All-Star Prepping For The Cheerpocalypse: What Will We Do When Shtf?

[Official OWECheer]

What about that competition that Paula Abdul held? Is that still going on?

 

[UCFKnights07]

i cant imagine all star cheer ever going away..... a little off topic but if you look at say the pop warner side of cheerleading, it has gotten significantly larger since i was in it (which was a long*** time ago, but still, ha). where do you think all those kids eventually get into after pop warner is over and they age off... they probably are already either part of an allstar gym or transition into one. obviously there are differences between the two, Cost being the obvious difference. but i cant see it ever completely going away. People will continue to pay, as long as they enjoy it and its a positive thing for their kid.

 

[KPep]

I'd say move to Quebec. It's not perfect, but let me tell you a little more about the way things work here.

Cheer is considered a sport here. It's not driven by a business, but by a provincial federation. The people on the board are elected by coaches and owners. We have Kick's and Cheer Evolution that produce competitions, but it's about it for private companies on our territory. You can produce an event and if it's approved by the federation, they lend you their judges.

They have an ethical code and deontological one too. You can report something bad any time.

You have to be a member of the federation to have access to a bid to Worlds, even if your bid comes from Kick's.

To be a member costs 20-30$ for a year per athlete/coach/etc. That 20$ includes something important: Sport insurance (dental and medical). THANK. GOD. Healthcare is free here, but most of us go see physiotherapists in a private practice so it costs money.

We have rules regarding athletes switching gyms so you won't hear much drama about it here.

As a member, you are invited to general meetings. If you can't attend, you receive a report by email and you can read it on their website. There are other events for coaches or owners to attend and give their opinion.

You CAN do All-Star and School.

FCQ doesn't sell uniforms or shoes or any apparel for that matter.

Is it perfect? I don't think so. I'm pretty sure I forgot to mention something important. But I believe this is a good example to follow. Is it possible for states to do the same? I don't know. But why not take a lot around and see what others do. Maybe just... maybe... this could inspire someone somewhere.

 

[cheerisloving]

I think gyms that do more than all star will always be okay. Most the gyms around me have gymnastics, mommy and me, open gyms, rec, in addition to the all star programs. Oddly enough, I believe that in case of anything falling apart, smaller gyms will have the advantage. They already have these programs to keep them afloat. Imagine a gym with large beginner gymnastics program and big mommy and me class, partnered with a rec cheer program? That means more parents will grow up in a gym environment and if their child is interested in cheer, there is a program they are familiar with.

 

[mstealtoyou]

Can you name big competitions that has nothing to do with Varsity? I'd like to know!

Spirit Celebrations comes to mind

 

[PeaceLoveCali]

All Star Cheer is dead.

 

[Official OWECheer]

All Star Cheer is dead.

I would say that. But why do you think so?

ETA: WOULDN'T! I meant to say wouldn't. Major typo.

 

[Adam]

I have heard about all star's impending doom nearly every year for the last 20 years.

^ This!!!

Businesses and industries will adapt, they always do. I don't have the background in cheer that @BlueCat does obviously, but that's what businesses do as markets shift and change. To say the sport is doomed is fairly melodramatic. It may certainly have to change, but that's to be expected for a sport that's as young as cheer is. It will adapt and change and grow. As time progresses those changes most likely will be come fewer and farther in between, but they'll always be there. The day All Star stops changing, that will be when it dies.

 

[Official OWECheer]

I have heard about all star's impending doom nearly every year for the last 20 years.

Weird! I'm curious, what types of theories have you heard in the past?

 

[BlueCat]

Weird! I'm curious, what types of theories have you heard in the past?

Most theories are of the "its an unsustainable bubble that is about to burst" variety. People will often use as evidence the fact that they know several gyms that have closed. It is unfortunate when (most) businesses fail, but it isn't particularly unusual. Most businesses fail within a few years in nearly every industry.

I'm not suggesting that all star is bulletproof - just that hearing someone say that they think it is about to go down doesn't automatically make it true.

 

[FaithOverFear!]

Spirit Celebrations comes to mind

Idk about other areas but we attended an Ohio Spirit Celebration comp and won and we didn't get our banner until 2 weeks later, and it had the wrong division lol

 

[Nothanks]

I thought spirit celebrations was varsity owned? Jam brands - jamfest, live!, coastal, coa, us finals, glcc, Americas best and the majors -and epic brands - acda, cheerstarz, champion and spirit unlimited- are not varsity owned (or at least they weren't). However they contribute to usasf and worlds, so I'm not sure I would call them entirely detached.

Who runs all star games?


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[NJ Coach]

I thought spirit celebrations was varsity owned? Jam brands - jamfest, live!, coastal, coa, us finals, glcc, Americas best and the majors -and epic brands - acda, cheerstarz, champion and spirit unlimited- are not varsity owned (or at least they weren't). However they contribute to usasf and worlds, so I'm not sure I would call them entirely detached.

Who runs all star games?


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Spirit Celebrations is an IEP. Jammy is relatively large but not on the scale of Varsity, and there are several IEPs that work together that are not under either umbrella.
They are sanctioned through USASF as that is the governing body, and they all (or the vast majority) offer Worlds bids through the USASF as that is the premiere end of season competition for our sport. They are detached from Varsity at this point. They are not under the Varsity umbrella and are independent corporations. While I may side eye the whole USASF/Varsity situation (or have in the past), it is possible for these companies to work under our governing body and not be a part of the Varsity machine.

 

[TealArmySparkle]

I think in an international setting (the UK anyway) the allstar bubble is less likely to burst than it is in the states. Pretty much all the competitions in the UK aren't run by the Varsity machine and most teams don't even use Varsity for uniforms or have any affiliation with them. I make sure I steer well clear of anything that is made by Varsity because they are the ones that are commercialising and essentially ruining the sport that I love. If the UK goes down the same route as America then I'm just going to walk away because it wouldn't be worth it anymore and I'm not succumbing to the Varsity machine.

 

[Official OWECheer]

@King I found a comment of yours on an old thread that I liked:

"I see cheer having a very gymnastic makeup in a few years. Lots of competition and gyms in the level 1-3s, a fewer number if gyms with level 4, and even less with level 5. That's not necessarily a bad thing and means a Lot of competition for levels 1-3 (which is most of cheer). It will mean a big increase in safety and a more secure income for smaller gyms. Once an athlete is ready to go level 5 then they would move."

Does anyone else see this happening?

My other question is, what would stop kids from simply going to a bigger gym from day 1? Or would this have no impact on smaller gyms' ability to bring in lower-level athletes?