Tag Archives: General

CheerSport & Cheer America Results

CheerSport and Cheer America have posted results from last weekend’s events. Cheer America awarded Cheer Athletics Panthers (Large Senior) and Spirit of Texas (International Open Coed) paid bids to Worlds, despite Woodlands Elite Generals and Cheer Athletics Wildcats winning those divisions. Cheer Athletics Jags earned a paid bid to the IALC and Trilogy All-Pro and Victory Vipers Choice earned Partial Paid bids to Dance Worlds.

Worlds eligible divisions at CheerSport were won by All Star One (Small Junior), World Cup (Large Junior & Large Senior), Cheer Extreme (Junior Coed), Comet (Small Senior I), Spirit Central (Small Senior II), Python (Small Small Coed I), Brandon (Small Small Coed II), ACE (Small Coed), Georgia (Medium Coed), Top Gun (Large Coed and Open Hip Hop), Rockstar (International Coed 5), Gym Tyme (International All Girl 6), Dance Mania (Senior Pom, Senior Jazz, Open Pom), Extreme (Senior Hip Hop I), United (Senior Hip Hop II), and Premier (Open Jazz).

CheerSport & Cheer America Results.

Sportsmanship

Justin Carrier of NCA/Varsity Brands sent the following email about Sportsmanship recently:

Coaches,
It seems like the 2008-2009 season just kicked off, but yet I’ve already been to a dozen NCA/NDA and Varsity Championships. It’s exciting to watch our sport continue to grow…it’s exciting to watch our coaches become more experienced, our athletes become more advanced, and the routines become more dynamic. I’ve enjoyed almost every moment of these events.

Yes, I said “almost every moment”. There is one aspect of the championships that continues to disappoint me, and that’s the awards ceremony. Generally speaking, many athletes in the following two groups would benefit from improving their sportsmanship – the teams that don’t win Nationals and the teams that do.

NON-NATIONAL CHAMPIONS:

I miss the days when our cheerleaders were PROUD and ecstatic just to place Top 5 in the Nation, or the days when being one of the Top 2 Teams in the Country was a dream come true. I was lucky enough to be ranked third my last year cheering all-stars. I remember getting off the plane after that trip and calling all my friends and family members to tell them about this huge accomplishment. I was on the THIRD BEST CHEERLEADING SQUAD IN THE NATION.

I really don’t see that today. For the most part, I see utter devastation. As a competitive coach, I realize the importance of training a team to ‘win’ and to strive for first place. It’s in doing so that we tap into an athlete’s true potential. While they may not always be fortunate enough to land in the top spot, they at least train like a champion and will continue to improve and progress. We need to revive the notion that it is OK to be proud of 2nd place.. or 3rd place… or 4th place or 5th place.

Teams shouldn’t just celebrate the ranking at that particular event, they should celebrate the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice it took to get where they did. We can’t ignore the message being sent. There’s a right time to take a hard look at what could have been done better, but I don’t think it is at the competition. Everyone benefits from celebrating what teams accomplish and enjoying their time spent at any competition – parents, kids, and coaches. Parents will see positive attitudes, solid life lessons, good work ethics, and decide this sport is where their kids should stay.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS:

On the flip side, teams fortunate enough to win 1st place aren’t giving 2nd place their due respect. At every event, when the 2nd place team is called out, the winning team is so quick to begin their celebration that the moment of glory for the 2nd place team is lost. Teams who place 2nd in the nation deserve to celebrate their huge accomplishment with the crowd. This is the standard award ceremony behavior we have bred as coaches. Our challenge to the National Champions is to WAIT for the 2nd place team to be recognized, congratulated, and celebrate before you begin your own celebration. It shows discipline, self-control, and appreciation for your competitors.

This sport is something we’re all proud to be part of. The life lessons that come along with all-star cheerleading will stay with these kids long after they’ve retired from our sport. Remember that sportsmanship starts with us. At NCA, we’d love to be part of this project and we challenge every coach to ‘step up their game’ and step up their sportsmanship.

For those of you that will be at our All-Star Nationals next month, good luck in your final weeks of preparation. We look forward to celebrating this competition season with you.

Thanks,
Justin Carrier

USASF Memo

Mike Burgess, the USASF Rules Chairman, sent the following memo:

Dear USASF/IASF Membership:

Over the past several months committees and the National Advisory Board of the USASF and/or IASF have been meeting to discuss several topics related to all-star cheer and dance. As a result of these meetings, and in particular the most recent gathering of committees in Dallas, Texas in the United States, there are some new guidelines, policies, definitions and a division addition that will impact our membership effective immediately. The three specific areas are:

Small Gyms Definition

The small gyms definition has been further clarified and now reads:

A “Small Gym” is defined as having 100 or less participants. A Small Gym is defined as having one physical address for its location and has 100 or less athletes registered in its competitive cheer program at the time of competition. Exhibition teams, crossover athletes, special needs teams and dance teams do not count toward the 100 or less athletes.

4.2 Division Added

In an effort to encourage increased participation in the all-star cheerleading activity, the USASF/IASF has recognized the challenge that many participants feel who are skilled in stunting but limited in their personal tumbling ability. Therefore a new division has been added to the 2008-09 Age Grid. This is level 4.2.  Level 4.2 follows Level 4 rules for Stunts/Pyramids/Dismounts and Tosses and Level 2 rules for General Tumbling/Standing Tumbling and Running Tumbling. It is offered only in “Senior Open.”

The two items above will be added to the 2008-09 effective immediately.

Uniforms Recommendation

The following recommendation is being made by the USASF as it pertains to uniforms for all-star participants. This is not a “rule,” at this time, but only a recommendation. Therefore, it will be posted on the website and shared with membership, but it will not appear on the Age Grid.

Coaches should consider ALL squad members’ body types when choosing a uniform style. The uniform should comfortably fit the athlete, and the athlete should feel comfortable performing in the uniform. The skirt on female cheerleaders should cover briefs completely in front and back while standing; and should fit loosely enough not to “ride up” around waist during performance. Crop tops should reasonably cover the athlete, and not be so short that bra tops show during “arm over head” movements. This is not a mandatory rule for this season, but simply a recommendation. We must present our participants as athletes, and be aware that many children to not have the body type to make some uniforms fit the above criteria.

I appreciate all of the hard-work and dedication of the various committees of the USASF/IASF and the continued support of our membership.

Sincerely,

Mike Burgess
USASF/IASF Rules Chair