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DIVISIONS & REGISTRATION

Division is determined by the age of the oldest athlete as of July 31.

 

All teams are comprised of 5-36 male/female athletes.

 

 

N/A- NON AFFILIATED CHEER DIVISIONS &

TRADITIONAL RECREATIONAL AFFILIATED DIVISIONS

                       

 

AGE AS OF JULY 31, 2025

 

6 years and younger

8 years and younger

10 years and younger

12 years and younger

14 years and younger

 

  • Show Cheer (All music routine)

  • Game Day

  • Traditional Building

  • Traditional Non Building

  • Hip Hop 

 

 

NA (NON-AFFILIATED) DIVISION GUIDELINES:

 

Divisions identified as ‘NA (Non-Affiliated)’ will provide competition for youth cheer teams who are not associated with a youth football organization (as defined above), or representatives of an all-star cheer gym, dance studio or registered team with USASF. This type of youth team is sometimes also referred to as ‘Performance Rec’.

 

• Team is NOT affiliated with a youth football organization that includes cheer safety rules or cheer bylaws as part of its franchise.

 

• Organizations or Teams may not be registered with USASF at the time of competition and not have had any teams in their organization compete in any competition under any “All Star” identified divisions.

 

• It is not mandatory that this team supports, affiliates with, or “cheers for” an organized sport (i.e. football, basketball, etc.).

 

• No Official Team Roster is required in NA Divisions.

 

• NA (Non-Affiliated) divisions are determined by the age of the oldest team member.

 

• The participant’s age on July 31

 

Will have the opportunity to qualify for the championships

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TRADITIONAL RECREATIONAL AFFILIATED DIVISIONS

 

Divisions identified as ‘Youth’ will provide competition for the majority of youth teams who have 

an organized program to form competition only teams, or join a program (i.e. city parks and rec. league) which has youth sports teams, but no formal cheerleading program.

 

Traditional Recreational Affiliated Recreational Division Policies:

 

• The Affiliated Recreational Divisions exist for teams with the main purpose of cheering for and supporting a recreational team (i.e. youth football, pee wee sports, community sports teams, etc.)

 

• All Affiliated Recreational teams must be affiliated with, report to, and be governed by an organization such as; YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, County Parks and Recreation Program, American Youth Cheer, Pop Warner Association, or other community run program not associated with an All Star facility.

• All Affiliated Recreational programs will need to provide the legitimacy of the organization for each event competing.

 

Will have the opportunity to qualify for the championship.

 

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Show Cheer Guidelines

 

Teams will be evaluated on a rating system (Outstanding, Excellent, Superior) and not scored against other teams.

 

Open to all division ages.

This category is designed for those who are wanting the competition experience, judges feedback, without the pressure of competing against another team or program.

 

Rule Differences from Traditional and Game Day categories

 

Time limit:

 

  • Routines may not exceed 1:30 minute

 

Tumbling allowed but not scored:

 

6 and younger

 

No Building skills permitted (stunts and pyramids). The ONLY TWO TUMBLING skills

allowed are cartwheels and forward rolls. Handstands, backbends/bridges, etc. are not allowed.

 

8, 10, 12,and 14 and younger

 

  • Tumbling skills are allowed but will not be rated/required.

 

Stunting skills allowed but not scored (except 6 and younger):

 

  • No Tosses permitted

    • Clarification: This includes “Sponge” (also known as Load In or Squish) tosses.

    • Clarification: All waist level cradles are illegal.

 

  • Single leg stunts are only allowed at waist level

  • Two leg stunts may not immediately pass through an extended position

  • Up to a ¼ twist allowed

  • Transitions to prone position are not allowed

  • Straight pop down dismounts are not allowed

 

*Will not have the opportunity to compete at the championship*

 

 

 

Game Day

 

GAME DAY CHEER - BUILDING DIVISION:

  • Game Day showcases traditional cheerleading and the ability to lead the crowd

  • Teams will be evaluated on their ability to lead the crowd, performance, motions, dance and overall routine.

  • All material should be suitable for a game or pep rally

  • Time limit is 3 minutes

  • Performance should consist of these four elements: a sideline chant, a time out cheer, a band dance, and a school fight song. (In any order)

  • The use of crowd leading signs, megaphones, flags and poms are encouraged in this division.

  • Follow USA Cheer rules of what is a legal or illegal prop.

  • Formations should be similar to traditional game day lines used for sideline cheer.

  • Use of Band Dance music/school Fight Song music must be approved/licensed.

  • Or proof of purchased band music and licensing

  • Additional Skill Restrictions:

  • No Tosses are allowed.

  • No Inversions are allowed.

  • No Twisting Released Dismounts are allowed.

  • Single leg stunts are limited to liberties and liberty hitches.

  • No Running Tumbling is allowed. (see Running entries for clarification)

  • Standing Tumbling is limited to one tumbling skill and a back tuck is the most elite tumbling skill allowed.

  • Examples: Standing full is not allowed. Rippled Single Back Handsprings would be allowed.

  • Jump tumble (single skill) would be allowed

  • Mascots will be allowed but must remain on the performance floor the entire time. Mascots may not be involved in any stunts/technical skills, and should position themselves away from skills being performed. Teams may add up to 1 (one) mascot in their Game Day Routine and the mascot will not count towards the total number of participants allowed. Mascots must follow all eligibility guidelines and must be students enrolled at that school.

 

​

GAME DAY CHEER - NON-BUILDING DIVISION:

  • Game Day showcases traditional cheerleading and the ability to lead the crowd

  • Teams will be evaluated on their ability to lead the crowd, performance, motions, dance and overall routine.

  • All material should be suitable for a game or pep rally

  • Time limit is 3 minutes

  • Performance should consist of these four elements: a sideline chant, a time out cheer, a band dance, and a school fight song. (In any order)

  • The use of crowd leading signs, megaphones, flags and poms are encouraged in this division.  Follow suitable props that are legal or illegal by USA Cheer.

  • Formations should be similar to traditional game day lines used for sideline cheer.

  • Use of Band Dance music/ school Fight Song music must be approved by each school’s band director and principal and will require signatures from both

  • Or proof of purchased band music and licensing.

  • Additional Skill Restrictions:

  • No Running Tumbling is allowed. (see Running tumble rubric)

  • Standing Tumbling is limited to one tumbling skill and a back tuck is the most elite tumbling skill allowed.

  • Handsprings would be allowed.

  • Jump tumble (single skill) would be allowed.

  • Mascots will be allowed but must remain on the performance floor the entire time. Mascots may not be involved in any stunts/technical skills, and should position themselves away from skills being performed. Teams may add up to 1 (one) mascot in their Game Day Routine and the mascot will not count towards the total number of participants allowed. Mascots must follow all eligibility guidelines and must be students enrolled at that school.

 

Traditional Non Building Performance:

 

  • Time limit 2:30

    • Music can only make up 1:45 of the time allotted.

 

  • Teams incorporate a cheer/chant within the routine.

  • Skills are limited to:

    • Standing tumbling

    • Running tumbling

    • Jump sequence

      • See Rubric for scoring details

 

  • Failure to perform required skills will result in a 0 on the scoresheet.

  • Poms and props are allowed through routine.

 

 

Traditional Building

 

  • Time limit 2:30

    • Music can only make up 1:45 of the time allotted.

 

  • Teams incorporate a cheer/chant within the routine.

  • Skills are limited to:

 

  • Stunts and Pyramids within age range

  • Standing tumbling

  • Running tumbling

  • Jump sequence

    • See Rubric for scoring details

 

  • Failure to perform required skills will result in a 0 on the scoresheet.

  • Poms and props are allowed through routine.

 

 

Hip Hop

 

HIP HOP: (Time Limit: 2 min 30 sec) A Hip Hop routine is composed of street style movements with an emphasis on variety, execution, creativity, body isolations/control, rhythm, uniformity and musical interpretation. Choreography should demonstrate various styles and elements of hip hop while incorporating athleticism, footwork, jumps, stalls, etc. Listed below are some examples of hip hop styles that teams MAY incorporate into their routine.

 

  • CHEER FUNK: This dance style emphasizes uniformity, rhythm, body isolation, creativity, and execution, yet still incorporates the basic fundamentals of cheer such as sharp precise movements and visual effect.

  • POPPING: This style of dance is an innovative style of hip-hop or funk dancing. Poppers achieve the dance style’s jerky or twitchy movements by continuously and rhythmically tensing and then relaxing muscles in the arms and legs, which are called hits, ticks, and pops.

  • LOCKING: This style of dance comes from freezing a fast movement and “locking” in a certain position, holding that position for a short while, and then continuing at the same speed as before. The movements are generally large and exaggerated, and often very rhythmic and tightly synced with the music.

  • BREAKING: This style of dance combines forms and maneuvers from gymnastics, hip hop, and martial arts. Break dancing mainly consists of four kinds of movement: toprock, downrock, power moves, and freezes.

  • KRUMPING: This street style of dance is categorized by free expressive, exaggerated and highly powerful movement.

  • WAACKING: This style of dance consists of moving the arms to the music beat, typically in a movement of the arms over and behind the shoulder. Waacking also contains other elements such as posing and footwork.

  • TUTTING - This style of dance combines body and arm movements that are based on geometrical angles and shapes.

  • URBAN: This style of dance incorporates a blend of all hip hop styles, and can also include lyric and jazz. It embodies movement that is less rigid and much more fluid in execution through musicality.

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