High to High Full Around
Jim Lord2026-03-18T11:11:18-05:00Starting with the 2026-27 school year, high school and younger teams can release from and land in an extended stunt with up to one full twist.
High to High Half Around
Jim Lord2026-03-18T11:09:35-05:00Starting with the 2026-27 school year, high school and younger teams can release from and land in an extended stunt with up to one full twist.
Braced Flip with Foot Connection – Bracer Drops to Load
Jim Lord2026-03-18T10:56:24-05:00Beginning with the 2026-27 season, braced flips can now have a hand-to-foot/feet connection as the only connection. However, if this is the only connection, there are additional restrictions. The top can't go to a new set of catchers, the top can't twist, and the bracer must be in a double based prep with a spotter. [...]
Quarter Turn Cradle to New Bases
Jim Lord2026-03-13T22:13:28-05:00Starting with the 2026-27 school year, a cradle to a new set of catchers is allowed to make up to 1/4 twist. This is useful for front-facing pyramids that 1/4 turn dismount to the side. Rule restrictions still prohibit other skills, such as toe touches or twisting beyond 1/4.
High-to-High Released Braced Full Around
Jim Lord2026-03-13T22:09:13-05:00Starting with the 2026-27 school year, high school and younger teams can release from and land in an extended stunt with up to one full twist. This full twisting tick-tock is legal without a bracer. Therefore, the bracer can hold the waist and release during the twist it is still legal.
High-to-High Braced 1/2 Twist Tick-tock
Jim Lord2026-03-13T22:07:00-05:00Starting with the 2026-27 school year, high school and younger teams can release from and land in an extended stunt with up to one full twist. This 1/2 twisting tick-tock is legal without a bracer. Therefore, the top and bracer can now release grips during the transition and it is still legal.
Transition Stunt with New Catchers
Jim Lord2026-03-13T22:02:04-05:00When transitioning to a stunt with new catchers, the new catchers must not be involved with any other skill when the transition is initiated. This addition to the existing rule clarifies the original intent of the rule and aligns it with the inversion rule with the same requirements. In this video, if the bases who [...]
Braced Arabian Flip with Foot Bracer
Jim Lord2026-03-13T21:53:45-05:00This skill is illegal for high school and below. Beginning with the 2026-27 school year, a foot-only connection is legal. However, if the connection is a hand-to-foot/feet connection only, there are additional restrictions to the usual braced flip rules. 1) The bracer must remain in a double based prep with a spotter. They cannot drop [...]
Braced Flip with Arm and Foot Bracer
Jim Lord2026-03-13T23:56:30-05:00This skill is legal for high school and below. In this video, the foot bracer has an additional spot on the double based prep. That spotter is not required because there is an additional spotter on the arm. The bracer on the foot can be in a double based prep with no spot, a single [...]
Braced Flip with Additional Foot Bracer
Jim Lord2026-03-13T23:57:28-05:00This skill is legal for high school teams. and younger. The bracer on the hand/arm must be in a double based prep with a spotter. The bracer on the foot must follow the normal release rules for bracers since there is an additional bracer on the hand/arm. This can be a double based prep without [...]
Braced Flip with Only Foot Bracer
Jim Lord2026-03-14T00:03:34-05:00Beginning with the 2026-27 school year, this skill is LEGAL for high school and below. If the connection is a hand-to-foot/feet connection only, there are additional restrictions to the usual braced flip rules. 1) The bracer must remain in a double based prep with a spotter. They cannot drop to a load position on the [...]
Prep Release Teddy Bear
Jim Lord2025-09-12T09:53:45-05:00LEGAL for high school and below. Rules updates in 2024-25 allow vertical releases to start and/or end in a seated position as long as they don't begin seated, twist, and end seated.
Handstand to the Floor
Jim Lord2025-09-12T10:02:15-05:00LEGAL for high school and below (2024-25). This skill is legal since the change in wording to only restrict upright vertical prep level stunts (i.e. preps and shoulder stands) from going to the performing surface.
Cradle to Prone
Jim Lord2025-09-12T10:03:05-05:00LEGAL for high school and below. This skill is legal by rule 3.5.6 which allows skills to release from a cradle or horizontal position at prep level or below to release to any non-inverted stunt with up to 1/2 twist. This skill is also pictured in the NFHS Spirit Rules book on page 72.
Seated Vertical Release with Twist
Jim Lord2025-09-12T09:54:27-05:00This release is not legal for high school teams because it is a seated position AND twists. Vertical releases can land in a vertical skill, including seated/pike positions. However, the one restriction is that it cannot begin seated, twist, and end seated. In order to make this visual legal, someone on the ground would have [...]
Braced Release Toe Touch
Jim Lord2025-09-12T09:55:03-05:00Legal - The bracer has contact at the waist. Hand to hand/arm contact is not required.
Invert Hand Foot Release – Bent Leg
Jim Lord2025-09-12T09:55:20-05:00This is a legal inversion with a hand to leg connection.
Invert Release Pump and Go
Jim Lord2025-09-12T10:01:02-05:00Legal - The bracer has contact at the waist. Hand to hand/arm contact is not required.
Basket Toss Back Flip
Jim Lord2025-09-12T10:00:12-05:00Ruling: ILLEGAL Basket toss flips are illegal for high school teams. They have been illegal since the 1980's. It is only allowed for college teams and All Star beginning at Level 7. There are two rules that address this. Rule 2.3.1 says "Unless allowed under the rules in this section, a top person must not [...]
Braced Roll with Leg Connection
Jim Lord2025-09-12T10:31:39-05:00Ruling: LEGAL This skill is a braced roll because of the grip with the backspot. The visual looks like a braced flip, but it is not. Therefore, it only needs to follow the rules of a braced roll, which does not require the bracer and top to have a hand to hand/arm grip. The connection [...]
Pancake with Stall
Jim Lord2025-09-12T10:31:52-05:00Ruling: Illegal A foldover must initiate from prep level or below. It can drive through an extended position, but it cannot stop or pause in the extended position. Determining whether this skill actually stops is a judgement call, so teams should stay away from showing an extended position before falling forward. The forward foldover should [...]
Release to Inversion
Jim Lord2025-10-06T13:49:44-05:00Ruling: Illegal While there is no longer a requirement for upper body contact during an inversion, there still must be contact in this stunt. The top person cannot be released and land in an inverted position. To make this skill legal, a base could grab the top person's shoulder as she's coming up from the [...]
Vault over Thigh Stand
Jim Lord2025-09-12T15:10:19-05:00Ruling: ILLEGAL High school rules prohibit a person from moving over or being under a partner stunt. This top person is moving directly over the thigh stand.
Braced Flip – Single Bracer
Jim Lord2025-09-12T10:33:40-05:00LEGAL for high school cheer and below. A braced flip requires at least one hand/arm connection between the bracer and top.
Hop Forward Roll
Jim Lord2025-09-12T10:33:50-05:00LEGAL for college and below. The definition of a dive roll says that a dive roll is an "airborne forward roll where the feet of the performer are at or above the performer's waist prior to the hands making contact with the performing surface." Since the feet are not at or above the performer's waist [...]