All-Star Olympics Just Granted Cheer Provisional Staus

[fiercerando88]

After they work out the details, I see this as a very positive thing for athletes. I will be interested to see how they manage things. I'm also hopeful that this will one day open the door to Special Olympics and Para-Olympics having cheer as a part of their games as well.

Special Olympics is NOT aligned with "the Olympics" it's a completely separate entity, and cheer already is a part of Special Olympics.

Paralympics is involved with the IOC, so potentially could see cheer added down the line.


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[Belinda]

I'm so confused reading this thread right now. There are so many non-issues brought up. It's through ICU, therefore I would assume it would go by ICU standards. No age cap, both all girl and coed (like other sports have female and male teams/events/athletes), dead floor, emphasis on stunting but not solely (as this is "too close to acro and tumbling" as they've established and took partner stunting out of ICU).

If SM doesn't care or know about the US national team already, I wouldn't worry more than any other sport. ICU is way more collegiate than all-star, so I'm not sure a SM would feel at home without the bling and glamour that all-star provides.

ICU/collegiate style cheer is most common all over the world, as opposed to all-star. There are only a few countries in Europe even going by the level system for cheer, most is peewee, junior and senior elite or premier really. If not even just level 6 for seniors.

I'm not sure how familiar you are with ICU worlds, but everything is pretty straight forward and ironed out. I'm not sure varsity would have too much say in the matter, or if they even care.

Why you wouldn't think cheer is a sport I don't know, maybe if you're wrapped up in the all-star world it's different. But if big air, synchro swimming, rhythmic gymnastics and what not can be Olympic events, so can cheerleading. And I truly don't see anyone not benefiting from the recognition.

 

[Keep_Believing]

And figure skating! Had to add one of my favorites!

 

[CookieMomster]

Ping Pong is also an Olympic sport!

I find it interesting that the naysayers seem to be from the US while the comments up here in Canada and around the world have been positive. This can help level the playing field and allow other countries to compete. Allstar and ICU are different creatures. According to the ICU there are over 100 federations registered with them and represent 4.5 million cheerleaders.

 

[DancerDude0118]

And figure skating! Had to add one of my favorites!

Ping Pong is also an Olympic sport!

I think most people used rhythmic gymnastics and synchronised swimming as examples because they have events where they perform and compete as a group, which is more in line with how cheerleading is carried out. Figure skating is only done in pairs at most (at least at the Olympic level).

With some of these mentioned judging sports, I've always wondered how the "difficulty" score is set because routines all look different albeit fulfilling the requirements. It's something cheer might be able to look into? Since people get annoyed at how raw scores fluctuate from competition to competition...

 

[CookieMomster]

I think most people used rhythmic gymnastics and synchronised swimming as examples because they have events where they perform and compete as a group, which is more in line with how cheerleading is carried out. Figure skating is only done in pairs at most (at least at the Olympic level).

With some of these mentioned judging sports, I've always wondered how the "difficulty" score is set because routines all look different albeit fulfilling the requirements. It's something cheer might be able to look into? Since people get annoyed at how raw scores fluctuate from competition to competition...

I was mainly referring to the sentiments that cheer didn't "feel" Olympic enough.

 

[catlady]

Team USA at the ICU World Championship:

International Cheer Union

 

[mischiefmanaged]

My 9 year old is very excited about this. She said the next time one of the boys in her class tells her cheer isn't a sport she's going to respond with the Olympics said it is. I tried to explain what all this means to her, but she heard cheer and Olympics and nothing else. I even caught her trying to figure out how old she will be during the next few Olympics and she asked how old you have to be to go to the Olympics...Do I think it will happen soon, no. I don't even know if it will become part of the Olympics and there are also to many unanswered questions regarding cheer and the Olympics right now. But it's been fun tonight to see her dream of the Olympics, getting energy to conquer her tumbling fear and just the joy of having validation from something outside of the cheer world that cheer is a sport.

 

[Nikaa]

I'm so confused reading this thread right now. There are so many non-issues brought up. It's through ICU, therefore I would assume it would go by ICU standards. No age cap, both all girl and coed (like other sports have female and male teams/events/athletes), dead floor, emphasis on stunting but not solely (as this is "too close to acro and tumbling" as they've established and took partner stunting out of ICU).

If SM doesn't care or know about the US national team already, I wouldn't worry more than any other sport. ICU is way more collegiate than all-star, so I'm not sure a SM would feel at home without the bling and glamour that all-star provides.

ICU/collegiate style cheer is most common all over the world, as opposed to all-star. There are only a few countries in Europe even going by the level system for cheer, most is peewee, junior and senior elite or premier really. If not even just level 6 for seniors.

I'm not sure how familiar you are with ICU worlds, but everything is pretty straight forward and ironed out. I'm not sure varsity would have too much say in the matter, or if they even care.

Why you wouldn't think cheer is a sport I don't know, maybe if you're wrapped up in the all-star world it's different. But if big air, synchro swimming, rhythmic gymnastics and what not can be Olympic events, so can cheerleading. And I truly don't see anyone not benefiting from the recognition.

You took the right words right from my tounge. Is there even any connection between ICU and Varsity? Because if cheer becomes and Olympics sport I don't think Varsity has to do anything with it.

 

[njallday]

ICU's President is Jeff Webb. Ring any bells, y'all? Cheer is a tangled web that leads back to Varsity in every direction.


also still LOLing that this man testified that cheer isn't a sport, yet he's right at the head of this whole olympic thing. In case any one thought that testimony wasn't a personal vendetta to stop NCATA from being legitimate and competing with his brand.

 

[tumbleyoda]

You took the right words right from my tounge. Is there even any connection between ICU and Varsity? Because if cheer becomes and Olympics sport I don't think Varsity has to do anything with it.

You forgot their statement of purpose and hubris. We.Are.Cheerleading.

That statement was way more than a marketing campaign. It is their central mission.

 

[catlady]

ICU's President is Jeff Webb. Ring any bells, y'all? Cheer is a tangled web that leads back to Varsity in every direction.
also still LOLing that this man testified that cheer isn't a sport, yet he's right at the head of this whole olympic thing. In case any one thought that testimony wasn't a personal vendetta to stop NCATA from being legitimate and competing with his brand.

IMO, there is a real and legitimate fear if states recognize cheer as a sport the sheer cost of training and insurance regulations could force many schools to ground and go back to spirit squads only. From a Varsity view point, that would be a huge loss in camp and comp revenue. On the flip side of the Olympics, that's over the top HUGE free publicity and generates interest and more business.
Olympic gymnastics spur increase in gym enrollment - WSFA.com Montgomery Alabama news.
Colorado gymnastics schools see increasing enrollment during Rio Olympics | FOX31 Denver

 

[quitthedrama]

IMO, there is a real and legitimate fear if states recognize cheer as a sport the sheer cost of training and insurance regulations could force many schools to ground and go back to spirit squads only. From a Varsity view point, that would be a huge loss in camp and comp revenue. On the flip side of the Olympics, that's over the top HUGE free publicity and generates interest and more business.
Olympic gymnastics spur increase in gym enrollment - WSFA.com Montgomery Alabama news.
Colorado gymnastics schools see increasing enrollment during Rio Olympics | FOX31 Denver

The best part about those articles is the money is going to the GYMS - not the EPs, not USASF, not the airlines and hotels. My kids started in gymnastics - they just took classes and never competed. 100% of what I paid (or very close to) went directly to the gym owner. I would love to see this happen in cheer!

 

[CEACheerMom]

if states recognize cheer as a sport the sheer cost of training and insurance regulations could force many schools to ground and go back to spirit squads only.

I see this as only as positive thing for the sport. Cheerleading is considered one of the most (if not THE most) dangerous sport. The entire sport could only benefit from having properly trained coaches overseeing our kids, that includes coaches with schools. Too many times schools are willing to get "volunteers" from the faculty to oversee the cheerleading squads. This can only be a positive thing for our kids and the sport.

 

[DanaBurkey]

I see this as only as positive thing for the sport. Cheerleading is considered one of the most (if not THE most) dangerous sport. The entire sport could only benefit from having properly trained coaches overseeing our kids, that includes coaches with schools. Too many times schools are willing to get "volunteers" from the faculty to oversee the cheerleading squads. This can only be a positive thing for our kids and the sport.

That is so true! As the industry is growing more and more I think there are coaches and gyms out there that need better programs. I think about even a show like Cheerhab where there are gyms that are non-profit and things of that nature, but just don't have the money to get to the level of safety and performance that they could. The financial help will allow for better coaching and safety. Keep in mind, I'm not trying to throw out gym names or throw people under the bus. I just know from hearing from people and things like that, and sometimes even the most well intentioned program isn't the best thanks to limits set by price tags.