All-Star I'm Going To Cheat

[coachrah]

I'd say we even need to back up a step before an athlete registration system. We need the USASF to decide its scope of powers and to communicate it to all (to eliminate the endless finger pointing between the EPs and USASF.).

Once this vision is clear, gyms and Eps will have a better understanding of what becoming a member can offer.

Then we can initiate a robust athlete registration system (and I would guess parents would be more than willing to pay a bit more for a "first time" registration fee which covers the cost of starting up the database (with a reduced annual few for membership.)

Until I hear (read) that the USASF is going to make itself accountable, I would trust that even the best athlete registration system would mean anything.)

Before a parent registers their child and pays membership fees do you know where they can find the bylaws of governance? Is it on-line?

 

[King]

I coached a team with an athlete that was too old a few years ago. The mother faked the birth certificate and drove her daughter to practice every time saying she never got her license even though she was 18. It was weird, however it was their prerogative (the girls questioned her on it and she just always said she was just too scared to drive and never wanted to). After our second or third local comp a coach recognized the athlete and informed us she was too old, that we probably didnt know about it, and if we competed with her again they would turn us in. So we all went back and I looked at the birth certificate (I am pretty good at finding inconsistencies from my experience with image editting) and found were the numbers didnt line up in sequence or on the page. We asked the mom to come in and bring a second copy and explained to her the situation. She said that she understood, she was the age her birth certificate said, and they would bring another to prove it. Needless to say she never showed up. (a little digging online showed she had cheered college the season before). So, after discovering what had happened we called each competition, forfeited each win, and called each coach of EACH program and explained what had happened. We explained it all to the girls on the team, were forth coming, and why we had to forfeit. The funny thing was I don't think a single one of them were mad at us for doing that. It is like they respected us for our honesty. So I do believe each team that has an illegal athlete for whatever reason should be disqualified. It is as important to the other girls on any team that they learn cheating has consequences.

 

[SarahS]

I coached a team with an athlete that was too old a few years ago. The mother faked the birth certificate and drove her daughter to practice every time saying she never got her license even though she was 18. It was weird, however it was their prerogative (the girls questioned her on it and she just always said she was just too scared to drive and never wanted to). After our second or third local comp a coach recognized the athlete and informed us she was too old, that we probably didnt know about it, and if we competed with her again they would turn us in. So we all went back and I looked at the birth certificate (I am pretty good at finding inconsistencies from my experience with image editting) and found were the numbers didnt line up in sequence or on the page. We asked the mom to come in and bring a second copy and explained to her the situation. She said that she understood, she was the age her birth certificate said, and they would bring another to prove it. Needless to say she never showed up. (a little digging online showed she had cheered college the season before). So, after discovering what had happened we called each competition, forfeited each win, and called each coach of EACH program and explained what had happened. We explained it all to the girls on the team, were forth coming, and why we had to forfeit. The funny thing was I don't think a single one of them were mad at us for doing that. It is like they respected us for our honesty. So I do believe each team that has an illegal athlete for whatever reason should be disqualified. It is as important to the other girls on any team that they learn cheating has consequences.

And *that* is how a program with integrity acts. Participating within the rules is more important than a mark in the W column. You did a great service to those kids (both on your team and on the teams that you called to forfeit the wins) by acting responsibly and with humility. Thank you.

 

[CheerBank]

I have a legitimate question:
When punishing people who crossover too much, or crossover too much of their team, which team do you punish? Both? One? Whatever was the last team to compete that puts them at 'over?' The team they competed on first? Do you punish the whole gym for one team? What if the team DOESN'T end up winning, what is their punishment then (assuming you caught them after they competed and awards)? Obviously you'd still make it public that they cheated, but I want to know where we draw the line. Does it become X number of teams in that division, plus Y team who was DQ'd? I think what some people are afraid of is that an entire gym will suffer, meaning kids who had NOTHING to do with decisions for a team they're not even on..all because of one kid on one team.

I just want to get a feel for people's opinions on that aspect.

Any team that was not the athlete's original team should be punished. And the coaches and gym should be outed on a public list so that everyone knows they cheated and what the specific violation was.

 

[Sp1derP1g1230]

I just find that so strange that a mother/athlete would go to those lengths. That girl would be pretending to be in high school instead of college. She wouldn't have been able to make any real friendships with her teammates because they would find out. Why wouldn't they find an older team for her to cheer on? I can't figure out someone's motivation to do that. Is it a Worlds Win? I just don't get it.

And the way the gym handled it and the extent they went to make things right. WOW, such integrity.

 

[BlueCat]

I just find that so strange that a mother/athlete would go to those lengths. That girl would be pretending to be in high school instead of college. She wouldn't have been able to make any real friendships with her teammates because they would find out. Why wouldn't they find an older team for her to cheer on? I can't figure out someone's motivation to do that. Is it a Worlds Win? I just don't get it.

Unfortunately, that doesn't surprise me at all.

 

[King]

I just find that so strange that a mother/athlete would go to those lengths. That girl would be pretending to be in high school instead of college. She wouldn't have been able to make any real friendships with her teammates because they would find out. Why wouldn't they find an older team for her to cheer on? I can't figure out someone's motivation to do that. Is it a Worlds Win? I just don't get it.

And the way the gym handled it and the extent they went to make things right. WOW, such integrity.

While 99% of humanity will just 'do the right thing' there is that 1% who will sneak and try and bend the rules for themselves. You can't rely on the kindness or morality of people to follow the rules. You have to have punishments or people will take advantage. Always remember the scorpion and the frog.

 

[CharlotteASMom]

Any team that was not the athlete's original team should be punished. And the coaches and gym should be outed on a public list so that everyone knows they cheated and what the specific violation was.

How do you determine original team? Some kids are put on multiple teams from day one.

 

[tumbleyoda]

And in the 1% are those who don't know, those who don't do a good job of paperwork, those who make an honest mistake and those who know that the are doing but believe either they will never get caught/called out or if they are they will be able to keep any punishment from happening. Which is why it is so hard to explain motives of why they do it.

 

[tumbleyoda]

How do you determine original team? Some kids are put on multiple teams from day one.

You can't. It is the age old are they crossing up a level, crossing over same level or crossing down a level argument. So you have to hit all of the teams they are on.

 

[CoachTamara]

How do you determine original team? Some kids are put on multiple teams from day one.

You eliminate crossovers completely. :wasntme:

 

[yojaehs]

You eliminate crossovers completely. :wasntme:

Can I get an AMEN!? (now I will run and hide from the following "small gyms can't survive" posts)

 

[tumbleyoda]

If ...repeat...if it is true that one athlete does not make a difference and if we can get away from the look of a full team and the stunts/pyramids they can do vs a team doing what they can with who they have, then eliminating crossovers makes sense. Especially since we can not seem to stop the abuse or overuse of crossovers.

Move over yojaehs.

 

[yojaehs]

If ...repeat...if it is true that one athlete does not make a difference and if we can get away from the look of a full team and the stunts/pyramids they can do vs a team doing what they can with who they have, then eliminating crossovers makes sense. Especially since we can not seem to stop the abuse or overuse of crossovers.

Move over yojaehs.

Ahhh I've got a partner on my ride!!! Here is my thing, we are told team sizes and divisions change every year (costing lots of people money) why not cancel crossovers!? They seem to be the root of all evil and issues anyway!?

 

[12stepCheermom]

And *that* is how a program with integrity acts. Participating within the rules is more important than a mark in the W column. You did a great service to those kids (both on your team and on the teams that you called to forfeit the wins) by acting responsibly and with humility. Thank you.

PREACH!