All-Star Extra Small As A Worlds Divison

[Knowcheering]

Not really. Many small gyms only have an international team because it allows them to keep their kids after they graduate. For many small gyms, international is their only team.

Good point. I'm more familiar with International teams that don't compete a full competition schedule and are more for fun. If they get a Worlds bid, great, but they don't really try to chase one. The team members are often adults and have jobs/are in college, and aren't competing at a bunch of Nationals every year. I don't think Int'l will ever become super popular in the US because the majority of athletes aren't going to have the resources or desire to do All Star cheer into adulthood. Most of the competitions I've been to have had very minimal Int'l team participation.

All star cheer in the US is driven by the 18 & under divisions. I could definitely see X-Small having a more significant effect than Small Int'l on the number of Lvl 5 teams going after bids at events. It may not happen overnight-- Small Coed used to not be a Worlds division and now it's huge. If XS really increases the number of Level 5 teams at events, the bids available will increase too. I doubt they ever add divisions unless they can make more money-- as someone else said, smaller team rosters bring in less money at Worlds. They are probably looking to increase the number of teams participating.

 

[quitthedrama]

But let's at least call a spade a spade and admit that it's more or less a D2 division.

Bingo. The current ratio rules already make it so that a team of less than the max allowed can score just as high as the team fully maxed out on quantity - therefore a small gym still has the same competitive advantage if they put 12 on the mat versus 20. This seems like it was created for teams of lesser ability. I still disagree with adding a less competitive division to Worlds, but at least call it what it is - D2 or small gym division.

 

[Ashley]

Bingo. The current ratio rules already make it so that a team of less than the max allowed can score just as high as the team fully maxed out on quantity - therefore a small gym still has the same competitive advantage if they put 12 on the mat versus 20. This seems like it was created for teams of lesser ability. I still disagree with adding a less competitive division to Worlds, but at least call it what it is - D2 or small gym division.

Don't forget that small is being changed to 22 this year. It gives some wiggle room for specialty athletes without having to cut back on the number of team members (19 instead of 20, for example).

 

[KPep]

I see all of this and I am scratching my head.

Can you send an XS and an IO team as well?

 

[MissCongeniality]

How many level 5 (non international) teams did NOT get a bid last year? Any? Has the whole inability to pass down an at-large bid curtailed the numbers at all? Seems if you just plan your schedule right, you can get a bid.

 

[luv2cheer92]

How many level 5 (non international) teams did NOT get a bid last year? Any? Has the whole inability to pass down an at-large bid curtailed the numbers at all? Seems if you just plan your schedule right, you can get a bid.

There were at least a few, at least 5 or so. Not a huge number though. I don't believe at-large bids have ever been able to be passed down, at least not in the last 7-8 years or so.

 

[MissCongeniality]

There were at least a few, at least 5 or so. Not a huge number though. I don't believe at-large bids have ever been able to be passed down, at least not in the last 7-8 years or so.

I am showing my age here.... they were back when

 

[luv2cheer92]

I am showing my age here.... they were back when

Haha thanks, I was pretty sure they were initially, but I was only thinking more recently.

 

[Hscoach10]

Actually like the idea of an x-small division but honestly not a fan of the stipulation that gym can only have 1 worlds team. This division is already giving gyms with less athletes an advantage because they need less kids to max out. Also a thought: say a small gym decides to field an xs team. The BEST 14 kids in their program will be on this team. When one location has multiple worlds teams, there is typically a premier team then other level 5s that fall underneath. With xs being a new division, I don't think most large gyms would make the team their premier team.

I would have love to see a team like CJA bombshells be able to compete in this division but obviously CJA has other worlds teams. One team that came to mind was Gbe lime! Are they the only worlds team at Gbe?? Would love to see them thrive in this division!

 

[Jennie]

Actually like the idea of an x-small division but honestly not a fan of the stipulation that gym can only have 1 worlds team. This division is already giving gyms with less athletes an advantage because they need less kids to max out. Also a thought: say a small gym decides to field an xs team. The BEST 14 kids in their program will be on this team. When one location has multiple worlds teams, there is typically a premier team then other level 5s that fall underneath. With xs being a new division, I don't think most large gyms would make the team their premier team.

I would have love to see a team like CJA bombshells be able to compete in this division but obviously CJA has other worlds teams. One team that came to mind was Gbe lime! Are they the only worlds team at Gbe?? Would love to see them thrive in this division!

[This Is not directed at you]
This is the part that's strange about it to me because yes GBE qualify for XS being their only worlds team but they are also a big power (? Can't think of a better phrase) in small sr???? They globed last year????

id be a bit unhappy if teams that typically qualify for finals in small senior / small Coed were to consider XS, I don't think this is the intention of the creation of the division

 

[Hscoach10]

[This Is not directed at you]
This is the part that's strange about it to me because yes GBE qualify for XS being their only worlds team but they are also a big power (? Can't think of a better phrase) in small sr???? They globed last year????

id be a bit unhappy if teams that typically qualify for finals in small senior / small Coed were to consider XS, I don't think this is the intention of the creation of the division

They did globe in 2016 but this year they didn't make finals. They only had 15 athletes on team this year - I am assuming this is because they only had 15 total level 5 athletes in their gym that they felt were ready for a Worlds team. I know other teams with less members in small senior like CJA still did very well, but personally I think Gbe having less kids hurt them making finals. They put on a really solid performance! This is why I think the Xsmall division would be good for a team like them who have 15 or less worlds ready athletes at their gym. If they have 20 worlds ready athletes next year, I would assume they'd say in small senior. I also personally think having some powerhouse teams in divison could make divison more legitimate rather than just a small gym division. Just my opinion, but I can understand both sides.

 

[Ashley]

I see all of this and I am scratching my head.

Can you send an XS and an IO team as well?

No, it has to be your only worlds team.

I am showing my age here.... they were back when

I'm sure there are way more teams now than when at large bids were passed down.

They cut back from 3AL for every paid to 2AL for every paid a few years ago and that cut down on the number of bids for a year or so, but they've crept back up.

[This Is not directed at you]
This is the part that's strange about it to me because yes GBE qualify for XS being their only worlds team but they are also a big power (? Can't think of a better phrase) in small sr???? They globed last year????

id be a bit unhappy if teams that typically qualify for finals in small senior / small Coed were to consider XS, I don't think this is the intention of the creation of the division

If they meet the rules, they should be able to enter. And they might not even want to enter - winning a globe in this division definitely comes with an asterisk*. Maybe they don't want to win that way. And for a team like GBE to win actually legitimizes the division instead of some random small gym with their first worlds team ever.

* Sure you won a globe, but you won it in a division that drastically limited who was allowed to participate

 

[Jennie]

No, it has to be your only worlds team.



I'm sure there are way more teams now than when at large bids were passed down.

They cut back from 3AL for every paid to 2AL for every paid a few years ago and that cut down on the number of bids for a year or so, but they've crept back up.



If they meet the rules, they should be able to enter. And they might not even want to enter - winning a globe in this division definitely comes with an asterisk*. Maybe they don't want to win that way. And for a team like GBE to win actually legitimizes the division instead of some random small gym with their first worlds team ever.

* Sure you won a globe, but you won it in a division that drastically limited who was allowed to participate

This is what I was kind of trying to say - I know they qualify but I don't see why teams like GBE would want to 'lower' themselves just to win when they have been very competitive in small sr.

personal choice of the gym though, I see both sides of the argument

 

[quitthedrama]

I'm hearing that gyms who share a big name but different tax id are eligible for the XS division. Can anyone confirm?

 

[cheer25mom]

I'm hearing that gyms who share a big name but different tax id are eligible for the XS division. Can anyone confirm?

We are hearing that they cannot share tax ID, staff,or athletes between locations, i.e. no one at main gym can be paid to provide services (choreo, coaching, ect) at satellite gyms if they are to be eligible. Not from an official source though, so YMMV.