-Star Only Seniors Can Expose Midriff???

[ASCheerMan]

I think they need to go completely one way or the other.. Since people's opinions of what is age appropriate can be TOTALLY different. Either crop tops should be allowed for everyone, or not at all. Making them wear a shirt when not competing is ridiculous. If they can compete in it, they should be able to wear it around the competition right? My gym all wears full tops anyway (I really don't mind it), so it doesn't affect me. But all gyms should have their choice!

The cover up portion of the image policy was an idea we took from the dance culture. Dance is often mentioned when cheer uniform issues arise. It isn't part of an actual policy, but the dance culture is to cover up w/a t-shirt immediately following a performance. They don't run around a venue in scantily clad outfits. And I agree in theory that 'if they can compete in it, they should be able to wear it around a competition.' But the 'icky level' of a 35 year old man watching a team of 20 athletes in a skimpy uniform perform an athletic routine from 50 feet away, where you are separated by the spectators, a stage, and lights is much lower than the icky level of that same 35 year old man standing 3 inches behind one of those athletes in line at the concession stand.

I keep hearing people refer to their children or their gym as 'being punished' for the poor decisions of other programs. We could ALL stand to dial back some things and if the reward/benefit you receive from all star cheer was truly that you got to run around in a half top, then you missed the entire value you were receiving. This isn't punishment at all. And 5 years from now, these emotional outcries of how unfair it is that 13 year old girls are toning down their make up and revealing less skin will be remembered as not nearly the monumental change we anticipated. It will quickly fade away in memory and all star cheer will CONTINUE to be a lot of fun.

 

[MomOf2ThatsMe]

Reading all of this takes me back to the a lot of the same arguments that were had a few years back when the school system here decided to go to uniforms. Everybody was up in arms over it, schools formed committees to try and combat it. That was the year CP started kindergarden. By the time she started 2nd grade, nobody was talking about it anymore. Nobody cared. They all started focusing their energy on test scores and stuff that mattered about two seconds after that first school year started.

Just food for thought.

 

[TheUltimateFan]

I see where you're coming from, but there are several real-world problems with your idea:

1. Define for me what is "revealing" or "inappropriate". What may be inappropriate to event producer X may be perfectly fine for event producer Y. People have different tastes, and different parts of the country have different standards for decorum. The USASF uniform rules create a standard for design that can inform the decisions of gym owners and apparel manufacturers when coming up with concepts for now and the future. There isn't "grey area" or "room for intepretation"..........

Isn't that what USASF just did? Defined what THEY consider to be revealing or inappropriate? Who declared their "standard for design" the one and only definitive answer? It isn't a standard unless the end user/affected group's input is included in the decision. It's just another one-sided edict.

I personally think full tops are ugly. But I also respect the CHOICE of people who like full tops. And the CHOICE of gyms to make the decision to use a full top. And the CHOICE of a parent to refuse to allow their child to wear a crop top. I agree with the previous poster who said that all gyms are being punished for the choices of a few. Punishing everyone instead of the offender is and always has been the lazy man's way out for anyone who doesn't want to bother to make the effort to address the real (root) cause of the problem.

 

[TheUltimateFan]

Breaking News....With the recent success of their uniform mandates, USASF has begun accepting external contract engagements as advisors to advertising agencies.

 

[Coach Troy]

Coach Troy...You ACTUALLY had your business hurt, ie people left, because their kid may have to wear a full length top? Really?

Just trying to be contensious! [/quote]


Did I say that??? Not sure if I did.
Does it CHANGE my look and my buisness...YES
Does the usasf have the right???...I guess I gave it too them when I allowed them to be out "governing body".

My opinion full top uniforms are ugly and if it were up to me I would never subject my daughters to wearing one. If others like them I say great !!!! I am glad you get that choice.
Appropriate restriction could have been found without restricting choice. Bottom line is that the image of a crop top was not fitting with the image of a small group at the top who think showing skin is bad.
I think our effort would have been better used by regulating what was worn before and after the athletes compete rather then thier actual competition uniform.
This "image" nonsense will not hurt my buisness but it is NONSENSE none the less

 

[cheercurl]

Isn't that what USASF just did? Defined what THEY consider to be revealing or inappropriate? Who declared their "standard for design" the one and only definitive answer? It isn't a standard unless the end user/affected group's input is included in the decision. It's just another one-sided edict.

I personally think full tops are ugly. But I also respect the CHOICE of people who like full tops. And the CHOICE of gyms to make the decision to use a full top. And the CHOICE of a parent to refuse to allow their child to wear a crop top. I agree with the previous poster who said that all gyms are being punished for the choices of a few. Punishing everyone instead of the offender is and always has been the lazy man's way out for anyone who doesn't want to bother to make the effort to address the real (root) cause of the problem.

Have I ever told you how much I love you? just sayin...

 

[TheUltimateFan]

Definition of Irony:

USASF SAYS THIS IS ACCEPTABLE

USASF SAYS THIS IS NOT

I'd honestly like to hear the opinions of those offended by crop tops. Do you find the bottoms and position in the first photo offensive or inappropriate? Why? Why not?

Should we lobby to have Capris be the next required uniform component? Or will that not happen until after everyone has purchased the first round of full tops with traditional bottoms and the 'bottom has fallen out of that market' (insert tongue-in-cheek sarcasm smiley)?

 

[Mom2Cheergirls]

Just one question...do you think the gym that claims it is the "fiercest one" would keep that uniform if they risked being disqualified? Do you think they are clueless to the looks and gasps they have gotten putting those tiny little tops on those tiny little girls? Do you not think they would self correct before taking the risk of being penalized. I think they would change their uniforms...because they know they will be deemed inappropriate. You know why? Common sense. They were an excellent example...thank you.

Yes they were an excellent example of why the term appropriate needs to be defined - because clearly they already show that they have so much of it. And this why USASF has stepped in and made specific rules regarding appropriateness just as they have the right to do. That is wonderful that you believe that just using the word appropriate will make all things magically better and everyone will spend hours figuring out just what each EP at each comp will deem appropriate and everyone will know what the EP at their most conservative competition is thinking with the term appropriate. To me that sounds like a Utopian belief. Given that humans do not have the power to mind read and are brought up with a broad spectrum of cultural beliefs and events in their life that develop for them their definition of what is appropriate - to me your idea shows no common sense.

 

[Deleted member 382]

I don't know that I agree with the rule to limit crop tops to seniors, but I don't think that having a vague rule that your uniform should be "appropriate" will be worth the paper it is written on. I do believe that the program that thinks it's the fiercest of them all will continue to wear the tinnie tiny top because they think it IS appropriate. (Or at least I want to believe that adults are not dressing kids in things that they think are inappropriate.)

A vague rule would not be enforced by the majority of EPs because they don't want to drive away customers. If they did want to enforce it, how many judges need to agree your program's look is inappropriate before you get disqualified? One? Two? The entire panel? Is the decision based on how the entire program looks in the uniform, or the handful of kids that are wearing a uniform that are two sizes to small (either because they refuse to buy a new uniform or they were improperly sized)?

If your program's look was deemed inappropriate at competition XYZ, wouldn't you want to discuss why with the judges? Especially if you felt your crop top was completely appropriate and way less reveling than Joe's Allstars that wasn't disqualified? You have now given the judges the power to say you were disqualified simply because we didn't like your "look".

I guess I feel if you are going to have a rule, it is better to have a rule that you can actually enforce and defend your personal decision.

 

[kristenthegreat]

Something to consider about the beach volleyball argument:
The people competing are at least 15/16. I don't even think anyone there is that young- most are in their 20s+. Aka legally adults. So this isn't 8 year old girls competing in bikinis- it's legal adults who can make choices. Also- I saw many a team wearing more covered ensembles for colder meets. As in long sleeves. ETA: I believe the youngest team featured a 19-year old from China. This is her second Olympics, so she competed at 15.

If Jordyn Wieber can do a double twisting double tuck in an outfit that fully covers her back/chest/arms/shoulders/butt (just doesn't cover her legs, but that's a mute point- our argument is about CROP tops, not skirts)- I think you can handle a layout in a full top. Trust me, you're not gonna die. A crop top ain't gonna help you if your tumbling is jank.

 

[dawgshow]

A crop top ain't gonna help you if your tumbling is jank.

OMG! That's my new motto

 

[cheercurl]

This argument isn't about....tumbling easier in a crop or dealing with it. It's simply about about choice. I think deciding that a gym owner can not distinguish what is appropriate is a pretty insulting statement...not sure why more aren't upset about it.

The message I hear from this rule is: You are all idiots and obviously don't know what appropriate is because look at those few dumb bozo's who put that tiny black and pink uniform on the floor. So you are all just going to do it my way...doesn't matter that you weren't the one. You are all going to pay for their mistakes.

This will pass and settle down. Everyone will forget why the crop top issue was such a big deal but know that every time you give up your voice and your choice there is a ripple effect. This handing over free choice will come up again and again. This or other decisions will be up for discussion in a few years. Maybe it will be about NO makeup or maybe it will be only 18 and over can wear a crop top or only white sneakers or whatever else they decide is in the best interest of cheer. I can't just say Okey Dokey...and if you can't understand that then we will never see eye to eye.

I am not asking anyone to reject the USASF ruling....it's a done deal. My hope is that people can see that there was an alternative. It would have put the burden on those who were making poor choices instead of penalizing an entire community. Why is this such a hard concept for others to acknowledge?

I guess I was raised to question the "why" and not blindly follow because "they" said so...I am paying for it cause my children were raised that way too.

I am going to try and not comment on this issue. I don't think I have anything else that would add to my point of view. If this makes no sense to you then we are never ever going to come to an agreement any way.

 

[TheUltimateFan]

.
.......This will pass and settle down. Everyone will forget why the crop top issue was such a big deal but know that every time you give up your voice and your choice there is a ripple effect. This handing over free choice will come up again and again. This or other decisions will be up for discussion in a few years. Maybe it will be about NO makeup or maybe it will be only 18 and over can wear a crop top or only white sneakers or whatever else they decide is in the best interest of cheer. I can't just say Okey Dokey...and if you can't understand that then we will never see eye to eye.

I am not asking anyone to reject the USASF ruling....it's a done deal. My hope is that people can see that there was an alternative. It would have put the burden on those who were making poor choices instead of penalizing an entire community. Why is this such a hard concept for others to acknowledge? .......

You SO nailed this!!! People, look around you. Look outside of cheer. Look how much control you have given up in other areas of your life, just because we all sat around like sheep and accepted it. Prayer in schools, gone. Pledging allegiance to YOUR flag, gone. Laws still getting passed where the public VOTE was 80%+ OPPOSED.

Extreme examples, yes. But the WAY this evolved is the same as what is happening here, in this relatively insignificant situation.

Go ahead USASF, the door has opened and nobody is gonna slam it shut. You know people will b***tch and moan over each of your upcoming dictates, but nobody will really do anything to stop you.

 

[cheercurl]

You SO nailed this!!! People, look around you. Look outside of cheer. Look how much control you have given up in other areas of your life, just because we all sat around like sheep and accepted it. Prayer in schools, gone. Pledging allegiance to YOUR flag, gone. Laws still getting passed where the public VOTE was 80%+ OPPOSED.

Extreme examples, yes. But the WAY this evolved is the same as what is happening here, in this relatively insignificant situation.

Go ahead USASF, the door has opened and nobody is gonna slam it shut. You know people will b***tch and moan over each of your upcoming dictates, but nobody will really do anything to stop you.

I really want a sheep emoticon!!!!!! Who can we get on this ASAP! LOL

 

[Coach Troy]

Finally !!!!
Pharaoh ....." Let my people go!!!"