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.

I see more unstable, unsafe heel stretches and one legged stunts as well as transition stunts at the school level .

I have the utmost respect for you and AACCA and thank you for all you do for the cheerleaders of the world.

I do, however, disagree with the basket toss rule for Middle Level and Junior High Students. As a coach who fully understands and follows the rules of pregression, I do not feel this is necessary.

Having coached for over 25 years, I will not and have never allowed any of my participants, of any age, to do a basket toss unless they have a strong pop cradle from a full extension.

My feeling is NFHS needs to be more forceful on the AD’s to inforce these rules and check progression charts. I have been at games where the cheerleaders are doing things they are clearly not ready to be doing and no one questions it. I have approached visiting coaches at my own school when I see a rule violation only to be sneared upon.

Rules are great and absolutely keep our participants safe. The problem is, the rules are in place with no inforcement or penalities unless someone is injured. Then and only then does the rule book come out.

All of this being said, I do agree with the Elementary having such a rule. I feel once these participants have entered Junior High and Middle School, many of them are ready to move on to baskets performed on an appropriate surface. Coaches Education and rule enforcement is the KEY!