C
CheerVision
I wanted to reply to a post about the USAG taking on "competitive cheer". I am not a member nor a gymnastics community person. I am someone with great insight into the "competitive cheer" side of this issue. I just wanted to bring understanding to the gymnastics people so they see the big picture.
The National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association is the college version of competitive cheer. The group is made of 6 universities (Azusa Pacific, Baylor, Fairmont State, Maryland, Oregon and Quinnipiac) that currently sponsor varsity level Acobatics and Tumbling teams (A&T). The universities have taken the undefined competitive form of cheerleading, with its acrobatic and tumbling skill sets and structured it all into the new sport of Acrobatics and Tumbling. These teams do not cheer nor lead crowds at sporting events. Instead, they use a similar skill set to compete head to head against one another in a multi-event based format similar to a gymnastics meet. Even the scoring is similar. This is evolved from cheerleading, but its not the version you would see at a football game by any means. This is the sport version, Acrobatics and Tumbling, recently changed from the name Stunts and Tumbling.
The NCATA is developing the new sport of A&T in order to make it Title IX compliant and consequently achieve NCAA emerging sport status recognition. One of the major requirements for reaching that status is the alignment with a recognized governing body. This provides a pathway to quality development as a sport, higher safety standards for the athletes, internationally standardized rules and officials and comprehensive continuing education for the instructors and coaches of the sport.
The alignment with USA Gymnastics is a natural relationship given the gymnastic disciplines of acrobatics and tumbling are two of the skill sets used in A&T. This relationship offers the NCATA an opportunity to strengthen its application for NCAA status. For USA Gymnastics and young female gymnasts, this offers another avenue to continue to use their gymnastics skills in areas other than traditional gymnastics teams. I know in the sport of gymnastics that Olympic dreams and competing for your favorite college team is not going to be possible for every gymnast. This is a new opportunity for both female competitive cheerleaders and female gymnastics athletes to recieve scholarships and compete for NCAA institutions.
Both the USA Gymnastics and the NCATA are a great fit to help each other continue to promote and create sport, scholarship and professional opportunities for young girls and women in America.
In addition to the NCAA implications for the NCATA, future consideration as a discipline of gymnastics could potentially be the pathway to uniformly harnessing the exploding popularity of "competitive cheer" around the world and lead to an Olympic Sport. While that is a long way away, for now, just remember, a new sport is being born that both gymnasts and competitive cheerleaders might someday now have a realistic opportunity to win an Olympic Gold medal!
I know pronounce you husband and wife.... you may kiss the gold medal!
This is a good marriage!
The National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association is the college version of competitive cheer. The group is made of 6 universities (Azusa Pacific, Baylor, Fairmont State, Maryland, Oregon and Quinnipiac) that currently sponsor varsity level Acobatics and Tumbling teams (A&T). The universities have taken the undefined competitive form of cheerleading, with its acrobatic and tumbling skill sets and structured it all into the new sport of Acrobatics and Tumbling. These teams do not cheer nor lead crowds at sporting events. Instead, they use a similar skill set to compete head to head against one another in a multi-event based format similar to a gymnastics meet. Even the scoring is similar. This is evolved from cheerleading, but its not the version you would see at a football game by any means. This is the sport version, Acrobatics and Tumbling, recently changed from the name Stunts and Tumbling.
The NCATA is developing the new sport of A&T in order to make it Title IX compliant and consequently achieve NCAA emerging sport status recognition. One of the major requirements for reaching that status is the alignment with a recognized governing body. This provides a pathway to quality development as a sport, higher safety standards for the athletes, internationally standardized rules and officials and comprehensive continuing education for the instructors and coaches of the sport.
The alignment with USA Gymnastics is a natural relationship given the gymnastic disciplines of acrobatics and tumbling are two of the skill sets used in A&T. This relationship offers the NCATA an opportunity to strengthen its application for NCAA status. For USA Gymnastics and young female gymnasts, this offers another avenue to continue to use their gymnastics skills in areas other than traditional gymnastics teams. I know in the sport of gymnastics that Olympic dreams and competing for your favorite college team is not going to be possible for every gymnast. This is a new opportunity for both female competitive cheerleaders and female gymnastics athletes to recieve scholarships and compete for NCAA institutions.
Both the USA Gymnastics and the NCATA are a great fit to help each other continue to promote and create sport, scholarship and professional opportunities for young girls and women in America.
In addition to the NCAA implications for the NCATA, future consideration as a discipline of gymnastics could potentially be the pathway to uniformly harnessing the exploding popularity of "competitive cheer" around the world and lead to an Olympic Sport. While that is a long way away, for now, just remember, a new sport is being born that both gymnasts and competitive cheerleaders might someday now have a realistic opportunity to win an Olympic Gold medal!
I know pronounce you husband and wife.... you may kiss the gold medal!
This is a good marriage!
