(Google Version of Cheer Guide)
Cheer Registration Form
The primary function of high school cheerleading is to support athletic teams, promote school spirit, and encourage and display good sportsmanship. These VPA guidelines are to be the official guidelines followed.
All safety rules in Vermont follow the National Federation 2024-2025 Spirit Rules Book. AACCA is now USA Cheer, the national governing body for cheerleading in the United States. USA Cheer and the NFHS have agreed to publish one set of rules for high school cheerleading under the NFHS Rule Book. All coaches should obtain a copy of the National Federation 2024-2025 Spirit Rules Book from their athletic director.
All rules apply for the regular season and competition. These rules apply to cheer programs in grades 5 through 12 and to non-school-sponsored youth programs choosing to participate in VPA-sanctioned events.
Like all other sports, high school cheerleading coaches must be certified in an approved coaching education program, which includes either the NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching course or the ACEP Coaching Principal’s course.
In addition, coaches must complete all of the following:
For more information, contact your athletic director.
All coaches of athletes in grades 5-12 must attend the National Federation Spirit Rules Review.
Only Varsity teams may participate in the VPA State Championship.
Varsity teams earning a 2025 competition score of 175 will qualify for the New England Championship.
Youth teams affiliated with elementary schools as well as middle school teams are invited to participate in VPA-sanctioned competitions. Youth and middle school coaches must hold AACCA Certification and attend the NFHS Rules Review to qualify for participation in VPA-sanctioned competitions.
Privately-owned all-star teams with no connection to Vermont schools are NOT eligible for VPA-sanctioned events.
School teams may NOT enter All-Star events, as those are not sanctioned by the VPA. School teams may participate in events sanctioned by the VPA only.
Schools competing in non-sanctioned VPA events risk disqualification for the 2025 season.
At semifinal and final basketball games, 20 cheerleaders, and their coaches, will be admitted at the team entrance for the session in which the team is scheduled to play. These seats will be in the special cheerleading section. Not more than 20 cheerleaders, 12 at Barre, will be on the sidelines at any time. Between quarters and during time-outs cheerleaders will be limited to one cheer per school. In the event that a cheer has not been completed when the buzzer sounds, the cheerleaders are to leave the floor immediately. In each tournament game, one school is designated as the visiting team, and the other as the home team. Cheerleaders will follow the pattern set down in the regular season guidelines for cheering at a game. Confetti and streamers must not be thrown and the cheerleaders should discourage their fans from using such things.
Cheerleading activity may take place during half-time on the playing court during semifinal and final games only by pre-arrangement with the VPA tournament director. Half-time cheers will be allowed at the play-down games and quarterfinals since these games are usually played at the schools instead of Barre or UVM as is the case for the semifinals and finals. Keep cheers as brief as possible. In the event of a school using more time for cheerleading than is practical, the tournament observers shall instruct the cheerleading squad to shorten its cheers. The coach must sit with the cheerleading team at all times. If a cheerleading team’s coach is not USA Cheer Safety certified, they may NOT stunt at basketball tournament games.
The divisional alignment for the cheerleading state championships will be determined by the size of the cheerleading squad. There will be two divisions and they are to be divided as equally as possible in terms of the number of teams. The size of the squad is to be determined by the number of “starters” listed on the application that will be submitted by January 11, 2025. The number of “alternates” (strength of program) listed on the application will be used as the tiebreaker. Schools who wish to petition up to Division I automatically, will be allowed to do so on the application.
Rules Judges and the Head Judge will issue strong warnings to teams in violation of the NFHS Rules at competitions leading up to the VT State Championship.
Penalty deductions will be issued when teams violate the following NFHS Rules at the VT State Championship.
Use the following guidelines:
The New England Cheerleading Championships are run by the Council of New England Secondary School Principals’ Associations. Website= http://cnesspa.ezstream.com. All information about the 2025 championships will be posted in the “Spirit” section of the website.
The 2025 New England Championships will be held at TBA, 2025.
Teams must score 175 or higher out of 220 at the Vermont State Championships to earn an invitation to the New England Championships. If a team should score lower than 175 at states, but did score 175 or higher at either the NVAC, VCCA or the CVCC, they can appeal to the VPA to be invited to New England’s (as space allows). Please email meet director Rommy Fuller at fullerrommy@gmail.com by Monday, February 21 to appeal.
Vermont is allowed to send up to 3 teams in the co-ed division. Co-ed is defined as one or more males on the team. Vermont is also allowed to invite up to 2 teams in each of the 4 all-girl divisions. Please note that for the Vermont State Championships, teams are sorted into 2 divisions, not 4. Contact TBA to find out your division for the New England championship.
Teams will be assigned to divisions based on where they place in the Vermont State Championships. The state champions in each of the two divisions will be placed first. If space allows, then the runner-up in each division would be placed. The remaining teams will be sorted in order according to score and any other team with a score of 150 or higher will be placed, as space allows. Please contact Rommy Fuller with questions 802-342-3393.
Technical judges will view varsity routines at the following VPA-sanctioned competitions prior to the state championship.
JUDGE 1&2
PYRAMIDS* – DIFFICULTY 10
PYRAMIDS – TECHNIQUE 5
TRANSITIONS/FLOW OF ROUTINE 5
OVERALL IMPRESSION 5
JUDGE 3&4
PARTNER STUNTS* – DIFFICULTY 10
PARTNER STUNTS – TECHNIQUE 5
VOICE 5
JUDGE 5&6
TUMBLING* – DIFFICULTY 10
TUMBLING – TECHNIQUE 5
JUMPS* – DIFFICULTY 10
JUMPS – TECHNIQUE 5
JUDGE 7&8
MOTIONS* – DIFFICULTY 5
DANCE* – DIFFICULTY 5
MOTIONS/DANCE – TECHNIQUE 5
FORMATIONS & SPACING 5
TOTAL 220
Tiebreaker = Combined Total of * Categories
Technique = A team’s effectiveness in demonstrating proper form (flyer flexibility, body position of bases, spotters and flyers, control of stunt including entry, dismount, and transitions), timing, uniformity, and precision
Combining skills (jump-back handspring/tuck, series back handsprings, back handspring-tuck, etc.) will increase difficulty and score higher within the ranges.
SPECIALTY PASS = Running tumbling with entries, including front walk-over/handspring, aerial, or punch front, ending in a tuck or higher; or running tumbling involving skills such as back handspring step outs, whips, or Arabians ending in a tuck or higher
Technique = A team’s effectiveness in demonstrating proper form (body position and control, landings), timing uniformity and precision
All approaches within the jumps must use a whip approach to be considered connected. Most of the team performing an advanced jump/tumble combination will increase the difficulty and score higher within the ranges. Each skill will be judged in its respective category. The following are considered when scoring difficulty: Degree of difficulty; Percentage of team participation; Variety; Additional skills; Synchronization
ADVANCED JUMPS = Pike, Right/Left Hurdlers (front or side), Toe Touch, Double Nine
BASIC JUMPS = Spread Eagle, Tuck Jump
Technique = A team’s effectiveness in demonstrating proper form (height, flexibility, landing, body position, pointed toes), timing, uniformity, and precision
Technique = Proper body positioning, placement, and alignment; clear movements; controlled balance, flow, and connection from one skill to the next; powerful and sharp movement
All copyright permissions must be properly and completely obtained by the individual or group that is responsible for creating the routine music for a team. All recordings mixed together in cheer routines should be properly licensed and written confirmation of such licenses should be provided to the Vermont Principals’ Association.
You may use recordings that are purchased from vendors that comply with US Copyright laws or create/commission original works for your team (i.e. an original song and recording to which you own or license the rights by written agreement). Under US Copyright law, no teams are permitted to create a re-mix, mash-up or medley without proper written authorization from the copyright owners.
US Copyright laws apply any time music is not being used for personal use. Purchasing a legal copy of a song (iTunes, CD, Amazon download, etc.) only grants the user private, personal use of the music. If you purchase a recording, that alone does not give you the right to make additional copies or mix the recording with other recordings for any other purpose–including use at school functions or other public performances. Personal use gives you the right to listen to the song, but does not give you any other rights in the bundle of rights to that piece of music, which is why the music should not be copied, modified or used in a public place without additional consent.
However, if teams wish to use only a single song in their routine, they may bring a legally purchased copy of that recording to be used at the event. Teams may not re-mix these recordings in any way (such as adding sound effects, changing tempo or mixing with any other recordings), but you may make minor edits for timing purposes only (i.e. removing a chorus or bridge to fit the duration of the music time limit).
Remember:
Coaches are responsible for ensuring that the music used by their teams for any public performance and all competitions follow the above guidelines.
Guidelines for Music Providers:
In order to protect the VPA Cheerleading Championship and its participants, we are requiring that all participating teams provide proof of music copyright compliance prior to the competition. This form must be completed and returned to the VPA office prior to the championship. By signing this form, you are verifying that all copyright requirements were met prior to you obtaining your music from your producer.
I, _____________________________________________, verify that all copyright permissions
Coach’s Name
were properly and completely obtained by ___________________________________________,
Music Mixer’s Name
prior to production of the 2024 VPA Cheerleading Championship routine music for the
____________________ team from _________________________________________.
School’s Name Class and Region
These permissions can be verified by certification document(s) available upon request.
I acknowledge that this form will be kept on file by the Vermont Principals’ Association, and I will need to keep my certification documents on file for a minimum of THREE (3) years.
By signing this form, I confirm that the information above is complete and accurate. I also acknowledge that my signing of this form releases the Vermont Principals’ Association of any liability pertaining to my use of copy-written music in my routine.
Coach Name (Printed): __________________________________________________________
Coach Signature: ____________________________________ Date: _______________
Administrator Name (Printed): ____________________________________________________
Administrator Signature: _____________________________ Date: ___________________