All-Star Worlds Age Change???

[Megreg]

But why wouldn't they stick with it? If they are doing something they really enjoy, will they truly quit because they have to wait to be on a worlds team another year or so? CP is 10 but cheer age is 9 so it will definitely effect her down the line if she sticks with cheer and eventually makes a Worlds team but I can't imagine her saying she quitting because she can't go to Worlds until she 15.
If your CP is a great base I don't see her not being able to base a 13/14 year that's a similar size. My CP is a flyer on a J4 team this year and there are a few girls that are only an inch or so taller than her(4'6) and they base, one is even in her stunt group. I think if they change it over a couple of years it will be fine and teams will have time to adjust.

Some girls who have been on a worlds team since the age of 12 quit once they get into High School and do HS cheer. If they can't make a worlds team before HS, they may just quit altogether earlier than planned if there dream is to go to Worlds. Not all girls, but some... And parents might not want to continue paying outrageous prices when their CP can't be on a Worlds Team until they are in HS if the plan is be done. This may be more prevalent in states that don't allow you to do AllStar and HS competitive cheer. My CP is 13 and has been on a Small Senior 5 for 2 years, starting at age 12. She however is a backspot, not a flyer so it goes both ways for girls sizing. Another flyer on her team is 14 and as tall as my CP, 5'7 and she is an amazing flyer. My CP competed at Cheer Alliance and I saw some of the girls on Cheetahs at the Prom as well as the other teams and some of them were TINY, I mean they looked like they could be 10-11 years old. I'm sure they are fabulously talented, but they were very little and in my opinion, you can tell just by maturity and face if they are young or just small for their age.

 

[Ashley]

I feel like they'll end up merging together at some point and removing the age limit of 18. I mean what other sport has such a low age cap on their highest levels?

Technically the highest level is level 6, which has no age cap.

 

[Keep_Believing]

IO 5 doesn't have an age cap either.

 

[LittleMissA17]

I never did all star but here's my 2 cents

I know that a good amount of all star kids do college cheer afterwards, and if they do increase the age to 14, this means that on both sides (all girl and coed), they'll have to base bigger girls, and this is good prep for college cheer. I have heard of people coming off all star basing smaller girls and being hit with a brick when they have to base someone who is 18-22 and fully developed. This can only be good for kids trying to aim for college cheer.

 

[Keep_Believing]

I never did all star but here's my 2 cents

I know that a good amount of all star kids do college cheer afterwards, and if they do increase the age to 14, this means that on both sides (all girl and coed), they'll have to base bigger girls, and this is good prep for college cheer. I have heard of people coming off all star basing smaller girls and being hit with a brick when they have to base someone who is 18-22 and fully developed. This can only be good for kids trying to aim for college cheer.

That is exactly what I was referring to.

 

[FamousxMindset]

I never did all star but here's my 2 cents

I know that a good amount of all star kids do college cheer afterwards, and if they do increase the age to 14, this means that on both sides (all girl and coed), they'll have to base bigger girls, and this is good prep for college cheer. I have heard of people coming off all star basing smaller girls and being hit with a brick when they have to base someone who is 18-22 and fully developed. This can only be good for kids trying to aim for college cheer.

I hear this defense a lot but I don't see BAMA, Morehead or Louisville All Girl struggling in the stunting department if anything the collegiate stunts are often more difficult than the AS level 5 stunts. I have a girl just got a scholarship to Davenport. She doesn't fly allstar anymore, but flies in high school. At Davenport she flew and based, she is truly of the size that can go either way but she was able to handle her own because as humans we adapt. She went from basing a 13 year old to a 22 year old no problem. Plus these were real full ups not ankle crossing magic grips either lol. I know this isn't the story for some but I don't think young flyers will lead to the demise of collegiate cheerleading like many allude that it might.

 

[Keep_Believing]

I definitely don't think it will lead to the demise of collegiate cheerleading, but at some point, a 12 year old flyer won't be a choice. As you said they adapt. They will also adapt in all star if changes are put into place.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

I don't know a single person on Cheetahs, but in one of the many recent "fetus flyer" trash talk tweets from a cheer anon someone responded and said there were only a couple of 12 year olds on the team and most were 14-15. I have no idea if that's true or not, but looks can be deceiving. My oldest is a junior in college and is 4'6" and has never seen 90 pounds and will be legal to drink in April. She still gets crayons and a kids menu when she goes out to eat and will be forever known as a fetus flyer.

Me. Although the emergence of 30 has pushed me over the 100 threshold.

Our new cafetetia lady asked for my pin the other day to grab a milk for my cereal.

Ma'am.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

I don't care about 12 year olds on Worlds teams as much as most people do.

I DO take issue with 12 year olds being on IO/C teams with and traveling with individuals who are old enough to drink.

I don't really think that age spread is in any other sport.

 

[Paria]

I don't think there will ever be a clear cut answer for this. I cheered on an allstar senior aged team my junior and senior years of high school and flew both years. I was also the only flyer in high school both of those years. I think it has to do with many factors, including who is on the team and their abilities and various sizes as well as the skill level of your flyers. I don't think there's any shame in using small flyers when they are the correct age and skill level to be on the team (what else are they going to do?), but I also don't think it's bad to use flyers who are a little bigger and know what they're doing and can make themselves feel just as easy to base.

 

[quitthedrama]

I hear this defense a lot but I don't see BAMA, Morehead or Louisville All Girl struggling in the stunting department if anything the collegiate stunts are often more difficult than the AS level 5 stunts. I have a girl just got a scholarship to Davenport. She doesn't fly allstar anymore, but flies in high school. At Davenport she flew and based, she is truly of the size that can go either way but she was able to handle her own because as humans we adapt. She went from basing a 13 year old to a 22 year old no problem. Plus these were real full ups not ankle crossing magic grips either lol. I know this isn't the story for some but I don't think young flyers will lead to the demise of collegiate cheerleading like many allude that it might.

To add to your point, many colleges don't care much about all star cheer. They have an abundance of high school cheerleaders with real time game day experience to choose from that have level 5 skills, so they are often more qualified, and those flyers are normally larger than all star flyers and the bases are used to stunting what would be more equivalent to college sized flyers.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

To add to your point, many colleges don't care much about all star cheer. They have an abundance of high school cheerleaders with real time game day experience to choose from that have level 5 skills, so they are often more qualified, and those flyers are normally larger than all star flyers and the bases are used to stunting what would be more equivalent to college sized flyers.

It's hard for folks to believe but there are TOP collegiate squads out there (think your UK, LSU, UCF, etc.) with kids on the team who have actually (*gasp*) never set foot on an all star mat.

 

[Keep_Believing]

I swear the teams we have visited in Texas are full of all star cheerleaders! Lol

Edited to add we have only visited College Cheer programs in Texas

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

I swear the teams we have visited in Texas are full of all star cheerleaders! Lol

Branch out. A good bit of the D1A programs that do well at UCA have some kids on them who never did all stars.

They are typically situated in states with powerhouse HS programs, though. Ex: KY.

 

[Keep_Believing]

I am encouraging CP to look at colleges in Texas, no out of State fees, closer to home, etc.