Divisions, Rules & Scoring Systems
To support safe and proper progressions of skills, cheer and performance cheer teams must compete in a division appropriate to the age and skill level of their athletes. Coaches must hold all required certification for their team's specific category, division and level. All teams must have a certified coach who is not also an athlete on the team.
Coaches must be familiar with ACA and Cheer Canada policies, rules, and regulations.
Should you have questions regarding divisions, rules, or legalities, please contact the ACA Judging Coordinator at judge@albertacheerleading.ca
Team Composition & Eligibility
All teams and athletes must adhere to Cheer Canada's composition and eligibility requirements.
Division List
Rules
Novice
Teams will not be scored.
Novice teams may only perform once per event.
Cheer Canada recommends that Novice teams not travel out of province and schedule fewer performances.
Cheer Canada recommends Novice athletes perform in t-shirt and shorts or practice wear.
Novice athletes may not crossover to All Star or Prep teams.
Practices should be limited to once per week.
Routine length may not exceed 1:30.
Tumbling skills are allowed and will follow the Level 1 rules but will not be scored or required.
U6 Novice Exception: Only cartwheels and forward rolls are permitted. Not allowed: handstands, round offs, backward rolls, bridges, back bends, etc.
U6 Novice divisions may not include ANY building skills. All other age groups will follow the Level 1 rules for Building skills with the following modifications:
Single leg stunts are ONLY allowed at waist level or below. No prep level single leg with bracer skills allowed.
Two leg skills may not pass above prep level.
Up to a 1⁄4 twist allowed (EXCEPTIONS to this rule outlined in Level 1 are not permitted in Novice).
Transitions to prone positions are not allowed.
Straight pop down dismounts are not allowed.
Prep Divisions
U6 and U8 Prep divisions will not be scored. All other prep age divisions may be scored and ranked.
Prep teams may only perform/be scored once per event.
Cheer Canada recommends a shorter season (8 months or less) with no travel outside of the program’s province.
Cheer Canada recommends a simpler, less costly uniform.
Prep athletes may not crossover to All Star or Novice teams.
Practices should be limited to once per week.
Routine length may not exceed 2:00.
Building skills will follow the Level rules with the modification that tosses are not allowed, including waist-level cradles and sponge tosses.
Specialty Divisions
Specialty divisions must align with Cheer Canada's Division List.
Routine time may not exceed 1:00.
Duo & Trio can be all gender.
Partner Stunt can be all gender and may include a spotter.
Group Stunt is all girl and may include up to 5 athletes.
Game Day
High school routines will always follow the order of Band Chant/Dance, Situational Sideline, Crowd Leading Cheer (Time Out) and Fight Song. Teams will not be informed in advance of which Situational Sideline cheer they will be required to perform. The team must listen to the cue and select an offensive or defensive cheer based on the line provided.
Post secondary routines will include a Situational Sideline, Time Out Cheer and Fight Song in random order. At the beginning of each section of the routine, the announcer will signal the team to start by giving them a one-line cue. Teams will not be informed in advance of which Situational Sideline cheer they will be required to perform. The team must listen to the cue and select an offensive or defensive cheer based on the line provided.
Video examples can be found under the “Game Day Competition - Video Tips” tab: https://www.varsity.com/uca/school/competitions/game-day/.
U6 Performance Cheer
Teams will not be scored.
Teams may only perform once per event.