MEMBER ALERT CIF INTRODUCES COMPETITIVE CHEERLEADING AS A HIGH SCHOOL SPORT FOR SCHOOL YEAR

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1 MEMBER ALERT CIF INTRODUCES COMPETITIVE CHEERLEADING AS A HIGH SCHOOL SPORT FOR SCHOOL YEAR In October of 2015, Governor Brown signed into law Assembly Bill 949 which required the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) to develop guidelines, procedures and safety standards to add competition cheerleading by July of Competitive cheerleading is not to be confused with sideline cheerleading which is seen at football games and other competitions and is generally viewed as an activity that is intended to be supportive of athletic teams and to lead a crowd. Cheer teams can add elements of gymnastics, dance and stunting, but their main goal has for decades been to be a part of a sporting experience as opposed to a sport in and of itself. Competitive cheerleading on the other hand, while incorporating many of the elements of sideline cheer, is a sport in which teams participate in direct head-to-head competition with one another using an objective scoring system. In California, there will be two different competitive cheerleading sports. The first is known as traditional competitive cheer (TCC) and the other is competitive stunt cheer (CSC). At present, there is no specific season for TCC, but CSC will be a spring sport. Member schools should be aware that due to the nature of the activity, cheerleading has a number of inherent risks and the potential for injury. This is true both for sideline cheer and competitive cheer. Cheerleading injuries account for 65% of all major injuries in girls high school athletics according to the Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research at the University of North Carolina. Further, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that in 2011 there were almost 37,000 emergency room visits for cheer injuries. The California Legislature believes that by creating competition cheer as a new interscholastic sport governed by the CIF, competition cheer coaches will be required to complete the same training as all other interscholastic coaches. This is intended to ensure a certain level of coaching competency and skill among coaches and that cheer as an official sport will provide resources to cheer coaches and cheerleaders consistent with other CIF sanctioned sports. CIF Bylaw 1700 et. seq. Effective July 2017, and for the school year, members should be aware of the following: Schools may offer two forms of competitive cheer governed by the CIF. (a) Traditional competitive cheer (TCC) is defined as competition using or following the traditional competitive format. Currently there is no set season for TCC. The official rule book for TCC is the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) Spirt Rules Book. (b) Competitive sports cheer (CSC) is defined as any cheer competition that consists of four quarters of play with a halftime in between the second and third quarters. The season for CSC is the spring sport season as defined by the CIF. The official rule book for CSC is the NFHS Spirit Rules Book. 1

2 Schools must ensure that all TCC and CSC coaches, paid and unpaid, have completed a safety education program that emphasizes the following components: (a) A philosophy of safety awareness. (b) Understanding and assessing legal liability in cheerleading. (c) Knowledge of cheerleading safety equipment, including apparel and training aids such as spotting belts and mats. (d) Spotting techniques for tumbling and partner stunts. (e) Skill progressions for tumbling, partner stunts, and pyramids. (f) Physical and psychological performer readiness. (g) Medical responsibilities, including injury prevention, development of an emergency plan and the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries. The CIF recommends that coaches obtain certification through the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA). Their safety course may be taken online at a cost of $ It is recommended that coaches involved in sideline cheer obtain the same certification required by the CIF for TCC and CSC coaches. School administrators should ensure that any school intending to offer competitive cheer or sideline cheer ensures that appropriate safety equipment is available and that an appropriate and safe environment for practice is provided for the participants. At this time, competitive cheer may not be counted toward a school Title IX compliance unless at some time the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights deems competition cheer compliant with its definition of a sport. Member Assistance Provided with this Member Alert are the following: 1. The website for AACCA safety course: 2. The website for the NFHS Spirit Rules Book: 2

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