All-Star Usasf Major Changes

[smad303]

who's excited for like straight back high pony tails next year!? or is that too unnatural too?

 

[chyeeaaa69]

Would this pass the uniform guidelines???

Man (I think?) in a dress, too theatrical.

 

[XtremeWpg]

I am not saying that it is the age grid's fault what I am saying is changing it will minimize some of the time these kids are spending with these adults. Trust me I understand that then issue lies deeper then that, but I am looking at the new rule change as a way to move towards keeping these situations from happening. Like I said it is not the answer, but I think the new rule is a good step. I do not think there is ever a need for a 14 year old to be on the same team as someone in their 20s.

I think a lot of people are looking at this from a US based prospective. For teams outside the USA, our athlete base is smaller, and within that athlete base, the skills are at a lower level. Allowing the broader age range did allow these programs to field "competition worth" teams. Do I think a 28 year old guy should partner stunt a 14 year old girl? Not a chance. But I don't see how 3 20 year olds basing a 14 year old is any different than 3 17 year olds basing the same 14 year old. In places outside the US, people haven't been cheering since birth, so a lot of the 20+ athletes you see have the same experience as a 16 year old.

It just seems like a very US centric plan as far as the age grid goes

 

[CXAcoach&mom]

oh and I should add to my age post that we have and always have had a young senior team.. this year we only have 3 actual seniors and all the girls know that they watch what they say at practice and the parents have to approve of their younger child being on a team with older girls.

 

[flyergymgirl125]

Elements of tumbling are present in every event, whether it's obvious on bars or not, it is. I could go into detail but I won't.
Most cheerleaders I know practice a minimum of 6 hours a week, that's on one team, 2 practices a week, no privates, no nothing, just practice.
Most gymnasts practice 6-8 hours a week at most, until becoming competitive gymnasts, at which point it is more likely 9-12 hours a week before training to either enter elite, or you become an elite, when the training heightens to a LOT more than that, as we all know. Gymnasts are not conditioned to be better athletes because they spend more time in the gym, or because they have 4 events, they are conditioned to be better athletes because the coaches, athletes, parents, and those involved with running the sport understand the need for proper conditioning and training to be able to push your body to do unnatural things, cheerleaders (for the most part) do not understand that need.
Cheerleaders stunt, tumble, and jump. There is a different set of conditioning needed for proper jumping technique than there is for stunting technique, just as the technique from tumbling on a floor to tumbling on a beam is much different and must be conditioned differently.
A gymnast and a cheerleader should be conditioned almost identically. Until a gymnast is elite, they are rarely double flipping, or twisting more than once, and definitely not more than twice. Cheerleaders do not double flip, and do not twist more than twice, so why is it that a recreational gymnast I coach does at least 1.5 hours of conditioning a week, and spends more time on technique than they do throwing the skill while competitive cheerleaders tend to (not speaking for ALL competitive cheerleaders here) ignore technique, ignore the importance of diet, ignore the importance of conditioning (after all, doing 2 full outs a week is enough conditioning right?), and rarely take the time to progress back into tumbling after an injury?

ETA: it is easy to say gymnasts require more so they condition more, and focus more on technique and such, when in actuality cheerleaders and gymnasts are rather similar, and should be taking their conditioning, diet, stretching, etc. equally as importantly. This sport needs to model gymnastics in the way gymnastics coaches treat their athletes, athletes treat their bodies, and in the way the governing body is run.

I totally agree that cheerleaders and gymnasts should be trained similarly. And I agree that the usual 6 hrs (2 practices a week) are simple not enough for what these cheerleaders do. In a way, cheerleaders do much more than gymnasts because so much is packed into a 2:30 min routine. There stamina and strength has to be top notch to perform 100% in all areas (jumps, standing tumbling, running tumbling, stunting, dance and motions) plus navigating around the mat with 20+ more kids and not crash into each other.

 

[Coach Troy]

You're being ridiculous if you're seriously comparing an 8 year not being able to wear a crop top to a burka on a swimmer. And Michael Phelps usually competes in the knee-length wet suit from what I've seen, not a speedo, for what it's worth.

And yes, it's a UNIFORM, not a COSTUME. Give me a strong argument that wearing a full top seriously impedes an athlete's ability to perform and maybe I'll change my stance.

Why is it even a question??
If you choose a full top and I choose a crop it's no buisness of mine to dictate to you and you have no need to worry about me....
This is a customers choice issue and has no relationship to the stated USASF mission.

 

[VTX]

So I just went to USASF's website to reread some of this and the announcement's no longer on the front page? Going to look through the website but I don't see them yet

 

[idrive]

I think that after everyone had some time and slept on it, as well as got additional information about the ruling, that they have a greater understanding of where this is potentially heading. Sometimes things are not so obvious to the "masses" and while obviously hugely unpopular at first, I don't see nearly as much outrage as I did last night.

That's because everyone has quit and is signing up for gymnastics.

 

[Rudags]

On PRE-SALE NOW for the 2015 Season:

 

[idrive]

i feel awful for maybe a 15 year old that just went to an all star tryout an made an international level 5 team. Well sorry, but you cant be on the team anymore. this is horrible :/

That would be my child!

 

[MomOf2ThatsMe]

That's because everyone has quit and is signing up for gymnastics.

They are all going to be mighty disappointed after they are evaluated and the coaches decide to tear down all of their tumbling and start them over on BHS...

 

[Reallycoolcheermommy]

I know the Board members aren't allowed to talk about what was said in the meeting, but have any of them spoken about their indivual thoughts about how these new changes will affect their seperate businesses??

 

[yojaehs]

Elements of tumbling are present in every event, whether it's obvious on bars or not, it is. I could go into detail but I won't.
Most cheerleaders I know practice a minimum of 6 hours a week, that's on one team, 2 practices a week, no privates, no nothing, just practice.
Most gymnasts practice 6-8 hours a week at most, until becoming competitive gymnasts, at which point it is more likely 9-12 hours a week before training to either enter elite, or you become an elite, when the training heightens to a LOT more than that, as we all know. Gymnasts are not conditioned to be better athletes because they spend more time in the gym, or because they have 4 events, they are conditioned to be better athletes because the coaches, athletes, parents, and those involved with running the sport understand the need for proper conditioning and training to be able to push your body to do unnatural things, cheerleaders (for the most part) do not understand that need.
Cheerleaders stunt, tumble, and jump. There is a different set of conditioning needed for proper jumping technique than there is for stunting technique, just as the technique from tumbling on a floor to tumbling on a beam is much different and must be conditioned differently.
A gymnast and a cheerleader should be conditioned almost identically. Until a gymnast is elite, they are rarely double flipping, or twisting more than once, and definitely not more than twice. Cheerleaders do not double flip, and do not twist more than twice, so why is it that a recreational gymnast I coach does at least 1.5 hours of conditioning a week, and spends more time on technique than they do throwing the skill while competitive cheerleaders tend to (not speaking for ALL competitive cheerleaders here) ignore technique, ignore the importance of diet, ignore the importance of conditioning (after all, doing 2 full outs a week is enough conditioning right?), and rarely take the time to progress back into tumbling after an injury?

ETA: it is easy to say gymnasts require more so they condition more, and focus more on technique and such, when in actuality cheerleaders and gymnasts are rather similar, and should be taking their conditioning, diet, stretching, etc. equally as importantly. This sport needs to model gymnastics in the way gymnastics coaches treat their athletes, athletes treat their bodies, and in the way the governing body is run.

I'm sure people are tired of hearing me say it but until it changes I'm not gonna stop. This comes down to COACHES! the teams I coach probably condition 1 hr per 6 hrs they train. Every tumbling class has a conditioning rotation and classes start and finish with conditioning. I'm not saying my was is the only or best way, I'm just saying I do it. There are ways to implement conditioning into practices, some do it, some don't. Again, coaches education.

 

[Jenna Geib]

On PRE-SALE NOW for the 2015 Season:

this is AMAZING!

 

[viralscorp]

So I just went to USASF's website to reread some of this and the announcement's no longer on the front page? Going to look through the website but I don't see them yet

If you're still looking for it, it's at USASF.NET.
But I find it interesting that they've removed it from the front page...