What Rules Does Your Rec League Use?

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sherpamelissa

Cheer Parent
Jul 19, 2013
57
19
There is a lot of information about what is not allowed, but not a lot of guidance as to how points are awarded. I was told at the end of our last competition that if I had one back handspring we would have rec'd 8 points instead of 7. The judging seems really random to me, but it might just be because I'm new. I assisted for 5 years, but this year was my first year as head coach. I'm curious how other leagues handle competition and scoring!

Our bylaws state the following:

IHSA Spirit Rule Book is to be used as a guideline for mounting. Since this is a
recreational league, final mounting approval must come from the cheer directors. If there
is any question about a mount, it needs to be discussed by the cheer directors at a
regularly schedules meeting and voted upon. If there is a question regarding a mount
(DON’T do it). A 15-point deduction will be taken for illegal mounts or stunts.

18. The following cheerleading actions are allowed, cheers, partner stunting, pyramids,
dance, jumps, kicks, splits, leaps, turns and tumbling. The following, splits, round-offs
and cartwheels are considered tumbling stunts and if an attempt is made a minimum of 1
point will be given. No team will be given a zero on a judges score sheet if that attempt
is made.

19. All stunting and tumbling must be performed completely on the mat. All tumbling
approach must also begin and end on the mat. A deduction will be taken for any tumbling
and/or stunting done off the mat. (Amended 3/3/2010)

20. All pyramids are limited to a maximum of 2 high (base+1). No participant is allowed
to individually support the weight of 1 or more teammate. A pyramid more than 2 high will result in an immediate disqualification. Each participant above the shoulders or
extensions must have their own back spotter. All bases and spotters must be competing
squad members on the floor. Coaches may be safety guides if needed.

21. Body drops to the ground WILL NOT be allowed. A body drop is a straight drop to the
ground without any hand support.
 
Huhhhh? That is the most vague set of rules I've ever seen. You get a book in addition to that, right?

ETA: When did splits become tumbling skills? Did I miss something?
 
Huhhhh? That is the most vague set of rules I've ever seen. You get a book in addition to that, right?

ETA: When did splits become tumbling skills? Did I miss something?

Thank you! I swear, I have no idea how to utilize this information. None of my old head coaches really seemed worried about scoring and/or legality, but had all cheered previously. I have not, so some of this is just jibberish to me. We missed placing by one point this year and I don't want it to happen next year.

I know they count splits as tumbling because one of our younger levels was told that if they had added splits they would have done better on tumbling scoring too. I want to know where this information is, because it's not in the book or on the score sheet!

My cheer director has never given me a book. An old coach gave me a 2008-2009 book, but I just discovered I could buy my own for $7 on the website, so I'm going to do that.
 
Thank you! I swear, I have no idea how to utilize this information. None of my old head coaches really seemed worried about scoring and/or legality, but had all cheered previously. I have not, so some of this is just jibberish to me. We missed placing by one point this year and I don't want it to happen next year.

I know they count splits as tumbling because one of our younger levels was told that if they had added splits they would have done better on tumbling scoring too. I want to know where this information is, because it's not in the book or on the score sheet!

My cheer director has never given me a book. An old coach gave me a 2008-2009 book, but I just discovered I could buy my own for $7 on the website, so I'm going to do that.
No no, it's not because you haven't cheered. I've cheered for many years and coached for several and those rules confuse me beyond belief.
 
No no, it's not because you haven't cheered. I've cheered for many years and coached for several and those rules confuse me beyond belief.

My cheer director acts like I am a total PITA when I ask questions at all. She is a volunteer, so there isn't much I can do. I think I will scan the blank score sheet and deduction sheet they gave me and post those tomorrow.
 
This is for youth cheering in Maine (Rec and School.) It is not yet a mandatory set of rules, but more and more of our competitions abide by them making them de facto at this point.

Additionally we have to follow NFHS Spirit rules. Our high schools also use AACCA. We have not had it instituted for younger cheer teams yet.

You can download a handbook with an explanation of our scoring systems, score sheets, and a deductions sheet. These are from the high school level, but we use the same basic sheets at the youth level.
 
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This is for youth cheering in Maine (Rec and School.) It is not yet a mandatory set of rules, but more and more of our competitions abide by them making them de facto at this point.

Additionally we have to follow NFHS Spirit rules. Our high schools also use AACCA. We have not had it instituted for younger cheer teams yet.

You can download a handbook with an explanation of our scoring systems, score sheets, and a deductions sheet. These are from the high school level, but we use the same basic sheets at the youth level.

The handbook is exactly what I am looking for in regards to our tumbling points and I'm guessing that someone, somewhere has that information, but I cannot get it! It is obviously not what is being used for our league, because we had only cartwheels as a whole squad and front walkovers for 3 girls and we scored a 7. I just want to know how I'm being scored in order to plan to maximize points. Thank you for the links though, they are really informative!
 
The handbook is exactly what I am looking for in regards to our tumbling points and I'm guessing that someone, somewhere has that information, but I cannot get it! It is obviously not what is being used for our league, because we had only cartwheels as a whole squad and front walkovers for 3 girls and we scored a 7. I just want to know how I'm being scored in order to plan to maximize points. Thank you for the links though, they are really informative!

You are very welcome! Good luck tracking down the info you need. :) You may want to suggest to your director that you have found some information online that you would like to submit to your governing body for consideration. Perhaps it is time they overhauled their rules and score sheets?
 
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