All-Star Usasf Changes

[Dougts]

I will tell you that I do not understand FUNdamentals or Novice at all.
Who is really going to want to pay what I assume is going to be on par with what you'd pay for a local traveling Prep team or half year team, to do this? You're probably going to be paying half year or prep Mini 1 $$$ for your kids to do, well, not that.

I agree with you on Novice. That one makes no sense to me. Novice/Prep is just dividing what is currently prep into two buckets based on competing or not competing, and creating levels/rules differentiation that is not really needed.

FUNdamentals makes more sense to me. It's basically a curriculum for in-house classes focusing on skill buildings and progressions. It's the "intro to cheerleading" line designed to appeal to a mass market and create a funnel of kids, some of which will progress on to prep/elite.

Cost-wise, Novice seems like it would be pretty similar to prep, assuming neither travels. One gets ranked against other teams, one doesn't. Honestly, I don't see near enough differentiation between Novice and Prep to warrant even offering a Novice team/program. Fundamentals would presumably be much cheaper, more like studio dance programs - you pay a set monthly fee, practice skills and towards the end of the "season" you do a showcase performance, either at your gym or at a local event. This program makes sense to me.

 

[MomMomMamaMom]

I’m curious about how FUNdamenrals and Novice participants will be counted towards D2 size limits.

 

[XtremeWpg]

All Star Age Grids, 2018/19 – Cheer Canada – Canada's National Sport Organization for Cheerleading

I feel like I’ve never loved my country more. I live for this age grid

 

[Keep_Believing]

All Star Age Grids, 2018/19 – Cheer Canada – Canada's National Sport Organization for Cheerleading

I feel like I’ve never loved my country more. I live for this age grid

And they let the public see it! They didn't copyright it! Yay! Go Canada!

 

[WinstonsGirl]

All Star Age Grids, 2018/19 – Cheer Canada – Canada's National Sport Organization for Cheerleading

I feel like I’ve never loved my country more. I live for this age grid

I like it, I think, with one exception. There is no difference in the Open teams between All-Girl and Co-Ed (not IASF, but Open). I've always had an issues in the past with Open 4/4.2 all-girl competing with co-ed. Especially in the past where it was 17+, having males on the team can make a big difference in stunts. I also don't understand why Open 4 is no males, and Open 4.2 is co-ed.

Now, I assume that most Open level 5 teams will be competing IASF grid rather than Cheer Canada grid, but an Open 5.0 team with males will usually be stronger than an AG team. I still think that needs to be addressed

 

[DonnaM]

I “get” novice and the prep changes more now. We did our first D2 only comp this weekend. At meets with mostly D1 and bigger D2 gyms, usually prep teams look...well, like prep teams. They tend not to have full team tumbling, tend to stunt more conservatively, and just plain are not nearly as good as the similar level non-prep teams. Through the season they improve, and improve a lot, but even in Feb, they often are just starting to look anything like their gym’s level 1 or 2 at the beginning of the season, let alone in Feb. Or, their prep team just started after school cheer ended, and while many of the kids have skills, it’s obvious that they haven’t had all season to pull together.
At some of the D2 gyms, there are no non-prep teams before level 3-4. And they are GOOD. Often better than some of the level 1-3 elite teams at the same competition. They are definitely not just sticking to skills that fall into the “low”range of the scoresheet. Now, that’s great for them, but when you watch the faces of a prep team that is a new to cheer team with a wide skill spread that just hit zero when they watch a team that would have maxed out a full level scoresheet, you realize that this is discouraging those kids from continuing in this sport. It’s sending the message that if you’re not already good, there is no place for you.
I think the changes are in response to this. Novice provides a place for those new to cheer or who need more polishing before they’re really at that level (not sure why the “no rankings” since Tiny Novice is currently ranked, and it seems a mistake at least for level 2 and 3, where I could see kids moving from a level 1 team to a 2 novice team so they can use their skills in a routine if they’re not quite ready for 2 yet). Prep, by being limited on tumbling, provides a place for the shorter schedules, because the coaches can get stunts up to speed and teach a routine, but you’re not going to be able to get school cheer kids on non-tumbling teams up to level 2 and 3 tumbling in the months after their season ends.
Not having full 2 and 3 prep teams recognizes what is often occurring-that level 2and 3 prep often means “we’re a small gym that only competes regionally”. Not “these are the kids who aren’t quite ready for a full level 2 or 3 or who only train half the year”. And I’m guessing they’ll be just fine in a regular division at the same regional comps they are already attending. At bigger gyms, where 2amd 3 prep were the cheaper regional travel teams, it’s going to have to be up to the gym paneled and parents to make sure that such teams still exist.

 

[justcheering]

All Star Age Grids, 2018/19 – Cheer Canada – Canada's National Sport Organization for Cheerleading

I feel like I’ve never loved my country more. I live for this age grid

These open teams are amazing! As someone who most likely will never have level 4/5/6 stunting or tumbling skills, I would looove to be see a gym in my area do even an open 3 or something!

 

[dat.jpp]

Whats up with all of these new changes?

 

[BlockHead]

I'm disappointed. Prep for us is a way to enjoy allstar without the full time and cost commitment. I feel like they've ruined prep with the new levels. Levels 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2. But no 2.2. That means if you want to do level 2 tumbling you have to do level 3 stunts. That will be hard. Just because you have your back handspring doesn't mean you're ready to stunt level 3.

Trying not to just think of my own child, I can see how it could be good for some people maybe. But for us now I kinda feel like we'll be forced to switch from prep to "elite" so CP can still be on a normal level 2 team next season. We might have done that anyway though.

Anyone else has thoughts on prep? I know that probably most who do prep are level 1. So maybe not that many will be affected but in our area there will be lots I think because prep here is way more than just level 1.

My daughter is excited about the changes. She competed 5 years on a regular all-star team and switched to prep this year so she could compete level 2. She only has a standing BHS and a round-off BHS, so she really doesn't have level 2 skills quite yet. And I am not so sure that she will have her level 2 skills by May tryouts. She is excited about the chance to compete on a 3.2 if she doesn't make the regular allstar squad.