USASF Rules and The Cheerleading Worlds

The USASF (United States All Star Federation) is the largest company that sets out all of the rules and regulations for All-Star Cheerleading. Each year they come out with new rules – some of which bring up a lot of buzz in the cheerleading world. The 2012-2013 season is no exception to this. I am going to talk about a few of the major rule changes that bring up a lot of buzz.

Tumbling Rule Changes
• Standing fulls are not allowed
• Standing doubles are not allowed
• Consecutive bounding, twisting skills are not allowed

Age Grid Rule Changes
• Eliminate mini level 3 through mini level 5
• Eliminate youth level 5 restricted teams by placing restrictions on youth level 5
o No double fulls in tumbling
o No kick doubles in basket tosses
o No twisting in braced flips
• No longer separating junior coed level 3 from junior all girl level 3
• No longer separating junior coed level 4 from junior all girl level 4
• Bottom age for senior teams, level 1, level 2, level 3, level 4, and senior restricted level 5, will be 10 years old
• Bottom age for senior level 5 teams will be 12 years old
• The age restriction for an international open team that is level 5 is 15 years of age and older
• The age restriction for an international open team that is level 6 is 17 years of age and older
• Eliminate international age rule for the United States teams – athletes must be of legal age according to the age grid by the cut off (August 31st) of that season

All of these new rules are to be implemented during the 2012-2013 all star cheerleading season.

Along with the USASF being the major rule maker within all star cheerleading, they are the people who allow the handing out of Worlds Bids. Worlds is the top competition known to all star cheerleading. It is for senior level 5 cheerleaders only. There are only so many worlds bids offered per year, and the USASF divvies out which competition gets to hand them out based on the number of teams and athletes attend their event.

Bid season is right around the corner! With that being said, some of you may be new to cheerleading and not know much information about what a worlds bid actually is. A worlds’ bid is literally your ticket to The Cheerleading Worlds. Without one, you cannot go and compete at the most prestigious competition for level 5 cheerleaders in Orlando, Florida. There are three different types of bids that are offered: at-large worlds’ bid, partial paid worlds’ bid, and full paid worlds’ bid. I will go in depth a little bit more to explain the differences between the various types of worlds’ bids.

At-Large Bid: An at-large bid is essentially an unpaid worlds bid. This type of bid allows teams to go compete at Worlds. Unlike the other types of bids offered, teams have to pay the full price of the competition. The costs include actual competition fees, hotel fees, travel fees (ex – airplane, bus, rental cars, etc.), and hopper passes to Disney (because the competition is located in Orlando and the competition is on Disney properties).

Partial Paid Bid: A partial paid worlds bid is a bid that partially pays for a team’s trip to Worlds in Orlando, Florida. The money for the bid comes directly from the competition company that they win the bid at. The costs that the partial paid bid for pays for the same things that an at-large bid pays for, however the overall costs are less to the athletes or gym because of receiving some of the money from a competition company.

Full Paid Bid: A full paid bid is pretty self-explanatory. This is a completely paid for trip to The Cheerleading Worlds by the competition company that they win the bid at. The costs that are paid for are all of the same costs that a partial paid bid and an at-large bid has.

The way teams obtain bids (no matter the type) is through various national competitions hosted by a variety of companies. Teams compete two days and get a combined score that gives you a ranking. The competition company then hands out Worlds bids at their discretion.