Cheer Safety at School Events
A Quick Reference for Athletic Directors & School Administrators
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A CHEER RULES EXPERT.
Know the major safety red flags – and know when to ask.
✓ GOOD PRACTICE ⚠ CAUTION 🚩 STOP & VERIFY
WHERE athletes perform matters.
✓ Use appropriate surfaces permitted under the applicable rules. Hard surfaces require significant skill restrictions.
🚩 Concrete and asphalt should not be used for stunting, tumbling or other elevated/airborne skills.
⚠ Wet, uneven, slippery or obstructed surfaces can create additional risk.
WHEN IN DOUBT: move the activity to a safer surface, modify skills, or use appropriate mats.
MIDDLE SCHOOL / JUNIOR HIGH
✓ Basket, sponge and J-tosses to cradles are limited to STRAIGHT RIDES. No twisting or body-position variations. Elementary school tosses to cradles are prohibited. For all other rules, these teams will follow the NFHS/USA Cheer rules.
HIGH SCHOOL
🚩 No flipping basket tosses, including back tucks or other inverted basket-toss skills unless they are connected at all times to another stunt. Releases, inversions, pyramids, dismounts and tumbling have specific requirements. Basket tosses are only allowed on a mat, grass, or rubberized track surface, never directly on the basketball court.
Examples:
Basket Toss Flip – Illegal for High School and under
2 1/2 High Pyramid – Illegal for High School teams and under
Basket Toss on Court with no Mat – Illegal surface for this skill at all levels
See videos of prohibited elementary/middle/jr high/high school skills.
COLLEGE
🚩 2 ½ high pyramids and basket tosses are only allowed on a mat, grass, or rubberized track surface, never directly on the basketball court.
If you aren’t sure a skill is legal – ASK BEFORE IT IS PERFORMED.
Example video/photo – basket toss on basketball court without a mat (illegal)
Example video/photo – 2 1/2 high on basketball court on a mat (illegal)
Example video/photo – basket toss on basketball court on a mat (legal)
✓ USA Cheer recommends that every school cheer coach maintain a current USA Cheer Cheer Coach Membership.
✓ Membership safety requirements include background screening, athlete protection education, concussion awareness training, USA Cheer Safety & Risk Management certification, agreement to follow Code of Conduct and other membership requirements.
VERIFY A COACH -> CLICK HERE or QR CODE BELOW
Even when a skill is technically legal, athletes should have the training, strength, experience and demonstrated progressions necessary to perform it safely.
Coaches should use appropriate progressions and required bases/spotters/catchers, match skills to athlete readiness, and account for fatigue and environmental conditions.
ATHLETE READINESS SHOULD ALWAYS COME BEFORE DIFFICULTY.
STUNTS AND PYRAMIDS THAT ARE “SHAKY’ SHOULD NOT BE PERFORMED AT GAMES OR OTHER SCHOOL PERFORMANCES
ADMINISTRATOR RED FLAGS
🚩 Stunting/tumbling on concrete, asphalt or an inappropriate surface
🚩 Advanced airborne, flipping or twisting skills that appear inappropriate for the school level and that no other schools are performing.
🚩 Missing spotters, bases or catchers
🚩 Skills performed without direct coach supervision
🚩 Wet, slippery, uneven or obstructed performing areas
🚩 Continuing after injury, possible concussion, excessive fatigue or unsafe environmental conditions
🚩 A skill that simply doesn’t look safe, such as shaky technique, cheerleaders falling through cradle catches, or athletes consistently falling out of stunts.
YOU DON’T NEED TO KNOW EVERY RULE. IF SOMETHING DOESN’T LOOK RIGHT, STOP AND VERIFY.
✓ YOUTH/REC: Recommended USA Cheer Youth Rec Rules or the rules of your umbrella association, such as Pop Warner or AYC.
✓ ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE/JUNIOR HIGH: NFHS/USA Cheer Spirit Rules plus USA Cheer additional restrictions.
✓ HIGH SCHOOL: NFHS/USA Cheer Spirit Rules, plus applicable state association, school or district requirements.
✓ COLLEGE: USA Cheer College Cheerleading Rules plus applicable institutional or conference requirements.
Rules apply beyond competition – including sidelines, games, pep rallies and other school-sponsored activities.
USA CHEER IS YOUR SAFETY RESOURCE
See something you’re unsure about? ASK US. | usacheer.org | info@usacheer.org
Always consult current rules and your state association requirements. State associations, school districts, and institutions may establish additional or more restrictive requirements.