High School Cheer
School Cheer is a discipline of cheer that involves athletes in a scholastic setting who cheer in support of other sports, most often football and basketball. School cheerleaders’ primary role is supporting the other athletic programs through leading the crowd at games and pep rallies as well as promoting school spirit overall. School cheer teams may also participate in competitions, performing a 2 1/2 minute routine composed of tumbling, stunting, pyramids, dance, and cheer segments.
High school cheer is most often organized at the local level by the organization that oversees the other scholastic sports and activities. Most high school cheer teams are governed by their state high school or activities association. Many state associations, districts, and even individual schools require USA Cheer safety training for their coaches.
USA Cheer and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) have reached an agreement to publish one set of rules as the NFHS/USA Cheer Rule Book.
2025-26 NFHS/USA Cheer Cheer Rules Changes
- Rule 1 Definitions: All definitions that were previously found in Rule 1 have been removed and are now incorporated into their respective rules for Cheer (Rule 2) and Dance (Rule 3). Additional cheer-specific definitions including assisted walkover, kip up, and nugget have been added for clarification. Additional dance-specific definitions, such as executing dancer and supporting dancer, have been added for clarification.
- 2-2-7: New language added to allow an extended single-based stunt supported at the waist as an exception for requiring a spotter.
Rationale: This skill does not increase risk to participants and is a less difficult skill than a chair sit, which is currently allowed as an exception. - 2-3-5d: New language added to clarify a bracer may release the top person or move to a load position during a flip inversion when the top is descending and goes to a cradle or the performance surface.
Rationale: Landing on the performing surface with assistance from the catchers is similar to landing in the cradle position. The requirement that the top is not inverted is unnecessary since the top is rotating and would be descending. - 2-3-7: Clarified exceptions for when a participant can hold props in hands.
Rationale: This would encompass partner cartwheels on the thighs or assisted walkovers. The risk is very low if the executing dancer has poms/props in her hands since the supporting dancer cannot have poms/props in their hands and can provide the support needed to safely complete the skill. - 2-3-9: New language added to prohibit a participant from landing or being caught in an inverted position in a stunt or pyramid from an unassisted airborne position.
Rationale: This rule change clarifies that a performer may not perform a skill such as a back handspring with no hands and be caught by a base or bases in the inverted position. The existing inversion rules all deal with a top person who is already in a skill. - 2-5-3e: New language added to clarify restrictions on use of props during tosses to a cradle.
Rationale: This addition clarifies that someone involved in a toss to a cradle should not have any involvement with props. - 2-5-3f: New language added to clarify a top person must not be inverted during tosses to cradles.
Rationale: Basket toss flips are currently illegal because they aren’t made legal in the inversion section. This addition in the tosses section makes it very clear that skills like prep front flip and basket toss tucks are illegal. - 2-5-6d/e: New language added to clarify release from extended vertical position and to permit a release from a vertical position at prep level to land in a vertical or horizontal position.
Rationale: Horizontal stunts like a flatback are allowed as long as the top doesn’t go significantly higher than the bases’ arms/hands on the catch. The tosses that are allowed go through the prep position to release. This change allows preps to release to the same position with the same restriction.
NFHS/USA Cheer Rules Course
The Comprehensive Course for coaches covers the entire cheer section of the NFHS/USA Cheer Rules Book (Rules 1, 2, and 3) including the new rules changes for the current year. This course is ideal for new coaches or for coaches who want a refresher course for all rules. The course is $20 for non-members, $15 for members.
The “Rules Changes Only” course for coaches covers the major rules changes for the current year. This course is ideal for veteran coaches who are already familiar with the current rules. The course is $20 for non-members, $15 for members.
The Rules Interpreters course covers the entire book including the new rules changes, with an additional training session on methods and techniques to help interpret rules as well as video testing on rules interpretations.
Order the 2025-26 NFHS Rules Book
If you normally receive your NFHS Rules Book through your school or state association, you will still receive your book through the same process. If you are unsure of whether you will receive a book through your association, check with your athletics director. If you would like to purchase a book, you may do so below. The cost through USA Cheer is $15 per book, with free shipping.
Rule Interpretations
Rule interpretations are the responsibility of each state association or event producer. USA Cheer provides a video library of rules interpretations below. These videos are reviewed by USA Cheer and by members of the NFHS Spirit Rules committee, but they are not binding in every state. They are provided to help educate coaches and rules interpreters about the rules. Please use your state or event’s rules process to confirm legality.