If you've been wondering if you should start feeding your growing athlete an organic diet, the answer isn't a simple yes or no. There are certain reasons that an organic diet may be healthier, but eating more fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins in general is perhaps even more important. “There are a [...]
We all make assumptions throughout the day—it's part of human nature. But young athletes sometimes make judgements based on assumptions that may or may not be true, and these misguided assumptions can hurt a team's dynamic. The COVID-19 pandemic has also exacerbated assumption-making in every arena, and young people are particularly vulnerable [...]
It's no secret that many young athletes are over-extended, often playing on school and club teams in one or more sports, traveling for competitions, and squeezing in conditioning sessions. Two-a-day practices have become the norm for many athletes. While this can lead to great sporting success, it makes eating right throughout the [...]
Good news—research shows that kids who cook at home are more likely to eat more fruits and vegetables. While getting in the kitchen and cooking healthy meals after practice might seem daunting and unreasonable, it doesn’t have to be hard with these quick and easy meals that will provide your young athlete [...]
It’s been a full year since the COVID-19 pandemic began, forcing coaches, parents, and athletes to change how they viewed team sports. Entire seasons, including practices and competitions, were canceled, and for many, the future of youth sport is still uncertain. The pandemic forced coaches to quickly figure out new ways to [...]
When it comes to youth sports, we’ve all seen the shocking videos of parents letting their emotions fuel violent outbursts against other parents, coaches, and even young officials. But what if that angry outburst comes from one of the athletes on the field? How would you as a coach or parent help [...]
Whether you're a child or an adult, a coach or a parent, a teammate or a team leader, difficult conversations are never easy. Having frank discussions that feel confrontational can be intimidating and emotionally taxing at any age, but fortunately, there are ways to improve your athlete's ability to handle difficult conversations [...]
Supplement Series: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 Did you know supplements aren’t regulated like medications? Did you know that a ‘natural’ supplement doesn’t mean a safer supplement? Did you know that you can’t trust supplement labels? Due to post-market regulation, all supplements [...]
As a coach for young athletes, whether they're in elementary school or high school, you're going to deal with the emotional rollercoasters that young people experience. A fight with a friend over the weekend can translate to feelings of despair on game day, and stress over a championship game can leave an [...]
Your young athlete works hard on the field, at practice, in training, and at school—which means their bodies need proper nutrients and fuel to keep up. But with so much going on, it can be hard to prioritize a healthy nutrition plan and that can sometimes lead to certain nutrient deficiencies. Here, [...]
Article Title Article Content About TrueSport TrueSport®, a movement powered by the experience and values of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, champions the positive values and life lessons learned through youth sport. TrueSport inspires athletes, coaches, parents, and administrators to change the culture of youth sport through active engagement and thoughtful [...]
USA Cheer joins other leading sport governing bodies to provide Concussion Education Certification for their athletes, coaches and officials. DALLAS, TEXAS (May 26, 2021) — USA Cheer, the U.S. governing body for sport cheering and the sport of STUNT and TeachAids, an award-winning nonprofit social enterprise behind the CrashCourse concussion education technology, proudly announce a [...]
College cheerleading rules changes for the 2021-22 school year have been released, with minor changes from 2020-21 that focus on rules clarification. This year is considered to be a "minor changes" year in the "major/minor" alternating format used by USA Cheer for college rules changes. Feedback from the college cheer community regarding 2020-21 season [...]
Collaboration brings additional resources to USA Cheer members and builds on USA Cheer’s focus on providing resources for a positive culture in youth sport DALLAS, May 5, 2021 - USA Cheer announced today a new partnership with TrueSport®, a youth sports values-based program powered by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Founded on the cornerstones of sportsmanship, character-building [...]
10th annual event returns after 2020 cancellation DALLAS, March 18, 2021 – USA Cheer, the governing body for cheer in the U.S., will host the D1/D2 2021 College STUNT National Championship at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Okla., on Friday, April 30, 2021 and Saturday, May 1, 2021. This annual event, now in its 10th [...]
Cheerleading safety to be highlighted each week, beginning with athlete protection DALLAS (March 1, 2021) – Established in 2010, March is National Cheerleading Safety Month and USA Cheer is running a series of initiatives to highlight cheer safety throughout the month! “National Cheerleading Safety Month is a critically important initiative every year for us,” [...]
USA Cheer becomes an NYSS Champion (DALLAS) – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is pleased to recognize USA Cheer as a National Youth Sports Strategy (NYSS) Champion. The NYSS, released in September 2019, called for a national strategy to increase youth sports participation. The NYSS is the first Federal roadmap [...]
Jasmine Owens, former STUNT Athlete of the Year, has been hired as the inaugural head coach for Texas Woman’s University, a new NCAA Division 2 Varsity STUNT program. "I am thrilled to announce Jasmine Owens as the first STUNT Coach at Texas Woman's," said TWU’s Athletic Director Sandee Mott. "She is exactly the leader we [...]
Collaboration enables unified reporting and ineligible list DALLAS (December 8, 2020) – USA Cheer and U.S. All Star Federation announced today the launch of a unified athlete safety reporting process, as well as a list of temporarily and permanently ineligible individuals, which will provide a robust athlete safety infrastructure readily available across the entire cheer [...]
Move aims to ensure robust athlete safety policies and programs are consistent and collaborative across the country DALLAS (November 18, 2020) – USA Cheer announced today that it is launching a nationwide membership initiative to strengthen athlete safety and protection policies and procedures within the broader cheer community. All USA Cheer members are required to [...]
Dear members of the cheer community; This morning USA Today published a disturbing article on misconduct and sexual abuse in the cheer community. USA Cheer takes any allegation of sexual misconduct and abuse very seriously. It has no place in society or sport—we must collectively do everything possible to safeguard our kids. As an umbrella [...]
May 12, 2020– USA Cheer, the National governing body for the sport of Cheer, is proud to announce that the NCAA’s Committee on Women’s Athletics (CWA) has recommended to add STUNT as an NCAA emerging sport. STUNT expands participation opportunities for young women by providing an avenue for female athletes with skills in the area [...]
College cheerleading rules changes for the 2020-21 school year have been released, with the focus remaining on risk minimization. The twelve rules changes for this year address the use of hard casts, performance surfaces, spotting requirements, and twisting and flipping skills in stunts and pyramids. While allowing some new skills where risk did not [...]
USA Cheer believes that the safety of every cheerleader is paramount in all cheerleading programs. The Netflix documentary “Cheer” has brought a great deal of attention to the general public about the world of cheerleading. It’s refreshing to see cheerleading, and the coaches and athletes involved, get the accolades from the general public, celebrities - and [...]