Cheer Athletics (questions/rumors)

I have a broad question, I think (though might be mistaken) that judges do review video after performances. Could you see a more broad role for video replay in the future, for example reviewing 1,2,3 before finals scores are submitted or for tie breaking purposes etc? It seems as if many other sports have done this that would never have seen likely years ago(mlb for one).

 

There is, I believe, video review of legalities and deductions, but not whole routines. I think with the way they set up the schedule and have some teams within a division competing 5+ hours apart, some type of video review to ensure consistency would be great. I don't know that it will be implemented soon, however.

 

Thank you for answering. I would hope so...I understand it is a balance with expedience, but with video widely available elsewhere online accuracy has to be there.

 

Because of tweets on twitter, is Claw 7 still a tumbling team? I can't picture them going non-tumbling, but I could be wrong.

 

The plan is for them to be essentially in the same division as last year. They do not start until later in the season.

 

Thanks

 

Do you think any of your Worlds teams will incorporate the cheer back into their music? Not necessarily them saying the cheer, but something of a voice over effect, kind of like how Brandon Allstars still does?

 

Coaches have the impression that taking 2 eight counts to do a cheer doesn't leave you with enough time to hit all of the elements you need.

 

The CA Plano Twitter account said that this year’s tryout was the biggest one in the gym’s history. Would you be able to say what was the most highly represented age group there?

 

I noticed that senior 1 was one of the only divisions cheer athletics as a whole does not have. Is this hard to build a team for?

 

The ages look roughly like a normal bell curve with the peak around (USASF-defined) 13 years old. There is, however, a sharp drop-off after athletes graduate HS. Imagine a normal distribution, but with the upper end squashed down after 17.

 

We have had small senior 1 a couple of years and enjoyed those teams, but under our system, this is a tough team to build for. Most athletes join the sport younger and they typically progress into higher levels prior to reaching senior eligibility. Also, the new non-tumbling divisions can absorb some of the athletes who may have otherwise been a good fit for S1.

 

I was surprised to see that CA is now offering independent ownership as part of your expansion initiative. How will you be able to continue to ensure that these new independently owned locations are providing the same quality of service and coaching?

 

The instruction/training of the coaches is still provided by us. We have the same quality control processes for IO gyms as we do for company-owned ones. We now have 3 gyms (Pittsburgh, Charlotte, and Austin) that are independently owned, and they have all grown and thrived being independent. In those cases, having someone local who is deeply invested in the future of that particular gym has led to great results and even more focus on what is best for the long-term health of that program. It also allows cheer professionals even greater opportunity for independence and advancement, if that is important to them.

We will not allow any staff/local owners/etc. we aren't confident in. The look and feel of the gyms is very consistent throughout all of the gyms. The processes/marketing/etc are pretty much identical (retail, policies, payments, etc.). The coaches all go through the same training each year (this year all gyms are doing that together in Texas.) For the most part, the athletes/teams don't really see any difference and the gyms aren't really treated any differently. The internal accounting side is really the only place there is significant difference.