High School 2 1/2 High Pyramids And Inverted Basket Tosses

[Kentucky Girl]

Why are 2 1/2 high pyramids (i.e., 2-2-1's, Swedish Falls, 3-3-2 stag pyramids, 2-1 cupies, etc.), rewinds, one-arm stunts other than the cupie (i.e., one-arm heel-stretches), and inverted basket tosses (i.e., x-out fulls, back tucks, layouts, etc.) illegal at the high school level? I know that college squads can perform them but why not high school squads? Thanks!

 

[ztaprincess]

There are several colleges who shouldn't even be allowed to do them so there is no way that a bunch of high schoolers should be able to do college stunts, pyramids, or baskets. It just wouldn't be safe. There are already high school coaches who shouldn't be coaches and allow athletes to do things that they shouldn't, it would be very hard to get high school coaches who are trained to teach college level skills.

 

[Kentucky Girl]

There are several colleges who shouldn't even be allowed to do them so there is no way that a bunch of high schoolers should be able to do college stunts, pyramids, or baskets. It just wouldn't be safe. There are already high school coaches who shouldn't be coaches and allow athletes to do things that they shouldn't, it would be very hard to get high school coaches who are trained to teach college level skills.

Definitely. Back in the 1980s, high school squads can perform these stunts. For example, here's Los Alamitos High School circa 1988:



That was just before the AACCA rules pertaining which stunts high school squads are allowed to perform.

 

[Aussiekat]

The biggest difference is that in college you're an adult, you can say to your coach "that's a really stupid idea" if you aren't comfortable performing some of the more ridiculous inversions they come up with. You also know your own body better and are more able to assess the physical abilities of your peers. Sure, there are many HS students able to execute college level skills, but there are many many more that are performing unsafely at a HS level. Unless you go to each school and certify them, it's safer to have a blanket ban on inversions, 2 and 1/2 high pyramids etc.

 

[MissBee]

Most high school students lack the maturity and strength to handle these stunts. There are always exceptions to these, but for the most part most of them aren't ready. Add into the equation that there are morons out there coaching HS cheer, it's a bad situation. High School cheer is becoming more and more restricted, for safety concerns.

 

[Emily Stalions]

Why are 2 1/2 high pyramids (i.e., 2-2-1's, Swedish Falls, 3-3-2 stag pyramids, 2-1 cupies, etc.), rewinds, one-arm stunts other than the cupie (i.e., one-arm heel-stretches), and inverted basket tosses (i.e., x-out fulls, back tucks, layouts, etc.) illegal at the high school level? I know that college squads can perform them but why not high school squads? Thanks!

If those stunts were legal in high school then there would be a lot of teams that would assume they can do any basket toss they want because it "looks cool" or "that team does it so why can't we?" I feel like they wouldn't perfect any high school level skills and they would just go right in to whatever basket toss they wanted to do. That's why there are safety rules so that high school cheerleaders don't kill themselves. It seems unnecessary for high school cheerleaders to be doing that anyways, that's what college cheer is for. If everyone was allowed to do whatever stunts they wanted, and high school cheerleaders all managed to execute those skills properly, then college cheerleading wouldn't be what it is today. JMO.

 

[INeverStopCheering]

I think part of the assumption was that college coaches are often much better trained than high school coaches and more equipped to teach those skills safely. Many high school coaches are no more than staff supervisors and aren't qualified at all to instruct in such dangerous maneuvers.

 

[SparkleSpankies]

Wether the team is physically able to perform the skills or not, most high school teams are not mature enough. Honestly, I know my team *CAN* physically handle some of these skills, but we can barley get through a practice w/o them being scolded for talking. How would you feel if you were in a back tuck toss upside down and half your team was carrying on arouond you? Discipline is another reason these are now not legal, many high school teams do not have a plan for extra chatty cheerleders and discipline while stunting. I give 3 warnings and then it is the cheer words 3 times in laps aorund the gym. If I have to ask a 4th time, we do not stunt or tumble for the rest of practice regardless of if we have a competition the next day.

Cheerleading has exploded in the past 10-15 years and now there are more members per team in most cases. Many high school coaches are teachers who supervise and let the girls run the show. Rules are in place to not only keep the athletes safe and the coaches safe but also protect the sport as a whole for all of us. If inexperienced teams are doing pyramids and inverted tosses and are getting hurt, high school cheer may become completely ground-bound. Even skills now (double downs and some tosses) are being attempted by those who are not ready causing more and more concussions and other injuries since people do not undersatnd progression.

 

[ONE44cheer]

Most high school coaches have no clue on how to properly coach those skills you listed above...Now im not saying ALL coaches, so don't come after me for my own opinion. Many high school coaches either wanted the job of a bit more in their paycheck or cheered back in the 70's and 80's and are not current with how much has changed sense they cheered in high school. But on the other hand, you do have coaches that are fresh out of college and are first year or second year teachers that now have been in high school cheer, college cheer, and even come from all star programs which are improving the skills and knowledge to current high school cheerleaders.

You should be teaching your high school aged cheerleaders proper progressions at that age. So when they get up to college and college level stunts, the fundamentals are rock solid! This makes it much easier to teach the more elite skills that are required at the college level.
(This is something I try to instill into all of my high school girls)

I also agree with a post from above in that even some college coaches should not be teaching college tosses and pyramids.

 

[ryann3794]

my high school is the state runner up by .4 points, my point in bringing that up is that they're good. They don't lack technique and they can stunt but at games and pep rallies (on hard floor) they do lay out and tuck baskets that scare me. Michigan HIgh school cheer doesn't have to follow theAACCA because we're governed by MHSAA (Michigan High school Athletic association) High school should not be allowed.

 

[CheerKatie08]

Lawsuit in the making

 

[ONE44cheer]

I have heard many interesting rules in Michigan...A girl that worked at the gym I use to coach at came from there and she was telling us some crazy things that they could do. I also think West Virginia is like that too. Can anyone confirm?

 

[ryann3794]

I have heard many interesting rules in Michigan...A girl that worked at the gym I use to coach at came from there and she was telling us some crazy things that they could do. I also think West Virginia is like that too. Can anyone confirm?

yeah they can too. neither of us have to follow the AACCA so technically we can do whatever we want. Michigan high school cheer is so weird and has so many weird rules.

 

[MissBee]

I have heard many interesting rules in Michigan...A girl that worked at the gym I use to coach at came from there and she was telling us some crazy things that they could do. I also think West Virginia is like that too. Can anyone confirm?

WV doesn't follow AACCA, but they do not permit 2-1/2 high or inversions. They don't allow full ups even. The main safety craziness in WV is that they don't use mats. blows.my.mind.

 

[MissBee]

Sorry, they actually do allow full ups in WV.
Here's the rules:
http://www.wvssac.org/new_site/wvss...ndschedules/cheer/Cheer Manual - Complete.pdf