Comments on: Responses to New Elem/MS/JH School Rules http://www.cheersafety.org/2010/06/responses-to-new-elemmsjh-school-rules.html Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:04:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: AACCA Executive Director http://www.cheersafety.org/2010/06/responses-to-new-elemmsjh-school-rules.html/comment-page-1#comment-46 AACCA Executive Director Fri, 04 Jun 2010 13:47:43 +0000 http://www.cheersafety.org/?p=100#comment-46 Rachel, there's no easy answer because of the way high school sports and activities are overseen. It's different everywhere. The minimum is that every state should require coaches education and that teams follow the rules. The coaches education component will help teach and reinforce the importance of following skill progressions, but the enforcement is an issue. There are states that allow coaches (or anyone for that matter) to turn in a program that is breaking the rules and they each have different types of procedures and consequences. The important thing is to have some type of consequence so that administrators are brought into the conversation. Once they realize that there are rules and that they have been broken, they nearly always start putting more focus on the cheer program and making sure procedures are being followed. They don't want to get a call from the state association regardless of whether it's just a "your school is breaking the rules" call or some strong penalty. The bigger problem for middle schools and junior high schools is that for the most part, there is no athletic association for them in the states to enforce these rules. There are some states with great coaches associations who offer fantastic educational opportunities at their conferences and throughout the year - but those associations don't have any power over the actual programs in the school. We are working with state and national associations to get the word out about education, standards and rules. So, what can you do? Contact your state high school association to get involved with cheerleading. Some don't want to deal with cheer because they don't want to regulate it as a sport (having a set season, transfer rules, requiring a certain number of competitions to meet the definition of sport, etc.) but at the very least they should be able to say that if cheerleaders participate at their sanctioned events (like football and basketball games) that there will be certain requirements of the program such as following the rules and minimum standards for coaches. If elementary, middle school and junior high programs are doing baskets and doubles, you can also contact us and we will start that process of contacting the coach and administration. Thank you for your feedback. Rachel, there’s no easy answer because of the way high school sports and activities are overseen. It’s different everywhere. The minimum is that every state should require coaches education and that teams follow the rules. The coaches education component will help teach and reinforce the importance of following skill progressions, but the enforcement is an issue. There are states that allow coaches (or anyone for that matter) to turn in a program that is breaking the rules and they each have different types of procedures and consequences. The important thing is to have some type of consequence so that administrators are brought into the conversation. Once they realize that there are rules and that they have been broken, they nearly always start putting more focus on the cheer program and making sure procedures are being followed. They don’t want to get a call from the state association regardless of whether it’s just a “your school is breaking the rules” call or some strong penalty.

The bigger problem for middle schools and junior high schools is that for the most part, there is no athletic association for them in the states to enforce these rules.

There are some states with great coaches associations who offer fantastic educational opportunities at their conferences and throughout the year – but those associations don’t have any power over the actual programs in the school.

We are working with state and national associations to get the word out about education, standards and rules.

So, what can you do? Contact your state high school association to get involved with cheerleading. Some don’t want to deal with cheer because they don’t want to regulate it as a sport (having a set season, transfer rules, requiring a certain number of competitions to meet the definition of sport, etc.) but at the very least they should be able to say that if cheerleaders participate at their sanctioned events (like football and basketball games) that there will be certain requirements of the program such as following the rules and minimum standards for coaches.

If elementary, middle school and junior high programs are doing baskets and doubles, you can also contact us and we will start that process of contacting the coach and administration.

Thank you for your feedback.

]]> By: Rachel Schoenfeld http://www.cheersafety.org/2010/06/responses-to-new-elemmsjh-school-rules.html/comment-page-1#comment-45 Rachel Schoenfeld Fri, 04 Jun 2010 08:22:14 +0000 http://www.cheersafety.org/?p=100#comment-45 I feel like this is yet another ineffective way of trying to deal with coaches who do not follow progression, and those who do get to pay the price. Coaches who do not follow stunt progression will continue to attempt basket tosses, regardless of the rules, and we know this. Those of us who have carefully progressed our teams to the capability will follow the rules because that's what we do. We need to come up with a better solution. How do we network? How do we reach coaches who are not involved with the WSCCA? How can we set up a group that monitors things......gives consequenses to those that break the rules? I'm tired of the rule followers being punished. Does everything always come down to LIABILITY? I want to ge part of a solution.....any ideas? I feel like this is yet another ineffective way of trying to deal with coaches who do not follow progression, and those who do get to pay the price.
Coaches who do not follow stunt progression will continue to attempt basket tosses, regardless of the rules, and we know this.
Those of us who have carefully progressed our teams to the capability will follow the rules because that’s what we do.
We need to come up with a better solution. How do we network? How do we reach coaches who are not involved with the WSCCA? How can we set up a group that monitors things……gives consequenses to those that break the rules? I’m tired of the rule followers being punished.
Does everything always come down to LIABILITY?
I want to ge part of a solution…..any ideas?

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