INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 8, 2008) — Five revisions related to flyers and transitional stunts were among the changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Spirit Rules Committee at its January 6-8 meeting in Indianapolis. These revisions were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
The committee recognized the increasing number of loss-of-contact transitional stunts, and revised rules requiring flyers to “maintain hand-to-hand/arm contact with at least one bracer during the entire loss of contact with her bases.” This increases the stability of the transitions, which helps minimize the risk to the flyer.
“Cheerleading teams are getting so good that we want to continue to allow loss-of-contact stunts,” said Susan Loomis, liaison to the NFHS Spirit Rules Committee. “But we also want to help maintain the well-being of our participants.”
For this reason, Rule 2-6-10 was revised to include conditions similar to Rule 2-12-1 and 2. These conditions must be met or physical contact must remain between the flyer and base. Some of the conditions include that “the flyer does not become inverted, the flyer has at least two bases and each flyer and bracer has a separate spotter.” Along with other conditions, the flyer’s weight must not be supported by the bracer.
“Bracers have become a huge part of stunts,” Loomis said. “But, they are there to brace – not to support a flyer’s weight.”
Changes were made to Rule 2-8-2b to state that during a stunt in which the flyer is inverted, the “base or spotter must maintain contact with the flyer from the inverted position until the flyer is no longer inverted,” helping to stabilize the stunt.
A change in Rule 2-9-1a allows a forward suspended roll to also be legal from the performing surface if “the flyer begins from the performing surface or from a stunt at shoulder height or below.” Allowing a forward suspended roll from the performing surface does not present more risk than forward suspended rolls from stunts, provided two bases are used.
The committee also changed the definition of an inverted position to say “shoulders below waist” to accurately reflect the intent of the inverted flyer rule.
There were also revisions to injury-related rules. Rule 2-1-14 was adjusted to maintain consistency with all other NFHS sports regarding participants who are bleeding. An exception was added to Rule 3-1-6 to allow “Pedini-style dance shoes or others with heels of sufficient height to raise the bottom of the foot off the floor” to prevent injury and disease.
In addition to rules changes, the Spirit Rules Committee also adopted four points of emphasis for the upcoming season. The identified topics include why rules matter, progressions, transitional stunts with loss of contact, and removing the coaches’ responsibilities and participants’ responsibilities sections.
Since spirit is a relatively new sport, the committee places emphasis on encouraging coaches to be aware of the rules, and to use them in the “why rules matter” section.
To simplify the rules book, the committee removed the “coaches’ responsibilities and participants’ responsibilities” sections. However, these sections will be available online at www.nfhs.org on the spirit Web page.
“They are wonderful at guiding coaches, so we are going to keep them on the Web,” Loomis said.
According to the NFHS 2006-07 High School Athletics Participation Survey, 3,743 schools sponsor a competitive spirit squad with 95,177 girls participating and 2,147 boys participating in 500 schools.
2008-09 Spirit Rules Changes
NFHS Spirit
Rules Changes 2008-09
1-3-1 Inverted
- One in which a participant’s shoulders are below his/her waist. (examples: Chorus line flip, back handspring,
needle scale, arch back)
RATIONALE: Defining an inverted position as “shoulders below waist”
instead of “head below waist” more accurately reflects the intent
of the inverted flyer rule and now allows a variety of low-risk stunts that
have previously been illegal.
2-1-14 A
participant who is bleeding, has an open wound, has any amount of blood on
his/her uniform, or has blood on his/her person, shall be directed to leave the
activity until the bleeding is stopped, the wound is covered, the uniform
and/or body is appropriately cleaned, and/or uniform is changed before
returning to participation.
RATIONALE: This
rule is consistent with all other NFHS sports and is for the safety of all
athletes.
2-6-11 In
dismounts where a bracer is involved after the release of the flyer, all the following
conditions must be met:
a.
The flyer does
not become inverted.
b.
The flyer has at
least two bases.
c.
Each flyer and
bracer has a separate spotter.
d.
The loss of
contact is a continuous up and down movement.
e.
The
flyer’s center of gravity remains directly over the bases.
f.
The
flyer’s weight is not supported by the bracer(s).
g.
The bracers do
not intentionally increase the height of the flyer.
RATIONALE: This rule was written so that the wording would be
similar to the transition exception in rule 2-12-1.
2-8-2 b A
flyer must not be in an inverted position except for the following:
a.
During a forward
suspended roll;
b.
When beginning a
stunt from an inverted position on the performing surface, that goes directly
to a non-inverted position shoulder height or below. This stunt must include a base or
spotter who protects the head/neck/shoulder area of the flyer. This base or spotter must maintain
contact with the flyer from the inverted position until the flyer is no longer
inverted.
RATIONALE:
Requiring a base or spotter to maintain physical contact with a flyer
while she/he is inverted stabilizes the stunt and reduces risk of injury to the
flyer.
2-9-1-a & d A forward
suspended roll is legal provided all the following conditions are met:
a. The flyer begins from the
performing surface or from a stunt shoulder height or below.
d. In suspended rolls from the
performing surface, the flyer maintains
continuous hand-to-hand contact with two bases.
RATIONALE: Allowing
a forward suspended roll from the performance surface does not present more
risk (and possibly less) than forward suspended rolls from stunts, provided two
bases are used.
2-12-1 a & i Article 1 - In transitional stunts,
physical contact must be maintained between the flyer and the base(s) except
when ALL of the following conditions are met:
a.
The flyer maintains hand-to-hand/arm
contact with at least one bracer during the entire loss of contact with his/her
base(s).
b.
The flyer does
not become inverted.
c.
The flyer has at
least two bases EXCEPT THAT a single-base tick tock is permitted when the flyer
remains upright (vertical) throughout the stunt.
d.
Each flyer and
bracer has a separate spotter.
e.
The loss of
contact is a continuous up-and-down movement.
f.
The
flyer’s center of gravity remains directly over the bases.
g.
The
flyer’s weight is not supported by the bracer(s).
h.
The flyer is not
released to a toss.
i.
The bracers
do not intentionally increase the height of the flyer.
3-1-6 Pedini-style dance shoes and others with heels of
sufficient height to raise the Add bottom
of the foot off the floor.
Exception
RATIONALE: The
purpose of requiring that the bottom of the foot be covered is to prevent
injury and disease. The pedini-style shoe’s heel raises the bottom of the
foot off the floor which minimizes that risk.