USASF Regional Coaches Meeting

Aug 01, 2007
After the conclusion of 4 successful regional meetings to gather feedback from gyms and all-star programs on the rules for the 2008-09 season, it became apparent that the most recent divisions on the age grid for 2007-08 had the potential to turn away many teams from USASF sanctioned events because they did not have a viable option for their program. The majority of these programs are smaller in overall size and do not have the option of splitting their overall numbers into multiple teams.

In an effort to respond to this immediate need, the USASF Board voted in an urgent session to expand the team cap size in the Senior Open divisions to 36 members. This is the only change to this division -- all other elements -- 18 years and younger, 0-4 males and levels 2, 3 and 4 remain the same.
Please note that the Senior Open division is not split into All-Girl and Co-Ed, nor is it split into Small and Large. Per the consolidation/split guidelines on the age grid, an event producer must only offer these divisions split into Co-Ed and All-Girl and/or Small and Large if there are enough teams to guarantee at least 2 performances in each division.

Also, as a reminder, event producers are not mandated to offer every division that is listed on the USASF age grid. However, no division may be offered on an event producer's registration form that is not listed on the age grid. Splits and consolidations can only occur after your competition registrations have been received.

The USASF Board is in the process of forming a task force to look more carefully at the needs of smaller programs as it pertains to the divisions that will be offered for the 2008-09 season, as well as numerous other issues important to these gyms. Thank you for your continued support and for updating your events to reflect this recent age grid change.

July 19, 2007
Today another USASF All Star International Division update was handed down. Please note the following commentary and update from the USASF rules committee chair.
As many of you know, there has been a great deal of discussion regarding the "International Open Cheer" divisions being offered for the 2008 Worlds event and the recent decision in June to restrict team sizes and the number of males on each team for those divisions. Several event producers have asked how these changes are to be implemented for divisions they offer at their Worlds qualifying and non-qualifying events, especially since these divisions were not specifically listed on the 2007-08 USASF age grid. In addition, there was concern expressed about limiting these divisions in size given the time of season when several teams have been picked and choreography has been (or is in the midst of being) completed. In an effort to address these concerns and to comply with the mandate that divisions offered must be on the USASF age grid, the USASF Board voted yesterday to increase the Level 5 International Open Cheer divisions by two, adding a small and a large component. This decision was an effort to accommodate as many countries as possible, encouraging their participation in the 2008 Worlds. These new divisions and the June voted team size and number of male restrictions have been added to the age grid. Therefore, you will see on the attached grid the following divisions for the International Open category:

International Open Cheer Small International Open All-Girl · 14 yrs & Older · No Males · 5 - 24 Members L5.
Large International Open All-Girl · 14 yrs & Older · No Males · 25 - 36 Members L5.
Small International Open Co-Ed · 14 yrs & Older · 1 - 12 Males · 5 - 24 Members L5.
Large International Open Co-Ed · 14 yrs & Older · 1 - 18 Males · 25 - 36 Members L5

Please note that the total team size dictates small verses large. In addition to that, for the co-ed division there is a limit of total males that may participate on the team. USASF member event producers are not required to offer all of the divisions above, but may choose which divisions to offer based upon their customers' needs. Of course, you may offer all four divisions and then roll divisions together (i.e. Small and Large All-Girl become just All-Girl if you do not have enough teams to field 2 teams each in the divisions split out by size) as it states in the division consolidation guidelines. As a reminder, a USASF-member event producer may only offer divisions from the USASF age grid or combine/split divisions based upon the guidelines contained within that grid, unless prior written approval is granted from the USASF. The Board and USASF/IASF committees are working hard to establish a timeline that meshes the development of the age grid with the divisions that are set forth for the Worlds competition as well. As you can imagine, given the needs of numerous countries, this is no small task. Although the decisions for these divisions have come late this year, we hope that ultimately these divisions now meet both the needs of domestic U.S. programs as well as those of the various countries who will send teams to the 2008 Worlds event. The updated grid (rev. 7/19/07) will be posted on the USASF website early next week.

July 02, 2007
The USASF has handed down the following changes for 2008.
New Rules
Worlds Changes - The changes are as follows:
1. We will no longer allow the pass down of At Large (unpaid) cheer bids.
2. All teams must go through prelims to get to finals and teams will be seeded in finals based on prelim results with the highest scoring teams going last.
3. For the international category only: Open Level 6 all girl and coed divisions will be added, only the top 3 teams per country will go from prelims to finals, the team size limit will be 24, and coed teams will be limited to 12 males. There is one exception in which the International Junior Divisions will be allowed 36 team members for the 2008 Worlds but will be limited to 24 beginning in 2009.

Domestically, the most voiced complaint was that too many teams were at the Worlds that should not have been there. This was mainly the result of At Large bids being passed down. There has been a truly massive effort to listen to everyone and to make the appropriate changes. You will note that most of the changes are in the International Division and are the result of input from international partners through the IASF World Coaches Conference, the IASF Rules Committee, the World Advisory Board, and the International Competition Committee.