All-Star Legitimate Nationals

[kristenthegreat]

I think people are addressing two separate yet equally important groups, the police who investi-I mean (2 internet dollars for whomever gets that reference!), amount of people being competed against, and the 'tier' of nationals you are attending.
*There ARE tiers of nationals where the prestige varies. That is a fact of life- we rate things for a living, it's how we survive! There are the mega 4 (which includes the Triple Crown), and the ones underneath aren't all that shabby either- reach the beach and BATC are among the two biggest east-coast-heavy nationals! Competition tends to be larger and very skilled (the depth of cheersport), the production value can be insane (Ummm NCA?!), and some of the more innovative/internationally heavy competitions (UCA, which is rather meh to me despite being a 'Big 4' and Jamfest). Some people aren't ready to compete at major nationals, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're bad. I also don't know if that means we should make them National Champions just to feel better. I did volleyball allstars. We did well at regionals, however, we did not make nationals. We were not at that level, should we get to call ourselves 'national champions' just because we beat teams from different states?
*The amount of competition per national varies. Some of the bigger nationals don't have a lot of teams in some divisions, but that has to do with the amount of divisions offered and the number of teams which WILL vary, particularly on location. Large Senior has been dying a slow and painful death for ages, so I don't count them.

 

[tucknduck]

I realize you have no control over that. Im saying that if you win a 'national competition' against teams that aren't even any good, well known gyms or not, there's really not that much there for you to brag about. But even if you're going against the worst of the worst, you still want to hit perfectly!

I agree that if you beat lesser teams in tournaments that aren't considered the big three or four may not give teams much to brag about but if they hit their routine perfectly and win, that's all that's going to matter. You really can't take anything away from them but I certainly can see where a much stronger team goes against much stronger competitors and come up empty-handed with National Championships and you kinda think these teams should be more deserving. I would assume these coaches have their pulse on the cheer landscape and have a good idea where the strong teams are competing at and who the established teams are. I'm sure most who have been part of it for quite some time and follow it to some degree know as well. It's those new to cheerleading or the casual observer where they don't quite get it all.

 

[lollypop]

I think people are addressing two separate yet equally important groups, the police who investi-I mean (2 internet dollars for whomever gets that reference!), amount of people being competed against, and the 'tier' of nationals you are attending.
*There ARE tiers of nationals where the prestige varies. That is a fact of life- we rate things for a living, it's how we survive! There are the mega 4 (which includes the Triple Crown), and the ones underneath aren't all that shabby either- reach the beach and BATC are among the two biggest east-coast-heavy nationals! Competition tends to be larger and very skilled (the depth of cheersport), the production value can be insane (Ummm NCA?!), and some of the more innovative/internationally heavy competitions (UCA, which is rather meh to me despite being a 'Big 4' and Jamfest). Some people aren't ready to compete at major nationals, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're bad. I also don't know if that means we should make them National Champions just to feel better. I did volleyball allstars. We did well at regionals, however, we did not make nationals. We were not at that level, should we get to call ourselves 'national champions' just because we beat teams from different states?
*The amount of competition per national varies. Some of the bigger nationals don't have a lot of teams in some divisions, but that has to do with the amount of divisions offered and the number of teams which WILL vary, particularly on location. Large Senior has been dying a slow and painful death for ages, so I don't count them.

I read that while watching Law & Order

While the number of nationals are silly, until there is a system to qualify for tiers of competition I don't think it's unreasonable to broadcast your wins, even if it's a national comp with no prestige and no competition.

 

[ufomom]

I get where you are going, but are you supposed to asterick (*) your gyms accomplishments? For instance:

* there were 11 teams at this one, but they were no name
* we beat some big name teams, but they sucked so does it really count?
* we almost had our @$$ handed to us at this one, but we pulled it out day 2, but it doesn't count because their
were only 3 teams
* this competition was big at one time, but it died since it was after Worlds bids ended, so no one came, but we won
anyway, but dang the jacket really rocks
* we had no competition, but we were grand champs ** against our own gym
* this one REALLY COUNTS, really. Really. Even if you have never heard of it.
* We won against teams in CROP TOPS, and we wear turtlenecks
* Our coach's girlfriend was the judge, but we rule!

It's a list. Eventually you figure out that many times it is meaningless. Unless, it was your kid and they practiced hard and rocked it on the floor. Then you just smile.

 

[MyKidzCheer]

When it's all said and done I think the athletes, parents and coaches come away from every competition with their own sense of what they accomplished regardless of the size, name or number of teams. This year we had comps where we competed against 10 teams in our division and others where there were only a couple. Ironically, the comps where we went against less teams were more meaningful to us because the level of competition at those events was so much better. Ah, if only we had a standardized scoresheet we could keep our own independent world rankings for every level and division regardless of the EP or event name.


Dad to CP: " cheer to have fun honey"
CP to Dad: " I will Dad, winning Is lots of fun"

 

[peytonnmariee]

cheersport, nca, uca and jamfest super nationals. im gonna count super nationals because about a few years back before they split divisions,i was against 32 teams. then again, the division was youth 2! but still...

 

[peytonnmariee]

this past year, we won GLCC nationals and athletic championship in ohio, yay sure i was exctied but no where nearly excited as when i won jamfest indy or cheersport!

 

[Labegg]

I think we can all agree:

It should be 1 Company = 1 National everything else is a "regional" or "state" competition.

and

You didn't place "first" if you didn't compete against anyone.

 

[gymcatmomx2]

cheersport, nca, uca and jamfest super nationals. im gonna count super nationals because about a few years back before they split divisions,i was against 32 teams. then again, the division was youth 2! but still...

It sounds like you are saying that having a talented Youth 2 team isn't that big of an accomplishment and I have to disagree with you. Our Mini 1 and Youth 2 teams competed at a couple of "nationals" this year. Our Minis received high point three times this year out of approx 60 teams for each "nationals" and our Youth 2 received high point twice out of approximately 60 teams at each "national" competition. They competed against some very talented large name gyms such as Cheer Athletics, Spirit of Texas, Champion Cheer, Pro Spirit, and Woodlands Elite to name a few. I think it's just as difficult to have a successful lower level team as it is to have a level 5 Worlds team. And remember, those younger mini and youth athletes are the future Worlds athletes!!

 

[addicted2cheer]

I think we can all agree:

It should be 1 Company = 1 National everything else is a "regional" or "state" competition.

and

You didn't place "first" if you didn't compete against anyone.

I want to double shimmy this one!!!

Funny story.... oh about 6 or 7 years ago my daughter came off a losing season, The next season the team remained most of the same girls. They were small jr 3 that year. Our first comp of the year we went against no one. All of us Moms joked that we were so happy that our team would finally get "first place". Even if it was the only time all season at least they got it and it was early on. Again, we were kidding around since they were in a division by themselves. Well...... they announced the results and when they called the small jr 3 division we took 2nd place to NO ONE! lmao!! Our girls did not get what this competition company considered a first place worthy score so we didn't get the first place win. oh why oh why can't they bring those days back????

 

[xpressjag]

I think that Jamz, Battle at the Capital and possibly USA are up and coming events, not necessarily the caliber of NCA, UCA or Cheersport but for sure really great events. I think they should call them OPEN National championships so it will distinguish them apart from true national championships or call them Classics.

 

[brandnewstyle]

You didn't place "first" if you didn't compete against anyone.

If you didn't place first, then what place did you get? last?

 

[dawgshow]

I want to double shimmy this one!!!

Funny story.... oh about 6 or 7 years ago my daughter came off a losing season, The next season the team remained most of the same girls. They were small jr 3 that year. Our first comp of the year we went against no one. All of us Moms joked that we were so happy that our team would finally get "first place". Even if it was the only time all season at least they got it and it was early on. Again, we were kidding around since they were in a division by themselves. Well...... they announced the results and when they called the small jr 3 division we took 2nd place to NO ONE! lmao!! Our girls did not get what this competition company considered a first place worthy score so we didn't get the first place win. oh why oh why can't they bring those days back????

LOL!! That's really funny.

 

[peytonnmariee]

It sounds like you are saying that having a talented Youth 2 team isn't that big of an accomplishment and I have to disagree with you. Our Mini 1 and Youth 2 teams competed at a couple of "nationals" this year. Our Minis received high point three times this year out of approx 60 teams for each "nationals" and our Youth 2 received high point twice out of approximately 60 teams at each "national" competition. They competed against some very talented large name gyms such as Cheer Athletics, Spirit of Texas, Champion Cheer, Pro Spirit, and Woodlands Elite to name a few. I think it's just as difficult to have a successful lower level team as it is to have a level 5 Worlds team. And remember, those younger mini and youth athletes are the future Worlds athletes!!

haha yeah i was just naming a few! because i know that at some little competiions ive gone against gymtyme, step1 and more!

 

[GreatWhite92]

If you didn't place first, then what place did you get? last?

Technically you can claim you got first all you want but you also got last at the same time. but who is going to yell WE GOT LAST PLACE!!!!