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

[kristenthegreat]

Gymnasts do have long wait periods in between warming up and competing. So I imagine it helps to have something warm covering your legs/arms (depending on if your leo had sleeves) in between your warmup and when you actually got on the apparatus. I also notice they're not always in full warm-up either. First thing they put on is pants..then sometimes the jacket. They also show a bit more leg than we do..and I know when I was younger it made me uncomfortable having that little coverage.

I suppose it helps with the image, but I wouldn't be shocked if it's just a general temp thing as well. Most of those places are FREEZING.

 

[KikiD22]

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.

This is the part that bugs me more than anything. If it is truly about representation of our sport, then the full top rule should be in effect now. I'll use Indy as an example, since all the hotels and the mall are attached to the convention center. I see numerous cheerleaders running around the mall there in just their uniforms, putting it all out there. Personally, like I said before, my CP is covered up, especially outside of the gym/competitions. However, there are lots that aren't, and USASF can't do one thing about it once you step outside of that convention center. Inside a competition venue, everyone is pretty much there for the same purpose and understands the uniforms. Outside though, that's when the general public gets a peek into our world, and I cringe when I see a group of half-naked teenagers running around the mall in Indy and wonder what people must think of allstar cheer.

 

[kristenthegreat]

This is the part that bugs me more than anything. If it is truly about representation of our sport, then the full top rule should be in effect now. I'll use Indy as an example, since all the hotels and the mall are attached to the convention center. I see numerous cheerleaders running around the mall there in just their uniforms, putting it all out there. Personally, like I said before, my CP is covered up, especially outside of the gym/competitions. However, there are lots that aren't, and USASF can't do one thing about it once you step outside of that convention center. Inside a competition venue, everyone is pretty much there for the same purpose and understands the uniforms. Outside though, that's when the general public gets a peek into our world, and I cringe when I see a group of half-naked teenagers running around the mall in Indy and wonder what people must think of allstar cheer.

This. This. One thousand times this.

 

[NoOneSpecial]

This is the part that bugs me more than anything. If it is truly about representation of our sport, then the full top rule should be in effect now. I'll use Indy as an example, since all the hotels and the mall are attached to the convention center. I see numerous cheerleaders running around the mall there in just their uniforms, putting it all out there. Personally, like I said before, my CP is covered up, especially outside of the gym/competitions. However, there are lots that aren't, and USASF can't do one thing about it once you step outside of that convention center. Inside a competition venue, everyone is pretty much there for the same purpose and understands the uniforms. Outside though, that's when the general public gets a peek into our world, and I cringe when I see a group of half-naked teenagers running around the mall in Indy and wonder what people must think of allstar cheer.

And I am sure if you are a gym that is following the guide that will he reduced as well. We are there representing the sport/gym the whole weekend and I am sure the team will be told to be covered up all times even when outside the venue.

 

[Ashley]

This is the part that bugs me more than anything. If it is truly about representation of our sport, then the full top rule should be in effect now. I'll use Indy as an example, since all the hotels and the mall are attached to the convention center. I see numerous cheerleaders running around the mall there in just their uniforms, putting it all out there. Personally, like I said before, my CP is covered up, especially outside of the gym/competitions. However, there are lots that aren't, and USASF can't do one thing about it once you step outside of that convention center. Inside a competition venue, everyone is pretty much there for the same purpose and understands the uniforms. Outside though, that's when the general public gets a peek into our world, and I cringe when I see a group of half-naked teenagers running around the mall in Indy and wonder what people must think of allstar cheer.

The USASF put a timeline on the full top rule to not stick and team with the burden of having to buy a brand new uniform if they just bought one. I agree with them in that sense, and it's probably easier to get gyms to agree that way.

And you're right, the USASF can't stop anything outside of its doors, but hopefully, if the kids have their t-shirts on inside, they won't take them off the second they step outside.

 

[CheerBank]

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.

My cp is 12 and she still wears a tshirt or warm up jacket for that very same reason! Once they've competed I'm not as insane about it but before? Cover up that uniform!

 

[eliteathletics]

This is the part that bugs me more than anything. If it is truly about representation of our sport, then the full top rule should be in effect now. I'll use Indy as an example, since all the hotels and the mall are attached to the convention center. I see numerous cheerleaders running around the mall there in just their uniforms, putting it all out there. Personally, like I said before, my CP is covered up, especially outside of the gym/competitions. However, there are lots that aren't, and USASF can't do one thing about it once you step outside of that convention center. Inside a competition venue, everyone is pretty much there for the same purpose and understands the uniforms. Outside though, that's when the general public gets a peek into our world, and I cringe when I see a group of half-naked teenagers running around the mall in Indy and wonder what people must think of allstar cheer.

While I agree that there is a time and place for everything- Im not so sure our uniforms are any LESS material than I see the majority of girls wearing in a mall. Also I do not think having to be covered up inside a convention center is going to keep certain kids covered up outside of the convention centers especially if they are all hot and sweaty from competing and have to now add a layer over their uniforms. I see many kids going outside to cool off.

 

[CAmamakat]

Ok... I'm somewhat shocked at some of these comments. We preach "real sport", "athletes", "take us seriously" but yet some want our kids to walk around in uni with no cover up?... Really?!! Or better yet..pj pants, uggs, with UNi top?? Umm no! I can go on forever about this..
Uniforms are supposed to be seen on the mat when competing and when waiting for awards & pics.
You will never see a CA athlete walking around before they compete without their shirt (designated by team rep) over their UNi top with black shorts/black warm up pants on. You will also never see one of our athletes walk in without their cheer shoes on. This is policy. It is required and not an option.
Your athletes represent your program and why wouldn't you want them to look professional and uniform when they walk in & around the competition.
I love the rule and hope that everyone respects it.

 

[Cheetahmom]

Biggest pet peeve is them walking around with skirt unzipped!!! We are not training our kids to become strippers!

 

[Ashley]

While I agree that there is a time and place for everything- Im not so sure our uniforms are any LESS material than I see the majority of girls wearing in a mall. Also I do not think having to be covered up inside a convention center is going to keep certain kids covered up outside of the convention centers especially if they are all hot and sweaty from competing and have to now add a layer over their uniforms. I see many kids going outside to cool off.

And how do you view those young ladies where less material than a cheer uniform? Probably not positively.

 

[CAmamakat]

Oh and let me address where they put their cover up items while at warm ups and while competing ..A backpack. Everyone athlete at CA either has a CA backpack or a team backpack. If the team is a Tiny or mini, the team rep, I'm sure, can carry a rolling bag to put these in for the little ones....

 

[Cheetahmom]

Perception is 90% and what you do is 10%. We need to do everything we can to legitimize this as a sport because our kids work to hard to constantly hear that cheer isn't a sport. If it means covering up so they look like athletes instead of pageant queens then do it people!

 

[CatFan22]

Ok... I'm somewhat shocked at some of these comments. We preach "real sport", "athletes", "take us seriously" but yet some want our kids to walk around in uni with no cover up?... Really?!! Or better yet..pj pants, uggs, with UNi top?? Umm no! I can go on forever about this..
Uniforms are supposed to be seen on the mat when competing and when waiting for awards & pics.
You will never see a CA athlete walking around before they compete without their shirt (designated by team rep) over their UNi top with black shorts/black warm up pants on. You will also never see one of our athletes walk in without their cheer shoes on. This is policy. It is required and not an option.
Your athletes represent your program and why wouldn't you want them to look professional and uniform when they walk in & around the competition.
I love the rule and hope that everyone respects it.

I agree with this 100%!

 

[CAmamakat]

I agree with this 100%!

Thank you!! Perception is everything!

 

[KikiD22]

Ok... I'm somewhat shocked at some of these comments. We preach "real sport", "athletes", "take us seriously" but yet some want our kids to walk around in uni with no cover up?... Really?!! Or better yet..pj pants, uggs, with UNi top?? Umm no! I can go on forever about this..
Uniforms are supposed to be seen on the mat when competing and when waiting for awards & pics.
You will never see a CA athlete walking around before they compete without their shirt (designated by team rep) over their UNi top with black shorts/black warm up pants on. You will also never see one of our athletes walk in without their cheer shoes on. This is policy. It is required and not an option.
Your athletes represent your program and why wouldn't you want them to look professional and uniform when they walk in & around the competition.
I love the rule and hope that everyone respects it.

I want one thing to be clear. I don't disagree with the rule in and of itself. That's not what I'm questioning in any way. I keep my kid covered up off the mat, and I feel that is appropriate, especially at her young age. I will comply with this rule, our program is complying with this rule, and I don't really have a problem with that part of it. I agree 100% that appropriate appearance is necessary.

I guess what I am questioning (in what has completely strayed from my original question in this thread) is the effectiveness of this rule in regards to what USASF is trying to accomplish. If it really, truly is about the image of our sport, then I don't think this rule is necessarily the most effective way to address it. It may be a starting point, which it seems to be, but it seems a little narrow in its scope to fully address the issue of image.

Side note: CAmamakat, do you have team moms or someone that is allowed into the warm-up area with the team? I ask because for us, backpacks pretty much have to stay with the parents while the vast majority of athletes (a lot of senior athletes do hang onto them) are in warm-ups and competing. We have no one but coaches allowed back with the teams to hold onto things. That leads to a logistical issue of making sure that each parent gets their kid covered up when they are released after the performance, and that was the reason for my original post. Despite repeated reminders from our program and myself, I can't guarantee that everyone will comply with the rule.