Coach's Guide to Cheer Canada All Star Safety Rules 2026-27

The IASF Cheer Rules 2025-28 general rules require that:

1. All athletes are supervised during all official functions by a qualified director or coach.
2. Coaches require proficiency before skill progression, and consider athlete, group and team skill levels when placing a team at a performance level. Athlete safety must be considered with all skills.
3. All teams, gyms, coaches and directors have an emergency response plan in the event of an injury.
4. Athletes and coaches are not under the influence of alcohol, narcotics, performance enhancing substances or over-the-counter medications that would hinder their ability to supervise or execute a routine safely, in practice or performance.
5. Required spotters for all skills are your own team's members and are trained in proper spotting techniques.
6. On the level grid, every skill allowed at a level includes all skills allowed at the preceding levels, and a skill not allowed at a level is also not allowed at lower levels.
7. The athletes who begin a routine remain the same throughout it, with no replacements during the routine.

For video legality rulings, the IASF accepts questions at cheer.rules@iasfworlds.com.

Source: https://www.iasfworlds.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/iasf_rules_cheer_25-28_final.pdf (updated 16 July 2025)

Under the IASF Cheer Rules 2025-28 general rules:

• Surfaces: stunts, pyramids, tosses and tumbling may not be performed on concrete, asphalt, wet or uneven surfaces, or surfaces with obstructions, in practice or performance.
• Footwear: soft-soled shoes with a solid sole must be worn while competing. No dance shoes or boots, and no gymnastics slippers or similar.
• Jewellery: none of any kind (navel, tongue, earrings, necklaces, pins on uniforms). Rhinestones may not be adhered to skin or hair. Medical bracelets are allowed if taped to the body.
• Mouth: no gum, candy, cough drops or other items that could cause choking during practice or performance.
• Props: only standard flat signs, megaphones and poms, hand held by a single athlete. No prop may be weight-bearing, none may be used with stunting or tumbling, and all must be discarded safely out of harm's way.
• Height-increasing apparatus used to propel an athlete is not allowed, except a spring floor.
• Drops from a jump, stunt or inverted position are not allowed unless most of the weight is first borne on the hands or feet.
• Routine time: a maximum of 2:30 for All Star routines and 2:00 for non-tumbling routines (Cheer Canada sets 2:00 for Prep and 1:30 for Novice).

Sources: https://www.iasfworlds.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/iasf_rules_cheer_25-28_final.pdf; https://cheercanada.ca/education/all-star-cheer/

Under the IASF Cheer Rules 2025-28 (general rule 10):

• Supports, braces and soft casts that are unaltered from the manufacturer's original design do not need extra padding.
• Supports, braces and soft casts that have been altered from the manufacturer's original design must be padded with closed-cell, slow-recovery foam padding no less than one-half inch thick if the participant is involved in stunts, pyramids or tosses.
• A participant wearing a hard cast (for example fibreglass or plaster) or a walking boot must not be involved in stunts, pyramids, tumbling or tosses.
• Medical bracelets are allowed provided they are taped to the body.

Source: https://www.iasfworlds.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/iasf_rules_cheer_25-28_final.pdf

Under the IASF Cheer Rules 2025-28, a spotter's primary responsibility is to prevent injuries by protecting the head, neck, back and shoulder area of a top person during a stunt, pyramid or toss. All required spotters must be members of your own team and trained in proper spotting techniques.

A spotter:

• typically stands to the side or back of the stunt, pyramid or toss
• must be standing on the performing surface and attentive to the stunt
• must not be doing anything that could prevent spotting (for example holding a sign)
• must be able to touch the base of the stunt, but does not have to be in direct contact
• cannot stand with their torso under a stunt
• may grab the base's wrists or arms or the top person's legs or ankles, or may not touch the stunt at all
• may not have both hands under the sole of the top person's foot or under the bases' hands (if a spotter's hand is under the foot, it must be their front hand)
• cannot also be counted as a base at the same time. If only one person is under a top person's foot, that person is a base, so in a two-leg stunt one base cannot also be the required spotter.

Source: https://www.iasfworlds.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/iasf_rules_cheer_25-28_final.pdf (glossary and general rule 12)

From the IASF Cheer Rules 2025-28 level grid:

Stunt height

• Level 1: waist-level single leg; prep-level two leg (may pass through extended); prep-level single leg with an additional base connected by hand or arm; walk-up shoulder stands. No single-based stunts with multiple top persons.
• Level 2: prep-level single leg (may immediately pass through extended); above-prep-level two leg. No single-based stunts with multiple top persons.
• Levels 3 to 6: above-prep-level single leg.
• No single-based or assisted single-based extended stunts for U12 and below, though they may immediately pass through the extended position if the level allows.

Spotter required

• Level 1: for prep level and above (not required for shoulder sits, T-lifts, or stunts supported only at the waist).
• Level 2: for above prep level.
• Levels 3 to 6: for above prep level, and single-based stunts with multiple top persons need a spotter for each top person.
• Level 7 adds spotters for one-arm stunts above prep level (other than cupies and liberties), inverted top persons above prep level, free flips and some release moves.

Transitions: at Levels 1 and 2 the top person must stay in contact with at least one base, and Level 1 has no leap frog variations.

Source: https://www.iasfworlds.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/iasf_rules_cheer_25-28_final.pdf (stunts grid, page 13)

From the IASF Cheer Rules 2025-28 (used by Cheer Canada for All Star divisions):

Dismounts and cradles

• Single-based cradles need a spotter with at least one hand or arm supporting the waist to shoulder region of the top person.
• Multi-based cradles need 2 catchers and a spotter with at least one hand or arm supporting the waist to shoulder region.
• Dismounts to the performing surface need help from the original base or spotter, unless it is a straight drop or small hop off with no additional skills from waist level or below.
• Dismounts must return to the original base(s), apart from dismounts from single-based stunts with multiple top persons.
• No flipping, inverted (including landing inverted) or intentionally travelling dismounts. Tension drops and rolls of any kind are not allowed.
• Level 1: straight pop downs and basic straight cradles only, with no waist-level cradles or sponge tosses.

Release moves

• Multi-based release moves need 3 catchers, and single-based stunts that land horizontal need 2 catchers.
• A released top person may not land inverted, intentionally travel, or touch another top person in a separate release move, and must return to the original base(s). No free flips (Level 7 has its own exception).
• Level 1 and Level 2: release moves are not allowed other than dismounts (Level 2 also permits tosses and a full-twisting log roll with no additional skills that starts and ends in a cradle).

Drops: knee, seat, front, back and split drops are not allowed unless the majority of weight is first borne on the hands or feet.

Source: https://www.iasfworlds.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/iasf_rules_cheer_25-28_final.pdf (updated 16 July 2025)

Pyramids (IASF Cheer Rules 2025-28):

• Levels 1 to 6: pyramids may be up to 2 high and must follow the stunt and dismount rules. Level 7 allows up to 2 1/2 high.
• A top person must receive primary support from a base unless the move is a legal released transition. Required catchers and spotters must be stationary, keep visual contact with the top person throughout the transition, and not be involved in any other skill or choreography when it starts.
• Single-based or assisted single-based extended stunts are not allowed in U12 and below.
• Level 1 released transitions are not allowed other than dismounts.

Tosses:

• Every toss needs a minimum of 3 and maximum of 4 tossing bases, with one base behind the top person. The top person must be caught in a cradle by at least 3 of the original bases, one at the head and shoulder area.
• Only one top person per toss. No flipping, inverted or intentionally travelling tosses, and nothing may move over or under a toss.
• Level 1: tosses are not allowed, including waist-level cradles and sponge tosses.
• Level 2: straight ride only, and no tosses at all in the U8 division.

Prep and Novice (Cheer Canada):

• Prep: follows IASF level rules for each division, but tosses (including waist-level cradles and sponge tosses) are not permitted. Routine maximum 2:00.
• Novice: modified IASF Level 1 rules. Routine maximum 1:30. Tosses, sponge tosses and waist-level cradles are not allowed, and U6 teams may not include any building skills.

Sources: IASF Cheer Rules 2025-28 (https://www.iasfworlds.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/iasf_rules_cheer_25-28_final.pdf); https://cheercanada.ca/education/all-star-cheer/

Under the Cheer Canada Concussion Protocol (adopted 11 April 2019, adapted from Parachute's Canadian Guideline on Concussion in Sport):

• Before the season: all parents and athletes review and submit a signed Pre-Season Concussion Education Sheet to their coach before the first practice.
• Recognition: suspect a concussion in any athlete who takes a significant impact to the head, face, neck or body and shows any visual sign or reports any symptom listed in the Concussion Recognition Tool 5 (CRT5).
• Red flags (for example convulsions, worsening headache, vomiting, neck pain): suspect a more severe head or spine injury and call an ambulance immediately. Coaches should not remove equipment or move the athlete until the ambulance arrives, and the athlete should not be left alone. Contact the parents of an athlete under 18 straight away.
• No more serious injury suspected: remove the athlete from play immediately. A youth athlete suspected of a concussion must not return to the game or practice and must be referred for medical assessment.
• No licensed healthcare professional present: refer the athlete immediately to a medical doctor or nurse practitioner. The athlete must not return to play until medically cleared.
• If diagnosed: the athlete follows Return-to-School and Return-to-Sport strategies under a medical doctor or nurse practitioner, and returns to full activity only after a Medical Clearance Letter. The athlete or parent/guardian is responsible for giving the Medical Assessment Letter to the coach.

Sources: https://cheercanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Concussion-Protocol-Policy-Cheer-Canada-20190411.pdf and https://cheercanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/CRT5.pdf

Cheer Canada's Rule of Two aims to make all interactions and communications open, observable and justifiable. It protects participants (especially minors) and coaches in potentially vulnerable situations by making sure more than one adult is present. There may be exceptions for emergencies.

Good practices listed by Cheer Canada:

• The coach is never alone and out of sight with a participant without another screened coach or screened adult (parent or volunteer) present.
• Keep the training environment open to observation.
• Make sure a participant rides in a coach's vehicle with another adult present.
• Consider the gender of the participants when choosing the screened coaches and volunteers who are present.
• Eliminate one-to-one electronic messaging. Send all communications to the group and/or include parents.

Source: https://cheercanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Rule-of-Two-Infographic-2020.pdf

Cheer Canada's Screening Policy (adopted 6 February 2020) applies to individuals whose position with Cheer Canada is one of trust or authority, such as supervising young people or athletes. It sorts positions into three levels:

• Level 1 (low risk): Screening Disclosure Form, application form, one letter of reference, and orientation.
• Level 2 (medium risk): the Level 1 items plus a Police Information Check (PIC), and a driver's abstract if requested.
• Level 3 (high risk): the Level 2 items with a PIC and Vulnerable Sector Verification (VSV). Directors and board members, staff, and individuals working with vulnerable persons must undergo Level 3 screening.

Other details in the policy:

• A vulnerable person is someone under 18 or over 65, or someone with a disability.
• PICs are valid for four years and Screening Disclosure Forms must be completed annually.
• Team Canada personnel (coaches, managers, medical staff) have police checks valid for one year from issue, and must submit a VSV with their first check.
• Failing to take part in screening makes an individual ineligible.
• A person who is later convicted of or found guilty of an offence must report it to Cheer Canada immediately and would be removed from their position.
• To get a PIC-VSV, visit an RCMP office or police station with two pieces of government-issued ID (one with a photo).

Source: https://cheercanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screening-Policy-Cheer-Canada-20200206.pdf

Coach education: Cheer Canada Education offers online Level 1 to Level 7 Cheer courses through Thinkific (https://cheercanada.ca/education/coaches/). The Level 1 course lists 32 modules and 185 lessons, covering athlete safety (concussions, spotting, consent), biomechanics, and basic stunts and tumbling, and ends with a Level 1 quiz. It is listed at $45.00 with no course prerequisites.

Reporting:

• Suspected emotional, physical or sexual abuse of a child: report the suspicion immediately to local child protection and/or police, then notify Cheer Canada.
• Less serious concerns go first to the individual, then the gym manager or owner, club president or board. Serious concerns go to the provincial sport association.
• Cheer Canada receives reports involving Team Canada events, unresolved issues, multiple provinces, or abuse, harassment or discrimination.
• Complaints are handled by an independent third party, Sport Dispute Management Inc.: complaints@sportdispute.com, https://sportdispute.com/
• Good-faith reporters are protected from retaliation. Knowingly submitting a false or malicious report is a major infraction.

Cheer Canada also publishes a suspension list: https://cheercanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Suspension-List-EN-02.25.pdf

Source: https://cheercanada.ca/education/safesport/