All-Star More Injuries... Are We To Blame

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King

Is all about that bass
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FBOD:LLFB
Dec 4, 2009
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If there are a ton more injuries are we as coaches to blame?
 
If there are a ton more injuries are we as coaches to blame?

Who else would be to blame? It's a combination of coaches/gym owners trying to keep up, and athletes and their parents feeling like they need to be catered to, and threatening to go "to the gym down the street" if they aren't placed on whatever level- but usually level 5. I really prefer the method gymnastics uses which is to be a master of the level before it is competed. Too often on this board I read "she started working tucks, and is on level 3" or "This is her second year and is on level 4". In many cases progression is being thrown out the window in favor of being perceived as successful.
 
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Who else would be to blame? It's a combination of coaches/gym owners trying to keep up, and athletes and their parents feeling like they need to be catered to, and threatening to go "to the gym down the street" if they aren't placed on whatever level- but usually level 5. I really prefer the method gymnastics uses which is to be a master of the level before it is competed. Too often on this board I read "she started working tucks, and is on level 3" or "This is her second year and is on level 4". In many cases progression is being thrown out the window in favor of being perceived as successful.

So, as an antithesis to all our outrage, how do we fix it without restricting the rules?
 
Who else would be to blame? It's a combination of coaches/gym owners trying to keep up, and athletes and their parents feeling like they need to be catered to, and threatening to go "to the gym down the street" if they aren't placed on whatever level- but usually level 5. I really prefer the method gymnastics uses which is to be a master of the level before it is competed. Too often on this board I read "she started working tucks, and is on level 3" or "This is her second year and is on level 4". In many cases progression is being thrown out the window in favor of being perceived as successful.
So, as an antithesis to all our outrage, how do we fix it without restricting the rules?
It takes time to fix the rule. It is more so than ever becoming prevalent that people progress too quickly. This will allow them to think of a well structured regiment to remedy this.
 
So, as an antithesis to all our outrage, how do we fix it without restricting the rules?
More required certifications and classes for coaches to take to make sure they're teaching proper technique. Putting extreme emphasis on using progressions. Maybe gyms that are having a high number of injuries need to be 'evaluated'. I can't stand when gyms will just hire anyone who can tumble and tell them to teach the kids. Higher technique deductions would help too, that way coaches would be forced to teach proper technique.
 
So, as an antithesis to all our outrage, how do we fix it without restricting the rules?

We need to fix ourselves and our expectations for our CHILDREN.

Honestly, I think that USASF should restrict the rules at least for a couple years while they figure out how to get to the root cause of the problems. I do believe coaches should be certified to the level they are coaching for stunting and tumbling. I have said that a million times. For every one coach at Rays, or CA, or wherever that coaches proper progressions, there are 4 coaches at Suzie's allstars that decided to coach allstars after coaching 2 successful seasons for Pop Warner, and don't have any idea how to get that 7 year old on their J3 team to do a proper full down. "Just spin!". Out of an extension of course. They just need to rein in for a bit. Allstar cheerleading was turning into a pure spectacle in the eyes of the public. Conditioning should be emphasized, as should execution.

For every rule that was implemented yesterday I have heard someone complaining on this very board about the problem that the rules were designed to fix. Janky tumbling, unsafe progressions, fetus flyers, hoochie uniforms....
 
More required certifications and classes for coaches to take to make sure they're teaching proper technique. Putting extreme emphasis on using progressions. Maybe gyms that are having a high number of injuries need to be 'evaluated'. I can't stand when gyms will just hire anyone who can tumble and tell them to teach the kids. Higher technique deductions would help too, that way coaches would be forced to teach proper technique.
you're right and thats the root of the problem. Restricting skills is a way to limit injuries now while other measures can be put into effect to really eliminate the problem.
 
i do think the injuries are the workings of all kinds of things, yes you have coaches that have no idea what they are doing, i have seen this done waaaay to often, i also think there is a huge problem with athletes just throwing a skill cause they think they can, you also have kids being told to just do the skill no matter what, AND you also have kids that have had a skill for years go to throw it one day and something fluke happens, is it because of their coaches? no it was a fluke accidents happen, they happen in this sport and many others so what? we need to limit our abilities now, yeah didnt think so either

i think the heart of the problem may be an overall lack of training on the athelte the coaches and the way credentials are awarded, i watched a pen and teller documentary on cheerleading and i remember them even stating something about coach credentialing being to easy and i believed it at the time like i do now. in all reality coaches should have to go to a training session where it successfully shows them how to execute proper techniques be judged and graded on how well they did it

*just my wrattled brain rant :)
 
IMO injuries stem from just a few things:
1. Athletes who think they are ready for a skill and aren't.
2. Athletes who do not know proper technique for basic skills.. tumble or stunt-wise.
3. Coaches who are working their athletes too hard.
4. Coaches who are teaching improper technique.

The reality is that if things are going to be fixed so the problems disappear, something has to go. Restrictions are the only way to get to the root of it. It stinks. If those restrictions don't solve the problem and the same injuries keep happening, I'd expect more restrictions in the future until they can figure out what the heck is wrong.
 
So comes from crazy moms and dads that think there kids ready for the next skill but there really not so the coach teaches them anyways just to get the mom and dad off there backs . . .
 
We need to fix ourselves and our expectations for our CHILDREN.

Honestly, I think that USASF should restrict the rules at least for a couple years while they figure out how to get to the root cause of the problems. I do believe coaches should be certified to the level they are coaching for stunting and tumbling. I have said that a million times. For every one coach at Rays, or CA, or wherever that coaches proper progressions, there are 4 coaches at Suzie's allstars that decided to coach allstars after coaching 2 successful seasons for Pop Warner, and don't have any idea how to get that 7 year old on their J3 team to do a proper full down. "Just spin!". Out of an extension of course. They just need to rein in for a bit. Allstar cheerleading was turning into a pure spectacle in the eyes of the public. Conditioning should be emphasized, as should execution.

For every rule that was implemented yesterday I have heard someone complaining on this very board about the problem that the rules were designed to fix. Janky tumbling, unsafe progressions, fetus flyers, hoochie uniforms....
I think I have a mom crush on you! Very well said.
 
I believe it should be a requirement for gyms to have a Trampoline, rod floor and some type of pit area to help their athletes to learn advanced skills. That will help reduce injuries. Accidents happen in cheerleading and I don't believe it's entirely the coaches fault. But having a safer environment to learn would help reduce injuries I believes, as well as conditioning your athletes more. Use the words "full out/one more time" more at practice
 
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