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Author |
TOPIC: Clarification on Team Declarations |
| Cheer Fan75
September 18, 2013
3:41:07 PM
Entry #: 4091800
| Can someone please clarify the team declaration rules for me? My team went Level 4 last year with 29 athletes. We have 14 returning (less than 50 percent) and in addition, we have about 6 who have never cheered a day in their lives. Based on the skill level and the rules we thought were in place, we decided to have two A Teams: An A Small Level 1 and an A Medium Level 3. We were under the assumption if you had less than half of your team returning, you were allowed to drop down a division. However we were just told (two weeks before our first competition) that we MUST stay at Level 4. This is completely unfair to now have to train these kids to stunt Level 4 with 2 weeks left to go. What kills me is, we received NO explanation from our league director and NO way of fighting this. I have been volunteering coaching for Pop Warner for over 10 years and each year I am finding more and more politics involved that are discouraging me from wanting to return. It’s such a shame. If someone can please clarify these rules for me, as they are NOT in the Pop Warner rule book, I would appreciate it. Thanks!
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| Cheering Mommah
September 18, 2013
4:03:20 PM
Entry #: 4091805
| I am sorry for your Fustration. I hear you. Level four has really hard stunts and tumbling skills. They are not easy skills to learn. I think the decision needs to be up to the coaches who know their cheerleaders. Its not safe for other who do not know to make these decisions. Since i always try to find the positive note, The one up side possibly, per Lynette posting under level 4 info, all level 4 teams advance to nationals and can book today, So you have until December to try and get them to level 4, which i know can take months to years. Good luck and sorry. Not fair or safe.
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| Cheer Fan75
September 18, 2013
4:28:43 PM
Entry #: 4091811
| Thanks :) I've actually coached Level 4 before (last season) and had great success with it. My only issue is, we thought we were making the right decision based on the safety of all of our athletes and their skill level. This rule (which I can't find ANYWHERE) is going to discourage teams from declaring higher levels because if they do well, they HAVE to continue at that level for years to come, as long as athletes remain in the program! It makes NO sense to me. And what's worse...is how long it takes to make these decisions. Here we are in the sixth week of practice and now have to completely change our routine and bump up the skill level in order to be able to compete with other Level 4 teams. I hate to say but this may be my last year coaching Pop Warner. I've seen things like this happen one too many times.
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| Lynette
September 18, 2013
6:01:43 PM
Entry #: 4091840
| Cheerfan, your conference director should be able to help you. It's up to them to explain why you are dropping down a level. I would ask for a meeting or put in an email explaining why the team is now a level 3 team.
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| Cheer Fan75
September 18, 2013
6:09:45 PM
Entry #: 4091842
| Thanks Lynette :( Done that...to no avail. Do you happen to know where the rules are printed? I can't find them anywhere...I've read the rule book up and down. It just stinks that these things aren't clarified up front because now, it's too late to change the sizes of our teams.
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| Lynette
September 18, 2013
7:09:54 PM
Entry #: 4091846
| Don't know if it's a written rule or not. I believe it's the region director who has final say. Again, not 100% sure. I hope it all works out for you.
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