PennACCA Position Statement on Rules

The Pennsylvania Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors (PennACCA) fully supports and endorses the National Council for Spirit Safety and Education (NCSSE), the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA), the U.S. All Star Federation (USASF) and the National Federation of State High School Associations - Spirit (NFHS).   The passing of the NFHS rule about spring floors has stirred a lot of controversy over the summer, into the fall and first competition season with this redefined rule.  PennACCA fully supports all rules by the above mentioned safety and regulatory associations and recommends all Pennsylvania cheerleading teams follow them as well.  As coaches responsible for training today’s youth and young adults in cheerleading, it is the coach's responsibility to do the correct thing and follow rules that are in place.  Choosing which rules to follow and when to follow them, even if we disagree with them, is not teaching the proper lessons and therefore strongly discouraged.

Question 1.  Should a scholastic coach's team compete at a competition on a spring floor?

Answer 1.  Basing the answer on the above position that PennACCA supports and recommends teams follow the above safety and regulatory association rules – No.

Question 2.  What happens to a scholastic coach if they compete at a competition on a spring floor and someone gets hurt?

Answer 2.  Again, basing the answer on the above position, PennACCA believes the rules should be followed and the team should not compete at the competition.