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College cheerleading programs will see widespread changes for the upcoming season in an attempt to improve safety standards.
The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA) will announce today a new set of restrictions on tosses, lifts and pyramids as well as additional safety requirements. The changes were approved in its annual meeting late last month.
An increase in serious injuries was one of the main factors behind the implementation of new rules said Jim Lord, AACCA executive director.
"Those that have been paying attention and see the big picture recognize that something had to be done," Lord said Monday.
Cheerleading was brought into the national spotlight last March at the Missouri Valley basketball tournament. Southern Illinois cheerleader Kristi Yamaoka suffered a chipped vertebra, a concussion and a collapsed lung after falling 15 feet and landing on her head during a routine.
Temporary restrictions were put in place by AACCA immediately following the incident.
"Everyone recognized we needed to take some kind of immediate action to take cheerleading off the radar screen," Lord said. "We needed to help minimize risk in the short term. The permanent rules for safety training will take a while to filter down and take effect."
The permanent changes relate to specific more advanced skills at basketball games and other indoor sports venues.
Basket tosses (when a cheerleader is tossed by other cheerleaders), 2 1/2-high pyramids, one-arm stunts, stunts that involve twisting or flipping, and twisting tumbling skills will be restricted to halftime and postgame performances on a matted surface.
Before this school year, cheerleading coaches will also be required to take a safety course so their schools can be properly insured. The course will cover a basic understanding of how to minimize risks and will include a test of the AACCA safety manual.
"(The new rules) strike a great balance in terms of addressing concerns of the athletic director and insurance companies, while still allowing for qualified teams to perform those types of skills," Lord said.
One conference, the Pacific-10, may go beyond the AACCA action.
"We are looking into perhaps putting further restrictions on cheerleaders than the AACCA guidelines dictate," Pac-10 spokesman Jim Muldoon said. "We have a committee looking at it now, and they are charged with coming up with some guidelines."
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