All-Star International Divisions-- Should They Still Exist?

[retiredl5cheer]

I brought this up on another thread and I thought it was a good topic of conversation. I'm curious to hear other people's opinions.

Regarding the international divisions...
Why were they created? They didn't exist at the start of Worlds. If anyone knows the exact reason that the USASF created international divisions please share. It is my understanding that they were created to level the playing field for international teams and encourage them to build all star programs.

International Junior was created for countries where the majority of their athletes were a young age...Then that division got phased out. So the question is...should all other International divisions be phased out? Is Worlds truly an international competition if the international teams compete in a separate division? Should the international teams eventually be required to compete in the regular club divisions?

 

[Ashley]

Other countries have different age grids for athletes - most don't have the max age that we have so creating a team of athletes under 19 would be difficult for them - especially since the only competition where they would have that restriction is at worlds.

 

[lucyemma]

The international division was created wih a different score sheet which gave less credit for tumbling. As an international athlete I really believe that it is still needed as international teams don't have the training facilities/expertise that US teams do. As US teams enter this division, it is a true 'worlds' competition although I don't like the 3 teams per country rule as I feel that it limits the number of US teams that actually enter.

The international division is also essential to international athletes as the ages are completely different. the average age from my own experience in a British senior team can range from about 13/14-25 as it is so new here. Athletes who started as youth here are only just ageing into senior so have not had the experience to compete from age 4-13/14 and learn the skills like many elite cheerleaders do in the US.

This is mainly based on things that I have seen in the United Kingdom and I'm not speaking for every other country. JMO

 

[ztaprincess]

I know that the scoresheet gives less credit for tumbling now but I am not sure if it has always been like that. It wasn't until the past few seasons that tumbling as weighed so little in routines.

My question is, those other countries that had Junior teams at worlds, could they not have taken those same athletes a few years down the road and enter them into the senior division? I will be honest when I saw I really only ever paid attention to the US junior teams at worlds so I am not sure which teams from other countries were in those divisions, but it seems if they had them then at a junior age then eventually those athletes will all be senior age. This would mean more foreign teams in the senior club divisions. I think that the new rule is going to try and push for that.

I 100% think that the International divisions should exist. They are some of my favorite divisions to watch and I feel they are the true meaning of a WORLDS competition because it puts US teams against foreign teams. The only problems that I have with it is the lack of importance tumbling has on the scoresheet and the 3 teams from each country (make it at least 5). I understand that they want to even the playing field a bit for the foreign teams so I don't see them changing the scoresheet back. With the new rule that is going to change the age grid for the division it seems like it will push the international teams out of the division so something needs to be done to save that. Maybe if they split it even more and had Open divisions separate from the International divisions it could work. Problem with that is no one wants anymore divisions at worlds and then for the level 6 divisions it will basically be 2-3 US teams in the open division.