All-Star Teams That Go Up Against No One....

[WayTooCheerful]

Our gym presents the parents with the competition calendar in July. We are then given our breakdown of payments due for those competition fees. Our first regional competition is usually in early November. How could the coaches of ANY gym possibly know what division (small, medium, large) the levels at another gym are competing in? Most competitions will even go so far as to have a small gym/large gym breakdown. There are also the "half-year" teams that only compete at Nationals events. Soooo if a gym enters a competition early and benefits from the early bird discount, should they not perform once the schedule is posted and they have no competitiors in their division? I often marvel at the gyms that have 5 or more Level 1 or 2 squads at a competition. If that is their niche then more power to them but don't point a finger at the gym with the awesome youth5, etc. just because they don't have anyone in their division!! That's why I'm grateful for competitions like NCA. Everybody "plays" at NCA! All doubt is removed as to legitimacy of effort.

 

[alexamarysouza]

I hate competing against no other teams. I feel like it's just an easy way out so you don't have to lose. Personally, I would rather get 2nd out of 3, than 1st against myself. It's more of an accomplishment to me. And I've been in the sport for like 10 years, and have competed "against myself" many many many times, and there was never a score for us to beat. Just saying.

 

[Nothanks]

I know LIVE! has a minimum score, because I coached a team that went against it. COA does as well, and I've competed against it too (both of those just this season). Jam Brands all use the same scoresheet and rules, so I'm pretty confident that they all have a "score to beat" across brands. EPIC also uses one, because I've seen (maybe last season?) a team get "honorable mention" instead of 1st.

At LIVE! the minimum score for the collegiate division (and we could get a maximum of 99.5) was a 68. So that tells you how low it is. It's not hard to beat the score--even looking like a train wreck.

 

[Goosepatrick]

It's a good point.. Even if you have a score to beat, if its low it doesn't matter. For companies that have a score to beat I hope they publicize it

 

[Cheeranswers]

i dont think it should be necessarily all about the score. I think the judges should ask themselves if the team TRULY deserves the first place title. I know that'd be hard to judge, but if a team drops a lot of stunts and has a bunch of busts, chances are they dont deserve first place, so they shouldnt get it

 

[NCMom]

I know of a cheer team that purposely went to competitions where they were the only group in their division.

They would do this to be able to say that they won US Finals for years x, y, and z.

This is exactly what the local Rec team here does. they started competing senior 3.1 because they were losing in jr2 and Sr 3.1 had less competition. They actually won US Finals by default last year and they all drive around with huge stickers covering the back glasses of their cars saying US Finals National Champions and the name of the team. Every time i see one of those cars I just roll my eyes because I'm like really you literally didn't compete against a single other team all season. The car stickers are a bit much lol. Of course most people in our town have no clue and think they make the town look good when actually to anyone who knows they just look crazy.

 

[bellalexi]

This is exactly what the local Rec team here does. they started competing senior 3.1 because they were losing in jr2 and Sr 3.1 had less competition.

A little off topic, but is 3.1 a new division? I've never heard of that before!

 

[NCMom]

A little off topic, but is 3.1 a new division? I've never heard of that before!

I was the same way when I first heard about it also. Apparently its a fairly new rec division that is level 3 stunts and level 1 tumble. I know they competed in that division last year and this year but whether it was around before that is lost on me.

 

[cheerKT]

3.1 is not a real USASF division. Perhaps you mean 4.2

 

[Camryn]

3.1 is not a real USASF division. Perhaps you mean 4.2

They aren't talking about all-star they are talking about rec

 

[cheerKT]

They aren't talking about all-star they are talking about rec

Read that after I had already posted.

 

[rosebud]

It bugs me too when the teams who weren't against anyone, won a National title by default and brag all over Facebook or Twitter that they are National Champs. They did pay an entrance fee so they should get the 'prize' but if teams are signing up the week before a competition because they see that there isn't anyone in their division that is just plain SAD. And unfortunately that is how some of those teams will get Worlds bids....they will see a competition that most teams have a bid already so they will get one of those by default too. Personally I think that is a hollow victory and luckily my daughters won their bids to Worlds and the Summit against some tough competition so they can hold their heads up high and know they deserve to be there.

 

[rosebud]

Personally I think it's ridiculous. If there is nobody in your division, than you should have to beat a max score to get the banner/jackets.
To outsiders who know nothing about cheer that walk into a gym and see all of these "national champions" banners, it makes them think the team/gym is awesome because they're unaware of how they got them. I don't think it's about being "national champions"... I don't think they think they're actually "national champions" (with the exception of a few who haven't figured out we know you competed against nobody... stop bragging) ... it's to show it off to the people outside of the gym/cheerleading world that see it and think "oh... they have a lot of national champion banners. they must be really good."
And then there's gyms that purposely avoid specific large name competitions because they know they won't place well and go to craptastic's cheerleading showdown in some elementary school gym in the middle of Antarctica just to have another banner.. clearly, i'm exaggerating... but you all know what i mean.

hmmm.. i think i know who this is about....

I couldn't agree more!!

 

[WayTooCheerful]

It bugs me too when the teams who weren't against anyone, won a National title by default and brag all over Facebook or Twitter that they are National Champs. They did pay an entrance fee so they should get the 'prize' but if teams are signing up the week before a competition because they see that there isn't anyone in their division that is just plain SAD. And unfortunately that is how some of those teams will get Worlds bids....they will see a competition that most teams have a bid already so they will get one of those by default too. Personally I think that is a hollow victory and luckily my daughters won their bids to Worlds and the Summit against some tough competition so they can hold their heads up high and know they deserve to be there.

Hmmmm...what Worlds bid eligible competitions are allowing people to wait until the schedule is posted so they may THEN decide to enter? Big time eye roll on this one!! This is so disrespectful to the Event Producers, the athletes that take the mat and "work it out" and to the Worlds level judges that sit on the panels.