Cheerleading

Must have before season begins:

• completed physical
• health card
• insurance waiver
• concussion form

REQUIREMENTS TO CHEER

1. All cheerleaders must maintain passing grades in all classes. Any failing midterm will result in suspension from cheerleading activities until the cheerleader is passing. Any failing grades from the previous term will result in suspension from the squad for 30 days, which follows the state academic eligibility rules.
2. All cheerleaders must maintain respectable and appropriate behavior. This includes dressing appropriately for school and showing good citizenship toward others. Failure to do so will result in a 1 game suspension.
3. There will be a zero-tolerance policy for drug and alcohol abuse. This will result in removal from the team.
4. There will be NO put-downs during practice or at the games. We are a team! We need to support each other.
5. It is school policy that if a student is gone from half the school day or more, the office must be notified prior to the absence in order for that person to participate in activities that day.
6. Any student who quits an athletic squad without permission of the coach involved will be ineligible to participate in any other activity until the current season has ended.
7. Any captain that is absent from three or more games during the season will forfeit her position as captain.
8. All varsity football cheerleaders are required to attend the fall camp. This involves 5 evenings of team building activities and learning cheers and stunts.
9. All cheerleaders are required to purchase jackets, bows, spandex and cheer shoes.

PRACTICES

1. Cheer practices are held after school from 3:45-5:00, Monday and Tuesday unless otherwise announced. Cheer practices will meet in the auditorium. Gym clothes are REQUIRED for practice. NO jewelry. Hair must be up and out of the face.
2. Practice time must be used wisely. Cheerleaders that need to be warned about appropriate behavior will be suspended from a game.
3. Missing practice or part of a practice without prior notification and approval will result in a one-game suspension. Continued missed practices will result in removal from the team.
4. Reasons for missing practice will be approved on a case by case basis. Some basic guidelines include:
   1. Acceptable:
      1. Sick
      2. Family emergency/commitments
   2. You should schedule everything (shopping, doctor appointments, baby-sitting, etc.) around practice.
5. No chewing gum while you are practicing.

GAMES

1. A cheerleader should always promote good sports conduct. Be supportive of your team. You are the spirit of the team!
2. You will be required to attend every game in which you have been assigned to. Your absence, tardiness, or early departure without prior notification and approval will result in being suspended for a game.
3. It is your responsibility to know all the cheers prior to games. All cheers are recorded and videos are available for reference.
4. You will be required to approve each stunt with the coach before performing it at a game.
5. Your squad must all be dressed in uniforms or Jackets on event days, this will be decided at the practice prior to the event. Majority rules.
6. Have a flexible plan of cheers to do in order to eliminate disagreements, utilize prime cheer times, and appear competent.
7. Always remember to SMILE.
8. Pay close attention to the game and your crowd, however do not stand and carry on a conversation with them. Wait until after the game.
9. ALWAYS stop cheering and kneel for a fallen player, regardless of the team they are playing for, we want to show respect for both teams.
10. No side conversations unrelated to cheer while standing in front of the crowd.
11. Uniforms need to be handled/washed with care and returned at the end of the season to avoid a fee to cover the cost of a new uniform

Download the pdf version of the rules

The following are examples to help coaches understand the intent of the hair rule; not all situations are covered.

SECURING hair away from the face situations:

1. Hair in a ponytail and bangs (which would have been in the eyes) secured away from the face – legal
2. Hair in a high ponytail that is long and goes down the back – legal
3. Hair in pigtails or side ponytail that does NOT touch the shoulders – legal
4. Hair in a low back ponytail at the base of the nape of the neck – legal
5. Short hair that has hair long enough to tuck behind the ears, or be in the face, which is not secured – illegal
6. Hair long enough to touch the shoulders that is half up and half down (the back of hair is down, but front and bangs are pulled up and secured) – illegal
7. Long, ratted hair and/or hair pieces that fall in a cheerleader’s face, including the hair of the top person obscuring the vision of the base(s) or spotter(s) – illegal
8. Long hair in a ponytail high on the crown that allows the hair to fall into the face – illegal
9. Short hair that brushes the tops of the shoulders – illegal
10. Hair in a ponytail that’s lying on or over the front of the shoulder – illegal
11. Hair in a side ponytail that goes onto or touches the shoulders – illegal
12. Hair in pigtails that touches the shoulders – illegal

NOTE: For State Wrestling, cheerleaders must not have hair covering any part of their ears. This is to make it easier for monitors to check for jewelry and plugs as cheerleaders travel back and forth between the stands and the mats.

Bangs pulled across forehead, wispies, and chunks of hair beside face:

1. The above - out of eyes and if necessary soundly secured away from the face – legal
2. Hair that falls into the face while cheering, stunting, or tumbling – illegal
3. How do you know if it is legal? If you have to:
a. Move your head to move hair away from your face – illegal
b. Use your hand to move hair away from your face – illegal
c. Tuck hair behind your ears – illegal

Accessories:

1. Small rhinestones professionally adhered/punched into a bow or headband – legal
2. Headbands and bows with small, flat items sewn on – legal
3. Flat clips or bobby pins – legal
4. Headbands and bows with sequins or other items (any size) glued on – illegal
5. Bows with hard rhinestones/bling as the middle part of the knot – illegal
6. Large items on headbands or bows sewed on – illegal
7. Bows touching the face area including the forehead – illegal
8. Alligator type clips, including those on bows or other items – illegal
9. The plastic hair bump-it, bun sock, or anything under the hair to lift it up – illegal
10. Hair interwoven with beads – illegal
11. Flowers, feathers, etc. in the hair – illegal

If you have to move your head to get hair out of your eyes, use your hands to tuck hair behind your ear, or move hair off your shoulders – your hair is not secured and probably ILLEGAL.
Any time the hair gets in the way of a stunt, it is illegal. The hair should be off the shoulders for stunting.

• Cheerleading Jumps
• Cheerleading Motions
• Cheerleading Stunt Technique

• Wrestling Cheer List
• School Song Lyrics