college basket tosses cheerleading usasf worlds nca uca cheerMEMPHIS, TN  –  AACCA, the governing body for collegiate cheerleading rules and guidelines, released the “College Safety Rules” for the 2018-2019 competition season.  In what appears to be a streamlining of side-line and competition, skills limitations have creeped closer to becoming one.  The off the record opinion shared across the elite collegiate community is that the new guidelines essentially levels the playing field, enabling competitive advantage for all.

Minor modifications affected verbiage, and skill set in the Pyramid guidelines, with the greatest changes coming to Tosses.

Collegiate Cheerleading Toss Rule Change Highlights:

  • In non-flipping baskets, the top person (flyer) is limited to 2-1/4 twisting rotations & three tricks.
    • Example: Kick Double Full
  • In flipping baskets that involve more than one male thrower (sides or front), the back spot must be a male athlete.
  • In flipping basket/sponge tosses, only the following skills are allowed: (all other flipping basket positions and combinations are prohibited)

All Girl Basket Toss Options Now Limited to:

  • Tuck
  • X-out
  • Layout
  • Pike-Open

Male based Basket Toss (Both Side Throwers and Back spot are Male) Options Include:

  • Single Full Twist
  • X-out, Kick, or Split Full Twist

The cover premise from AACCA lists the following reasons as cause for the changes:

  • This section has new restrictions that are designed to bring basket tosses performed in competition more in line with those allowed and performed during games.  In addition, the specific basket tosses listed are the only basket skills allowed.  Further, due to the general height and time in the air of safely complete skills, basket tosses that flip and twist will ONLY be allowed if there are THREE MALE throwers including the back spot.  Regardless of personnel, basket tosses should only be performed in a safe progression based on the demonstration of lead up skills.

 

  • These changes, along with event producers’ changes to how basket tosses are scored, should limit or eliminate the time college cheerleading teams, which are primarily in place for support of the athletic programs at their institution, are practicing basket tosses that will only be used in competition.

Learn more about the newly released AACCA College Safety Rules by visiting them online.

Source: AACCA