All-Star Kill The Youth Division?

[bxxtanyer]

I like this idea a lot. The age breaks you have outlined are also in line with where schools typically change (Elementary to Middle School to High School). This is done based on developmental milestones and socially appropriate behaviors exhibited by children in those age ranges.
The way you have it outlined it falls right into the school breaks:
Mini (up to 6 years old), typically start K at 5 or 6
Youth (up to age 10), typically 5th graders are 10 or 11
Junior (up to age 14), typically middle schoolers are between 11-14
Senior (13-18), high schoolers are typically 14-18

This helps eliminate the inappropriateness of a 12 year old on a Sr team. #1-it's not appropriate for a 12 year old to be exposed to the conversation topics that are typical of 16-18 year olds. Would you let your 12 year old hang out with them on a Fri night? No, so don't put them on a Sr team-because when they talk about on Fri night is what they'll talk about during breaks at practice. #2-I'm not impressed, in the least, by three 130 pound 18 year olds holding up an 80 pound 12 year old.

Can i triple shimmy this??

 

[Iamshannon]

KB are you referring to the suggestion above? Or to the actual rule change on the voting slate?

The voting slate has it as:
Tiny 6 and under
Mini 9 and under
Youth 12 and under
Junior 15 and under
Senior 18 and under (except level 5)

As stated on the voting slate it does not appear to eliminate a division, unless I'm just not seeing it?

what do you mean by except level 5 for Senior? Would senior level 5 have different age restrictions?

 

[cheerislove8]

what do you mean by except level 5 for Senior? Would senior level 5 have different age restrictions?

As of now, Senior teams are 18 and under, but Worlds teams have a bottom age. To compete on a level 5 Worlds team you have to be at least 12.

 

[Iamshannon]

As of now, Senior teams are 18 and under, but Worlds teams have a bottom age. To compete on a level 5 Worlds team you have to be at least 12.

thanks! i thought 12 was the bottom for all senior teams, but i guess i was wrong!

 

[SharkDad]

As of now, Senior teams are 18 and under, but Worlds teams have a bottom age. To compete on a level 5 Worlds team you have to be at least 12.

Any senior Level 5 besides Senior Open 5 and International Open 5. Does not have to be a Worlds team

 

[onetrupairing]

But that means for a gym to go s5 they hafta find 16 highschoolers (minimum) that can full.

Smaller/newer gyms are struggling to go 5 as it is...

 

[SharkDad]

But that means for a gym to go s5 they hafta find 16 highschoolers (minimum) that can full.

Smaller/newer gyms are struggling to go 5 as it is...

I assume you mean to try to be competitive (in your opinion). The minimum number on a team is 5 and the minimum age is 12-typically 7th graders and above.

 

[indiglow]

I never understand why all the age divisions (proposed and "real") always have a maximum age, but never a minimum. I know that everyone loves to have their 9 year old moved up to Juniors but it just makes no sense to me. Like NewCheerDad said--no other sport does this. If you're an awesome 6 year old soccer player, you're just the best player on a team of other 6 year olds. You move up as you get older, not better. Then when you get to be a teenager, the teams start to divide up by skill level.

I don't think we should necessarily be getting rid of divisions, as much as we should be making kids stay in their age level. If that means we need Youth 5 so the awesome ones have a team, then we need it. But when was the last time you saw a 10-year-old on a Varsity soccer team? It's no wonder people don't take us seriously as a sport when our rules change every 5 minutes--and wouldn't be acceptable in any other sport.

But I really like the OP's proposal for Senior being 13+. And 6 and under being one division, exhibition only. With your suggestions for ages, but keep the same levels, you might be on to something!

Actually soccer does let you play up one age group. I played up an age group from the time I was in third grade (when I started with the JO program) until high school. In fact I personally feel this is why I got some amazing scholarship offers! Oh and I wasn't the "big kid" on the team. I was always the smallest.

 

[Katie]

This helps eliminate the inappropriateness of a 12 year old on a Sr team. #1-it's not appropriate for a 12 year old to be exposed to the conversation topics that are typical of 16-18 year olds. Would you let your 12 year old hang out with them on a Fri night? No, so don't put them on a Sr team-because when they talk about on Fri night is what they'll talk about during breaks at practice. #2-I'm not impressed, in the least, by three 130 pound 18 year olds holding up an 80 pound 12 year old.

Yeah but we want a senior 5 next year, and there's a girl who is amazing, she has her full and whip and everything but next year she wont be old enough to be on senior, she is this year but she wont be old enough next year, & we dont have any other younger girl to make a J5, so now she stuck on a level 3 or 4, when her skills put her on a level 5. It doesnt matter if its impressive or not, thats where their skills put them.

 

[SharkDad]

Remember what is appropriate for you/your team/your gym my not be appropriate or even possible with the situation of another.

 

[JessicaL]

I see what you're saying, coming from a small gym as well. However, you're talking about such a small percentage of kids in most cases. Let them move to a program that fits their needs, and keep your majority where they belong... according to age and skill. I can tell you that this would solve a lot of issues that I have at my gym with younger kids being added to older teams just because they have tumbling skills and nothing else or flying skills and nothing else. It would force us to train 14 and 15 year olds to fly... our kids are going to be better conditioned, and it allows new opportunities for potentially talented flyers who simply don't get the chance to learn because you're going to end up putting younger kids in those flying spots.

Again, every gym is different, but i dont see that hurting my very small gym (I've mentioned in other threads that we are less than 60... I believe our current count is 52)

If a small gym "let them move to a program that fits their needs" each season, you are simply going to continue to train and lose athletes. Being allowed (by the USASF level guidelines) to let a child who may be younger but more skilled cheer on an older team that offers the higher level in his/her gym is called survival for many organizations. Like SharkDad stated, comparing it to Soccer is different. There is no physical contact. It really is comparing apples to oranges. When it comes down to it, a parent has the final say as to whether or not their child cheers on a team with older children. If the parent and coach have no problem with this, then who are we/others to condemn them for it?

 

[Num1Stunta]

If a small gym "let them move to a program that fits their needs" each season, you are simply going to continue to train and lose athletes. Being allowed (by the USASF level guidelines) to let a child who may be younger but more skilled cheer on an older team that offers the higher level in his/her gym is called survival for many organizations. Like SharkDad stated, comparing it to Soccer is different. There is no physical contact. It really is comparing apples to oranges. When it comes down to it, a parent has the final say as to whether or not their child cheers on a team with older children. If the parent and coach have no problem with this, then who are we/others to condemn them for it?

This is the nature of the beast. Kids are going to get their skills up and move on to a bigger or "better" gym. I'm coming from a small gym here, and I can say that there are just some things that small gyms cannot offer to a child who fits those characteristics described. I came from a much a larger gym a few years back, about 250 kids. We had jr and sr 5 teams who were placing at major nationals, but not cleaning up. As soon as these kids started getting standing fulls, specialty fulls, and doubles, they peaced out and went to the World Champion teams 45 min away. It was like an epidemic.

No one is "condemning" the parents for wanting their 10 or 12 year old on a senior team, it's just about what is appropriate. Even in gymnastics, you have a certain age minimum for competing in the olympics (14, I believe). So, if you have an exceptional 12 year old, they compete in Junior Olympics until they age up. I don't see how the age minimum here would be any different.

 

[socratesofcheer]

Even in gymnastics, you have a certain age minimum for competing in the olympics (14, I believe). So, if you have an exceptional 12 year old, they compete in Junior Olympics until they age up. I don't see how the age minimum here would be any different.

In cheerleading you are not allowed to hurt anyone's feelings. This is why we have small gym divisions, divisions split between a,b & c and little kids HAVE to be on a senior team because they will leave if they can't.

 

[Num1Stunta]

In cheerleading you are not allowed to hurt anyone's feelings. This is why we have small gym divisions, divisions split between a,b & c and little kids HAVE to be on a senior team because they will leave if they can't.

LOL

 

[SaraDee023]

I like this idea a lot. The age breaks you have outlined are also in line with where schools typically change (Elementary to Middle School to High School). This is done based on developmental milestones and socially appropriate behaviors exhibited by children in those age ranges.
The way you have it outlined it falls right into the school breaks:
Mini (up to 6 years old), typically start K at 5 or 6
Youth (up to age 10), typically 5th graders are 10 or 11
Junior (up to age 14), typically middle schoolers are between 11-14
Senior (13-18), high schoolers are typically 14-18

This helps eliminate the inappropriateness of a 12 year old on a Sr team. #1-it's not appropriate for a 12 year old to be exposed to the conversation topics that are typical of 16-18 year olds. Would you let your 12 year old hang out with them on a Fri night? No, so don't put them on a Sr team-because when they talk about on Fri night is what they'll talk about during breaks at practice. #2-I'm not impressed, in the least, by three 130 pound 18 year olds holding up an 80 pound 12 year old.

AGREED!!!!