All-Star What Is This Rule Proposal About The Usasf Age Change

[Fierce_Elite]

I heard some things are changing that will effect small gyms and I would like to know what and how

 

[Keep_Believing]

If they raise the required ages to be on teams it hurts small gyms. For example say you are 10 years old and have very strong level 4 skills. Then say they raise the age to be on a senior team to 11. Well, some small gyms may only be able to field a youth 1, a junior 2, and a senior 4. So, parents have a choice do I pay for my kids to be on a level 2 at our small gym or do I switch to a large gym so my CP can be on a team that matches her skill set. A true large gym can easily field a Junior 4 team.

 

[Fierce_Elite]

If they raise the required ages to be on teams it hurts small gyms. For example say you are 10 years old and have very strong level 4 skills. Then say they raise the age to be on a senior team to 11. Well, some small gyms may only be able to field a youth 1, a junior 2, and a senior 4. So, parents have a choice do I pay for my kids to be on a level 2 at our small gym or do I switch to a large gym so my CP can be on a team that matches her skill set. A true large gym can easily field a Junior 4 team.

Oh that really sucks. I hope they do not do this. Small gyms are hard enough to keep up and running. USASF does not think enough about actual business and how this will effect athletics which is why I don't like the federation. But that's just my opinion. Maybe I'm thinking about it the wrong way but it sucks.

 

[Keep_Believing]

Oh that really sucks. I hope they do not do this. Small gyms are hard enough to keep up and running. USASF does not think enough about actual business and how this will effect athletics which is why I don't like the federation. But that's just my opinion. Maybe I'm thinking about it the wrong way but it sucks.

It is good for big gyms, but sad for small gyms.

 

[icame2WERQ]

I mean at this rate the big gyms are buying the small gyms anyway.

I'm sorry but I do not think a 10 year old should be on a senior age team regardless of skill level.

I believe it should be 14+

 

[Keep_Believing]

I mean at this rate the big gyms are buying the small gyms anyway.

I'm sorry but I do not think a 10 year old should be on a senior age team regardless of skill level.

I believe it should be 14+

Respect your opinion, but it makes me sad to think of small gyms disappearing. I know it would be confusing at first, but I wonder if they have ever considered one age set for small gyms and one age set for big gyms.

 

[Keep_Believing]

@tumbleyoda What is your take on changing the age limits?

 

[MZ3]

I'm sorry but I do not think a 10 year old should be on a senior age team regardless of skill level.

I believe it should be 14+

This... No 10 year should be hanging out with Seniors in high school.

Even had a hard time the last two seasons when my CP was 9 and 10 on Junior aged teams with 8th and 9th graders, because there wasn't a level appropriate team in the youth bracket. There's a big difference between a 14 year old and a grade schooler.

We have made the leap to a big gym and now she gets the chance to be on a higher level youth team her last year qualifying as a youth and is really enjoying being one of the oldest on her team.

 

[Helen uk uni cheer]

I mean at this rate the big gyms are buying the small gyms anyway.

I'm sorry but I do not think a 10 year old should be on a senior age team regardless of skill level.

I believe it should be 14+

In the uk we do have the same senior rules as the us apart from no age cap on seniors. Most team go from 13+ for level 1-4 and you have to be 14-15+ anyway to be on a level 5 team and it works very well

 

[Keep_Believing]

Maybe it depends on the gym, my CP who is now 13 was at one time a 9 year old on a senior team (before the previous age change) with 18 years olds. The older girls were very kind and helpful. They treated her like a little sister. They took her under their wings. In addition they knew to keep it PG at practice. Our gym owner had the PG rule and the girls respected that.

 

[amy1k]

Since there are several discussions on this topic, I'm cutting/pasting my comment here from another thread...

Do you think that it's possible that some kids would potentially change gyms if the age was NOT raised? Just playing the devil's advocate a bit. Since typically the 10 year olds on senior teams tend to be flyers, do you think a 15 year old who was grounded due to a new 10 year old flyer might move to a large gym that was better able to put together a true senior-aged team?

Or maybe raising the age would encourage growth in higher level junior-age teams.

 

[Keep_Believing]

Since there are several discussions on this topic, I'm cutting/pasting my comment here from another thread...

Do you think that it's possible that some kids would potentially change gyms if the age was NOT raised? Just playing the devil's advocate a bit. Since typically the 10 year olds on senior teams tend to be flyers, do you think a 15 year old who was grounded due to a new 10 year old flyer might move to a large gym that was better able to put together a true senior-aged team?

Or maybe raising the age would encourage growth in higher level junior-age teams.

I responded on your initial post. No, it would definitely hurt true small gyms.

 

[Keep_Believing]

I mean at this rate the big gyms are buying the small gyms anyway.

I'm sorry but I do not think a 10 year old should be on a senior age team regardless of skill level.

I believe it should be 14+

Sorry, sort of double posting. From watching the 3 videos I got the feeling the goal might be to slowly move the ages for all senior teams to 14 and up (raise it one year every year until it hits the start age for 14?) Since you are part of the Industry is this what you see happening or are my assumptions way off?

 

[NerdMobile]

My daughter is at a small gym. They would love to field a junior 3 team. Unfortunately they have a handful (ie not enough for their own team) of girls who are senior age. Due to numbers they all need to be one team- so senior it is. My cp is the youngest on the team. I would not trade her experience at this small, super positive gym for a larger gym with a million teams and options. The teammates and the coaches are really just too positive- and the impact they have on her life (not just cheer) too incredible to think about a change. The kids are great with her- they truly nurture her. They want their team to be awesome so they work together (even with the littles) to get themselves there. That is a top down philosophy- it comes from the owners. Everyone counts...every contribution matters...and as a TEAM you succeed or fail. The older girls are great- and I have yet to see in appropriate behavior from any of them to ANYONE, let alone the younger girls on the team. The gym does a lot to encourage interaction among all the teams (they have 5 total)- with parties and social events. All the kids know each other's names. The big kids always have a kind word for the younger ones- they might be there for practice at the same time as the younger girls and will come out and tell them something really good they saw the younger girl do....or compliment them on effort. At open gyms you will see the older girls go over to the younger and help them with something they are trying- or even give one of the bigger young girls a chance to fly. It really is a nice overall experience.

We live in a pretty rural area. Driving an hour or more to participate in an already expensive and time consuming sport would be a near impossibility. If age brackets change we may have to take time off from the sport she loves if numbers simply mean a team cannot be fielded. THAT is the reality for a truly small gym.

 

[quitthedrama]

My daughter is at a small gym. They would love to field a junior 3 team. Unfortunately they have a handful (ie not enough for their own team) of girls who are senior age. Due to numbers they all need to be one team- so senior it is. My cp is the youngest on the team. I would not trade her experience at this small, super positive gym for a larger gym with a million teams and options. The teammates and the coaches are really just too positive- and the impact they have on her life (not just cheer) too incredible to think about a change. The kids are great with her- they truly nurture her. They want their team to be awesome so they work together (even with the littles) to get themselves there. That is a top down philosophy- it comes from the owners. Everyone counts...every contribution matters...and as a TEAM you succeed or fail. The older girls are great- and I have yet to see in appropriate behavior from any of them to ANYONE, let alone the younger girls on the team. The gym does a lot to encourage interaction among all the teams (they have 5 total)- with parties and social events. All the kids know each other's names. The big kids always have a kind word for the younger ones- they might be there for practice at the same time as the younger girls and will come out and tell them something really good they saw the younger girl do....or compliment them on effort. At open gyms you will see the older girls go over to the younger and help them with something they are trying- or even give one of the bigger young girls a chance to fly. It really is a nice overall experience.

We live in a pretty rural area. Driving an hour or more to participate in an already expensive and time consuming sport would be a near impossibility. If age brackets change we may have to take time off from the sport she loves if numbers simply mean a team cannot be fielded. THAT is the reality for a truly small gym.

Im not sure how old your CP is but 5 teams is quite a bit for a small gym. It seems like they can accommodate almost everyone on one of their teams.