All-Star Cover Up Rule, For Those That Have Competed This Season

[newcheerdad]

I'm not necessarily in agreement that it's USASF's role to tell us how to dress our children. I think that if I go to a gym that wears half tops, which is my choice to do, that it's also my choice whether or not to have my child's belly showing in her uniform off the competition floor. Like I said, my choice has always been to cover up while sitting in the stands and walking around, but I feel strongly that should be the parents' decision.

If you are at a USASF-sanctioned competition, I steadfastly believe the USASF has the right to make rules regarding behavior at that competition - not just the 2 1/2 minutes you're on the floor. We can argue the merits of the particular rule, but to me it's completely within the bounds of what I'd expect a sanctioning body to govern.

 

[CheerBank]

If you are at a USASF-sanctioned competition, I steadfastly believe the USASF has the right to make rules regarding behavior at that competition - not just the 2 1/2 minutes you're on the floor. We can argue the merits of the particular rule, but to me it's completely within the bounds of what I'd expect a sanctioning body to govern.

Agreed - I may not like it (or any rule they make for that matter) but if it's their rule and we are going to a USASF competition then so be it. But if it's not going to be enforced as a rule, and "downgraded" to a guideline where everyone is waiting to see what happens if it is not followed and then nothing is done when it is not, what is the point of even putting it out there for gyms to comply with?

 

[CheerBank]

I mean, personally, I always covered up anyways because convention centers can get pretty chilly.. Also, I just don't get how wearing a crop top on the competition floor vs wearing a crop top walking around at the competition is any different. The same people see you. It's not like when you're off the competition floor, all of a sudden, you're walking in front of a bunch of pedophiles and child molesters. I'm not saying I hate the rule, I'm just saying I don't get it.

Let's be real - the child molesters and pedophiles are going to be there whether the kids are walking around in t-shirts over their crop-tops or not. They just may be sitting in the stands though watching the performances more now than they did before.

 

[kisscheer18]

genuine question..
what was the REASON for usasf making this rule? pretty sure it wasnt because they were worried your children would be cold, and if its an issue of showing too much skin than why is it ok for the mat but not for any other time..? Im just confused why out of all the aspects there are to allstar cheerleading.. they want the kids to wear a cover up. explain?

 

[luxerae]

Let's be real - the child molesters and pedophiles are going to be there whether the kids are walking around in t-shirts over their crop-tops or not. They just may be sitting in the stands though watching the performances more now than they did before.

Yeah, that's what I meant, haha. My wording was a little off. Regardless of whether you're on the floor or not, generally the same people are looking at you..

genuine question..
what was the REASON for usasf making this rule? pretty sure it wasnt because they were worried your children would be cold, and if its an issue of showing too much skin than why is it ok for the mat but not for any other time..? Im just confused why out of all the aspects there are to allstar cheerleading.. they want the kids to wear a cover up. explain?

I mean, I guess this is where the new uniform rule for junior teams and below comes in for the upcoming seasons, but still.

 

[NoOneSpecial]

Talk about a new Varsity moneymaker- big teams from gym who embraced these rules having coverups/warmups as flashy and nice as their unis! Can you imagine how much money would start rolling in if World Cup or F5 walked in with some glam coverwear? (I chose those two because both gyms have expressed satisfaction with the guidelines/image rules).

I have not had to purchase anything new to comply with this rule so I don't think this is a money making scheme. Let it be for what it is - image of the sport. Gymnast cover up. Swimmers cover up.

 

[Mom2Cheergirls]

From one perspective, I agree with this. I clearly am a parent, and for me personally, this rule doesn't affect us too much because I always made my CP cover up anyways. I asked this question originally to figure out how team moms and coaches have addressed coming off the competition floor and covering back up. Having my CP put on a t-shirt was my personal choice though, which brings up the flip side of this. I'm not necessarily in agreement that it's USASF's role to tell us how to dress our children. I think that if I go to a gym that wears half tops, which is my choice to do, that it's also my choice whether or not to have my child's belly showing in her uniform off the competition floor. Like I said, my choice has always been to cover up while sitting in the stands and walking around, but I feel strongly that should be the parents' decision.

I agree with parental decision as long as it does not put the child in a precarious position. I am very much in favor of the rule and the future full top rule because I think there are gyms that have crossed the limit and there are parents that go with it and think I don't care as long as my baby looks fierce .... I mean look at Toddlers&Tiaras - a mom dressed her daughter like Julie Roberts character from Pretty Woman - the first scene when she was a hooker. And this was a young child. And mom got what she wanted lots of attention and on the morning shows etc. And their are cheer gyms with that same mentality. So there are gyms with uber tiny tops and parents that feed off the attention their child is getting for wearing that. So while there are many beautiful and nice looking crops the guideline was set in motion to deal with this subset. At what point does a sport step in and say okay cover up your kids you are representing cheerleading and your 6 year old team is dressed like strippers - hence guidelines for those parents and gyms that clearly need them not the majority but the minority that crave the attention, search for the attention, use the attention all at the expense of and then make cheerleading boil down to the general public to that.
But then if they are going to have these guidelines then they need to take steps to make sure they are followed - they can't just say well we made them not our fault gyms don't follow them.

 

[cheerforceone]

i just made a post about this and then seen this....oops.... does anyone know if the belly showing rule applies to open international teams? i kno they said only senior teams....but come on ughhh..... also the bow rule??? grrrr i wanted a huge bow

 

[luxerae]

i just made a post about this and then seen this....oops.... does anyone know if the belly showing rule applies to open international teams? i kno they said only senior teams....but come on ughhh..... also the bow rule??? grrrr i wanted a huge bow

The full top rule is only for junior teams and below and bows are already generally 3" wide.. so I think you will be just fine.

 

[kristenthegreat]

I have not had to purchase anything new to comply with this rule so I don't think this is a money making scheme. Let it be for what it is - image of the sport. Gymnast cover up. Swimmers cover up.

Don't get me wrong- I know 'why' it was created, and am perfectly aware that a shirt is acceptable. But don't be mistaken that they weren't thinking about a potential green paper-lining in it as well. The MOMENT one major team walks out with gorgeous warm ups, it's going to be the hot ticket item to have..cheer isn't just a sport, it's VERY much a business.

 

[Ashley]

genuine question..
what was the REASON for usasf making this rule? pretty sure it wasnt because they were worried your children would be cold, and if its an issue of showing too much skin than why is it ok for the mat but not for any other time..? Im just confused why out of all the aspects there are to allstar cheerleading.. they want the kids to wear a cover up. explain?

I mean, personally, I always covered up anyways because convention centers can get pretty chilly.. Also, I just don't get how wearing a crop top on the competition floor vs wearing a crop top walking around at the competition is any different. The same people see you. It's not like when you're off the competition floor, all of a sudden, you're walking in front of a bunch of pedophiles and child molesters. I'm not saying I hate the rule, I'm just saying I don't get it.

Convention centers are often attached to other buildings, some of the competitions I've been to are attached to malls, etc. You end up seeing a lot of kids running around the mall or the city around the convention center in their itty bitty uniforms that don't cover their bellies, and the USASF is worried about how that makes the sport look.

Gymnasts don't run around their competitions in their leos, they wear a warmup over it until they compete. Same with swimmers. There's a difference between revealing attire for competition purposes and lounging around - which is what a lot of the time at a convention center is at competitions. I don't really know if it's about child molestors/pedophiles so much as the overall image of our sport. I'm not trying to argue it one way or another whether it's good or not or fair or not, but that's my understanding of it.

I hope they don't enforce it because its just gonna be a hassle. I heard that the only EP's that are going to enforce it are the Jamfest events...not sure if this is correct but I hope so. I want to see the unis

Is it really that much of a hassle? Granted I'm an adult and only have to care for myself at competitions but I always wore a t-shirt for as long as I could at competitions, usually yoga pants too. It's usually cold. It was never really an issue for me to change shortly before going to warmups. You already usually have a cheer bag you're stashing somewhere anyway, it's not like you have to find a spot to store your shirt.

 

[NoOneSpecial]

Don't get me wrong- I know 'why' it was created, and am perfectly aware that a shirt is acceptable. But don't be mistaken that they weren't thinking about a potential green paper-lining in it as well. The MOMENT one major team walks out with gorgeous warm ups, it's going to be the hot ticket item to have..cheer isn't just a sport, it's VERY much a business.

And so is all the other competitive sports/private clubs that are out there. Hockey there is a profit, baseball there is a profit and so on. Cheer is not so out of the norm.

 

[DropAndRun]

Ok ok.. I'm going to show my mini mom newbie colors here but I don't see a problem either and my daughter is at a full top gym! I would have been fine with a half top as well but honestly we had our warmup before our uni because my 7 year old, white material, and any kind of food or drink do not belong in the same category. Coming from a competition dance background I think the required full tops may be a little extreme, but lets face it folks, the times they are a changin' and public places aren't what they were in the 80s.

 

[luxerae]

Convention centers are often attached to other buildings, some of the competitions I've been to are attached to malls, etc. You end up seeing a lot of kids running around the mall or the city around the convention center in their itty bitty uniforms that don't cover their bellies, and the USASF is worried about how that makes the sport look.

Gymnasts don't run around their competitions in their leos, they wear a warmup over it until they compete. Same with swimmers. There's a difference between revealing attire for competition purposes and lounging around - which is what a lot of the time at a convention center is at competitions. I don't really know if it's about child molestors/pedophiles so much as the overall image of our sport. I'm not trying to argue it one way or another whether it's good or not or fair or not, but that's my understanding of it.

Earlier somebody had said their opinion on the rule concerning pedophiles and such, so that's where that line came from. I would hope that people cover themselves and their children up outside of the convention center as that's a different story. Inside the convention center, however, it's not. You're surrounded by others in crop tops and shorts or skirts and you have been seen already in a crop top and shorts or a skirt. In no way am I advocating that anybody should go against the rule if it is being enforced by their gym or at their competition, but I'm still not getting how there's a difference and that's in regards to any sport.

 

[MyGirlCheers]

Earlier somebody had said their opinion on the rule concerning pedophiles and such, so that's where that line came from. I would hope that people cover themselves and their children up outside of the convention center as that's a different story. Inside the convention center, however, it's not. You're surrounded by others in crop tops and shorts or skirts and you have been seen already in a crop top and shorts or a skirt. In no way am I advocating that anybody should go against the rule if it is being enforced by their gym or at their competition, but I'm still not getting how there's a difference and that's in regards to any sport.

Plus, the EPs can only influence what happens inside the convention center. Those athletes who have been running around malls and downtown in crop tops will still be doing so despite the new guideline.