2007-08 NFHS Spirit Rules Interpretations

Publisher's Note: The National Federation of State High School Associations is the only source of official high school interpretations. They do not set aside nor modify any rule. They are made and published by the NFHS in response to situations presented.
Robert F. Kanaby, Publisher, NFHS Publications © 2007

SITUATION 1: During a performance, a cheer team discards laminated, sharp-edged signs they used while in a pyramid. The signs: (a) are placed far enough away so as not to interfere with subsequent portions of the performance; (b) do not land far enough away and participants step on them later in the routine; (c) are flung off the performing surface into the crowd. RULING: (a) Legal; (b) and (c) illegal. COMMENT: When discarding props (signs,etc.) that are made of solid material, or have corners or sharp edges, team members must gently toss or place the props.  (2-1-4)

SITUATION 2: A cheer team is learning back handsprings in practice: (a) on a tumble track with a gymnastics coach; (b) on a tumble track with a cheer coach who has no previous training in the use of a tumble track. RULING: (a) Legal; (b) illegal. COMMENT: Height-increasing apparatuses must only be used as teaching tools by individuals trained in their uses.  (2-1-7)

SITUATION 3: A gymnastics-trained cheer coach takes her team to: (a) a practice held on a spring floor; (b) a competition held on a spring floor. RULING: (a) Legal; (b) illegal. COMMENT: Height-increasing apparatus must only be used as teaching tools during practice.  (2-1-7)

SITUATION 4: One of the bases of an extension performs: (a) a heel stretch; (b) a hitch onto the back of a kneeling team member. RULING: Both are illegal. COMMENT: Bases of extended stunts must have both feet in direct weight-bearing contact with the performing surface.  (2-5-2)

SITUATION 5: A participant performs a forward suspended roll out of: (a) a triple-base straddle lift at shoulder height (b) an extended triple-base straddle lift. RULING: (a) Legal; (b) illegal.  (2-9-1)

SITUATION 6: In a single-base stunt, a participant performs a forward-suspended roll by: (a) grasping the hand of her base and the hand of an additional post; (b) the hands of two posts in front of her base. RULING: (a) Illegal; (b) legal. COMMENT: In suspended-forward rolls, a single base may no longer assist the flyer to the floor or cradle.  (2-9-1)

SITUATION 7: Three braced extended stunts are side by side with: (a) the outside two flyers in extensions and the middle flyer in a liberty; (b) the outside two flyers in liberties and the middle flyer in an extension; (c) all flyers having both feet in the hands of bases. RULING: (a) and (b) Illegal; (c) legal.  (2-8-3)

SITUATION 8: Three braced extended stunts are side by side with: (a) the outside two flyers in triple-base straddle lifts and the middle flyer in a liberty; (b) the outside two flyers in liberty hitches onto a middle flyer in a triple-base deadman lift. RULING: (a) and (b) Legal. COMMENT: Certain extended stunts are very stable and are therefore acceptable to brace other extended stunts.  (2-8-3)

SITUATION 9: Two participants are being extended by the same base and are bracing each other. Each flyer has both feet in a separate hand of the base. RULING: Illegal. COMMENT: This stunt is a double cupie; it is not an extension.  (2-8-3)

SITUATION 10: A flyer holds poms in her hands while performing: (a) a basket toss; (b) a toss to hands. RULING: (a) Illegal; (b) legal. Toss to hands is considered a load-in toss.  Load-in tosses are an exception to Rule 2-10-1e.  (2-10-1)