All-Star Only Team Competing In A Division

[ptcheerboi]

I completely agree that the fee should be dropped, or a portion refunded back to the gym. That happened a lot last year to my junior1 team. They only competed locally until it was time for Athletic Nationals in Destin. Of the 5 or some local comps, they competed against other teams maybe once or twice. But when there was no one in their division their goal was to get grand champs. When there were other teams in their devision, their goal was to still get grand chapms. Well it paid off in the end. They were undefeated last season. And wont grand champs at 3 of those competitions. My senior 1 team is going through that now. Their second local comp is Sunday, and their is no one in their division, but they already know that their goal is to get grand champs....

 

[tdittmar]

I also think a lot of times you can pre-determine the outcome based on the previous years attendance. I know you can find performance orders on-line from a year ago ( cause i'm psycho and do this a lot ), or you can contact the rep and ask how well it was attended. We all know there are different comps that will give smaller gyms a better outcome and that most larger programs won't bother with and vice versa. If you do some research you should have a pretty good idea of how large the comp is. You can't always guarantee they'll be a team in your specific division, but your odds are much better. I hope gym owners do their homework before commiting to a schedule.

BTW....can you withdraw from a competition after paying fees if you notice that there isn't enough competition for your gym? Is there a penalty?

 

[socratesofcheer]

This has happened to my daughters team a few times. IMO if there are no other teams competing in a division the fee should be refunded and the team allowed to be included as an exhibition. What do you think?

No refunds. The EP still must pay for judges, equipment and space.
However, If there were way less divisions and competitions, then this would not be as big of a problem.

 

[socalcheergirl]

Even when teams are the only one's in their division, they're still able to compete for Grand Champion (if there is one). But, I agree, it's a waste of the competition fee when they aren't competing against anyone. What really irritates me is when a team is the only one in their division and they're named "National Champions" and they get all the champion gear. That's just so silly to me.

I feel they should still get the back pack, jacket or whatever as long as they score above a certain percentage. This will help the kids to be determined to do well, and they are still working for something.

 

[fullpass]

Totally agree. I hate when teams win by default and then brag that they won. I asked a friend of mine how they did and she said we got 1st place!!! I said great, who came in 2nd? Oh, we didn't compete against anyone.

I agree!! I've even seen some that put it as a brag on their site!!! If my CP works her butt of to come in second out of 15 teams it kills me for another kid to show up at school on Monday with champion stuff if her gym was unopposed. Maybe it's me though. . .

 

[lakerfantlc]

OMG...they are just kids....they go to practice...work hard...at the end of the day....who cares or remembers...let them have a little glory...who does it hurt?...IMO

 

[SmileyRyleigh]

At the competition i was at last weekend, there was a Senior Level 2 team (the ONLY team in that gym that came) that drove from somewhere far up in Canada, to Cincinnati, and didn't have ANYONE to compete against. IMO, thats kind of a crazy drive for a team, especially Senior Level 2, to drive just to compete against no one.

 

[lakerfantlc]

At the competition i was at last weekend, there was a Senior Level 2 team (the ONLY team in that gym that came) that drove from somewhere far up in Canada, to Cincinnati, and didn't have ANYONE to compete against. IMO, thats kind of a crazy drive for a team, especially Senior Level 2, to drive just to compete against no one.

and for goodness sakes....give them the jacket or back pack...the fact that no one comes to compete against you shouldnt take the joy from the event...they worked....traveled..paid...let them have their glory....I think))

 

[Senior5Allie]

I agree!! I've even seen some that put it as a brag on their site!!! If my CP works her butt of to come in second out of 15 teams it kills me for another kid to show up at school on Monday with champion stuff if her gym was unopposed. Maybe it's me though. . .

This happens all the time here and it annoys me so much. Bragging when you didn't beat anyone or a score is just sad .

 

[marissa.d]

I've also seen EP's ask a team to compete in an older age group (i.e. Youth 3 team competing as Junior 3) because there were no other Youth 3 teams registered. That way, they had some competition.

Didn't GBE Orange (JCO5) just compete as a Sr Rest. 5 just a few weeks ago (@ Jamfest Dekalb). I'm guessing that was a situation like this.

this happened last year to ACX's mini 3, they were asked to compete youth 3, and then they won! It made it even better for them!

 

[SarahS]

In my experience, the EPs have always asked if we'd like to change divisions if we're the only ones. I never have, because I always choose the division that fit the skills of my kids. For instance, at the last competition we were at, we were the only senior level 3.1 team (it is a rec team, so a bit different than all star, basically like 4.2 but level 3 stunts and 1 tumbling). We could have competed as a straight senior 3 team, but we had no kids with level 3 tumbling skills so we would have been annihilated.) So.... I kept them in the division alone. The competition *did* make them compete against the score, which was 75% of the max score, I believe. I don't see why every competition doesn't do this - automatically ask the coaches if they want to combine, otherwise make them compete against the score to actually "earn" first place. It seems like a pretty good compromise to me.

 

[SaraDee023]

i agree with you...at the one compeititon i went to they allowed that...or you could just compete against yourself and win a jacket.

 

[cheerfan27]

Um.... You are the only one who mentioned "fit".... Relax... Be happy

Always.

 

[cmpayne]

I was at GLCC slam today and during session 2 awards every team that was on stage won first place in their division. I was like, why didn't you just hand us our medals as we were walking off stage instead of making us wait through a stunt off thing and 30 minutes of dancing?

 

[canttouchthis]

people on fb always post how they won yet they were the only on in the division


#youdidntreallywin #sorrynotsorry