Athlete's Guide to USASF All Star Cheer U16 International 2026-27

• You can be rostered on up to 3 cheer teams at a USASF sanctioned competition: your own team plus up to two crossovers within the same club.
• Exception: if your club has no Level 7 team, you may cross over to another club's Level 7 team, as long as you stay within the 3-team limit.
• Crossing over from cheer to dance has no limit.
• You can't be rostered in both the Elite tier (which includes International divisions like U16) and the Prep tier. You can be on Elite or Prep teams and Novice teams.
• Event producers may set stricter limits, but not looser ones.

U16 is an Elite tier (International) division. You can choose only one competitive tier, Prep or Elite, though you may also be on a Novice team.

• Before you've taken the floor with a team at a USASF sanctioned competition, you can change tiers without USASF approval.
• After you've competed, a permanent move between Prep and Elite in the same season needs USASF approval (support@usasf.net). It's granted once per athlete, and you can't move back to your old tier that season.
• The only other exception is a short-notice temporary replacement approved by USASF.

• Only athletes on the club's official USASF roster for that competition may take the floor.
• The athletes who start a routine must finish it. No one can be replaced during the routine.
• Taking the floor with fewer than the division minimum (16 for U16) may be penalized.

Short-notice replacement from another tier: if an athlete can't attend on short or no notice (typically 48 hours or less, e.g. injury, illness, an accident or family emergency) and there's no time to rework the routine, the club may ask USASF (support@usasf.net) to approve an age-eligible USASF member from a different competitive tier as a temporary replacement who then returns to their own team.

• Not all requests are granted.
• No more than 3 replacement athletes from a different tier per team at the same event.

From the USASF Athletic Performance Standards:

Tops

• No exposed midriff, including crop tops. Midriffs are allowed only for Senior and Senior Open (Club Elite) and U18 and International Open (International Elite), so not for U16.
• Tops must be secured by straps or material over at least one shoulder or around the neck. No tube tops.

Skirts and shorts

• With a skirt, briefs are required. The skirt must fully cover the hips and briefs and fall at least 1 inch below the briefs.
• Shorts need at least a 2-inch inseam.

General

• Nothing risqué, sexually provocative or lingerie-like. Everything must adequately cover you and be secured against wardrobe malfunctions. Appropriate undergarments must be worn and stay covered during the routine.

Cover-up: if your uniform isn't a full top, wear a T-shirt or other cover-up, except in the warm-up area, while traveling as a group directly to or from warm-ups, or on the performance stage.

Events following IASF guidelines (such as The Cheerleading Worlds) may have extra uniform restrictions for International divisions. Judges may give warnings or deductions for inappropriate uniforms.

From the USASF Athletic Performance Standards:

Hair: secured off your face in a simple, unexaggerated style. Hair is never a legal body part for bracing in a pyramid.

Bows:

• Not excessive in size, and not a distraction from the performance.
• Worn to minimize risk and adequately secured.
• Must not fall over your forehead into your eyes or block your view while performing.

Makeup (if worn):

• Uniform across the team and appropriate for the performance and your age.
• Neutral colors for eyes and skin.
• No face or eyelid rhinestones. False eyelashes are allowed but can't be decorated with rhinestones or jewelry.

Judges can give warnings and/or deductions when a team's overall presentation, including makeup, hair and bows, isn't appropriate.

No jewelry of any kind. That includes:

• Ear, nose, tongue, belly button and facial rings
• Clear plastic jewelry
• Bracelets and necklaces
• Pins on uniforms

Jewelry must be removed. Taping over it is not allowed.

Exception: medical ID tags and bracelets.

Rhinestones:

• Allowed when attached to the uniform.
• Not allowed on your skin or hair, and face or eyelid rhinestones aren't allowed.
• False eyelashes are allowed, but not decorated with rhinestones or jewelry.

• Soft-soled shoes must be worn while competing.
• Shoes must have a solid sole.
• Not allowed: dance shoes or boots, gymnastics slippers, or anything similar.

Your coach must also require proficiency before you progress to harder skills, and consider athlete safety with every skill.

No. You may not have gum, candy, cough drops or anything else (edible or not) that could cause choking in your mouth during practice or performance.

• Maximum routine time: 2:30 for Elite tier teams, including U16.
• Timing starts with the first movement, voice or note of music, whichever comes first, and ends with the last movement, voice or note of music, whichever comes last.
• At the start, every athlete must have at least one foot, hand or body part (not hair) on the performing surface. An athlete's feet may be in a base's hands only if the base's hands are resting on the floor.
• The athletes who start the routine must finish it. No one can be replaced mid-routine.
• Only athletes on your club's official USASF roster may take the floor with the team.

For comparison, Prep and non-tumbling routines are limited to 2:00 and Novice to 1:30.

Props are optional. The only props allowed are:

• Flags
• Standard flat banners or signs
• Pom pons
• Megaphones
• Pieces of cloth

Rules for props:

• No sharp, unyielding or pointed edges, and nothing that blocks or could block your vision.
• No prop may bear weight, and you can't put weight on one.
• Props with poles or similar supports can't be used with any stunt or tumbling.
• Props must be discarded safely. Throwing a hard sign across the mat from a stunt is illegal.
• No tumbling while holding or touching a prop, and no tumbling over, under or through one.
• Once a uniform piece is purposely used for visual effect, it counts as a prop.