Dance Coach/Director Memberships
Spirit Program Memberships are made available to the spirit community to help provide a consistent minimum standard for those who supervise cheer, dance and band. These memberships help demonstrate a community-wide commitment to the safety of our athletes and performers.
Dance Coach/Director Membership
Price: $35
Requirements:
- Background Screening
- Results can take up to 10 business days to receive once submitted
- Concussion Awareness Training
(TeachAids, NFHS, or CDC Heads Up) - Athlete Protection Course
- Waiver and Member Code of Conduct Agreement
Membership Benefits:
- Membership card
- Member newsletters
- $1,000,000 secondary liability coverage for members who are 18 years of age or older who have completed all requirements for membership. Coverage applies while the approved Dance Coach member is supervising dance practices, games, or competition with their designated team. No coverage applies for 1) training individual participants or conducting their own camps/clinics 2) acting as a choreographer for a team that they do not coach full time or 3) while coaching any other sports besides cheer, STUNT and dance.
Background Check Information
It is the policy of USA Cheer that all USA Cheer Professional members, Coach members, and STUNT Official members must complete a background check every year. Further, all coaches and anyone who works regularly with youth athletes should receive a primary screening from the hiring organization in addition to this secondary background screening.
Primary Screening
It is the responsibility of the hiring organization to utilize a selection process that includes screening for any behavior or history that would warrant prohibiting someone from working with youth. Such screening should include an application, information and reference check, interviews, a criminal background check, and comparing the information to any organizational disqualifiers (see NAYS: Background Screening in Youth Sports).
Secondary Background Screening
To obtain a USA Cheer Professional, Coach level membership (Cheer Coach and STUNT Coach), or Dance Membership, an applicant must successfully pass a criminal background check. Background screening is one step to help ensure a positive and safe environment. It is important to note that background screening is a snapshot in time of recorded and reported criminal behavior or potential criminal behavior. A successful background screening should never warrant relaxing protocols for preventing abuse as outlined in the free USA Cheer Athlete Protection Course and the Athlete Protection Course for Athletes.
This secondary screening, which is done during the membership application and eligibility process with USA Cheer, serves to establish criteria that would disqualify from membership those persons who have something in their background that would preclude them from working with children. The USA Cheer screening is consistent with the standards used by similar youth serving organizations, sport organizations and governing bodies.