All-Star Nontumbling Worlds Teams

[Lisa Seye]

This is a really old thread, sorry. Lol. I was wondering, since we are now in full swing of comp season, if anyone has found out about any central Texas non-tumbling worlds teams. My daughter has been on level 3 for 2 years, is an amazing backspot, 5'10 and knows that there is basically no chance of ever going to worlds. She has had a mental block off and on since 4th grade and she is a sophomore. There is sooooo much pressure (and conditioning) for her to tumble that it is ruining the sport for ME. I am tired of paying for a shattered girl getting in my car. And, yes, i spoken to coaches and owner. This isn't something new. They've known about it for years. She has actually been begging for an invite only sr 1 so she can stop thinking, stressing and conditioning because of tumbling.

Check the wiki for gym teams by division. I update that as often as I can when I find a new non tumble team either all girl or coed. I know there is at least one in Texas.

 

[Cheeemomlife]

Check the wiki for gym teams by division. I update that as often as I can when I find a new non tumble team either all girl or coed. I know there is at least one in Texas.

Thanks so much!

 

[cheermomforever]

NM

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

This is a really old thread, sorry. Lol. I was wondering, since we are now in full swing of comp season, if anyone has found out about any central Texas non-tumbling worlds teams. My daughter has been on level 3 for 2 years, is an amazing backspot, 5'10 and knows that there is basically no chance of ever going to worlds. She has had a mental block off and on since 4th grade and she is a sophomore. There is sooooo much pressure (and conditioning) for her to tumble that it is ruining the sport for ME. I am tired of paying for a shattered girl getting in my car. And, yes, i spoken to coaches and owner. This isn't something new. They've known about it for years. She has actually been begging for an invite only sr 1 so she can stop thinking, stressing and conditioning because of tumbling.

Does she not have a Senior 1 option nearby? I've also seen gyms place nontumbling kids on Senior 2 or 4.2 if they have quantity of level appropriate tumbling already.

 

[Cheeemomlife]

Does she not have a Senior 1 option nearby? I've also seen gyms place nontumbling kids on Senior 2 or 4.2 if they have quantity of level appropriate tumbling already.

We have found an amazing Jr 1, but not a Sr. 1 that isn't completely entry level. She can forward tumble and has amazing aerials. But back handsprings are a no-go. I kinda feel like i am at a crossroads. She loves the sport but the stress is killer. I am burnt out.

 

[Sterling von Shimmer]

I know this is an old thread, but I’ve been weighing the addition of NT at Worlds for awhile. I have mixed feelings.

I understand NT/NB at the HS level because some schools don’t allow tumbling/stunting. But not at the AS level. AS has built its reputation on athletes acquiring and performing all skills. Plus as a purist, I feel that being a well-rounded cheerleader demands stunt and tumble skills. That’s what the bulk of cheerleading is.

That being said, I understand that tumbling does not come easy and that mental blocks are almost part of the journey. You’re asking yourself — mentally, emotionally, physically — to do something that is completely unnatural and the existence of mental blocks is something to be considered.

THAT being said, no other sport caters to athletes that only have a portion of their skills honed and rewards them at the top level. Baseball teams don’t have non-batting leagues. Basketball teams don’t have non-shooting leagues. And if you want to say, “Well that’s because those skills don’t evoke mental blocks because they’re nothing like tumbling,” I’d say: consider gymnastics. The same type of focus is required in four events (for women) and nobody gets on a team that can’t perform in all of them. They don’t have a non-beam division at the Olympics. And at a time where we are trying to be taken more seriously as a sport, I think this is a step back for us. We’re getting further away from sport territory and closer to “beauty pageant” territory where everyone gets a trophy.

And lastly — and this is probably my biggest issue — with the creation of an NT division at Worlds, I feel like the message to athletes is that it’s okay for them to give up on tumbling. If they’re going to get a shot at Worlds either way, then why bother? It’s a disservice to the athletes to let them think it’s fine to neglect a skill that, traditionally, makes up a good chunk of what cheerleading is and has always been.

I’m not saying that NT shouldn’t be a thing or that they don’t work as hard. I’ve seen INCREDIBLE NT routines in the past. But maybe it should be a Summit thing so we can still hold Worlds up as an incentive to get all your cheer skills.

 

[WinstonsGirl]

I find it interesting that many people are equating NT teams as team for people who don't tumble, when in fact, all of the NT teams in my area contain numerous athletes who do tumble (not everyone, but many do). Many have jump tucks, layouts, hand hand tuck/lay and competed these skills at Worlds in previous years. It's not that they can't tumble, but for whatever reason, they don't/can't tumble well enough for the 'tumbling teams' at their gym. Some gyms in my area won't put you on a tumbling team unless you have a full or higher. Other athletes can tumble but feel that it's better for their body to not tumble. Back problems, knee injuries, etc. are forcing them to take a year or two off tumbling. Why give up the level of training required for Worlds level teams when you can keep your level of stunting up there? I don't see these teams as being an excuse to forget about tumbling, but more a better option for those who are unable to at this time. My club is still very much pushing tumbling with our program levels, and proper progression of tumbling

 

[MrBob]

It would be nice if someone started a thread with all NT routines videos (Unless it's already out there and I couldn't find it, if so, direct me to it please!)

Since some are judgemental about it, seeing it and judging it for what it really is would be a good start.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

I know CEA Lady Lux has videos posted.

Also I think the inital goal of creating NT teams was for the benefit of International teams for whom tumbling skills may be difficult because of lack of training facilities, etc?

 

[quitthedrama]

It would be nice if someone started a thread with all NT routines videos (Unless it's already out there and I couldn't find it, if so, direct me to it please!)

Since some are judgemental about it, seeing it and judging it for what it really is would be a good start.

I've seen several NT teams live at competitions. After seeing them my opinion is even stronger than it was when they first announced the division. I'm not trying to be insulting, but realistically most teams who have gotten a Worlds bid would not have if they had to compete against the rest of the Worlds teams for one. Maybe there's a place for it somewhere but it should not be a worlds division.

 

[quitthedrama]

I know CEA Lady Lux has videos posted.

Also I think the inital goal of creating NT teams was for the benefit of International teams for whom tumbling skills may be difficult because of lack of training facilities, etc?

Sorry for the double post - I believe that's one of the reasons that was presented, but it seems like noise to me. The IO division weighs tumbling very little on the scoresheet as it is. The new Senior Open division was created for those teams with older athletes to weigh tumbling the same as regular senior teams. There was no reason to create both divisions if that was the reasoning for NT. If anything, change IO division to level 4 and below tumbling if you wanted to even the playing field international teams.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Sorry for the double post - I believe that's one of the reasons that was presented, but it seems like noise to me. The IO division weighs tumbling very little on the scoresheet as it is. The new Senior Open division was created for those teams with older athletes to weigh tumbling the same as regular senior teams. There was no reason to create both divisions if that was the reasoning for NT. If anything, change IO division to level 4 and below tumbling if you wanted to even the playing field international teams.

True. I've seen a lot of IO teams who do not have majority tumbling and I did not THINK it mattered as much in IO as in Senior 5 (but I am not an IO expert so I was not sure.)

I feel like NT5 would be a great fit for ICU?

Idea: Field a NT US NATIONAL TEAM nand make a huge deal about them?

Don't get me wrong, I GET WHY they made this a thing and I think it's great. I just think it maybe belongs at a different event that fits its purpose.

 

[UCFKnights07]

I know this is an old thread, but I’ve been weighing the addition of NT at Worlds for awhile. I have mixed feelings.


THAT being said, no other sport caters to athletes that only have a portion of their skills honed and rewards them at the top level. Baseball teams don’t have non-batting leagues. Basketball teams don’t have non-shooting leagues. And if you want to say, “Well that’s because those skills don’t evoke mental blocks because they’re nothing like tumbling,” I’d say: consider gymnastics. The same type of focus is required in four events (for women) and nobody gets on a team that can’t perform in all of them. They don’t have a non-beam division at the Olympics. And at a time where we are trying to be taken more seriously as a sport, I think this is a step back for us. We’re getting further away from sport territory and closer to “beauty pageant” territory where everyone gets a trophy.

i can think of a few who have in a sense. Alicia Sacramone was not a bars person, but she still made multiple worlds teams and the olympics. USC has a long snapper who is blind, but they still let him play college football.
i know there were people who were skeptical of the extra small divisions at first, saying they possibly belonged at summit instead, and that division is now exploding, so....

 

[LittleMissA17]

i can think of a few who have in a sense. Alicia Sacramone was not a bars person, but she still made multiple worlds teams and the olympics. USC has a long snapper who is blind, but they still let him play college football.
i know there were people who were skeptical of the extra small divisions at first, saying they possibly belonged at summit instead, and that division is now exploding, so....

But I feel like the upside to Xsmall is better than the down: a smaller gym can actually field a team full of athletes who have true level 5 skills rather than putting people on the mat and having unsafe routines.

 

[quitthedrama]

i can think of a few who have in a sense. Alicia Sacramone was not a bars person, but she still made multiple worlds teams and the olympics. USC has a long snapper who is blind, but they still let him play college football.
i know there were people who were skeptical of the extra small divisions at first, saying they possibly belonged at summit instead, and that division is now exploding, so....

I would argue the opposite and these examples further eliminate the need for a NT division. Alicia Sacramone and every other apparatus specialist never would have made it on to the national circuit if she didn't have all of the elite elements on every apparatus. You can't be an Olympic level gymnast with level 4 gymnastic skills on any apparatus. Drew Brees could never be an NFL defensive lineman - he's a specialist at his position just as all players are. With the current scoresheets the worlds levels are very similar when it comes to specialists. I know more than a few World Champions who do not have strong level 5 tumbling, but they are the best on the team when it comes to stunts, just as some are not strong bases or flyers but their tumbling is the best on the team. Those athletes contribute the most for the parts of the scoresheet they are strong in, and smart coaches put a team together to maximize each area of the scoresheet versus "full team everything". The industry determined that the XS division shouldn't have any restrictions and opened the division to all teams, and given less athletes are available to fill senior worlds teams the division is exploding. Unrelated, - if the majority of gyms can't field a team of more than 20 athletes that's something the industry should be concerned with.