The following are the rules and safety guidelines for the 2005 National Collegiate and Open Cheerleading Championships and other PCA run events for the 2005-2006 season. Teams operating under other safety guidelines may do so at their own institutions.
Note - If the wording of a safety rule/regulation is awkward or confusing, please call PCA for clarification. Likewise, if you find an error, omission or inconsistency in the rules, please bring it to our attention. Thank you.
GENERAL COMPETITION RULES & GUIDELINES
- No jewelry is permitted during performances. (Including belly button rings and all oral jewelry)
- The use of mini-tramps, springboards or any other height enhancing apparatus is prohibited.
- Casts of any type are not permitted. Exposed metal hinged or fiberglass supportive braces should be covered if possible.
- Each team must bring at least two copies of their music to the competition. It MUST be in CD (Compact Disk) format. Cassette Tapes will NOT be permitted nor will there be a tape player provided.
- Mascots in routines are not permitted to participate in any stunts, pyramids or as spotters or catchers.
- Officials have the right to stop a routine if there is an injured athlete still performing on the floor. In this event the routine is scored accordingly and is not re-run.
- Cheating of any kind is not tolerated. If you are caught your team will be disqualified from the competition.
- FLAGS depicting the school name, logo, and mascot etc are allowed. Generic coloured flags, fabric ribbon/banners and wavers etc. are NOT permitted. Provincial and National flags are NOT permitted within the routine.
- Note. Regarding drops, falls and wobbles. Minor stumbles and incidental minor contact with the floor will not be considered "falls". Rather, such errors are assessed under "execution" flaws. All judges have the latitude to evaluate the severity of a fall and score it accordingly. Stunts, pyramids or skills which require the (external) spotters to engage will be assessed per situation re. Controlled or Uncontrolled. Likewise, judges have the latitude to assess the wisdom of including a skill in the routine with respect to safety and execution even if the maneuver is "legal". These assessments are NOT open to debate or appeal and in most cases the judges will favour lesser penalties over greater.
- All judges decisions are final.
ROUTINE PARAMETERS
- The routines are ALL MUSIC format. Teams are not required to cheer. If they do so, the evaluation of the cheering will not be judged as a stand alone element rather as a part of the Overall Impression Category. Vocal inclusions may be performed over top of the music if desired.
NEW - The maximum routine time limit is 2 minutes 30 seconds. Timing starts at the first obvious movement or sound and ends when the end of the routine is obvious to the officials.
NOTE: - Teams that intend on competing at certain US Collegiate events which use a 2:15 time limit should plan accordingly. There is NO PENALTY for short routines and there is no time minimum at PCA events.
Floor Size - The performance area is 42' x 54' - nine (9) strips of carpeted gymnastics mat. Participants are permitted to step off the mat without penalty. Props may be placed or tossed on/off the mat without penalty. The floor may or may not be "sprung". Please check with individual event information web sites for flooring specifics.
NEW - COMPETITIVE DIVISIONS for 2005-2006
1 . Open Small Co-ed. Abbreviation Code: (OSC)
2. Open All-Girl. Abbreviation Code: (OAG)
3. Open Large Co-ed - Abbreviation Code: (OLC).
4. Collegiate Small Co-ed - Abbreviation Code: (CSC)
5. Collegiate Small Co-ed/Collegiate All-Girl - Abbreviation Code: (CSC/CAG)
6. Collegiate Large Co-ed - Abbreviation Code: (CLC).
ELIGIBILITY NOTE: This section is specific to the Nationals ONLY. The Best of the West and PCOC stunt competitions require only 1 course registration
ALL COLLEGIATE DIVISIONS - Each competitor must be enrolled in a minimum of 3 classes - regardless of credit value - in the term of the competition. Graduate students, teacher's college students etc. are also eligible. Students registered in a co-op program and on a recognized work term that (i) is a recognized component of their academic program and/or (ii) is recognized for university/college credit are eligible.
*Teams may have any number of athletes on the floor (ie you are not limited to 20)*
OPEN DIVISIONS
The following conditions apply ONLY to PCA competitions. The Sr All Star information has been included to help alleviate confusion on cross over athletes (Sr to Open)
Open All-Star Division
OAS-1. All athletes 18 years of age or older and not attending high school at the time of the competition must compete on "Open" All-Star teams
OAS-2. All athletes (regardless of their age) enrolled at a post secondary institution of any kind (university, college, trade school) at the time of the competition must compete on "Open" all-star teams.
NEW wording- "Underaged" (17 and younger) members of Open teams must provide proof of enrollment at a post secondary institution or CEGEP when applicable..
----- For notes on Senior All-Star and the relationship between Open and Senior All-Star, please see the bottom of this page.
STUNT RESTRICTIONS and PERMISSIBLE ELEMENTS
- Free flight flipping dismounts from extended stunts are prohibited.
- All free flight flips from non-extended single based stunts must be cradled only and must utilize a second catcher. (ie. you can't free flip to the floor)
- An additional third catcher is required for double based front and back flip cradle dismounts. Non flipping double bases and full twisting double bases require only 2 catchers.
- Flipping dismounts and mounts exceeding one rotation are prohibited.
- Double twisting dismounts require at least two catchers. Twisting dismounts exceeding two rotations are prohibited.
- Free flight flipping "re-wind" mounts are permitted and MUST have one spotter present. Toe pitches are not permitted as the propulsive force.
NEW - Combination flipping and full twisting dismounts from stunts are prohibited
- horizontal (single person) "flat" spins or "helicopter" spins may not exceed 180 degrees of rotation.
- Single based split catches and "free flight" toe pitch flips are prohibited.
- Full twisting and/or flipping dismounts from a chair are prohibited.
- The following one-armed stunts do not require an additional spotter when performed: cupee/awesome, one handed Liberty. If the dismount is anything other than a pop down or regular cradle, an additional spotter is required (ie. toe touch dismount, full twist)
- The following stunts when performed as a one-armed lift, do require an additional spotter: heel stretch, arabesque, scorpion, scales, needles etc (ie stunts in which one leg is "away from the mid-line")
BASKET TOSS and "OTHER" TOSS RESTRICTIONS
NEW - Non flipping tosses may not exceed 3-1/4 twists
- Basket tosses and other tosses may not be directed such that the bases are required to move to catch the top. Exception: 1/4 or 1/2 turns for kick full type tosses.
- Basket tosses and thigh pop or "sponge tosses" must be performed with both bases feet on the ground and must be cradled by three catchers (the original two bases and an additional head spotter, for statinary/vertical tosses)
NEW - Basket toss and thigh pop or "sponge tosses" may travel from one set of bases to another. In such tosses, the top person must be caught is a cradle position by at least 3 catchers. The bases must be stationary and have visual contact with the top person when the toss is initiated.
- All basket toss and thigh pop or "sponge tosses" must land in a standard seat first cradle position.
- Basket toss and thigh pop or "sponge tosses" (free flight) may NOT go over stunts, pyramids, people or props.
NEW wording - Flipping tosses are limited to 1 flipping rotation and 2 twists.
PYRAMID RESTRICTIONS
- Pyramids over 2.5 people high are prohibited. (ie. the height maximum is 2.5)
- Free flight flipping pyramid mounts and dismounts are prohibited. EXCEPTIONS: 3/4 FRONT roll /flips dismounts ARE permitted with free flight or non-contact - 2 catchers are required. Free Flight 1/2 flip rotations on or off of pyramids are permitted. (ie. flat back to Swedish Fall or Extended push-up rotation to cradle).
- Foot first pyramid dismounts require only one catcher. Cradle dismounts from pyramids require at least two catchers except in the case of connected partner stunts.
NEW Wording - front 3/4 roll/front flip to cradle dismounts are permitted from 2.5 high pyramids and require 2 catchers. NOTE: 2005-6 USASF level 6 regulations require a 3rd (for head/shoulders). Due to our oversite of this inclusion at the outset of the present season, the 3rd catcher is option (bur recommended).
- Twisting dismounts from 2.5 high pyramids require three catchers (the third catcher must be designated to the head) - Applies to full and/or double full twisting dismounts (not 1/2 or 3/4 twists) and are limited to single full twists. NOTE: 2.5 high stunts (ie. 2-1-1 Liberty) may double full twist dismount only from front facing skills (Liberty, Heel Stretch, Extension).
- Pyramids involving 2.5 high extended partner stunts (ie. 2-high lib) require a front and back spotter. NEW wording- The back spot to the mid-base is considered a spotter for the top person.
- The mid level of a 2.5 high pyramid may not be extended. This means that the mid level person cannot be extended if he/she is also supporting a person one level up.
- All 2.5 person high pyramids must have a spotter in front and back for each person at the third level and must be in a position the entire time that the top person(s) is at the 2.5 high level. Spotters may stand slightly to the side but must remain in a position to adequately spot the top(s). Spotters may not also be involved in a basing/lifting task.
NEW Wording - A person in free flight can not be tossed over, under, or through a stunt or pyramid. A person may pass over a non-connected extremity (ie. an outstretched arm or leg) provided that the limb is not in contact with another stunt, person or part of the pyramid. A top is permitted to "Vault" over or transition over or through a pyramid, stunt or person provided that contact is sustained through the transition.
TUMBLING RESTRICTIONS
- Twisting tumbling elements exceeding 2 rotations and flipping tumbling elements exceeding 1 rotation are prohibited.
- Tumbling over under or through a prop, stunt or individual is not Permitted, Exception: forward rolls over a prop is legal (over a sign or flag etc)
- Tumbling with a prop is prohibited. ie handsprings or tucks while holding poms
- Although there is no penalty for stepping off of the mat during competition, athletes are discouraged from starting and more importantly finishing their tumbling passes un the un-matted surface.
Senior All-Star
SAS-1. All athletes currently enrolled in high school, are eligible to compete on senior all-star teams (regardless of their age).
SAS-2. All athletes under the age of 18 at the time of the competition and not enrolled at high school or any form of post secondary institution must compete on senior all-star teams.*
SAS-3. Athletes 18 years of age and older who are enrolled at high school may opt "up" to compete at the University/College and Open Nationals (November) and/or the Open Division of the PCOC or Best of the West Competitions, but may not later in the same season, switch back to compete in the Sr All-Star or High School division(s) of any PCA events.
NEW wording- "Underaged" (17 and younger) members of Open teams must provide proof of enrollment at a post secondary institution or CEGEP when applicable.
-----
January or First Term Graduates.
PRESENTLY UNDER REVIEW. Check back for updated information - first week of October.
Sample Situations.
Age |
School Status |
Division Eligibility |
Under 18 |
High School |
Senior All-Star |
Under 18 |
Post Secondary |
Open All-Star |
Under 18 |
None |
Senior All-Star |
18 + |
High School |
Senior All-Star OR opt up to Open All-Star |
18+ |
Post Secondary |
Open All-Star |
18+ |
None |
Open All-Star |
See Senior-Open Information Page | CLICK HERE |
Questions regarding the rules and safety guidelines may be directed to
POWER CHEERLEADING ATHLETICS
Phone PCA toll free: 1-800-567-7221