All-Star Unethical Programs

[Cheer4lyfe]

For our gym, we would have never allowed her to step in for their program. Not just because we arent fond of the ethic of this program, but because we have a huge emphasis on safety because we do not use crossovers. So if a cheerleader gets hurt we will scramble within our own program, but we have never asked for someone outside of our program. And frankly, in this situation that we are dealing with I strongly feel like our athlete ( and theirs for that matter) are at a great risk. Asking a child to learn stunt sections with only a few hours it really unsafe in my opinion. Its thankfully not something we have ever encountered before in our gym, and I don't expect will happen again.

 

[mstealtoyou]

There have been fines leaved. In order for USASF to do anything someone would have to turn them in first. And USASF would have to decide to investigate. I don't know if they necessarily investigate every single person that is turned in.

 

[mrsgarrett]

LOL When you know better, you do better.

Are you the owner of this program? Coach of that team? It just baffles me that parent's are paying you assuming you know the rules for the sport they're paying you to teach. Just makes me curious how many other rules y'all don't know.

To answer the question about other rules I don't know: A LOT. That's why I joined these forums so I can ask questions. And I do a lot of reading. I don't get paid. I'm volunteer for a small gym in a small area. This is my first year coaching an all star team, our first year as a small gym. Before that, I coached a rec team. We make just enough to pay the rent and electricity and water. Our tuition is $60 a month so we can pay the bills. Girls wear any plain white shoes, uniforms were $100. Parents pay for girls to have something to do in the area for not a whole lot of money. They know we're not experts that's why we do mostly small school competitions. Any other questions?

 

[mstealtoyou]

To answer the question about other rules I don't know: A LOT. That's why I joined these forums so I can ask questions. And I do a lot of reading. I don't get paid. I'm volunteer for a small gym in a small area. This is my first year coaching an all star team, our first year as a small gym. Before that, I coached a rec team. We make just enough to pay the rent and electricity and water. Our tuition is $60 a month so we can pay the bills. Girls wear any plain white shoes, uniforms were $100. Parents pay for girls to have something to do in the area for not a whole lot of money. They know we're not experts that's why we do mostly small school competitions. Any other questions?

While I admire your dedication to bring affordable cheerleading to your area, it doesn't excuse not knowing the rules in my opinion! quitthedrama posted a link to the rules for you. If it was me I would be studying those things like the SAT was tomorrow.

 

[Cheer4lyfe]

To answer the question about other rules I don't know: A LOT. That's why I joined these forums so I can ask questions. And I do a lot of reading. I don't get paid. I'm volunteer for a small gym in a small area. This is my first year coaching an all star team, our first year as a small gym. Before that, I coached a rec team. We make just enough to pay the rent and electricity and water. Our tuition is $60 a month so we can pay the bills. Girls wear any plain white shoes, uniforms were $100. Parents pay for girls to have something to do in the area for not a whole lot of money. They know we're not experts that's why we do mostly small school competitions. Any other questions?

Ms teal is right, this is a great resource for you! We started with one team, 8 years ago and have exploded, and we were just the same as you! Community small all star program, all volunteers ( still are). Keep pushing and learning.

 

[mrsgarrett]

USASF Rules Site | Rules from Les Stella
I suggest you read these before your next competition - most of the rules are pretty clear and every gym owner and coach should be aware of them, particularly the basic rules. The rule in question is on the last page of the Age Grid rules.

Thank you. I see where the rule was broken.

 

[dawgshow]

. If it was me I would be studying those things like the SAT was tomorrow.

I truly LOL'd at this


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[mollymags]

Not USASF sanctioned event's.

IEP can decide their own rules. Jamfest is not an IEP.

IEP does not mean they are not USASF sanctioned. There's a very significant number of IEP companies that are USASF members, follow USASF rules, and give out Worlds bids.

 

[mstealtoyou]

IEP does not mean they are not USASF sanctioned. There's a very significant number of IEP companies that are USASF members, follow USASF rules, and give out Worlds bids.

I wasn't referring to those. But, yes you are right. True IEP's can and do make their own rules. But Jamfest isn't 1 of them.

 

[SarahS]

While I admire your dedication to bring affordable cheerleading to your area, it doesn't excuse not knowing the rules in my opinion! quitthedrama posted a link to the rules for you. If it was me I would be studying those things like the SAT was tomorrow.

I study the rules every dang day (and I don't get paid) but that's probably because I'm a big nerd and I love that kind of stuff. As a member of a couple of coaches' forums... there are a LOT of coaches who don't know the rules.

 

[12stepCheermom]

I study the rules every dang day (and I don't get paid) but that's probably because I'm a big nerd and I love that kind of stuff. As a member of a couple of coaches' forums... there are a LOT of coaches who don't know the rules.

And that's scary. Really raises the question of ethics or ignorance.


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[Just-a-Mom]

OK I could see if the usasf rules were like the Affordable Care Act and we were asking you to read a 1600 page document... but COME ON. How does someone open a gym and expect to get by on reading a message board as their main source of information? The entire usasf rules document (both of them together) is less than 50 pages long.

I found every rule that applies to this thread significantly faster than it would take to locate a Jamfest official and ask. Less than 5 minutes.

I'd be willing to bet that Jamfest officials would say that they never said this was OK - or at least that their certainly didn't say that you don't even need to ask. I'm going with one of 3 things:
1. They didn't understand that it was a different program and not just a different team
2. This story didn't happen this way
3. The person you asked wasn't actually an official - more likely a volunteer that didn't have a clue what their were talking about

Regardless, it's your job, paid or not, to know the rules long before you ever take a team out of your gym and onto the mat.

Sorry if you think I'm being harsh but this is crazy that you'd take a team to a competition without even reading the rules for the main governing body of your sport. If I was a parent in this program I'd be heated about this.

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[DropAndRun]

I understand and agree that coaches should have a basic knowledge of most rules. Ok more than a basic knowledge. I know the rules for most every scenario. But every once in a while there is a bizarre circumstance that you've never dealt with before and are unable to immediately have a correct answer for. I might be awesome but I don't know everything and I would immediately want to consult someone running the event so that I was sure I was in fact following the rules.

I have been coaching a sport as my job for around 10 years now. I'd like to think I'm pretty good at it, and since I competed as an amateur for many years before going professional, I'm pretty well versed in my knowledge of the rules.

There are plenty I don't know with 100% certainty though. Rules about situations we don't often run into, etc. There is always someone at our sanctioned shows (called a steward.. But a rules enforcer) and if I have a question about something, I expect to be able to ask them to interpret a rule for me and absolutely I would follow whatever advice they gave me.

Are these people giving instructions at cheer competitions random anybodies that just happen to be sitting behind the desk or are they hired officials giving advice? I don't think it's fair to expect a coach (brand new or with 20 years experience) to know every rule with 100% certainty.. We have a lot more than memorizing a rule book cover to cover to worry about and I think it's kind of unfair that I would be held responsible for something a licensed official told me was ok. If they can't give me a straight up answer, what exactly is their purpose?

 

[Pebbles49]

So I had a new experience this weekend. One of our cheerleaders explained that she wasnt going to be at practice on Saturday because she was going to virgina. Ok, sounded like a fair excuse. Today when I was checking my FB feed I noticed that she was tagged in a picture, in uniform with another all star team.

The child is 14 so the first thing I do is call her mother. After talking with her mother is establish a few things about her, her child and communication with the other team. The other program is shaddy in my opinion and does very poor business, and isnt very well respected in our cheer community ( I had this opinion before this incident).

With that said I have 2 questions that need clarification.

1st: is it, or is it not in usasf rules that a cheerleader is not allowed to cheer for another program while they are still rostered with another?

2. When speaking with the mother she clarified that she never provided the director with a birth certificate, nor did the director ask, which tells me that the Director had this child listen on her roster as another child.

Is there not something I can do? Our season is almost over so I will be handling the situation with the child and her mother, but I cannot stand when a program is permitted to run under such shaddy practicies. Advice or thoughts?

Well, I read in later postings that you are a new gym owner with a small gym... I think, since this season is almost over and at this gym no set rules have been established in regards to this situation... As a new gym owner the beauty of this situation encumbered you to established this in your new season contract and definitely make the potential parents and athletes aware of this rule in your tryouts and first meetings when you form your teams... For me a parent of an all-star athlete, this is so common for gyms to have this situation be written in their contract and so, when and if an athlete violates this rule the gym is in their right to remove the athlete from the program since you had them signed and agreed ahead of time...:wasntme:
Unfortunately in your situation, you have so many established businesses willing to take advantage of the naiveté of an upcoming new business(competition) -- at this point, when I listen to your complaint, it is hard to call this business who using your athlete shady, because you have not yet established this guideline in your contract... protect yourself and your athletes from unscrupulous businesses, who are willing to take advantage of new businesses and athletes.
This is a definitely a teachable and hard lesson to learn,,, but learn from it and get stronger and grow your business...

 

[AScheer]

Well, I read in later postings that you are a new gym owner with a small gym... I think, since this season is almost over and at this gym no set rules have been established in regards to this situation... As a new gym owner the beauty of this situation encumbered you to established this in your new season contract and definitely make the potential parents and athletes aware of this rule in your tryouts and first meetings when you form your teams... For me a parent of an all-star athlete, this is so common for gyms to have this situation be written in their contract and so, when and if an athlete violates this rule the gym is in their right to remove the athlete from the program since you had them signed and agreed ahead of time...:wasntme:
Unfortunately in your situation, you have so many established businesses willing to take advantage of the naiveté of an upcoming new business(competition) -- at this point, when I listen to your complaint, it is hard to call this business who using your athlete shady, because you have not yet established this guideline in your contract... protect yourself and your athletes from unscrupulous businesses, who are willing to take advantage of new businesses and athletes.
This is a definitely a teachable and hard lesson to learn,,, but learn from it and get stronger and grow your business...

It's a little tough to keep it straight, but the original poster with the problem of the athlete lying and competing with another program IS NOT the same person that is running a new program, doesn't know the rules, and subbed in another gyms athlete. Just thought I'd help clarify because we have two different unconnected scenarios taking place in this thread!


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