Rule Interpretations - 10-14-2008

Question One:  We have a cheerleader who is in a hard cast.  Can we allow her to do the dance and the cheer and not stunt?

Answer:  Yes, the cheerleader may participate.  The rule (page 20 - 2-2-8) states that a cheerleader wearing a hard cast must not be involved in stunting.  Remember the definition of stunting:  It is any tumbling, toss, partner stunt, or pyramid.

Coaching Warning: As a coach use good common sense.  What type of cast are you discussing?  Should this cheerleader be involved in jumps?  Can she/he maintain balance?

Are the dance motions clear an enable the athletes to perform without possible risk of injury?

Falls:  Remember that a fall must be to the floor - arm down, leg down, head down,  landing on the rear, completely falling to the ground. A athlete attempting to do a back tuck who puts the hands down to complete the tumbling would not be called for a fall.  However, if that same athlete puts the arm down or comes down on her knees then it is a fall. 

    When a member of a stunt group falls it is one fall and if three members of the stunt team fall then it is still one fall.

Drops:  The rule states that drops must be controlled.   The weight must be borne on the hands and/or feet or it must be controlled.  The team does not have to put their hands down first.  It is the speed with which the team drops and the degree of the impact.  A team can slide into a drop and it might be controlled.  Drops which hit the floor with hard impact or cannot be controlled might be determined to be illegal. Jumping into a drop would most likely create an issue if the hands or feet did not come down first to slow the impact. 

Pendulum:  Remember that the rule applies not only to pendulums but to pendulum like stunts.  If a flyer is transitioning to a pendulum and the base does a half turn it would be illegal.  Only the flyer in the pendulum like stunt may make the half turn.  See the definition of a pendulum - it includes stunts where the flyer falls to a straight-body position.  We mainly see these in transitional pyramids.  All rules apply when the pendulum like stunt is completed within the pyramid.

Spotting Single Based  Assisted Stunts: A flyer in a single based assisted liberty is extended.  The two bases are holding the stunt under the foot.  The stunt then requires an additional spotter.  The spotter may assume the normal positions as defined by the NFHS.  She/he may have their hands on the wrist of the base.  They may have their hands on the leg of the flyer.  Or, they may stand to the outside of the stunt and raise their arms up, with eyes on the flyer - this spotter does not have to touch the stunt. 

NFHS 2008 - 2009 SPIRIT RULES INTERPRETATIONS

Stunts:

1.    A flyer comes from the back of the mat and a spot who is facing the flyer is waiting on her.  There are two bases standing in front of the spot.  The spot takes the flyer by the waist and lifts her into a cartwheel.  Once she comes back to the floor touching the floor with one foot, the bases lift her into a prep position.

Illegal:  This stunt is illegal.  It is not considered an inverted mount because the flyer comes back to the floor with one foot before moving to the second level position.  This could be considered assisted tumbling or an inverted flyer.  (NFHS Rule 2-8-2b) 

2.    A flyer cradles from an extended stunt.  Once the flyer is in the cradle position the spot steps away and the flyer is then flipped backward into a dismount to the floor (a back walkover or walkout). 

Illegal:  This is an illegal dismount and an inverted flyer.  (NFHS Rule 2-8-2b)

3.    A flyer runs up the back of a spot/base to jump to two bases who are standing in front of the flyer and spot.  The spot then stands up and becomes the actual spot in a stunt which moves to an extended arabesque. 

Illegal:  This flyer in this case has lost contact with her base and she is at the second level when she jumps to the new bases.  It is a loss of contact stunt and she has no bracers to assist her as she runs up the back and jumps over to the two new bases.   (NFHS  Rule 2-12-1a or c)  When the stunt originates as the base runs up the back of the spotter/base there is only one base prior to the loss of contact.  There are no bracers throughout this part of the stunt.

Georgia High School Association

How to analyze a stunt for legality?

Inverted Mounts:  (Rule 2-8-2b)

1.           Is the flyer in a weight-bearing inverted position on the floor before the base(s) take her/his weight?  (Example:  Handstand, cartwheel)

2.           Is the flyer moved immediately into a non-inverted position shoulder height or below?  (Example:  Half/Prep)

3.           Is there someone (Bases/spotter) who is in a position to protect the flyer’s head/neck if she bobbles/falls? 

Loss of Contact Transitions:  (Rule 2-12-1)

1.           Is the flyer constantly braced during the loss of contact?  (2-12-1a)

2.           Does the flyer ever become inverted? (2-12-1b)

3.           How many bases are there?  (2-12-1c)  **Note – Remember that single based tick-tocks are permitted.

4.           Is there a separate spotter for the flyer and  each bracer?  (2-12-1d)  **Note – Remember that the one exception to watch for would be a tick-tock moving to a simple hitch.  All other loss of contact transition including cross-overs, step-overs, etc. where there is a loss of contact will require a spotter on each bracer and the flyer.)

5.           Are spotters paying attention to the correct flyer?  (2-4-3)

6.           Is the flyer’s weight ever supported primarily by a bracer? (2-4-1)

7.           Is the loss of contact a continuous up and down movement – no pause? (2-12-1e)

8.           Does the flyer remain directly over the base(s)? (2-12-1e)

9.           Does the flyer return to the original base(s)? (2-12-1e)

10.       Is the flyer released to a toss? (2-12-1f)

GHSA INTERPRETATIONS  (Back to Top)

Question One:  I have a lay coach who is my assistant for the Varsity team but not our JV team.  He is also a gym owner.  At his gym he coaches a team that has 2 of our JV team members on the team at the gym.  Since he only works with the high school Varsity team is that OK?

Answer: NO, it is an illegal practice for your Lay Coach, who is the gym owner.  He cannot coach a    team with any members of your high school teams.  Remember the rule applies to the "sport" not the "team members".

Question Two:  Can a Lay Coach, since he is the gym owner, walk over an correct any team in the gym when he sees that they are doing something wrong.  They gym coach feels that this is a part of his job since he owns the gym.

Answer:  No, if he sees someone (who is on a school team) doing something on a team at the gym that needs fixing and does the instruction on how to correct it, this is illegal coaching.

            Answer: The Head Coach of any Varsity or JV team must be a