All-Star Summit Reflections And Recommendations

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Just to be clear. As much as I know me saying this being down the road seems biased but it has nothing to do with it. Worlds and Summit will NEVER change locations. I wish they could or would but from the higher ups Ive spoken to it isn't even close to being an option.

I think people need to look at "big" picture when making decisions.
Example: Athletes should not be allowed go crossover from ICU to Worlds. I feel for the best interest for both this should happen.
-I also know that different weekends will affect families with kids on multiple teams. I do feel however this is the GREAT minority. I feel that for the best interest of the industry it needs to be spaced out.
Addition- athletes should not be allowed to crossover from Worlds to Summit. Yes, it affects a few but what's in the best interest for the WHOLE!? I feel these 3 events should not have any athletes cross between them. ( however technically they are all 3 unrelated couch couch cough gag cough cough hairball).

Edit: "hairball" was for all you satan creature aka cat lovers


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I respectfully disagree. I want kids to want to reach the highest level and if they can go to disney on a level 2 team, why bother going for level 5. its just a sign of the times, more people want without working for it. jmo


I disagree with you. I've cheered for 7 years. overcoming many injuries and many problems and 2 knee surgeries later.. I have faced the fact that I probably will never be on level 5. so I think the summit is a great opportunity, because face it.. no matter how hard some of these kids work they may never be level 5.. so summit is the perfect way to make them still feel apart of the cheer world, because personally.. I never feel like I fit in in the cheer world because I'm level 3.. so knowing there is something to look forward too.. helps all these little kids.


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I have already stated my feelings about this event. While I am warming-up to it more, I still feel that it DEFINITELY needs to be at a different venue. (Granted I'm not the biggest fan of worlds being at WWOS either.) Worlds is supposed to be the best of the best, the highest level teams. I'm sorry but that's not level 1 or even level 4...or restricted 5. As someone stated earlier, there's a ton of other sports (swimming for example) that have athletes who strive to make it to the Olympics. Will they all make it? NO. The Olympics (worlds) is for the best. People have to earn their spot at the Olympics. They don't just take whoever wants to participate. I do like the idea of the Summit, but I also feel that it should not be compared to worlds. Just my opinion.
 
I disagree with you. I've cheered for 7 years. overcoming many injuries and many problems and 2 knee surgeries later.. I have faced the fact that I probably will never be on level 5. so I think the summit is a great opportunity, because face it.. no matter how hard some of these kids work they may never be level 5.. so summit is the perfect way to make them still feel apart of the cheer world, because personally.. I never feel like I fit in in the cheer world because I'm level 3.. so knowing there is something to look forward too.. helps all these little kids.


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I agree with this wholeheartedly. I couldn't have said it better myself. I think the idea that Varsity is looking to make this a "best of the best" of all levels is a step in the right direction. I think it rewards all levels, all stages of the sport-which I am in favor for.
 
I honestly feel this is because it comes AFTER Worlds. Worlds should be the last event. It is in peoples minds that the last thing that is done in the season for cheer should be the hardest to win (Worlds). It does a disservice to all these fantastic lower level athletes by going after because it is going to draw some ire from Worlds athletes. And we can sit her all day and say that isn't how it 'should be', but in reality that is how it is. Fix all that by doing the Summit, ICU, Worlds in that order in a week (well 9 days).
Totally agree and I think it is far more likely as a parent of a lower level younger CP if I was there I would make the following week a vacation and stay and see these amazing World teams that my CP hopes to be someday - more money for Varsity and more money for Disney as well :)
 
Something that I didn't see mentioned is that by having both events in the same place means that costs will be less for the EP and hopefully some of that savings would be passed onto us. I definitely think that Summit should be the week before and Worlds closes out the season.

And I can't imagine how people seem to think that having a separate event for the lower level teams will lessen the thrill of Worlds...Summit would be a taste of that glory, but let's face it...it is not Worlds.

(mind you.. I only have a mini, so my views might change over time)
 
I attended both events and I can tell you that the Summit clearly hurt Worlds this year as far as attendance and overall excitement. I have been coming to Worlds for 5 years and it was very sad for me. Final sessions at Worlds had empty seats. I realized that so many skipped Worlds as a result of competing at the Summit the next weekend. Add to that to the crazy/unclear high priced ticketing at Worlds and the sports premier event was clearly under attended. The Summit seats were also not completely full at any point that I saw. Seeing Worlds competitors also competing on lower level teams at the Summit did not sit well with me either. Until that is changed the Summit will never have the prestige of Worlds or even NCA for me. The Summit needs to take place before Worlds and I hope that change is made going forward.
 
I honestly don't see why it is such a big deal that the Summit is held at WWOS? Cheer competitions are held there year round, but that doesnt make those comps just as prestigious as Worlds. Pop warner nationals are held in the exact same arena that large senior competes in, does that make them just as good? No. Worlds will stay just as prestigious and level 5 will still be a goal to work towards.

I think WWOS is a better place for Summit than Worlds because while the older Worlds athletes enjoy going to disney, the younger athletes will probably enjoy the "disney experience" more. The transportation system at Disney also makes it way easier for parents with younger ones.
 
I attended both events and I can tell you that the Summit clearly hurt Worlds this year as far as attendance and overall excitement. I have been coming to Worlds for 5 years and it was very sad for me. Final sessions at Worlds had empty seats. I realized that so many skipped Worlds as a result of competing at the Summit the next weekend. Add to that to the crazy/unclear high priced ticketing at Worlds and the sports premier event was clearly under attended. The Summit seats were also not completely full at any point that I saw. Seeing Worlds competitors also competing on lower level teams at the Summit did not sit well with me either. Until that is changed the Summit will never have the prestige of Worlds or even NCA for me. The Summit needs to take place before Worlds and I hope that change is made going forward.

The summit had very little to nothing to do with worlds finals attendance and much more to do with them putting the biggest crowd generating finals on Sunday and everyone else on Monday. AND making the crazy pricing structure on Monday. Their goal was to control the over crowding and they seemed to have exceeded it.
 
The summit had very little to nothing to do with worlds finals attendance and much more to do with them putting the biggest crowd generating finals on Sunday and everyone else on Monday. AND making the crazy pricing structure on Monday. Their goal was to control the over crowding and they seemed to have exceeded it.

So many younger and lower level cheerleaders who have in the past attended Worlds clearly did not because of competing at the Summit the next weekend. Worlds finals on Monday was idiotic and is lumped into my comment about the crazy ticketing at Worlds. The Summit was the other big factor taking away from Worlds attendance IMO.
 
I have already stated my feelings about this event. While I am warming-up to it more, I still feel that it DEFINITELY needs to be at a different venue. (Granted I'm not the biggest fan of worlds being at WWOS either.) Worlds is supposed to be the best of the best, the highest level teams. I'm sorry but that's not level 1 or even level 4...or restricted 5. As someone stated earlier, there's a ton of other sports (swimming for example) that have athletes who strive to make it to the Olympics. Will they all make it? NO. The Olympics (worlds) is for the best. People have to earn their spot at the Olympics. They don't just take whoever wants to participate. I do like the idea of the Summit, but I also feel that it should not be compared to worlds. Just my opinion.
But there are tons of swimming leagues. Club (aka allstar) teams that compete and qualify to compete. Not all swimmers make it to the Olympics but they still get to compete. Did you watch the Olympics? There are MANY stories of different countries that will not make it past the 1st qualifying round but the opportunity to compete against the best of the best on the grandest of stages is an accomplishment.


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I was waiting on a mom from our gym to post front view but here is our team that doesn't deserve a chance to showcase their talents at the end of the year in some of your opinion at a Worldslike event and compete against all the other Y2 that had sync tumbling just like them at L2, etc., because that right there usually worked in their favor at most comps, but not at Summit, every Y2 youth looked very similar in skills and ability, clean, etc. And maybe we didn't all post our Summit practicewear here because of straight negativity Summit was receiving from some, plus none of us had been before, what if it was something we all felt duped into attending? It wasn't. But I didn't see a team there that wasn't at least wearing a gym Summit Tshirt from their gym.


And THAT is why The Summit is a necessary competition! Those kids obviously busted their butts all season and deserved the opportunity to compete against other teams with skills and dedication similar to theirs. My CP is a Y1 athlete and only going into her third season (and is rhythmically challenged). Part of the Y1 is my choice to keep her on a team within her age group, since I don't necessarily agree with a 10 year old on a team with 13 year olds because the social levels are so different. All 3 of our gym's teams made it to the finals and it made my CP excited to know that several of her friends were on a winning team and she has something to shoot for that is more realistic than the goal of World 6 or 7 years down the road.
 
I honestly feel this is because it comes AFTER Worlds. Worlds should be the last event. It is in peoples minds that the last thing that is done in the season for cheer should be the hardest to win (Worlds). It does a disservice to all these fantastic lower level athletes by going after because it is going to draw some ire from Worlds athletes. And we can sit her all day and say that isn't how it 'should be', but in reality that is how it is. Fix all that by doing the Summit, ICU, Worlds in that order in a week (well 9 days).


I totally agree! I think this is a fantastic idea and it would most probably solve all the problems we are talking about. It's still annyoing to see how derogatory some of the posts were, but hopefully Varsity thinks about it and considers changing the weekends
 
I attended Summit as one of my two cp was competing. On the plus side, the event was very well done and was a great experience. The kids had an amazing time! I enjoyed watching some truly great performances (as opposed to some mediocre Worlds performances) from teams on all levels.

Things I would change: It needs to occur before Worlds. Worlds should be the end of be season. I would have liked a gold, silver, bronze medal for Day 2 finalists. All teams received a participant medal after their Saturday performance. On Sunday, winners received a commemorative banner that was a smaller version of the banner given to the gym and the ring sizing. Rings would take 6-10 weeks. Second place and below teams received gym banners. Also, it was virtually empty in the audience for the level 5s who competed early each morning. I would put them closer to mid-day or early afternoon. There were great teams there but we didnt have much crowd love.

Also I would have liked some sort of social gathering or meet and greet at the beginning of the weekend. For example, invite all jr and sr 5 restricted teams to meet for a t-shirt/bow/pin/trinket exchange. These are the kids and teams they will compete with and against in the seasons to come and it would provide an opportunity to forge relationships, friendships etc. Something like this on a Friday afternoon or evening. We were headed home long before the celebration party on Sunday night.

With regards to it being held on Disney property, our gym did UCA, had multiple Worlds teams and then the Summit. Many parents never went into a Disney World park. It isn't a requirement. Lots of folks hung out at the pool when it wasn't raining, shopped, movies or did other things. I think on our team of more than 30 kids, only one was extending their stay. Everyone else headed home. It wasn't a vacation but a Cheerleading competition and that is why we were there.
 
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