ICYAA OFFICIAL CHEERLEADING RULES
GENERAL RULES
2005 - 2006
1. The organization of the Cheerleading squads will be at the discretion of each cheerleading
coach and the directors at each school at the spring sign-up.
2. One squad may be chosen to cheer throughout both Football and Basketball seasons or one
squad for Football season and one for Basketball.
3. Cheerleaders must be 3rd grade through 6th graders only. The student must not become 13
years of age on or before the 15th day of October of the said school year.
4. Mascots for Football and Basketball seasons must be 1st grade or younger. In the interest
of expansion, a maximum of 2 mascots are permitted per squad. (Under certain circumstances
the mascot has to be approved by the ICYAA to participate).
5. All Cheerleaders and Mascot must have a physical, completed permission slip form,
emergency medical treatment release form with BOTH parents signatures and a copy of Birth
Certificate turned into director by first practice game. (see attachments of forms to use).
6. Varsity Cheerleading uniforms consist of the following: Skirt, Top, Bloomers, Pom-Poms.The
cost of the uniform CANNOT EXCEED $100.00. (5/23/2003). JV Cheerleading uniforms consist of
a SKORT, Top, Pom-Poms and CANNOT EXCEED $50.00 (4/11/05). NO MIDRIFFS. Sweatshirts,
hair bows, tote bags, expensive shoes, etc. cannot be required. ICYAA nor the school
directors can require that cheerleaders purchase sweaters, sweat pants for use in football. If
parents choose to buy these items, this is fine, but it CANNOT be required. 5/4/92).
7. Pom-Poms will be either furnished by their individual school and taken up annually by the
Coordinator, or each individual school can choose to have the cheerleaders purchase their
own pom-poms. (the cost of the poms if purchased by the participants must be included in the
$100.00 fee).
8. Fund-raisers may be done to help purchase pom-poms, or any other items for Cheerleading.
However, if the fund-raiser is done to purchase the uniforms etc. All participants and their
parents must be aware of the fund-raiser and what will be purchased prior to the start of the
Fund-raiser. ICYAA will not pay for uniforms, pom-poms, etc. for girls that refuse to Participate
in their school fund-raiser.
9. It is suggested that each school pick a style and stay with it. Once a style is chosen,
Directors would have to vote to accomplish a style change to the uniform. (5/4/92)
10. Camps need to be open to all participants and non-participants that are within their Schools
area. Teams wanting to host or attend private cheer camps must obtain approval form the
ICYAA Board of Directors. PRACTICES 1. During Football season, pre-season practice will be
limited to no more than 3 2 hour practices per week. ( 6 total hours). Regular season practice,
2, 2 hour practices per week. (4 total hours). FOOTBALL CHEERLEADING - practice can start
when football practice begins NOT BEFORE!During Basketball season- pre-season practice will
be limited to no more than 3 2 hour practices. Regular season practice 2 1½ hour practices per
week. Basketball Cheerleading will be notified when practices can start. Usually when
basketball practice starts.
FOOTBALL CHEERLEADING: Must adhere to the General rules of Cheerleading listed above,
and the following:
1. There is an unlimited number of girls that may cheerlead for Football Season.
2. For safety reasons, a large number of girls is best supervised by all of the Cheerleading
Coaches. Therefore it is required that all Cheerleading coaches be present at all practices.
This will hopefully prevent any conflict,injuries etc.
3. One Pom-pon routine to music or with out music per game will be permitted during halftime
of the football game. A. Musical selections for routines are to be age appropriate, contain no
bad language or explicit content. Music selections that are official premixed cheerleading
music must be approved by the ICYAA Board of Directors, prior to the start of the season. It is
the responsibility of each school’s coordinator to ensure approval is obtained prior to the first
practice game. B. Music should be on a CD and a copy is to be provided to the ICYAA
Cheerleading director to keep for using at halftime. A list of names in the order to be
announced including coaches names is to be provided as well should you choose to have your
team members announced.
4. The time limit for the half-time routine is 3 and ½ minutes for Varsity and 2 ½ minutes for JV
squads. NO EXCEPTIONS: Â your routine will start the minute your squad takes the field. (If
you choose to do a cheer, and a dance, and introduce your cheerleaders, it MUST be done
within the allowed time permitted)
5. The away side is the side nearest the Concession stand. The home side is the side in front
of the press box.There MUST BE at least 25 feet between squads. This means larger squads
will have to adjust accordingly. If you are home you will move further to the right of the press
box. If you are away you will move further to the left closer to concessions. The 25 feet is to
be the middle section.
6. The HOME or VISITOR school will be determined by the order of listing on the game
schedule. The visiting school will be accorded normal visitor privileges including leading the
first cheer, performing half-time routine first. They will also sit in the visiting area.
7.Stunts will be allowed, and can be no higher than 1 and ½ person(s) off the ground.a spotter
is required for each girl off the ground except for ponies and L stands, shoulder sits with 2
spotters will be permitted during football half-time routines or VARSITY only. NO EXCEPTIONS.
8.Cheerleading squads will alternate stand up cheers.
9. All sideline cheers are NOT to exceed 1 minute in length. The should be kept short. This
allows both squads equal time to cheer. (no long self introduced cheers are to be performed
on the sidelines). Example: my name is, and I’m in 4th grade, I like to cheer, etc. EXCEPTION:
will be the hello cheer as the very first cheer of the game.
10. Pom-pom and dance routines must be made up by the Cheerleading coaches and without
the employment, paid or unpaid or assistance of professional dance instructors,Professional,
College or High school cheerleaders and or instructors. NO OUTSIDE SOURCES can provide
any assistance. The routine should be kept within the abilities of all girls on the squad.
11. No cheers will be performed while a player is injured. Cheerleaders must stop immediately
and remain quiet until the injured player is removed from the court or field.
12. Cheerleading sign-ups will take place with the Schools Directors having full knowledge of
that sign-up. No sign-ups without permission from your directors. Unauthorized Sign-ups will
result in termination of that Cheerleading Coach.
13. ICYAA does not utilize Captain/Co-Captain positions within the Cheerleading squad. All 6th
grade cheerleaders having cheered 2 or more years in the ICYAA, or have 2 years experience
from another area are to be considered TEAM LEADERS and will share in the responsibilities of
leading the squad in cheers. All acknowledgements such as captain bars, stars, chevrons etc.
may remain on the uniform but hold no AUTHORITY POSITION on the squad. Mascot does not
qualify as experience. No titles are to be announced when introductions are given at half time
routines. Team Leaders will take turns in calling the cheers, deciding what cheer is next etc..
There will be no one special team leader.
ICYAA OFFICIAL CHEERLEADING RULES BASKETBALL CHEERLEADING:
1. The eligibility of the girls to play basketball and cheer during basketball season isup to the
discretion of the Cheerleading coach.
2. The Girls basketball team must be filled before the cheerleaders will be allowed to cheer.
3. A MAXIMUM of 20 cheerleaders is allowed for Basketball season.
4. Fund-raisers also pertain to the Basketball Cheerleading uniform. (refer to rule 6-7 under
General rules of Cheerleading page 1).
5. Half-time routine for Basketball is 1 and ½ minutes long. YOU MUST ADHERE TO THE TIME
LIMIT. NO EXCEPTIONS ON THIS.
6. Stunts are the same as Football Rules see #7 under Football Cheerleading. Shoulder sits
are NOT permitted during Basketball.
7. When the opposing team is shooting Foul shots, the kicking of bleachers, stomping feet on
the floor will NOT be allowed. This action will be considered poor sportsmanship. Any display
of poor sportsmanship is cause for immediate dismissal from cheerleading and further
participation in ANY ICYAA sport will not be
8. The Home side of the court will be the farthest side of the court. The Away side of the court
is the on closest to the door.
9. The away squad Cheers first and does half-time first.
10. No cheers will be performed while a player is injured on the court. DISMISSAL:
1. A cheerleader may be dismissed from a squad for the following bona-fide reasons. This
includes but not limited to:
(A.) Use of Profanity
(B.) Unexcused missed practices or games.
(C.) Unsportsmanship behaviorD.) Disrupting inters quad relationships, which may include
name calling, disobeying coaches, etc.
2. Cheerleading coaches may be dismissed from coaching for the following reasons:
(A.) Verbal warning from director.
(B.) Written warning from director.
3. Cheerleading squads may be eliminated from competition for trophies due to ruleinfractions
as determined by the ICYAA Board of Directors. ICYAA OFFICIAL CHEERLEADING RULESSPIRIT
AWARD:The spirit award is based on sportsmanship, spirit and overall squad performance. The
squad scoring the most points on the pre-approved scoring format is to be awarded the Spirit
trophy. The ICYAA Director of Cheerleading may also choose to recognize 1st and 2nd place
squads by awarding Spirit sticks. It was felt that the girls voting was not always fair because
they would vote for friends etc. and not what sportsmanship was about etc. (amended 5/00).
Therefore, the ICYAA Director of Cheerleading will select qualified candidates to review/judge
each squad’s side line cheers and half-time routine randomly. Award selection process will be
as follows:
(A.) Judges will have no affiliation with the ICYAA participating teams or members.
(B.) The ICYAA Director of Cheerleading is primarily responsible for finding and scheduling
judges; however, members of the Executive Board will participate in this process as needed.
(C.) Official tallied score sheets may be distributed to each coach to be used as a
developmental tool and is suggested to remain confidential to each coach.Typically, squads
will be judged more than once, the finial score sheet will not be distributed prior to awards.
4. Forms used for Judging will be drafted/selected by the ICYAA Director of Cheerleading.
Approved form copies will be given to each participating coach prior to the start of the season
at the mandatory coach’s meeting.
5. Completed official forms will be submitted to and retained by the Director of Cheerleading,
President and/or Vice President of the ICYAA. Score sheets will be tallied by the Director of
Cheerleading in the presence of an Executive Board member. The information must remain
strictly confidential among these members only to be disclosed at the awards presentation
ceremony.
(Revised 5-4-92, 9-11-93, 5-5-98, 10-01-00, 5-5-01, 5-23-03, 9-6-04, 4-11-05)