List of cheerleading stunts


In the competitive athletic sport of cheerleading, stunts are defined as building performances that display a team's skill or dexterity. Stunts range from basic two-legged stunts, one-legged extended stunts, and high-flying basket tosses. Stunts are classified into seven levels of increasing difficulty. There are two recognized styles of stunting: coed and all-girl. Cheerleading teams are restricted to specific stunt rules based on the guidelines of certain associations, organizations, and their designated level. Therefore, some stunts may be permitted in certain divisions but illegal in others due to different stunt rules and regulations.
The level of difficulty an organization allows depends on where the team stunts and practices as well as the type of organization they are a part of. While high school cheerleading can have teams with high-caliber stunts, collegiate cheerleading tends to focus on the pyramid aspect of stunting. Having two flyers on top of two bases is very common in college cheerleading. In most situations, club cheer, also known as all-star, performs a classic type of stunting. All-star cheer is governed by the United States All Star Federation and the International All Star Federation which divides teams into different levels from one through seven, which then determines the difficulty of the stunts being performed.

Athletes involved

A "group stunt" will typically involve a flyer, two bases, and a back spot. Group stunts occasionally include a front spot. These can be all-girl or co-ed. A "partner stunt" will involve two athletes – a flyer and a main base. These tend to be co-ed, but all-girl versions do occur. A third athlete, a spotter, will be involved depending upon the skill level of the stunt executed and the rules and regulations for that skill.

Flyer

The flyer, also known as "top girl", is the athlete who is lifted into the air during a stunt or pyramid. Since many of the a flyer can perform require a high level of flexibility, this is a desired trait for the role. Flyers are also typically the shortest and smallest members of a team, but any member can act as a flyer depending on their abilities and the needs of the team. The flyer's main job is to squeeze their muscles together in order for their bases to be able to perform stunts from below them. The flyer can make or break the stunt since they have control over what is put up in the air.

Bases

Bases are the athletes that hold the flyer or "top girl" in the air during the stunt. Bases are very strong and are usually assigned together based on height to create an even platform for the flyer to perform an action. The bases are responsible for understanding grips on the flyer's shoes so that the stunt can flow smoothly. It is crucial that bases stay in the same position when they toss so they are able to catch the flyer safely in a cradle position, tik toc, or kickfull. Different levels of stunting come with different styles of grips for the bases.
  • Main base: This base is the left side of the stunt and helps with the stability of the flyer's foot. In a one-leg extension stunt, the main base will lift the toe and heel of the foot to increase stability. This also prevents the flyer from tilting forward or backward and will be almost directly under the stunt. The main base's grips tend to be simpler and easier to adjust. With the responsibility of keeping the flyer stable, the main base must also be the first to react if the stunt seems to be falter in order to keep it up in the air.
  • Secondary base: This position can also be referred to as "side base". The secondary base helps lift the flyer up into the air and support their foot. The secondary base mainly controls the rotation of the foot. They hold the ball of the foot where the flyer's weight should be positioned. Their grips include throwing and catching, but occasionally they will have a more complicated stance depending on the stunt.

    Spotters

Spotters are additional athletes whose primary responsibility is to watch the stunt and assist the flyer in the case of a fall or accident. Their main goal is to protect the flyer's head and neck from injury. Spotter involvement can range from constantly holding the stunt, such as a back spot, to standing at the back of a cheerleading routine should an incident occur.
  • Back spot: The back spot is also called a "third" and gets their name by standing behind the stunt. They are not essential, but some stunts may require the assistance of a back spot, and in typical stunt groups, they are included. They normally organize a stunt by calling out its name and the necessary counts to ensure group synchronization. Back spots can help save a stunt if it appears to be falling and serve almost as a kickstand for the flyer. Additionally, the back spot will actively stabilize the stunt, supporting or lifting the flyer's ankles, calves, thighs, or buttocks. Due to the back spot's responsibilities, they are generally the tallest members of the stunt group.
  • Front Spot: Similar to the helping role of a back spot, the front spot will support and stabilize the stunt from the front. They are fairly rare, as most stunts are designed to be performed without one, but are sometimes added due to weaker bases, complexity of a stunt, or an uneven number of athletes.
  • Additional Spot: Additional spots are typically used as a safety precaution, such as when a group is trying new or difficult stunts. Generally, they will only help the stunt if it shows serious signs of falling.

    Rules/safety

The safety rules for the sport of cheerleading are in place to protect the athletes from avoidable injury and encompass all aspects of any given routine. They are meant to ensure that athletes are trained correctly in each aspect of the sport. As cheerleading has evolved, a basic set of safety expectations has formed to mitigate the risk of catastrophic injury. For example, spotters are often used to protect cheerleaders as they learn new stunts. Teams are expected to be under the supervision of a trained coach and are encouraged to only perform high-level stunts and tosses when mats are available. High school, college, and all-star competitive cheerleading follow different rules, in reflection of the varying levels at which the cheerleaders perform.
Stunting rules and regulations for middle and high school cheerleaders are usually created and enforced by that particular state's athletics governing organization, with many following the American Association for Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors guidelines or the National Federation for High School Athletics handbook. They may include general safety rules about what types of surfaces the participants may perform stunts on as well as more specific rules about which stunts, pyramids, and tosses are permitted.
Rules for collegiate squads in the United States are usually similar across the board and are created by USA Cheer. The standard to which these rules and regulations are enforced depends on whether each university classifies cheerleading as an official school sport, club, or some other type of activity. Due to their greater experience and skill set, college cheerleading teams are often able to carry out stunts from a higher skill level without compromising safety. College squads are allowed to do more difficult stunts, such as building pyramids to two and a half people high, while lower levels may only build up to two people high. This is because it is far more dangerous to stack three people on top of each other than it is two, due to the increased distance from the ground and higher likelihood of catastrophic injuries. While the sheer amount of athletic ability required may make it seem more like a sport, no college cheerleading team is formally recognized by the NCAA as a sport; therefore, the rules are not set by the NCAA, but instead by Varsity.

Types of stunts

Basic two-leg stunts

  • Thigh Stand: The bases either kneel on one leg or are in a lunge position with their front knees bent so that the flyer may stand on their thighs. This stunt is normally for the lowest of levels and younger athletes. A thigh stand is one of the most basic stunts.
  • Load : A loading position where the flyer holds their weight through straight arms on the bases' shoulders, and the bases are holding the flyer's feet at their torso level. A group stunt usually jumps into this load position before dipping to move into another stunt position. It is a 'mount' or a way of entering into a stunt. This is a fundamental position for cheerleading stunts.
  • Modified Prep: Similar to a prep, the bases start with their hands cupped, then pop up to a stunt at waist level.
While these are just the basic type of stunting, they are also the fundamentals of more advanced variations of stunts.
  • Prep: A stunt in which the flyer stands on two bases' hands and is held up at chest or chin height. This skill is a foundational skill for stunting and may also be referred to as a "half" or an "a-frame". This stunt is learned early on since it is the most basic form of stunting with a stunt group. If one were to try out, this stunt is expected to be solid before being placed on a team.
  • Extension: In an extension, the flyer stands with each foot in the hands of a base, similar to a prep. Instead of being held at chin level, the bases extend their arms above their head and block out their shoulders so it creates a solid platform for the flyer. The flyer must hold their weight so that it is easy for the bases to hold them above their heads.
  • * Cupie or Awesome: The Cupie is a variation of an extension where the flyer is held above the bases' heads with their feet held close together. If it is performed as a partner stunt, the flyer's feet are together in one fully extended hand of a single base. In a partner stunt, the difference between a Cupie and an Awesome has to do with what the main base is doing with their free hand. If the free hand is on the hip then it is a Cupie, if the free hand is in a high V then it is awesome.
  • Teddy Sit or Split-lift: The flyer is in a seated straddle with the two bases holding one hand on the flyer's thigh and one on their ankle/foot. The back spot holds up their buttocks or waist with their hands. The flyer must center their weight while in this stunt. This stunt is sometimes called a straddle sit. It is typically performed in NFL cheer or in lower levels.
  • Shoulder Stand: The flyer stands on the base's shoulders.
  • Shoulder Sit: The flyer sits on the base's shoulders and wraps their feet around the base's waist. This stunt is an effective way to get the crowd engaged.