Cheerleader's
Code of Conduct
VCYFC CHEER RULES
OVERVIEW:
All personnel decisions that involve
cheerleading will be made by the Cheer Director. Players are under the
direction and supervision of their coaches. The goal of this league is to
teach respect for self and others, teamwork and responsibility for ones own
actions. During the season cheerleaders shall follow the rules of the team,
town and league. Any cheerleader who doesn’t follow the rules will be subject
to disciplinary actions.
AGE:
All Cheerleaders must be at least 6 years old by December 1st and entering 1st
grade but not 9th grade of the current season. Cheerleaders will be placed on
teams according to their grade level.
Mighty Mites
= 1st & 2nd Grade
Division 1 = 3rd & 4th Grade
Division 2 =
5th & 6th Grade
Division 3 = 7th & 8th Grade
MASCOTS:
Mascots are not allowed to participate. No one except registered cheerleaders
and coaches are permitted on the practice or game fields.
Mandatory
Cuts:
Mandatory cuts can occur for the following reasons:
A. Cheerleader
cannot fulfill registration requirements (see registration policy).
B. Cheerleader refuses to abide by league rules.
C. Once a cheerleader quits she may not return for that season, for that town or
any other town. D. Excessive unexcused
Absences.
Registration:
Each cheerleader shall furnish the following in order to be placed on a team.
A. Registration Form – signed by either parent/guardian.
B. Medical Release Form – signed by physician that the cheerleader is physically
fit to participate.
C. Proof of Age – a copy of birth certificate.
D. Parents Code of Conduct – signed by parent/guardian
E. Proof of residence; ie utility bill or school issued ID. F.
Volunteer bond - A $20.00 volunteer bond
will be paid at registration and will be refunded upon completion of a volunteer
duty.
Practices:
A. Pre-season practice shall not begin until August 1st.
B. Every cheerleader must complete at least 15 minutes of warm up exercise prior
to participation in any practice or game.
C. Practices shall not exceed the following
> No more than 10 hours per week during pre-season.
> After pre-season practices are limited to 6 hours per week.
>No more than 2 hours of practice may be scheduled on any one day.
D. No practice, stunting or participation at games shall be permitted without
the head coach or pre-approved adult.
E. Proper attire - T-shirt, shorts, sweatpants and Cheer Sneaker ONLY. NO JEANS
of any kind! Hair, Nails, Jewelry issues are NON-NEGOTIABLE
F. Girls must be checked in with a coach and picked up promptly at the end of
practice.
G. Each player will be issued a sports water bottle with their name on it. This
will be the ONLY acceptable bottle allowed on the practice or game field.
ATTENDANCE
POLICY VCFYC needs an
attendance policy for several reasons:
1. In fairness to the families that make sacrifices to get their children to
practice.
2. The physical requirement that your child attend practices to prevent injury.
3. The physical risk that other children are put at because of a child missing
practice.
4. A group in the squad may suffer if a timely substitution is not able to made.
5. A minimum of 10 practices must be attended prior the first game.
If a
cheerleader misses one or more practices it is the decision of the coach and
director to allow the cheerleader to participate in that week's game. As
follows: Late to game or missed practices the Cheerleader will not perform Hello
Cheer, Halftime or participate in any stunting at that weeks game.
Any practice that
a coach is not notified prior to the absence is considered an unexcused absence.
(extraordinary circumstances, of course, excluded) There are many accepted
reason for absences: illness, vacations, and any logical circumstances that are
beyond the parents' and the child’s control. Non-school activities in the Fall
are not acceptable reasons for missing practices. We allow children to finish
their summer time obligations like baseball, but do not want new fall activities
to interfere. It is not fair to the children who attend all the practices to
allow someone to miss practices for another sport or organization. You will have
to make a family decision on what activities your child will participate in. We
understand the difficulty of getting your child to practice. Please consider
making carpool arrangements with another family to assist in getting your child
to practice when transportation is a problem. Lateness is also an issue that the
coaches have to enforce in order to have the team ready to practice on time.
Excessive lateness will also be enforced with benching for all or part of a
game.Athletes are
expected to attend all practices. Religion class requirements are excused. A
practice session missed by athletes has an ill effect on the entire team. Please
do not use practice time as a method of punishment. It is the team that
suffers. We do not intend to dismiss the expectations that your child needs to
be responsible in all aspects of their life. We too agree that all the girls
need to perform well in school and it needs to come first. We are just asking
that another form of punishment is given. The stress that is created by possibly
pulling an athlete from the squad during the season is immeasurable. That stress
is not only felt by coaches and teammates but by other families as well. We are
asking this consideration to be given in the best interest of the team
Appearance:
A. All cheerleaders must wear the required uniform as determined by the town in
order to cheer that week’s game. The uniform is to be worn only at VCYFC
organized functions.
VCYFC
uniform requirements
>Vest and
skirt (included in registration and are borrowed items), Socks,
Spankies, Crop Top, Hair bow and Cheer sneaker are mandatory personal items
purchased thru the league.
>During colder
weather the sweat suit purchased thru the league will be the ONLY acceptable
addition to the uniform. (Layering under is recommended)
>Complete
uniform should be carried at all times to be prepared for any changes ie
weather.
>There is
NO EATING in a VCYFC uniform. It is recommended a change of
clothes be brought to every game or event.
B. All hair
must be pulled back in a neat like fashion (safety). Use hairspray or gel to
keep back growing out bangs.
C No Jewelry. ALL piercing must be removed (Medical ID’s are allowed but
must be taped to body)
D. Makeup is prohibited for all youth functions other than Cheerfest. E.
Glitter
of any kind is prohibited.
E. Nails must
be kept short, NO false nails or nail polish while in uniform.
Safety:
A. No pyramids shall be higher than 2 persons.
B. NO Tucks or flips may be used when dismounting
C. No seat, knee or body drops directly onto floor/ground.
D. Back spotters are required for all stunts. Front Spotters are required for
all stunts higher than a thigh stand. Spotters must remain in position until the
dismount is completed.
E. Mighty Mites may not exceed Thigh stand level. Division 1 may not exceed Prep
level. Division 2 & 3
all 1 leg stunts (lib, arabesque, scale etc) may only be done at prep level. F. No
stunting or tumbling during rain or on muddy ground.
G. Coaches, trainers or helpers are not allowed to participate in stunting.
In general,
All stunting is at the discretion of the cheer director.
Games:
A. The home team will do the “Hello” cheer first.
B. A coach from each team will travel with the team during the “Hello” cheer.
C. Each team will cheer on their own side of the field.
D. Half time to be shared by both cheer teams E. At half
time the visiting team will use the field first for their routine.
>Each team’s performance should not exceed 2:30.
>Each team will watch each other’s routine, cheer and support each other.
>Remaining time is to be spent with coach regrouping for the next half of
the game.
F. No eating or wandering the field during the game or halftime.
G. During an
injury of a player on either team, all cheerleaders will stop and take a knee
while the player is being administered to.
H. A cheerleader’s job is not only to cheer, it’s to observe the game, get
involved, and know where their team stands. I. Rain or
shine all squads are to cheer at all games. J. Must arrive
1 hour before the start of a game to practice, and set up for that day’s game.
Camps:
A. All cheerleaders may attend camp as an individual, group, team with or
without their coach.
B. Camp is defined as a meeting of one or more training sessions provided by an
outside organization.
C. Camps are optional and not a requirement.
Cheerfest
All regular season rules will apply in addition to those set forth by the
cheerfest directors. This is an exhibition ONLY. Usually scheduled for early
November
Competitions:
VC will sponsor a squad at the discretion of the director.
A. Must be a
current season registered cheerleader. B. Try-outs
will be held. C. Teams will
be grouped according to competition divisions.
D. League uniforms may be used.
Appointment to
the competition squad will be made by the director and current coaches and will
be based on the following criteria that is demonstrated during the regular
season: 1- Commitment (Attendance, teamwork) 2- Ability (both natural and the willingness to
learn or change) 3- Maturity (development, progress)