Don't Try This At Home!

[shalom]

Looks closer to a G string to me! Those guitars are so tricky.

Juuuust about replied, "But the G string is (in this picture) third from the top." I can be a little slow.

 

[hburke01]

Not that I condone this kind of thing I think it is ridiculous, but how do the rules about no stunting on concrete work for those varsity cheerleaders that stunt on the sidelines/tracks of football fields during games. I'm assuming it's not the same rule system but something seems to be misaligned here.

 

[f15robyn]

hburke01, the rule for high school teams is very similar. From the AACCA high school rules:

9. Prior to the performance of any skill, the immediate environment for the activity should be taken into consideration including, but not limited to proximity of non-squad personnel, performance surface, lighting and/or precipitation. Technical skills should not be performed on concrete, asphalt, wet or uneven surfaces or surfaces with obstructions.

If the track around the football field is a rubberized track, as many now are, that is considered an appropriate surface for stunting and tumbling. Schools that still have an asphalt track should not be. The problem, of course, is enforcement. There are many states and/or school districts that don't require their high school teams to follow a particular set of rules. And, sadly, there are many coaches and teams who simply choose to ignore them. In this state, penalties for documented violations of safety rules are stiff (they can escalate as far as a high school losing all interscholastic sports), so people don't break the rules. Until other organizations take it as seriously as a few do, rule breaking and associated injuries will continue to happen.

 

[goofy4tink]

These girls have worked the whole season to come to this compitition. They would not do something to hurt themselves. Those in charge know what is going on too. These parents pay more a month on cheer than some pay for rent for a house! They are being teenagers. Lets see, most of them have to maintain grades of 3.0 or above, they are phyically fit more than most, they wear supports on ankles becuase they take a beating, they train upwards of 20 hours a week on top of school. These are not "cheer squad girls". This is there life! Instead of all the negative look at the positive. These girls are showing how much hard work it takes to make it. The stunt is simple, the bases job is to catch the flyer. If we saw this while at the hotel we would stop and talk to them and watch. Not take a picture without them knowing and talk about them. So next time cheer them on. As far as someone saying they cause problems, teens are teens. They are loud with friends, function in the "teen" world around them. Just like kids cry, scream, run from parents and "bother" people. How are these girls any different.

I have had teens. And there is no way my teens would behave as some do in WDW. In fact, we were there, at DHS, for a Night of Joy event. I suppose some would say that it was okay since the gangs of kids that were running around screaming...because they were screaming 'hugs for Jesus!!! Hugs for Jesus!!'. It was awful. They screamed in lines, as they walked around the park. The noise was deafening. My dd, then about 15, turned to me and said...''Well, there is a great example of how NOT to act in public!! They give all teens a bad name!'' My dd is far from a goody-goody. She has her moments. But she also realizes that she does not have the right to negatively impact others with her actions.

Just because a group of teens have maintained a good gpa, raise money to travel and have spent thousands of dollars for classes does not give them the right to act out in public. The absolute worst behaviour I have seen in WDW was from a cheer parent. He was in line at GS in DTD. Another man came up to him and asked how his dd's team had done that day. That dad's answer? 'Finished third! Doesn't come close to making it a worthwhile trip. Should have just stayed home if they were going to perform like that. Third? Crap!!!''
Wow!!! I had no words. And what made me very sad is that they were from my home state.
So no, cheerleaders don't get a pass on bad behaviour in WDW. Sorry, but they need to learn to behave the same as everyone else. As do their chaperones and coaches.

 

[hburke01]

hburke01, the rule for high school teams is very similar. From the AACCA high school rules:

9. Prior to the performance of any skill, the immediate environment for the activity should be taken into consideration including, but not limited to proximity of non-squad personnel, performance surface, lighting and/or precipitation. Technical skills should not be performed on concrete, asphalt, wet or uneven surfaces or surfaces with obstructions.

If the track around the football field is a rubberized track, as many now are, that is considered an appropriate surface for stunting and tumbling. Schools that still have an asphalt track should not be. The problem, of course, is enforcement. There are many states and/or school districts that don't require their high school teams to follow a particular set of rules. And, sadly, there are many coaches and teams who simply choose to ignore them. In this state, penalties for documented violations of safety rules are stiff (they can escalate as far as a high school losing all interscholastic sports), so people don't break the rules. Until other organizations take it as seriously as a few do, rule breaking and associated injuries will continue to happen.

I'm assuming this is different in the US then in Canada because many tracks around here are not the rubberized ones and the University squads stunt on them all the time.