Cheerleading Safety From AACCA. Solutions to address the risks involved in cheerleading.

AACCA has updated the 2011-12 College Cheerleading Safety Rules with a slight modification regarding flip dismounts in Rule D-5-b.

The previous rule wording allowed single based front flip dismounts from shoulders to land in a cradle or on the performing surface with assistance from the base. However, the double base dismount only allowed landing in a cradle. The new wording now allows double based front flips from shoulder level to also land on the performing surface with assistance from at least one base.  This rule modification will allow all-girl or small coed teams to more easily perform similar skills as full coed teams.

In addition, the previous wording stated that the landing on the performing surface was “on the feet”. This has been revised to state “on at least one foot”.

The entire rule D-5-b is as follows:

5. Flips into or from partner stunts are prohibited, with the following exceptions.

a. Rewinds …

b. Flips from stunts in which the top person is in an upright position standing in the hand(s) of the base(s) are allowed under the following conditions:

1) Front flips to the performing surface are allowed from single or double base shoulder level stunts. The top person must land on at least one foot with assistance from at least one base.
2) Front flips to a cradle are allowed from single or double base stunts shoulder level and below.
3) Back flips to a cradle are allowed from double base stunts shoulder level and below.
4) The top person is limited to one and one quarter flipping rotation.
5) Dismounts to a cradle may have up to one half twist. No other twists are allowed.
6) An additional spotter must be active throughout the skill. In a single base stunt, the spotter may not assist in the initiation of the flip.

c. Flips from…

For specific questions, contact rules@aacca.org

In order to clarify the intent of certain rules, the AACCA has released an updated version of the 2011-12 School Rules.  These editorial changes should help coaches and rules interpreters in a better understanding of the rules.

Read more »

The 2011-12 AACCA School Rules have been posted.

So, what’s new?

Read more »

by Jim Lord, AACCA Executive Director

I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in cheerleading for over 25 years as a cheerleader, coach, camp instructor, head camp instructor, staff trainer, administrator, conference presenter and safety expert and perhaps more than anything else, safety comes down to this: progression and repetition.

Read more »

Cheerleading, like all sports, comes with risk. We’ve all heard the phrase that “injuries are part of sports”.  That isn’t a reason to turn a blind eye to prevention and just accept that any injury is part of the game.  As coaches, as parents and as athletes we all must refocus our energies on preventing injuries. With this focus in your program, you lower the risk of injury and increase the chance that when there is an injury it can be attributed to an unpreventable accident instead of something that never had to occur. Read more »

As men’s and women’s basketball teams begin vying for the NCAA and NIT tournament crown, make sure your cheer team follows the proper procedures and represents your school in the best light.  Here are some basics for those new to the “dances” as well as for those that are veterans to these tournaments.

New venues mean possibly unfamiliar territory with regard to warm-up areas and performance areas.  As the coach, it is ultimately your responsibility to assess the environment and act accordingly. If a concrete surface is the only place to warm-up, do everything you can within the rules to stretch, then use your timeouts to gradually warm up your stunts or stick to skills that do not require extensive warm-ups.

Each tournament site is run by an NCAA “hosting institution”. Communicate with the other cheer coach and the hosting site’s director to establish what will occur during timeouts.  In most cases, teams will alternate timeouts and those will be designated by tournament seeding. However, there may be scripted timeouts for sponsors or specific areas where the hosting school will allow cheerleaders depending on the site and hosting institution.  You may be provided with a game script for you and your band director to follow. Regardless of the situation, communicate these procedures to your team several times as they will be different from their usual game traditions.

There are specific policies regarding cheerleading and mascots at the upcoming NCAA basketball tournaments.  This information is in the championship packets that are made available to your athletic departments. If you haven’t received one, be sure to ask your athletic department contact for a copy. In short, a maximum of 12 cheerleaders, 1 mascot and 1 coach will be permitted on the court during a game.  AACCA College Safety Rules must be observed at all times. A safety certified supervisor must be present in order for the team to have access to the catastrophic insurance coverage.

Excerpts from the 2011 DIVISION II MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP HANDBOOK  (emphasis ours):

Cheerleaders, Mascots, Bands and Banners

“Cheerleaders, dance team members and mascots may not take the floor after the final media timeout of the second half or at any time during any overtime period.  Noncommercial banners or hand-held signs that are deemed by the games committee to be non-offensive in nature and do not obstruct other spectators’ view of the contest are permissible.”

“During player introductions, cheerleaders, dance team members and/or mascots shall be restricted to the area between the end line and free-throw line extended on the end of the playing floor at which their team’s bench is located. Megaphones may be used for voice amplification, but they shall not be used as a noise distraction. This includes pounding them on the floor or striking them with the hand(s) or other objects.”

“Flags of any size may be displayed or waved on the court only during pregame activities and halftime.  The flags will not be permitted on the court during timeouts.”

“All cheerleading squads must conform to the guidelines set by the American Association of Cheerleader Coaches and Advisors (AACCA)[*]. This includes all guidelines and prohibitions pertaining to partner stunts in indoor facilities (see Appendix F).  … Tournament directors must inform participating institutions if the host facility has more stringent requirements. If so, the director of athletics at each institution must apprise his or her cheerleading squad of such requirements and ensure compliance.”

“Uniformed cheerleaders and/or dance team members (not to exceed 12), their coach and a costumed mascot also shall be admitted via a gate list. This list must be provided to the basketball committee representative at the pre-championship meeting. Only 12 uniformed cheerleaders and/or dance team squad members plus a mascot are allowed on the floor and sidelines.”

* The AACCA College Safety Rules are available at http://aacca.org/collegerules. Remember the following rules for the basketball court:

• No basket tosses, elevator tosses or similar multibased tosses.
• Basic Cupies/Awesomes are allowed but must have an additional spotter.
• No flips or released twists into or from stunts.**
• No 2 ½ high pyramids.
• No inversions in stunts or pyramids unless they begin on the ground, go to an upright position and the top person is in constant contact with a base or spotter.**
• No aerial twisting tumbling (no Arabians or Fulls for example)

** The only exception to this is that a braced flip pyramid where the top person performs a front or back flip to a stunt or cradle and is braced on both sides by hand/arm to hand/arm contact is allowed.

If you see a team in violation of these rules, please address the coach directly and if needed, complete a violation report form immediately.

Perhaps most importantly, be aware that your teams will be on national television and as with any game situation, they should only be performing skills that are game-ready.  Follow these rules and good common sense to be an effective tournament cheerleading squad and have a safe and fun post-season!

If you need to take or renew your safety certification course, March holds a great opportunity!

For those coaches that take the online safety course in March, AACCA will be selecting 10 coaches each week and will be refunding their course tuition thanks to a generous grant from Varsity Brands.

To kick off National Cheerleading Safety Month, Varsity and the NFHS teamed up at the beginning of the month to cover the tuition for the first two hundred coaches to register for the course. Due to the overwhelming response and those courses being used within eight hours of the announcement, Varsity has extended their support of safety education in this way.

On March 11, 18, 25 and April 1, we will randomly select ten names from the online registrations for the course from March 1 through the day prior to the drawing. That means if a coach registers by March 10, they will be eligible for the drawing each week!

Note that with the online course, you have up to one year to complete the course from the time you register, and you can stop the course at any time and pick it up at the same unit when you return.  Your actual date of certification is the day you fully complete all units of the course.

In other words, if your certification expires soon, it might be worth it to go ahead and register for the online course this month!

Register for the Online Course

As we head into tournament time for college conferences and national post-season play, be aware of the responsibilities administrations and cheer programs have towards safety.

College teams need to be aware that as they head into conference tournament play, they must be supervised by someone who is safety trained, according to the NCAA. he NCAA catastrophic insurance coverage will not cover catastrophic insurance claims resulting from an injury without proper supervision. Teams at some tournaments have already been restricted from performing any cheerleading skills due to the lack of proper supervision.

As with the rest of basketball season, be aware of the restrictions for basketball surfaces and follow the rules.  This includes prohibition of the following:

1. Basket tosses, elevator/sponge tosses and other similar multi-based tosses.
2. Partner stunts in which the base uses only one arm to support the top person. Exception: Cupies/awesomes are allowed with an additional spotter.
3. Flips or released twists into or from partner stunts. Exception: Front and back flips to a stunt or cradle are allowed if the top person is braced on both sides by hand/arm to hand/arm contact.
4. Two and one half person high pyramids.
5. Inversions in partner stunts and pyramids. Exception: Inversions that begin on the ground and go to an upright position where the top person is in constant contact with a base or spotter are allowed.
6. Twisting tumbling skills.

All of the above skills are prohibited unless performed on a mat during half-time or post-game, which is not likely for tournament play.

Understand that game referees trump AACCA rules. The game officials are in charge of the game on site. If they say that cheerleaders have to be in a certain area or are not allowed on the floor during certain times, their authority on site supersedes that of AACCA.  While you can make an argument for why you disagree, be professional and handle the matter through the proper channels.

Communicate with officials and other teams regarding use of the floor. Whether you will be alternating timeouts or each taking your side of the floor during timeouts, communication is crucial to minimizing the chance of injury. Tumblers need to be made keenly aware of the situation and know where they are allowed to tumble and to be aware of potential hazards such as referees.  If there is any chance of interference seen, the tumbling cheerleader should forego their pass and just hit the crowd.

Because of the situation at tournament time, it is more important than ever that you and your team are clear as to what skills will be performed and where and when they can be performed. As always, only do solid skills that have been mastered. Game time is never time to “try” to hit something. And tournament time is the perfect time to be performing game-related stunts with signs to lead your crowd.

Have a great tournament and be safe!

Here we are again! It seems like the last National Cheerleading Safety Month just ended. That might be because cheerleading safety is an all-year focus here at AACCA and NCSSE and for most cheer programs as well.

Even if you maintain an emphasis on cheer safety at all times, it’s always good to refocus and take stock of your safety program.

Follow AACCA here on the blog, on facebook, or on twitter to get great safety tips all month long.  If you haven’t been following us, you already missed out on one great opportunity for safety education.  Varsity Brands and the National Federation of High Schools joined together to cover the cost of the first 200 coaches to register for the AACCA course. Word spread so quickly that they were all used in under 8 hours!  (Varsity has since added a new safety promotion that will randomly pay for 40 more coaches by selecting 10 coaches who have completed the course each week in March and reimbursing their course tuition!)

Costa Mesa cheerleaders and their awesome athletic trainers!

It’s also National Athletic Training Month, so take the opportunity to thank your athletic trainers (don’t forget the nurses and any other medical staff) in your school or gym. If you don’t have a working relationship with them, this is the perfect month to ask for their involvement. After all, their slogan this month is “Not all athletes wear jerseys.” How great is that?

So, make sure your certifications are up to date, review and rehearse that emergency plan, involve your athletes, parents and administrators in your safety program and help keep our cheerleaders safe!

USA Cheer has announced the creation of their new Safety Council. The AACCA is proud to be a member of this council as they continue the efforts made by AACCA, NCSSE and other organizations. For more information, see the release below.

http://usacheer.net/Content.aspx/SafetyCouncil