COMPETITION GUIDELINES

• General Rules
  a . All stunts and tumbling must be performed on the matted competition surface. Cheer Ltd does not recognize out of bounds unless a tumbling pass ends or a stunt is performed off the mat.
  
  b. Each team, individual, and stunt group will be responsible for providing someone to play music for all routines.
  
  c. Cheer Ltd reserves the right to combine, subdivide, add or delete divisions based on registration for each competition.
  
  
• Safety Rules
  a. All Star Cheer Teams and ALL Dance Teams will follow the United States All-Star Federation (USASF) Rules. Please refer to levels for specific stunts and tumbling.
  
  b. Scholastic and Recreation Teams will follow the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Safety Guidelines.
  
  c. College Teams will follow the AACCA College Rules and Guidelines.
  
  
• Surface and Flooring
  a. Cheer Ltd Nationals at CANAM: All Star cheer competitors will compete on a 54’ x 42’ spring floor (this includes All Star cheer individuals and stunt groups). Collegiate, Scholastic, and Recreation cheer competitors will compete on a 54' x 42' cheer mat. Dance teams will perform on a 40’ x 40’ dance floor.
  
  b. Regional Championships: All competitors will compete on a (minimum) 42’ x 42’ cheer floor. Dance teams may be required to perform on the same surface as the cheer competitors. A specified number of regionals may provide a spring floor for All Star cheer competitors.
  
  c. Open Championships: All Star competitors will compete on a 54' x 42' spring floor (this includes All Star cheer individuals and stunt groups). Collegiate, Scholastic, and Recreation cheer competitors will compete on a 54' x 42' cheer mat. Dance teams may be required to perform on the same surface as the cheer competitors.
  
  
• Timing
  Timing will begin with the first organized movement, voice in unison, or beat of music. Spirited entrances and exits are permitted and are not timed. All performances must begin with each participant having at least one foot on the floor. Both feet leaving the performing surface constitutes the beginning of a routine.
  
  a. Scholastic and Recreation Cheer Teams - Routine may not exceed 2 minutes, 30 seconds.
  
  b. All Star Cheer Teams - Routines may not exceed 2 minutes, 30 seconds and are all-music routines. Any all star team with breaks in music will be allowed to enter in the all-music category without penalty.
  
  c. Dance Teams - Routines may not exceed 2 minutes, 15 seconds and are all-music routines.
  
  d. Collegiate Teams - Routines may not exceed 2 minutes, 30 seconds; music portion is not stipulated by Cheer Ltd.
  
  e. Individuals - Routines may not exceed 1 minute, 30 seconds; cheerleaders - music portion is not stipulated by Cheer Ltd; dancers - all-music routines (individual dancer divisions are not offered at Cheer Ltd Nationals at CANAM)..
  
  f. Stunt Groups - Routines may not exceed 1 minute, 30 seconds and are all-music routines.
  
  
• Interruption of Performance
  a. In the event a performance is interrupted due to the failure of tournament equipment, facilities, etc., the team affected will be allowed to present its routine from the beginning.
  
  b. In the event a performance is interrupted due to the failure of the team’s equipment, supplies, etc., the team must either continue the performance, withdraw from the competition, or in some instances, may be offered a restart by the Competition Director with an infraction levied against the final score (see d. below).
  
  c. In the event an injury causes the interruption of a performance, the team must either continue, withdraw from the competition, or in some instances, may be offered a restart by the Competition Director with an infraction levied against the final score (see d. below).
  Cheer Ltd, Inc. Administrators, Head Judge, Arena Facilitator, or Judging Panel reserve the right to stop a performance due to injury if deemed necessary.
  
  d. In cases b & c, one restart with a maximum 10-point penalty may be allowed.
  
  
• Tie Break
  In the event of a tie, the highest score in the Overall Appeal category will determine the winner. If the tie remains in effect because of identical scores in Overall Appeal, the highest score in Perfection of Routine (or Choreography for dance divisions) will determine the winner. Should the tie still remain, a judges’ ballot will break the tie.
  
  
• Rules Interpretations
  Official rule interpretations may be obtained by utilizing the following protocol:
  
  a. Video (full size VHS or DVD) of the stunt, pyramid, or tumbling in question from the 1) front, 2) side and 3) back.
  
  b. Provide a written explanation of the question to include team name, division, coach’s name, mailing address, phone number, fax number and email address. Cheer Ltd will call with a verbal ruling as well as fax a written copy of the ruling.
  
  c. Official rulings will not be made after February 1, 2008 on for Cheer Ltd. Nationals at CANAM.
  
  d. Submit your tape/DVD and written explanation to:
  Cheer Ltd
  Attn: Rules Interpretation
  118 Ridgeway Dr., Suite 101
  Fayetteville, NC 28311.
  
  Cheer Ltd can only interpret if the stunt, pyramid, or tumbling in question is executed legally based on the quality of the tape/DVD and it's filming. You may still incur safety deductions if the stunt, pyramid, or tumbling in question is performed differently during competition. Any ruling does not guarantee that you will not incur safety deductions during the performance of your routine. Documentation of each safety ruling request and the interpretation will be reviewed and available to the judges at the event at which the team is competing.
  
  
• Choreography
  All choreography should be age appropriate and suitable for family viewing. Inappropriate moves and/or gestures, to include vulgar or suggestive music selections, may result in a penalty (see penalties #10) at the discretion of the judging panel. Judges’ decisions are final.
  
  
• Sportsmanship
  Cheer Ltd, Inc. believes that good sportsmanship is essential at every athletic event and competition. Any participant, coach, parent and/or spectator displaying unsportsmanlike conduct during any Cheer Ltd event may subject the team to a severe Sportsmanship Penalty (see penalties #10). This sportsmanship clause is in effect from the time of arrival until the time of departure for each competition or special event.
  
  Unsportsmanlike conduct may include, but is not limited to, approaching other cheerleaders, coaches, parents, spectators, Cheer Ltd Administrators, Head Judge, Staff, and /or Judging Panel in an atmosphere other than that of mutual respect and cooperation. In addition, the use of any profanity constitutes unsportsmanslike conduct.
  
  
• Penalties
  Cheer Ltd competitions follow the USASF Rules for All Stars, AACCA for College, and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Safety Guidelines for Scholastic and Recreation teams. (See Safety Rules)
  
  

  Penalties include, but are not limited to:	Maximum
  a. Any infraction of the Competition Guidelines b. Exceeding divisional time limits c. Inappropriate music, gestures, etc. d. Failure to meet divisional requirements e. Poor Sportsmanship f. Each occurrence of a specific safety guideline	10 points 10 points 10 points 10 points 25 points* 2 points

  
  *Cheer Ltd believes cheerleading is a sport based on positive, friendly, but competitive grounds. A maximum of 25 points may be deducted from the team’s composite score, or the team may be disqualified. Further, Cheer Ltd reserves the right to bar teams receiving these penalties from any future Cheer Ltd events. The levying of any penalty is at the discretion of a Cheer Ltd, Inc. Administrator, Head Judge, Arena Facilitator, Event Staff, and/or Judging Panel. All judges’ decisions are final.
  
  
• Force Majeure Clause
  Neither party shall be liable in damages or have the right to terminate this Agreement for any delay or default in performing hereunder if such delay or default is caused by conditions beyond its control including, but not limited to, Acts of God, Government restrictions (including the denial or cancellation of any export or other necessary license), wars, insurrections, acts of terrorism and/or any other cause beyond the reasonable control of the party whose performance is affected.