High School Schools that do not follow safety rules: Is there anything we can do?

[MissBee]

I'm more worried about those kids than the sport itself.

Obviously, the safety of the children comes first. Keep in mind though, if one child is seriously injured doing an illegal skill, the parents will likely sue the school. When the school is sued over a sport like cheer, cheer is cut. If the injury is bad enough, cheer is grounded for the state. It's what happened in Ohio.

 

[SharkDad]

I agree with you, I guess I just worry about the immediate need to protect the kids first. I hate how the actions of some irresponsible coaches affects the entire sport in a county, state or potentially as a whole.

 

[crazycheermom]

Also what contributes to the danger of high school teams doing these stunts is that while most girls may have all star cheer experience, some may not. In our local high school, you may have three all star girls in a stunt group with two who have never done anything like that.

 

[carolina04]

We just got back from a game and saw more illegal stunting... it happens everywhere. The worst part is that I have personally told these other coaches that these stunts are illegal, and they still let their teams perform them.

SharkDad - thanks for the help, I will contact AACCA. It's getting out of hand.

 

[MissBee]

We just got back from a game and saw more illegal stunting... it happens everywhere. The worst part is that I have personally told these other coaches that these stunts are illegal, and they still let their teams perform them.

SharkDad - thanks for the help, I will contact AACCA. It's getting out of hand.

I took a picture with my phone at a comp and emailed it to Jim Lord, from the stands! If you feel gutsy enough, go up to the coach, and in a non-confrontational tone, explain that the stunt they are doing is illegal according to AACCA/NFHS which regulates HS cheerleading.

 

[wcsstilldeath]

as an allstar and high school cheerleader I find it very annoying. In allstars there is no choice but to follow the rules or you will receive a deduction. In high school many other schools get away with it and its frustrating because my school wants to do these things also but we follow the safety rules and just end up looking dumb. I wish there was a tighter reign over high school rules.

 

[stuntaholic]

I think everyone is over reacting to this video. I am a coach and I follow the rules so I do not teach these things. However I do not think that these stunt are that insanely dangerous if the coach is qualified. I think the rules in High School cheer are too strict. There needs to be a institution that makes high school coaches get certified in cheerleading and then the NFHS needs to loosen up the rules more things need to be allowed.

 

[MissBee]

Most high school cheerleaders are not in shape enough to safely perform these skills. Add int he fact that many schools don't have safe practice set ups (proper mats) and it's a recipe for danger. That's why the rules that are in place are in place.

I do feel that not only a required safety cert for all coaches (only mandated in some states) is necessary. In addition, I'd like to see HS go toward a level system. Not necessarily 1-6 like AS, but I'd like to see a novice, intermediate and advanced. There are set skills for each level and you'd have to "test out" of a level before being able to move up to the skills and be able to compete in the next level. This could be accomplished by NFHS certifiers going to camps and schools over the summer and signing off on a teams skills in tumbling, stunting and jumps.

 

[ellie]

Most high school cheerleaders are not in shape enough to safely perform these skills. Add int he fact that many schools don't have safe practice set ups (proper mats) and it's a recipe for danger. That's why the rules that are in place are in place.

I do feel that not only a required safety cert for all coaches (only mandated in some states) is necessary. In addition, I'd like to see HS go toward a level system. Not necessarily 1-6 like AS, but I'd like to see a novice, intermediate and advanced. There are set skills for each level and you'd have to "test out" of a level before being able to move up to the skills and be able to compete in the next level. This could be accomplished by NFHS certifiers going to camps and schools over the summer and signing off on a teams skills in tumbling, stunting and jumps.

i think the levels are a good idea for safety but also for schools with not as high level stunts or tumbling to compete against schools simmilar to them in level

 

[carolina04]

I think everyone is over reacting to this video. I am a coach and I follow the rules so I do not teach these things. However I do not think that these stunt are that insanely dangerous if the coach is qualified. I think the rules in High School cheer are too strict. There needs to be a institution that makes high school coaches get certified in cheerleading and then the NFHS needs to loosen up the rules more things need to be allowed.

I agree that some of the rules are too strict, but bottom line is that rules are the rules, and if you don't follow them, you should be penalized. If a level 4 team doubled from 1 leg, it may not be 'insanely dangerous' but it's still illegal and they would be penalized accordingly.

For every HS coach who knows what they are doing, sadly there are at least 2 who are clueless and someone is going to get really hurt, hence the reason for the strict rules.

There is an institution that makes HS coaches get certified (AACCA), and unfortunately not everyone enforces it.

 

[ONE44cheer]

As both a HS coach and All Star coach, I feel that HS coaches come in and out from year to year and never really learn the rules inside and out...and it is usually a teacher at the school that needs the extra pay. This is where the inexperience comes into play when putting together these illegal stunts and pyramids, and lets not forget running tumbling on BB courts. Fulls are still illegal there too. Being able to train HS coaches properly is where is needs to start.

 

[Katie]

oh my god ! these girls could crack their heads open if not caught!

 

[tntdynomite]

As both a HS coach and All Star coach, I feel that HS coaches come in and out from year to year and never really learn the rules inside and out...and it is usually a teacher at the school that needs the extra pay. This is where the inexperience comes into play when putting together these illegal stunts and pyramids, and lets not forget running tumbling on BB courts. Fulls are still illegal there too. Being able to train HS coaches properly is where is needs to start.

I think this is not the case of someone not knowing the rules, but disregarding them. Some of this stuff is illegal no matter what level you cheer on. Hopefully Jim Lord contacting them will get them to work within the rules.

And their fulls are legal because they are on a mat.

 

[IloveSeniorElite]

Obviously, the safety of the children comes first. Keep in mind though, if one child is seriously injured doing an illegal skill, the parents will likely sue the school. When the school is sued over a sport like cheer, cheer is cut. If the injury is bad enough, cheer is grounded for the state. It's what happened in Ohio.

I am from Ohio and always wondered why Ohio was ground bound. I always heard it was for insurance reasons, never that there was a previous serious injury. That is so interesting, you've got me wondering, do you know the story on this? I am really interested!

 

[SharkDad]

Sounds like their insurance companies might be cautious. It's obvious others aren't or just have no clue what great risk they are insuring.