For all you cheer haters..

[Caligirlzz]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]On the Olympic front the ICU has met with officials concerning the inclusion of cheer in future Olympic games. This is a long process, but one that both the ICU and USA Cheer are vigorously pursuing. As of today we have not been approved to be an exhibition sport in the 2012 or 2016 Olympic games. However, with over 65 member countries now in the ICU and more adding each week, our case to become an Olympic sport only becomes more and more compelling. In the meantime USA Cheer will continue to support the ICU in their efforts to expand our great sport world wide.


Bill Seely
Executive Director
USA Federation for Sport Cheering[/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana] [/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]Regarding Team USA:

The detailed tryout information will be online by July 1st. Athletes trying out for Team USA must be 18 years of age prior to December 1st and be able to commit to the two week mandatory training from from April 11-24, 2010.[/FONT][/COLOR]

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[CreateMagic]

I worked the ICU World Championship this year. INCREDIBLE talent out there, Team USA was amazing, as was Thailand (had they hit the end of their routine, it was lights out). I would love to see this get to the Olympic level, get some good publicity, and with a greater awareness of the sport, some universal regulations (there are still some places out there that have cheer competitions on hardwood floors or wrestling mats...not many, but really? Why is this still happening?) and safety rules created by those who know cheerleading--this is in place at the all-star level, but not anywhere else--as well as comprehensive coaching education and certification programs. Cheerleading has come so far in such a short amount of time; in general people either think of the "stereotypical" model or are afraid of what they see, and then these people are the ones who either allow stupid things like wood-floors as an acceptable competition surface OR start banning skills that are actually safe under the right conditions. Cheerleading needs exposure and unified knowledgeable leadership.

We can talk til the cows come home about USAG and regulations and restrictions and frustration with some of it, but overall, kids are generally safe. You don't have some eight-year-old who started gymnastics six months ago doing backhandsprings on beam because some junior coach liked how the child's backhandspring on floor looked, right? In cheering, you might have an eight-year-old on a senior open team being held up by four sixteen-year-olds because some junior coach like how the eight-year-old's heel-stretch looked on floor, or tossed twenty feet in the air because the toe-touch looked nice. It doesn't happen everywhere, but there's nothing that prevents it from happening. There's a leveling system in all-star cheer, but no absolute requirements or regulations to move up--coach's discretion only. Individual gyms have different policies, different companies have different requirements and UCA has the beginnings of a coaches credentialing program, but there is nothing mandated or monitored, unless you are level 5 and going to Worlds. We could use a little more regulation.

So basically I just rambled on. Sorry to hijack. And I can't believe I actually said some of that. Wow.

[Sparky]

You know, I am not against Cheer becoming an Olympic event - my dd (age 10) did Cheer this past season (Jr. World Team) - and I can honestly say that from my perspective as a completely "green" parent, there is truly a ton of incredible talent in Cheer. The stunting and flying and basing are learned skills, just like gym skills, certainly nothing to be scoffed at.

However, having said that, I agree with CreateMagic - it is an up and coming sport and needs more regulation. When I would sit and watch practices I would cringe (and outright gasp sometimes, LOL) at some of the tumbling. I was quite sure someone would break a neck or at the very least get a concussion. I certainly saw many close calls - stuff that no athlete would be allowed to do in most gymnastics clubs.

While I tried not to be judgemental (cause after all I knew NOTHING about this sport when dd started), it wasn't long before I became quite disenchanted with Cheer - it has great potential and absolutely requires a very high skill level at the top end - I'm just not sure that it has evolved to a place yet where the kids are as safe as possible, while still being able to achieve greatness . I think perhaps they are moved along a little too quickly, and of course, as CreateMagic says, [COLOR=red]It doesn't happen everywhere, but there's nothing that prevents it from happening.[/COLOR]

[bogwoppit]

Cheerleading is not yet at a stage where it should become an Olympic sport, I liken it to synchro swimming ( and that shouldn't be an Olympic sport either) to much make up and bling. But I love to watch Cheer, it is so much fun and greta for the girls, but the ugly tumbling and some seriously dangerous stunts. It needs more control and guideleines.

But since the inclusion of bordercross in the 2006 Olympics I realise anything goes. We should go back to the original format of strong, naked men leaping over equipment in the Athens sunshine. What was so wrong with that????

[nicci1999]

Frisbee is an Olympic Sport, why not cheer? Though I am slightly biased against cheer itself, those kids that go and compete, that is some crazy stuff, and can be enjoyable to watch. I think it would be fun to be a flyer, but because of my size(not the requisite <100lbs lol) I was always base. Aw well :P

[Caligirlzz]

You are right on! Except for the fact that an 8 year can be on a Sr. team, they can't it's illegal. But the great gyms do have credentialing but many do not. In cheer you have to "hope" the judges like your routine, if not no matter what your skills you will lose. Whereas in gymnastics everyone has the same routine and scores accordingly.

My daughter spent time at ones of those gyms that will put a 6 year old on their Jr team, which is legal. But at the gym we were currently with they were by the book when it came to age and teams. My daughter's Mini team (ages 5-8) had girls who were working fulls and have level 5 flying skills. The owner felt it appropriate to keep them at their maturity level rather than put them with kids who could throw them a mile in the air.

In any case as I have said before, if the kids are getting off the couch and out of the house there is no need to put them down!

I worked the ICU World Championship this year. INCREDIBLE talent out there, Team USA was amazing, as was Thailand (had they hit the end of their routine, it was lights out). I would love to see this get to the Olympic level, get some good publicity, and with a greater awareness of the sport, some universal regulations (there are still some places out there that have cheer competitions on hardwood floors or wrestling mats...not many, but really? Why is this still happening?) and safety rules created by those who know cheerleading--this is in place at the all-star level, but not anywhere else--as well as comprehensive coaching education and certification programs. Cheerleading has come so far in such a short amount of time; in general people either think of the "stereotypical" model or are afraid of what they see, and then these people are the ones who either allow stupid things like wood-floors as an acceptable competition surface OR start banning skills that are actually safe under the right conditions. Cheerleading needs exposure and unified knowledgeable leadership.

We can talk til the cows come home about USAG and regulations and restrictions and frustration with some of it, but overall, kids are generally safe. You don't have some eight-year-old who started gymnastics six months ago doing backhandsprings on beam because some junior coach liked how the child's backhandspring on floor looked, right? In cheering, you might have an eight-year-old on a senior open team being held up by four sixteen-year-olds because some junior coach like how the eight-year-old's heel-stretch looked on floor, or tossed twenty feet in the air because the toe-touch looked nice. It doesn't happen everywhere, but there's nothing that prevents it from happening. There's a leveling system in all-star cheer, but no absolute requirements or regulations to move up--coach's discretion only. Individual gyms have different policies, different companies have different requirements and UCA has the beginnings of a coaches credentialing program, but there is nothing mandated or monitored, unless you are level 5 and going to Worlds. We could use a little more regulation.

So basically I just rambled on. Sorry to hijack. And I can't believe I actually said some of that. Wow.

[Caligirlzz]

As a cheer mom of 4 years I completely agree. We often sat around talking about how the rules weren't really put in place as they should be.
I dare anyone who still believes that cheer isn't a sport to take their child to a facility and try flying and then give basing a try. Seriously, those skills are difficult to say the least.

Cheer, while it needs a few tweaks, takes time, training, and a lot of talent to be successful. If it ever becomes a level playing field it will become very interesting.

You know, I am not against Cheer becoming an Olympic event - my dd (age 10) did Cheer this past season (Jr. World Team) - and I can honestly say that from my perspective as a completely "green" parent, there is truly a ton of incredible talent in Cheer. The stunting and flying and basing are learned skills, just like gym skills, certainly nothing to be scoffed at.

However, having said that, I agree with CreateMagic - it is an up and coming sport and needs more regulation. When I would sit and watch practices I would cringe (and outright gasp sometimes, LOL) at some of the tumbling. I was quite sure someone would break a neck or at the very least get a concussion. I certainly saw many close calls - stuff that no athlete would be allowed to do in most gymnastics clubs.

While I tried not to be judgemental (cause after all I knew NOTHING about this sport when dd started), it wasn't long before I became quite disenchanted with Cheer - it has great potential and absolutely requires a very high skill level at the top end - I'm just not sure that it has evolved to a place yet where the kids are as safe as possible, while still being able to achieve greatness . I think perhaps they are moved along a little too quickly, and of course, as CreateMagic says, [COLOR=red]It doesn't happen everywhere, but there's nothing that prevents it from happening.[/COLOR]

[Caligirlzz]

Wow, comparing frisbee to cheer as a sport, pretty incredible. I think most of us agree that gymnastics is and elite sport but taking away from the talent that there needs to be as a TEAM in cheer is unreal.

Frisbee is an Olympic Sport, why not cheer? Though I am slightly biased against cheer itself, those kids that go and compete, that is some crazy stuff, and can be enjoyable to watch. I think it would be fun to be a flyer, but because of my size(not the requisite <100lbs lol) I was always base. Aw well :P

[Pineapple_Lump]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]I'm going to say a flat out no (for mostly selfish reasons). Cheerleading is falling under the gymnastics umbrella, and for them to be included in the Olympics, there would be less spots for gymnast (as what has happened in the past). There have been several world medalists have miss out on Olympic berths in the past. I don't want to see hard working gymnasts miss a place for an inferior sport (based on TV ratings). In saying that the direction the FIG is going (especially WG/MG) is ruining the sport anyway so you might just get the spot for free. I am sure there are hard working cheerleaders out there, but I'm afraid the changes will loose the great sport we once had; sadly I think it has almost gone. I wish we could bring back the 80's when gymnastics was cool. [/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana] [/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]Out of interest, if cheer was included in the Olympics, would you choose individuals to make a special team or choose an outright team?[/FONT][/COLOR]

[cher062]

Im not against cheer and I know they work very hard my girl friends dauggter does it and she works very hard at it but...

I see cheer more in the Dance type catagory. Dancers work very hard too and there are lots of moves like cheer in alot of what is out there today but I don't consider dance to be a sport even though you need great athletic ability, dedication, and lots of practice and hard work to do it. If cheer hits the olympics, I guess we don't have long to wait then for irish step dancing, ballet, toe, tap and Jazz dance to be in the olympics too. Oh how about ball room dancing - the dancing with the stars say its grulling and they have never works so hard.