All Star Rec

[Labegg]

How many people involved with true non-profit rec programs are annoyed that all star gyms are now allowed to compete a rec team?

 

[SharkDad]

This is a great question. It seems that the rec division should have specific guidelines such as non-profit organization, volunteer coaches, or under some Rec governing body (speaking of. .I wish there was one).

 

[CGAcheer]

they changed the name to all-star prep now to try to avoid the confusion.
its just a different division with a 2 min time limit for half year teams or limited practice/commitment teams. Still Allstar, but more like Allstar Lite.

Vs.

Actual rec, which to my understanding usually involves cheering for a team as well as competing, which still has their own separate division

 

[eliteathletics]

In order to cheer rec- you have to be able to prove that you cheer for a youth sports team, IF ever questioned. Allstar rec is still 2:30 so Im sure we will be competing against some cheer gyms who drop down thinking they can win. Im planning on giving them a run for their money and make them think twice about cheating.

 

[SharkDad]

Everyone should keep in mind that there are no rules for cheer rec.

1st: there is no Rec Cheer governing body
2d: The USASF still allows EPs to interpret and dicatate their own participation rules rather than force them all to standardize. Just because one EP changes the name to "All Star Prep" and offers a separate Rec division doesn't mean another does.

CGAcheer your definition isn't consistently applied anywhere. I have seen plenty of Competitive Rec Cheer programs that don't support another sport team and are formed only for competition.

 

[munchkinmom]

Rec is all over the board anyway. You get: 1 - teams that focus on sideline and take their halftime routine to comps, 2 - teams that focus on competition, but do sideline, have limited resources and strictly put 5&6 in 6U, 7&8 in 8U, etc. - the age bracketing familiar to most parents when dealing with rec sports, 3 - teams like #2 with better resources (like renting gym space) and kinda divvy up talent (one variation could be: 14U takes 13/14 year olds & all kids with level 3 skills, 10U takes the best kids 10& under with level 2 skills, 12, 8, & 6U take the leftover kids.) they still take all-comers, but do so in a way that makes for some very competitive teams. 4 - teams sponsored by a parks & rec program that are competition only, and have paid staff through parks & rec and provided facilities through parks & rec. and 5 - every combination of these and then infinite other possibilities.

Rec just is. It's supposed to be fun, convenient and a learning environment. Trying to regulate it and exclude people that have an advantage would end up unintentionally excluding people who could legitimately be rec. This is not prestigious, bragging rights are normally local only and at least around here, you can competition shop and find a competition at least once per season for your team to go to and win if saying that you're Champions is important to your program. Losing only hurts as much as the coach makes it hurt. (Look! Our score today was higher than last time! Our tumbling score went up everyone was landing clean- great job! Making 3rd even though the pyramid collapsed today is a great job - excellent jumps today everyone!)

 

[mhzdog]

There is also a good thing about some gyms that choose to get involved with rec competitive cheer. Some allstar teams field non travel rec teams at lower cost and commitment level which allow kids that may otherwise not get the chance to cheer competitively.

 

[Tosh]

I

Everyone should keep in mind that there are no rules for cheer rec.

1st: there is no Rec Cheer governing body
2d: The USASF still allows EPs to interpret and dicatate their own participation rules rather than force them all to standardize. Just because one EP changes the name to "All Star Prep" and offers a separate Rec division doesn't mean another does.

CGAcheer your definition isn't consistently applied anywhere. I have seen plenty of Competitive Rec Cheer programs that don't support another sport team and are formed only for competition.

I'm not sure I would agree with you....completely. Basically, in my experience as a rec coach, the program usually follows the competition guidelines which is either UCA or NCA (all music). So if your Rec program does UCA style cheering, you will want to attend competitions that use a UCA score sheet. My issue is that now you have competitions that does both styles and do not break them out, so you can end up at a competition where you will be competiting against the more All-star type programs....I think it is unfair because for the fact that (though I see some of you already disagree) Rec programs must cheer for a rec sport; ie football. If the program does not cheer for a rec sport such as football or basketball, they really are not a traditional Rec program.

I do find it frustrating when you go to a competition and you feel that you are competing against all-stars team. Our girls practice 2-3 times a week and it includes sideline cheering for football and basketball, so there's a lot less time spent on practicing for competitions, whereas the all-stars team only practice for competition.

I do not like it and I think it is unfair to the traditional Rec programs....JMO

 

[SharkDad]

In other sports there are true delineations between different types of programs for almost every youth sport I know of:

Rec = teams that are non-profit and don't extensively travel. typically low cost
Travel = teams that get higher level technical instruction, typically travel more to get higher-levels of competition. Higher costs
Elite/Premiere leagues = often times kids who are at the top competitive level for their state or region. Top level (often times college coaches) instruction and much higher costs, but national level exposure.

This is typically for team sports, but there are similarities for gymastics and other individual sports like swimming, horseback riding, etc.

Does anyone think cheer needs similar standard definitions?

 

[SharkDad]

Tosh your post illustrates my point. Some programs follow the "cheer for a rec team" guideline, while others have never had that requirement. Some are educated enough to follow a specific UCA and NCA style, while others and go to competitions scoring very well, then have no idea why they score so low at the next one.

The point is that there are no standard guidelines for what Rec cheer is or should be so the "tradional" definition is different for everyone. At some point an organization needs to bring them all together to a common direction.

 

[Oaklyn Cats Senior Pink]

My organization would be considered Elite/Premiere Leagues as SharkDad put it. We have a lot of kids who are involved in all-star cheerleading in our program. I coach the Senior team where I have cheered all-star, rec, high school, and college so I am well aware of the different levels, aspects, and rules. We did however attempt to create a "governing body" for rec but unfortuanetely not all teams in our area were on board. The problem my team in particular runs into often is because many of them are level 5 all star cheerleaders we are more "advanced" than most "rec" teams would be. We find ourselves sometimes "dumbing" down our routines to comepete locally and now even at the national level. I understand where some of the more "traditional" rec teams are concerned that their kids want a fair oppertunity to comepete, but I also believe that those of us rec programs that are more advanced and have the talent and oppertunity should not be held back. I am not against all star programs who drop down to rec level but I am against those who do not consider rec to be a part of the cheerleading world. Our motto is: "all star quality; rec price" the USASF should adapt a rec governing body so we can have the same oppertunitues as all stars do. It would be amazing if all types of rec programs could be recognized and we all could compete at the level we actually are. My team is throwing "fulls" and sometimes go up against a team that have only forward rolls, which is unfair to both teams. My team in particular doesn't cheer for another team but our younger teams do, but even at the younger levels we do not concentrate on "sidelines" we concentrate more on the competitive aspect. So until rec is actually recongized by a higher power we all have to suffer

 

[SharkDad]

Oaklyn Cats Senior Pink out of curiosity is your organization a non-profit?

 

[Oaklyn Cats Senior Pink]

SharkDad yes we are non profit

 

[SharkDad]

hmm, so what in your opinion can be a good descriminator between Rec and "club teams" (aka All Star).

Non-profit? Competitive level? Cheer for another non-travel rec sport?

If the criteria is set right and governed properly there is no reason why your organization has Club Teams and Rec teams regardless of whether they train at a gym or not

 

[Oaklyn Cats Senior Pink]

In my opinion I believe it should be descriminated by your competitive level. Obviously there are other factors that go into determining this but that it just my opinion. Perhaps I mistated but we do not have club teams and rec teams in my organization, we are all considered rec we all cheer for another team however this year our senior team is not.