High School How Often Do You Break The Rules

[Sterling von Shimmer]

I will single-handedly keep this board alive all the way to fall if I have to

I know that, strictly speaking, all the safety rules and restrictions apply to all scenarios, in and out of comps. But do you guys follow that rule when it comes to halftimes and rallies?

I ask because our crosstown rival school does all kinds of crazy crap for their halftimes (double-downs, etc). Consequently my girls are drooling to follow suit, especially the AS ones who know they’re capable of the more elite skills and want to show off. And I’m tempted, if only because I’d like to push their boundaries.

That being said, I’m not sure if it’s worth it. I’m confident that my stunt coach can safely teach these things (she’s a level 5 Worlds champ) but avoiding injuries aside, I’m still not sure if it’s worth investing the time and energy.

Not to mention, the neurotic side of me thinks that if we do illegal things and our rival coach sees us doing them at a game, she’d probably try and get us in trouble for it. I don’t even know if that’s possible or which governing body she’d complain to — or if they’d even care — but I wouldn’t put it past her to try and get some sort of advantage on us, no matter how negligible. Is it possible to get dinged for disobeying the rules outside of a comp? Like barred from competing if you’re caught? Or would they just be like, “Not a comp, not our problem”?

What do you do?

 

[tojofasho]

I will single-handedly keep this board alive all the way to fall if I have to

I know that, strictly speaking, all the safety rules and restrictions apply to all scenarios, in and out of comps. But do you guys follow that rule when it comes to halftimes and rallies?

I ask because our crosstown rival school does all kinds of crazy crap for their halftimes (double-downs, etc). Consequently my girls are drooling to follow suit, especially the AS ones who know they’re capable of the more elite skills and want to show off. And I’m tempted, if only because I’d like to push their boundaries.

That being said, I’m not sure if it’s worth it. I’m confident that my stunt coach can safely teach these things (she’s a level 5 Worlds champ) but avoiding injuries aside, I’m still not sure if it’s worth investing the time and energy.

Not to mention, the neurotic side of me thinks that if we do illegal things and our rival coach sees us doing them at a game, she’d probably try and get us in trouble for it. I don’t even know if that’s possible or which governing body she’d complain to — or if they’d even care — but I wouldn’t put it past her to try and get some sort of advantage on us, no matter how negligible. Is it possible to get dinged for disobeying the rules outside of a comp? Like barred from competing if you’re caught? Or would they just be like, “Not a comp, not our problem”?

What do you do?

There will always be someone who wants to see you fail. Whether it be a rival cheer coach, the pom coach from your school, or someone in the governing body of your state's cheer leadership, someone will always have it out for you. Do not give them ammo. The most "against the rules" thing I do with my kiddos is making their mix for the homecoming assembly when the teachers perform with them (violating the music guidelines). Do not do illegal stunts. It is not worth it.

Also, if somebody gets hurt and it's shown that you purposefully broke the high school safety guidelines, that opens you up to a whole lot of lawsuits, and trust me when I say schools will do anything to make those go away, including immediately firing you. Again I state IT IS NOT WORTH IT.

 

[coacha]

Stunt-wise, I toe that line exactly. I don’t need to open myself to that liability thank you very much.

Music rules get broken for things like pep rallies.

 

[Sterling von Shimmer]

Stunt-wise, I toe that line exactly. I don’t need to open myself to that liability thank you very much.

Music rules get broken for things like pep rallies.

Oh I don’t even acknowledge the music rules outside of comps. Ridiculous.

I recently just pulled our pre-game song (“Fly” by Loudmouth from the Varsity Blues soundtrack, which I highly recommend as a great hype song especially if your mascot is some kind of winged creature). Do I have the rights? Hell no. But I’m still remixing it and playing it anyway because it’s a HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME in RANDOMLAND, CA. Come at me, Sony.

 

[AndyT_T]

I always followed the rules, half times and stuff were always about being clean and showy not being difficult, the crowd doesn’t know the difference anyways.

 

[coacha]

the crowd doesn’t know the difference anyways.

This is an important point to remember.

 

[AndyT_T]

This is an important point to remember.

They cheer more for 13 backhand springs than they do for a whip through to full

 

[Cheerfun2]

They cheer more for 13 backhand springs than they do for a whip through to full

That is so true!! My level 5 AS cheerleader is sort of the trick pony on her school team. I’ll be sitting in the stands with some of the football moms and they’ll gasp when she does a standing tuck or a string of BHSs, lol. Yet they didn’t realize why I was stressed when she did a double down on the TRACK. I don’t think the coach had approved that, her stunt group just felt like doing it. I told her she could do that if she started cheering in a helmet and pads.

 

[CheerItFullOut]

Not worth it- ever... there is no WOW moment that is ever worth my kids safety