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

A new study released by the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill recognizes that groups like AACCA have made a difference in preventing cheerleading injuries.

“It is the opinion of the authors that following cheerleading rules and safety manual guidelines that are written by cheerleading experts is an excellent way to help prevent cheerleading injuries,” the study states. The study also highlights AACCA’s effort to educate parents and cheerleaders about their responsibilities in regards to cheer safety, and AACCA’s contribution to the NCAA’s College Cheerleading Safety Initiative.

Highlights of AACCA’s involvement with safety prevention include:

• The NCAA’s insurance company has not had a single catastrophic injury claim since 2006, when the NCAA started requiring coaches to get safety training like that provided by the AACCA.
• According to a National Electronic Injury Surveillance System survey by the Consumer Products Safety Commission, emergency room visits among cheerleaders, which had been increasing every year, have leveled off in the last five years and even declined in some years.

Other recent developments in cheerleading safety include:

• Five years ago, only South Dakota required safety training for its high school cheerleading coaches. Currently, thirteen states require training and many more offer the AACCA safety course at their coaches’ conferences. AACCA works with various associations to stress the importance of requiring rules and safety education and we expect that more states will soon join the current list of thirteen.
• The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) developed a Spirit Coaches Education Program, of which one of the courses is the AACCA Safety Course.
• In 2006, AACCA banned basket tosses and 2 ½ high pyramids from the basketball court for college cheerleading and basket tosses for high school (high school teams are already limited to 2 persons high for all skills). And in 2008, AACCA restricted the use of twisting dismounts and other skills.
• In 2006, the NCAA required that each cheer program must have at least one member who has completed a cheerleading safety course.
• In February 2008, AACCA created a policy stating a coach found in violation the AACCA safety rules can lose his/her certification. Some coaches have been cited and we are working with them to ensure compliance with these standards.

We know there is so much more that can be done to reduce injuries, and we at AACCA are going to continue the efforts we have been making for 21 years. Join us by helping to get the word out about cheerleading safety!