High School Double Downs @ Hs Level

[MissBee]

I think they need to go to Levels in HS cheer. Not as many as in All Star, but maybe back to old "Novice", "Intermediate" and "advanced". NFHS has regional certifiers who go to camps or schools and evaluate a team and place them in a category for the school year. There are different skill sets for each level, which are based on progression (like in All Star).

A team could be validated for:
Novice only: can only practice and perform Novice level skills
Novice for performance, can train Intermediate
Intermediate only
Intermediate performance, train Advanced
Advanced

Nationals are only held for teams that are certified Advanced.

 

[tntdynomite]

I think they need to go to Levels in HS cheer. Not as many as in All Star, but maybe back to old "Novice", "Intermediate" and "advanced". NFHS has regional certifiers who go to camps or schools and evaluate a team and place them in a category for the school year. There are different skill sets for each level, which are based on progression (like in All Star).

A team could be validated for:
Novice only: can only practice and perform Novice level skills
Novice for performance, can train Intermediate
Intermediate only
Intermediate performance, train Advanced
Advanced

Nationals are only held for teams that are certified Advanced.

I like this, except I don't think nationals should be limited. I doubt nationals will be limited to only advance, heck they have an intermediate division at NCA College Nationals. And that would be lost revenue. It is a business after all.

 

[MissBee]

True, this is Varsity after all....they'll want to make as much money as possible! I just feel like HS cheer has such a wide range of abilities that something needs to be done from keeping the random teacher, with no cheer knowledge, from taking her team who can't cartwheel and thinking they'll be able to do the WCSS routine she found on YouTube.

 

[tntdynomite]

True, this is Varsity after all....they'll want to make as much money as possible! I just feel like HS cheer has such a wide range of abilities that something needs to be done from keeping the random teacher, with no cheer knowledge, from taking her team who can't cartwheel and thinking they'll be able to do the WCSS routine she found on YouTube.

True, I think it's a great idea! But even if it wasn't run by a for profit company I would hope they would let all cheer teams compete if they wanted. Think about it, the level 1 allstar cheerleaders get to compete and a high school can have a competitive basketball team no matter if they have 500 students or 5,000. And I think seeing novice cheer teams or intermediate cheer teams compete will help other teams at those same levels to be creative in their routines and not get discouraged because they are not advanced.

Now I don't think competition should be allowed at any level unless the team has been certified.

 

[MissBee]

Good points. I really like the idea of having to be credentialed in order to compete. Part of that should be that coaches are AACCA certified

 

[CoachJessNHS]

Love the idea of having levels in high school cheer!

 

[tntdynomite]

How would we even go about getting levels in high school (and below) cheer. Obviously it is needed!

 

[AScheer]

As a coach I would love for competitions to add a rule that for your team to enter a coach has to provide proof of being certified! There are lots of us who are trained and knowledgeable, but we get a bad rep because there are so many random teachers who don't know or care. This wouldn't solve all the problems but would help ensure at least the ones competing are certified.

 

[coach.elle]

Levels wouldn't be a great idea in my mind. The thing I love about HS cheer is that a girls can perform skills as they get them. We performed with barley a full squad handspring, aero doubles, were super clean, and did well at UCA. I have a couple girls working fulls. When they get them, they know that they can compete with them without having to wait for 19 other girls to get them too. Certification for coaches would help solve the problem of unqualified people coaching teams. Splitting into levels wouldn't make it any better.

 

[Cheerchick12]

Levels wouldn't be a great idea in my mind. The thing I love about HS cheer is that a girls can perform skills as they get them. We performed with barley a full squad handspring, aero doubles, were super clean, and did well at UCA. I have a couple girls working fulls. When they get them, they know that they can compete with them without having to wait for 19 other girls to get them too. Certification for coaches would help solve the problem of unqualified people coaching teams. Splitting into levels wouldn't make it any better.

I agree 100% with what you are saying! That's what I love best about HS. You perform everything you have and you dont have to hold back if others on your team don't have the skill. Teams can be amazing in one aspect and not so hot in another. Say their really high stunting skills and score could bridge the gap if they had a low tumbling score. A team with full squad could be beat by a team where not even everyone has a standing bhs, if they have great stunts!

In MD all coaches of anysport have to take a care and prevention course and a concussion course which go over general athelte safety. But there are not specific requirments for cheerleading coaches to be certified with AACCA or anything of the sort. Coaches that aren't certified, who might be a teacher put in to fill a void just so their school can have a team, need to be aware of the safety concerns and not just try things that they say on youtube and are well above reach for their athletes to excute.

 

[CoachJessNHS]

In MA we have to be AACA certified! Just cheerleading coaches...not any other sport! that I know of at least

 

[Cheer4Love]

In MA we have to be AACA certified! Just cheerleading coaches...not any other sport! that I know of at least

MA - The MSSAA does not require coaches to be AACA certified, this is left up to the schools discretion. The MSSAA does require you to be NFHS Coaching Certified in order to compete your team at the Regional and State Levels... although I'm yet to be convinced they actually check this.

Safety certification SHOULD be a requirement, I am just waiting for the first negligence case against a high school for hiring an unqualified candidate (teacher, mom, etc) - only then will they learn.

 

[CoachJessNHS]

ohhh right! just got confused

 

[CHillPR]

All of the levels and certification sound good....but in a realistic view - if a school/state is mandating the cheerleading coaches be certified at any level (AACA or NFHS) then they must pay for that certification. It can become a political nightmare as far as public schools paying private/for-profit entities for certification to compete in school sanctioned events.

At that point - who's budget would it come from? Athletics or Student Activities? Then we're getting into the age old debate...

In most states there is already coaching certification that is taught by the state. It totally supersedes AACA or NFHS because it includes safety plus more. Having (AACA/NFHS) certification is great, and means a coach is willing to go the extra mile for education, but its not required or even necessary these days. Safety is in the hands of the coach - ultimately the athletic director - and administration (for hiring a proficient coach).

My opinion - LOVE DOUBLES!! Great technique means everything.

 

[tntdynomite]

In most states there is already coaching certification that is taught by the state. It totally supersedes AACA or NFHS because it includes safety plus more. Having (AACA/NFHS) certification is great, and means a coach is willing to go the extra mile for education, but its not required or even necessary these days. Safety is in the hands of the coach - ultimately the athletic director - and administration (for hiring a proficient coach).

What states offer cheerleading specific coaches training? Cause I don't know any where it's not AACCA, NFHS, or there is just no certification required at all. There is none required at all in my state.