GAME DAY PHILOSOPHY WISCONSIN ASSOCIATION OF CHEER/POM COACHES, INC. GAME DAY CHAMPIONSHIPS The Game Day Championships focus on the fundamentals of cheer and dance. All materials should be suitable for a game or pep rally. Routine emphasis is on the execution and honoring team traditions. SCHOOL REPRESENTATION All members of the cheer and/or dance teams must be current members of the official school spirit squads and must attend the school they are representing. These individuals must have cheered or danced for games/performances during the current school year. Routines must comply with all NFHS and WACPC guidelines. Game Day promotes good sportsmanship with all competitors observing and supporting team routines throughout the day. COMPETITION FORMAT Teams will be seated in the performance area during the competition and will report quickly to the reporting area just prior to performing. Routines will be performed on a regulation basketball court. The event will be scheduled into a 5-quarter format with brief intermission for awards between divisions (Youth/JV; Varsity; College) Teams will not have time on the performance floor but will have access to a warm-up area. All practices and warm-ups will be done prior to event and during intermissions and according to the line-up reporting times. Poms, signs, flags, megaphones and/or banners must not be thrown but placed carefully onto the performing surface when not in use. Objects may not be thrown into the crowd. Teams may not set up props in advance. Warnings & Deductions may be issued for the following: o NFHS/WACPC Safety Violation - 1st time warning; 2nd time deduction. o Game Day specific (non-safety rules)/handbook only violations - 3 point deduction. CHEER AND DANCE DIVISIONS Varsity, Junior Varsity, Middle School/Youth Recreational Teams, Collegiate are the available divisions. Divisions may be performing intermixed with other aged divisions, but they are not competing against each other. College vs. college, Varsity vs. Varsity, etc. Additional division splits may be added after registration has closed. CATEGORIES
CHEER o Half-time Performance o WACPC Timeout Dance Challenge *NEW* o Sideline Dance o School Song o Timeout Cheer & Game Chants *NEW* DANCE o Half-time Performance o Timeout Dance o Sideline Dance o School Song o WACPC Pom Challenge MASCOT CHALLENGE AWARDS All teams will be recognized and receive a ribbon for each of their performances. The ribbon color (white, red, blue) will be determined by the team s score and how it falls into the rubric on the designated score sheet. The top scoring team in each category will also receive an additional gold champion ribbon. Teams participating in at least FOUR categories will be eligible for the overall highest combined score of the day. Teams participating in all categories will have their FOUR highest scores calculated for their overall total. Trophies will be awarded to the top placing cheer and dance teams per DIVISION at the end of the awards ceremony. o Cheer-1 st, 2 nd, 3 rd o Dance-1 st, 2 nd, 3 rd o Mascot-1 st GAME DAY CHEER CATEGORIES Cheer teams may choose to do one or any combination of the following categories: SCHOOL SONG ~May use recorded band music or may be performed a cappella. ~Song could be played one time through or a maximum of two times though. ~Emphasis will be on practicality. All material should be suitable and able to be performed multiple times during a game or pep rally. ~Signs and/or Poms are allowed but not required. ~Stunts and tumbling are allowed within the game day guidelines, but are not required TIMEOUT CHEER & GAME CHANTS ~Stunts and tumbling are allowed. No baskets, inversions, or twisting dismounts from stunts.
~Single-leg extended stunts are limited to a liberty or a liberty hitch. ~Standing tumbling is limited to standing back handsprings and standing back tucks. No running tumbling. ~Signs and/or Poms are allowed but not required. Teams may not set up props in advance. ~Teams will perform 1 chant of their choice: a defense chant, an offense chant, or a spirit chant. Words should be repeated 3 times Example: If you call/clap through once, that is considered one and then motions are done the two remaining times. ~ Teams will lead into their Time Out Cheer following their Game Chant. ~One minute thirty second time limit. ~No music allowed. SIDELINE DANCE ~Formations are limited to staggered lines only. ~This type of routine has repeating 8-counts and would typically be done on the sideline along with the band or to prerecorded music. ~No stunting and tumbling allowed. TIMEOUT DANCE CHALLENGE ~A 45-second music cut will be selected for competitors. Teams may elect to use their own music cut, but it must meet the minimum length of 45 seconds, and may not exceed 45 seconds. ~Instructional choreography video link will be provided by WACPC. ~Choreography is learned as provided. ~Teams will be allowed some parameters to add their team s style and skills for a unique finished product. ~No stunting and tumbling allowed. HALF-TIME PERFORMANCE ~Teams have up to two minutes to highlight their cheerleading skills (i.e. Homecoming routine material) ~Utilization of music is required. ~Poms and/or signs may be used, but are not required. ~Stunts, tumbling, jumps, and dance may be incorporated. ~No baskets, inversions, or twisting dismounts from stunts. ~Single-leg extended stunts are limited to a liberty or a liberty hitch. ~Standing tumbling is limited to standing back handsprings and standing back tucks. No running tumbling.
GAME DAY DANCE CATEGORIES Dance teams may choose to do one or any combination of the following categories: SCHOOL SONG ~May use recorded band music or may be performed a cappella. ~Song could be played one time through or a maximum of two times though. ~Emphasis will be on practicality. All material should be suitable and able to be performed multiple times during a game or pep rally. ~Signs/Poms allowed, but not required. ~No tumbling or lifts. SIDELINE DANCE ~Formations are limited to staggered lines only. ~This type of routine has repeating 8-counts and would typically be done on the sideline along with the band or to prerecorded music. ~No tumbling and/or lifts allowed. TIMEOUT DANCE ~Any dance style (i.e. hip hop, jazz, kick, pom) appropriate for a timeout situation is acceptable. ~Camp material may be easily adapted to fit this category. ~Formation changes, transitions, and visual effects should be utilized. ~Poms and/or handheld props are allowed. ~Tumbling and/or lifts allowed. POM CHALLENGE ~A 90-second pom music cut will be selected for competitors. Teams may elect to use their own music cut, but it must meet the minimum length of 90 seconds, and may not exceed 90 seconds. ~Instructional choreography video link will be provided by WACPC. ~Choreography is learned as provided. ~Teams will be allowed some parameters to add their team s style and skills for a unique finished product. ~Poms are required and are the only prop allowed in this category. HALF-TIME DANCE ~Two minute time limit. ~Any dance style (i.e. hip hop, jazz, kick, pom) appropriate for a half-time setting is acceptable. ~Fundamental dance skills (i.e. turns, leaps, kicks, etc.) are utilized in this category. Emphasis is on execution over difficulty. ~Poms and/or small hand held props are allowed but are not required. ~Tumbling and/or lifts are allowed but are not required.