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

As was expected, there were quite a few responses to the announcement May 11th that there would be new restrictions by AACCA for elementary, middle school and junior high school cheerleading programs.

I’ve been asked about those responses and I thought it would be beneficial to share some of them with you (in addition to the comments in the original post).  I have removed what I consider to be identifying information. If you see your email to me posted here and you wish to have it removed, contact me at jimlord@aacca.org.

The list of responses is rather long, so they will be shown “after the break”, meaning you may need to click on the title of this post in order to see them. Feel free to reply.

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Thank you, thank you, thank you for this change.  I am all for it.

Deborah C

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I think this is a GREAT rule change…the less injuries the better!!

Sally B

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Thank you for these changes!

We implemented rules a couple of years ago here in **** for our elementary squads that do not allow them to do any stunt over a prep.  We are extremely safety-conscious!  A couple of years ago, I mentored a young lady for her senior project, titled “Healthy Beginnings”.  We conducted free stunt safety clinics for all of the **** elementary squads, starting with step-up drills and ending with preps.  It was so successful that I was asked to continue the training and the clinics are now required for all elementary squads and their coaches at the beginning of the season.

Thanks so much for helping us keep our kids safe!

Lanell C

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I am thrilled with these changes and updates. The committee is right on the mark that many of these school teams (below High School) are attempting skills that they are not completely prepared for and that they are not ready to do.

It is my hope that the administrators of these same age cheerleaders in recreational programs will update their rules to align with AACCA/NFHS.  I agree, those teams that are coached by well-trained/capable coaches will not be happy with these new rules – but when they realize that they are in the minority and the rules are looking at the bigger picture and this could be effectively saving children from unwanted/unneeded injuries – hopefully they will get behind and support these changes.

Thanks again for the terrific job and keep up the good work!

Sheila A

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Thank you for getting this to me.  I appreciate your efforts in keeping our cheerleaders safe.

Sincerely,

Christine R

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I adore you!  I hope all schools will follow the safety rules!

Kathleen W

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I too am very happy that AACCA and the NFHS will be more in sync!   I like what AACCA is doing in regards to safety for cheerleaders in middle school (and younger).

Thanks!

Donna M

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I completely agree.  Thanks for the update.

Tamara

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These changes have been a long time coming!  Three cheers for your putting the safety of the teams above the wow factor!

Heather L

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Thank you! I tried to implement no basket tosses for my middle school teams this past year and although the teams complained at first they understood where I was coming from and for the most respected my wishes as their head coach.  I did implement a check off list for progression with my middle school teams.   They had to show me that they were able to complete the basics before moving on to the more intermediate stunting.

Change is hard sometimes but I reminded my coaches it is about safety for the whole group not just the flyer. Now I will have something standing behind me when I again remind them of the difficulty of the stunts and why we stay away from some of them at the middle level.  The younger girls just want to do what the older girls are doing and I can understndn that but we have to be safe.  Sometimes middle school coaches don’t understand the technique and strength it takes because the older girls do make it look easy.

Thank you very much for your time!

Jolene K

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Wonderful!!! I can’t agree more as it is hard enough to get the high school level coaches to understand the importance of progressions.

Thanks!

Michele S

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Thanks for the update.

Major news…but very smart.  I will let my Middle School coach know and she will be prepared!  Thank you for keeping us informed.

Tara G

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Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

I support these changes and applaud your decisions!  My biggest concern is that I do not see evidence that the Athletic Directors at the middle and junior high school levels are ensuring their cheer coaches are properly educated in stunt safety and progression. I get so frustrated dealing with incoming cheerleaders who were not trained properly in safe stunt progression, and who have been injured unnecessarily due to coaching errors.

Thank you for all you do!

Mishelle C

I agree that tosses at the elementary should be stopped…..but I’m not all that much in favor of taking it out of Middle School and Jr High. I believe it could be modified as to what tricks they can do (toe touch, straight ride, etc)  Was there a study to show that there were more injuries with tosses at the lower level then at the High School level. Trying to teach tosses at the HS level are more difficult then at middle because of the size and weight of the girls in HS. Just like teaching tumbling at the HS level (beginners) is harder then at a younger age because of their size and age. I believe middle school girls (lighter) can learn the tosses easier and safer because they aren’t as matured body wise.I have talked to ***** over the years, and he knows I am very much in favor of tough safety as anyone……not sure I agree with this one though. I do not coach a middle school that competes; so, I have no interest as far as getting better scores or beating some other team. We do progression as suggested by NCA, UCA, Fed and AACCA.

Mike G

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Is this for sideline cheer and competitions?  If it includes competitons, that is crazy.  The coach of a team should work her girls harder to advance skills, it’s not fair for those of us who have.  So what’s next, no tumbling or extended stunts because all teams aren’t equal in that area either.

Dedra C

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I do not agree with the basket toss being prohibited!!!!!!! My Jr. High has been performing basket tosses for the last 8 yrs. Who exactly decided this foolish rule???? My understanding is that the Jr. high can do whatever the High Schools can do.

Wendy Y

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I am writing in response to the recent announcement of the cheerleading rule changes for Elementary and Junior High School Programs.  I can not express to you how disgusted I am by them.  First of all this is taking a sport, which has taken years, to get recognized as one and diminishing it.  Lets not have cheerleaders reach their potential, lets have them hit the basics.  Where in your experience has it been Okay to get by?  Your job, just do what is expected, you’ll be okay.  I agree with progression, and I agree that you should only do the skills that you can perform safely, no argument there. Additionally I agree that you shouldn’t stunt without mats on the auditorium floors.   But when you put everyone in a vacuum and implement rules like this without thinking them through I believe it is an injustice not only to the sport, but to the girls that want to participate in them.

Are we going to hold  other sports to the same standard, football, baseball, softball?  They all have the potential to be coached by people who don’t know what they are doing, so how are we handling that, are we going to say our football teams should only participate in no contact ball.  Or our pitches can only throw so fast.  Of course not, why?  Cause its Ridiculous.

I don’t understand the rationale surrounding basket tosses and double downs.  The cheerleading coaches and administration should be held responsible for their teams and their routines, as well as the hiring of qualified people.   What makes you think that High School or College Cheerleaders are not coached by teachers or are more qualified than the Junior High teams? Interesting……

I am not a teacher, I have over 18 years experience in coaching, I have won numerous National Championships and I am proud of my girls.  I don’t limit them, however I push them to achieve what they can. I don’t put them in harms way, WHY because I am responsible and so are the many thousands of volunteers or minimal paid people coaching this sport.

What makes the committee think that a cheerleader once they get to the high school level, magically develops the skills to do a basket toss or double downs?  It is easier to teach girls to fly at the beginning then 4 years into their experience.  We are suppose to be getting these girls ready for the next level, this is not doing that.

Additionally for those school systems that are smaller and do not have any tumbling, this has just taken them out of the competition.  Previously we could at least “hold our own” with our stunting and tossing abilities, now we can’t compete, not at all.  Tumbling is where it is at, you and I both know that.  What should I tell the girls that have been cheering in the programs since 6 years old (pop warner) and have been tossing and in some cases doubling down.  Sorry, we can’t do that any more, unreal.

This ruling has taken the empowerment from the coaches to do what is best for their team.   Believe me when I tell you, give us some credit, if we didn’t think we could do the skills we wouldn’t.

Has the committee thought of changing how we compete at the elementary, Junior high level and adopt the Grid process that AYC uses, Red/Blue (Red – Novice routines, Blue – intermediate)  - that would solve both the tumbling and stunting …….It would allow coaches to make a determination where they want to compete and thereby allowing the girls to compete at the level they are ready for.  That way the Blue teams could double down, do tosses, where the Red levels can’t.

In any event, I hope that you will reconsider and if there is a formal grievance procedure, I’d like to have it so I can file one.  Thank you for your time.

Maureen

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My name is Elizabeth and I am a middle school cheerleading coach. I do not understand. If pop warner allows this, when the girls get to me, I am not allowed to continue working on these skills? I just think think that the tosses is a little much. I understand restricting single twists, but no tosses at all is very limiting.

I just want to express my disappointment and disagreement with this rule.

Elizabeth

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Wow, as the coach of an 8 time consecutive state championship middle school team, this is the worst news I have heard all year! My kids do learn progressions, and they perform baskets safer and cleaner than most high school teams in our state, that goes for cradles and double full downs as well. They will be CRUSHED. This means we can not perform these skills at competition at all? This means kids will not learn these skills until they are freshmen in high school- which means we will lose more of our kids to all-star teams. Why would kids stick it out in school when they can join all-stars and be learning more advanced skills sooner? Parents will believe they have to put their kids in private gyms to get them ready for high school cheer. Haven’t scholastic programs suffered enough? I’m afraid all this means is teams will continue to learn and perform these skills behind closed doors. What a bummer…

Chris H

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I appreciate this email, but you are basically punishing those who have followed progression and saying we cannot administer the things we feel proud to have accomplished. You are also saying that there is “too much pressure” to succeed or get any better.  Sooner or later, stunting will be taken completely out of cheerleading because some coaches aren’t doing their jobs.  Shouldn’t they be held accountable instead of the ones who actually practice safety and progression?  I think this rule is ridiculous and I have now wasted many years perfecting these skills to now tell my kids they have to do basic stunts like everyone else.

Nikki

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I am an 8th grade cheer coach and am very disappointed in this decision.  I think this should be up to the decision of the coach as to whether your squad is ready to attempt these types of skills.  Many of my cheerleaders come from competitive squads around town and are performing much higher level skills that they are beginning to not want to cheer at school because it is so watered down.  I have good enough judgement and safety training to be able to decide whether it is something my squad is ready for or not.

My squad last year was made up of 90% competitive cheer girls and we had great stunts that were always safety driven.  I am very disappointed that this decision is not ours to make and think it needs to be left up to the coaches.

Sincerely

Missy S

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I coach an elementary school and have for 16 years. My team is one that does the advanced stunt skills. Basket tosses, double twist downs, etc. and I must tell you, I have never had an injury. Injuries can happen with the lowest skilled stunts. I really find this ruling to be unfair. I always take the time to teach the skills properly. Funny how rec and all-star teams can still do these skills but middle, elementary and Jr high school teams can’t. I believe there are more injuries from the tumbling skills these kids are performing then from the stunts they are doing.

Laura H