OT Why I Hate 4.2.

[Aw.Work.]

I know this varies geographically - But in my area (Missouri) - If you have a BHS and can do level 4 stunts - Go cheer High School. Most of our High Schools in the area are 4.2 or 3.2 Level skills. Usually there is a squad or two that had a couple standing tucks and maybe one full - And maybe ONE of the stunts can double out of an aerobesque. My point is - Majority stunts in Missouri are straight up body positions with a full down and if you have a BHS you will make Varsity.

I know this wouldnt be the case in Georgia, Illinois, etc - Because their High Schools are level 5, and if you have a BHS, chances are you wouldnt be able to compete HS - But in Missouri - Go cheer High School if you want 4.2

thats exactly how it is in maine

 

[Num1Stunta]

Last year in Cheersport, the following gyms had 4.2 teams:

FCA
Spirit Central
AS1
Pro Athletics
Carolina
World Cup
CEA
Miami Elite
ATL
Virginia Wild
Cheer Dynamics Rockets
Midwest Cheer Elite

I also know South Jersey Storm, ECE, ICC, Keystone Extreme, and Cali have them.

Personally, I like the division. It's only recently that so much emphasis has been put on tumbling. As mentioned before, it's only a senior division because most high school teams are a 4.2 anyway, and learning stunts is much easier than progressing at tumbling.

As far as discouraging tumbling, I don't think that's true at all. A gym I know of had a very successful 4.2 last year and now they are a senior 3 because all of those kids have tucks now. They are undefeated this season!

You cannot be successful anywhere in the US with level 1 tumbling in a level 3 division. My current senior 2 used to be senior 3 with only 2 tucks when I joined the program and they came in last at everything.

 

[Mrs.CheerExtreme]

thats a little rude. and a pretty big generalization. the level 4.2 at my gym can out stunt another gyms level 4 by far.

I will apologize if you felt it was rude; however, I was on a 4.2 last and am on one this year... so I am kind of talking bad about myself right now. It may have been a generalization, but one team out of the many that there are doesn't make too big of a difference. I watched the other 4.2 teams last year at CHEERSPORT and still I don't feel the stunts were as up to par as the L4 teams.

 

[orange&blueforever]

Last year, I was on my gyms 4.2 team, and it was great for me. I just got my backhandspring, but I was a strong back. It was definitely good for me because I used that year to perfect my handspring and start working on tucks and not be pressured into getting my tuck for competition. This year, half the girls and I moved to level 3 because we got our tucks, and the other half stayed at 4.2.

 

[cheerKT]

<<<<< Biggest 4.2 advocate right here. I won launch into a discussion because I'm too lazy and I've done it a million times before. But when I was finishing out my last years of allstar I significantly struggled with tumbling. Some people just CAN'T tumble, (due to injuries or what have you) and no amount of tumbling classes will fix that. But I could base anything you wanted me to. 4.2 would have been the best option for me, an 18 year old who did not want to be stuck throwing straight rides and prep level stunts.

 

[HannahLou]

Okay, so I don't think we'll have this division for a while in the UK, so can anyone give me info on this from the US ? Any 'big named' teams have 4.2's? x

Jamfest Europe are now offering this division and I reckon it will be quite a big division!

 

[michelesagem]

Personally. I like this division. I wasn't sure about it at first but our 4.2 stunts just as well as my team ever did and I was on senior level 4 for four years... some of the things they execute are even better than my teams ever could have... I have to agree tumbling isn't as impressive, but i'll deal with that as long as specialty skills are in there like front walkovers etc.
Sapphires is legit

 

[MadstarRocksAmerica]

Jamfest Europe are now offering this division and I reckon it will be quite a big division!

Jamfest Europe are now offering this division and I reckon it will be quite a big division!

Eck sorry, I don't do English comps, I just help out at Scottish ones really. Xxxx

 

[spiritmama]

I'm an advocate. I felt like this div was made for my sr team when it was announced originally . We were always a strong stunting team with a quarter of the team strong tumblers, a quarter with tucks, a quarter with only handsprings and a quarter with zippo. We are in an area where allstar cheer is fairly new ( in the last 6 yrs or so) and had no elite tumbling coach to progress our kids. We built our routine around scoresheets, the kids worked their tails off, in every area, and had to compete against level 4 teams most if the year... We only lost one competition and won Canadian nationals in 4.2 by 12 points. The 2nd yr ( last year) we had all kids but 2 with handsprings, and stunted like level 5. Again won our comps all year and Canadian nationals by over 30 points. By the start of this season, the kids were older , experienced and could tumble Sooo much better. They were finally officially a well rounded team and are now an international coed team. They worked their tails off to tumble because we encouraged it, and they were not willing to "settle" and were not even close to
lazy. Without 4.2 I think they would have been discouraged and bored. Oh and they out scored a ton of level 4 teams stunt wise as well at nationals. 4.2 doesn't have to be boring and I think one if the greatest divisions created, IF coaches use if for what it's for. I will miss that div, but I feel, and my kids feel, confident because of it!!

Just my opinion, from a first hand view.

 

[NEliteSteven]

When I first heard of 4.2 I LOVED the idea, I've had a mental block for so long I've almost forgot what its like to go backwards. But I've cheered for over 10 years and after a while you get tired of doing L2 stunts. The problem is that no one actually uses the hard L4 stints in 4.2. If you watch a 4.2 video and 4 video there isn't the same stunt quality. A lot of gyms who have 4.2 no longer have 2 so they put all of the girls that should be on 2 on 4.2. If they have never cheered before and can't do an elevator how can you expect them to do a kick full? I think gyms should keep L2 teams and put the girls who have cheered for a couple years on L2 on 4.2.

Not exactly true. I coach at a small gym, and our 4.2 is doing low to highs (lib to stretch) and switch up scorps. We just didn't have the tumbling to hang in 4, but our stunting was beyond Level 3, so it's perfect for us.

 

[CGAcheer]

question: if you are on a 4.2 this year and next year you're on a 3, does it feel like you were moved up or down?

 

[kylielynda]

I hate 4.2 because it discourages kids from taking tumbling classes.

this isnt even close to being true. im on a 4.2 team and pretty much everyone on my team takes tumbling classes. and some have level 3 skills and some have level 4 skills. but just not enough to move up a level .

 

[bbrrrrriiiiix3]

I LOVE the 4.2 division. I am on South Jersey Storm Vortex. This division is perfect for girls like me who started all-star later in their cheerleading career and tumbling just never came to them. I worked on a standing handspring and a roundoff handspring for 3 years when I finally got it I dislocated my knee. I will never tumble again due to fear of getting hurt again. I could base a brick house but I can not tumble for my life so your trying to tell me that I should be stuck on a level 2 team because I can't flip?

 

[cheerKT]

I would honestly give anything to age back in to the Senior division and be on a 4.2 team. I would LOVE to be on ACXs 4.2 this season.

 

[glittergirl]

question: if you are on a 4.2 this year and next year you're on a 3, does it feel like you were moved up or down?

I was wondering that too. I'm on 4.2 this year, but our coach said we will probably go level 3 or 4 next year because quite a few girls got tucks and layouts recently, so I was thinking, if we go level 3, will I be progressing, or moving down?