All-Star The Summit 2017 Video Thread

[FloridaFlya]

Who the hell is the head coach for SCV allstars?
Literally every one of their teams at summit made top 3 and they won in 3 divisions (Including SRC5 who was the gyms first ever level 5)..... Like, what are they feeding them??
They brought home 3 bronze medals (one of whom was in 1st after semis), 1 silver medal, and 3 golds......... Like I just want to shadow the coaching staff for a season and find out their secrets.

I've said this the last couple years. They announced a few days back that they're finally adding a worlds team! I'm sure they'll surprise us with something great.

 

[AndyT_T]

I've said this the last couple years. They announced a few days back that they're finally adding a worlds team! I'm sure they'll surprise us with something great.

I want them to make top 10 their first year at worlds. I would GAG

 

[FloridaFlya]

I want them to make top 10 their first year at worlds. I would GAG

With all their summit success, I have a feeling their coach knows when it's the right time to enter a worlds division. So I'm hoping for a top 10 as well

 

[Mom2Cheergirls]

Before you judge, consider the fact that cheerleaders go through A LOT of physical and mental changes over a long period of time. When she was on the R5 team, she was at her peak. She went through mental blocks every single year up until this year (you can read previous thread I started called Kudos brag post to read about her progress) In the past 3 years, she wouldn't throw more than a tuck. She JUST RECENTLY got comfortable with throwing her standing tuck again but complained of back pain. She's been to see doctors with no answers. So, she refuses to tumble higher than level 3. So, level 2/3 is appropriate for her now. I have NO issue with this, so no one else should either. This is not a sandbag/stacking situation. This is a "every cheerleader is different" issue and people should reserve judgement before assuming. So glad she's retiring.

I'm going to throw myself into this because I can say easily 2 years ago I would have been judging this and not get it. I imagine your not going to get a lot of support but you are not alone. There are teams out there that sand bag that do this for the win... so based on your initial comment I get where people are like step back... maybe adding some of your response to the initial post might have calmed it some.

For the individual arguing 4.2 is the place... sometimes... but it depends on the situation and until you have lived in the persons shoes you just don't know. Athletes get hurt and if you push them back to a level just because for a time it was appropriate you could be doing a disservice to that athlete. It can be more than tumbling it can be stunting as well which is why 4.2 is not the end all be all answer (be flyer, base or backstop... dependent on the injury and situation). There is simply more than saying an athlete can never have to step back and I would not have understood it until this year. It has been a hard journey and one I'd rather not have been that has made me reach a point where I will be tremendously happy if my athlete is put down a level.

I have watched my kid struggle from an injury get it all back with mental blocks along the way and then to push through and make her dream team only to watch a reinjury (and she was fully cleared per doctors she was good but she is hyper flexible and things that didn't show round 1 became obvious round 2 of this injury) sideline her almost the whole season. She's working her way back... hoping to only be dropped 1 level but may be dropped 2. Her goal is to keep at this and moving up when she has level appropriate skills not because she used to have them. Mentally and physically she knows this step back will make her a stronger athlete and person. I think until you have lived through an injury that your CP does not just bounce back from, gone to countless doctors, spent those hundreds and hundreds of dollars on privates to help work through mental blocks, listen to the parents say "I'd never pay for my child to step down a level or I'd make them quit" , watch your kid struggle while following it with but I love this sport and having the blessing from the doctor, balance it all.... you just can't judge. So please know you are not alone.

 

[Mom2Cheergirls]

The unfortunate part is, we all know at any given time there are a lot of blocking kids in a gym. This isn't a judgement issue on you or your child, you don't choose her placement. However, we all know it doesn't take a person that has been in AS very long to figure out and witness this strategy. Because of gyms doing this, coaches will continue to have to bump kids down in levels to compete in level 1 & 2, and eventually it will end up hurting the higher level teams because there will be very few places available on entry level teams to compete in. IMO, 4.2 was designed for blocking or tumbling stagnant kids, but we all know it is harder to hit those level 4 stunts.

This is a video thread so, I'll leave it at that.

4.2 was often used by half year teams with older athletes who could developmentally grasp and handle the coordination it takes for level 4 stunting but may have started in this sport later on or not develop the tumbling skills a higher level team would require. An athlete with blocking issue can have a lot more going on. Yes there are some serious sand bagging issues but levels are dynamic and an athlete due to a variety of reasons may no longer really by doing what is level appropriate and dropping can and should happen. We have to many Suzie moms focusing on the number and how fast and high their kids can get to a 5 and as a sport we need to be open to not only what is best for the team but what is physically and emotionally best for a child (and we are dealing with kids here) and that may very well mean dropping one or two levels for a variety of reasons. When a parent can come out and say my kid was a 5 but you know what she is ending on the 2 and I am so proud of my kid and this team.... there could be a long journey that brought that moment to be such a moment of pride and it very well could have nothing to do with sandbagging.

 

[catlady]

@Mom2Cheergirls again, I have to just apologize and state that my frustration and passion had/has nothing to do with where this thread ended up. I think a coach took pity and kindly PM'd me and I'll just paraphrase what I said to them...

I'm sad for the beginner older athletes. Gym owners and coaches are in a tough place. If they accept beginners on level 1 and 2, they now end up looking like Craptastic All Stars in comparison. There is no magic method for getting athletes without a backbend to having a team full of front walkover, cartwheel, double bwo's when the season begins in November.

I don't have the answer, but right now, I feel like the doors are starting to close on the older beginner athletes for level 1 and 2. I truly don't know if that's just my perception or if it's reality.

 

[dmouth11]

@Mom2Cheergirls again, I have to just apologize and state that my frustration and passion had/has nothing to do with where this thread ended up. I think a coach took pity and kindly PM'd me and I'll just paraphrase what I said to them...

I'm sad for the beginner older athletes. Gym owners and coaches are in a tough place. If they accept beginners on level 1 and 2, they now end up looking like Craptastic All Stars in comparison. There is no magic method for getting athletes without a backbend to having a team full of front walkover, cartwheel, double bwo's when the season begins in November.

I don't have the answer, but right now, I feel like the doors are starting to close on the older beginner athletes for level 1 and 2. I truly don't know if that's just my perception or if it's reality.

I really respect your attempt to clear the water with this thread. Thank you for being a good example of owning any miscommunication/ not having the best tone. We all are here on this board because we love this sport so much, so I'm happy that we can make up and continue healthy debate. :cheering:

 

[cheer25mom]

Beginner athletes do have a place to go.... It's mostly levels 1 & 2. I've never personally seen anyone get turned away because they were not experienced enough for level 1 or 2 and were edged out by an experienced athlete. Maybe it happens to a handful of people a year at like Rays or Cheer Athletics or any other Mega gym. No gym owner wants to turn anyone away but in RARE OCCASIONS sometimes you have to if you truly don't have a place for them.

Kids being turned away because theres no spot for them on a team (at tryouts) happens like 0.3% of the time in cheer. Nine times out of ten there is another gym in the area that will have a place for a beginner athlete if the gym truly has no place for the athlete. And if there's no place they can go to cheer, the athlete can take classes to improve their skills so they can have a better chance at making a team next year. God forbid you might have to be competitive to make a team in a competitive sport. Even at the most basic level.
.

Actually , there are several gyms in our area where this happens a LOT. At one gym in particular there are kids that spend 2 years in their prep program waiting for a spot on a full year team, or years at level 1 waiting to be good enough to move to level 2. MANY of their kids have skills 2 levels or more above their team placement. Parents stay because they win literally everything by sandbagging. There is no competing against them if you choose to make level appropriate placements.

 

[123jump4!]

I'm in between. I think it's kinda weird that complete beginners are put on teams that travel to competitions and their parents pay thousands of dollars to see their kid mostly nugget.

So if you don't even have a backbend kickover, then you should maybe just do tumbling classes or be on a prep team if offered.

What other sport puts complete beginners on competitive teams? I think gyms do it at least partly for money, not for what's best for the kid / parents.

When cp started cheer she was going to just do tumbling classes but the gym was like oh she should join a team. She only had a cartwheel (a good one though lol) and spent most of the season trying to catch up. It wasn't that fun for her.

But I don't think that you should need elite level 1 skills to be on a team either.

 

[Mom2Cheergirls]

@Mom2Cheergirls again, I have to just apologize and state that my frustration and passion had/has nothing to do with where this thread ended up. I think a coach took pity and kindly PM'd me and I'll just paraphrase what I said to them...

I'm sad for the beginner older athletes. Gym owners and coaches are in a tough place. If they accept beginners on level 1 and 2, they now end up looking like Craptastic All Stars in comparison. There is no magic method for getting athletes without a backbend to having a team full of front walkover, cartwheel, double bwo's when the season begins in November.

I don't have the answer, but right now, I feel like the doors are starting to close on the older beginner athletes for level 1 and 2. I truly don't know if that's just my perception or if it's reality.

I think it is harder for the older athlete. I can tell you I never learned to tumble (mom wanted a dancer) and my crappy cartwheel didn't get me on the high school team where that was all that was required. I didn't have the support to gain the skills and was out of luck but ended up doing dance team and loving it. I think older athletes run a problem across the board in any sport. My CP debated switching to soccer. She was a star on the field in 1st grade (actually had coaches recruiting her for their All Star teams.. weird to say the least). She stopped to only do cheer. We told her if she wanted to change she could but she needs to be aware where we live these kids are hard core and she will no longer be that star and may not make the high school team unless she makes the shift and starts working - she is currently staying with cheer. I think prep teams and recreational teams really hold a spot for athletes that want to try this sport and it seems like more areas are getting them but sadly not the answer everywhere.

I appreciate your apology and I really do understand your frustration and appreciate your words. Like I said until you live your kid having to drop those levels (and trust me Parent Room can be an interesting place to be when Suzie moms start on how could you let that happen). I actually love 4.2..... our first gym had a 4.2 like no other those kids were unbelievable but most were long time girls that really want to do high school and All Star and this was the way they could they weren't the girls who were making 5 or 4 in the gym all week long but they were strong and mature and hard working. I don't think there is 1 answer but hopefully most places find a way to accommodate athletes.

 

[AndyT_T]

With all their summit success, I have a feeling their coach knows when it's the right time to enter a worlds division. So I'm hoping for a top 10 as well

Omg could you imagine if they came in and pulled a bombshells and got a globe?!
I mean even just making finals would be iconic but bringing home a globe would be insane.

 

[california cheer mom]

Does anyone know if the Summit videos will ever be free to watch on varsity's page? Last year they were made public after the competition.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Does anyone know if the Summit videos will ever be free to watch on varsity's page? Last year they were made public after the competition.

It's typically been 2 weeks after the comp this season, so maybe early next week. Not sure though.