Dance Memberships
In a continuing effort to better protect athletes and coaches, Varsity Spirit has partnered with USA Cheer, the USA Federation for Sport Cheer. Beginning this summer, Varsity Spirit will require that all adults attending an Overnight Camp have a USA Cheer Cheer Coach, Dance Coach, or Professional Membership. It is highly encouraged that all coaches have this membership, regardless of whether they attend an Overnight Camp or not. This season’s membership will be active from June 1, 2022 through May 31, 2023 and will satisfy the previously communicated requirement that all school coaches, choreographers, rec coaches, and personnel attending a Varsity Spirit cheer or dance competition must have this membership to gain access to the warmup, backstage or coaches’ box areas. Each registered cheer team/program must have at least one coach with a Coach Membership, and each registered dance team/program must have at least one coach with a Dance Membership. Additional coaches and team personnel can choose to have either a Cheer Coach, Professional or Dance Coach Membership. This Membership requirement will go into effect for the upcoming 2021-22 competition season and includes any Varsity Spirit competition. New this year: The Cheer Coach and Dance Coach memberships come with additional liability coverage for current members who are 18 years of age or older while coaching their designated team*.
Varsity Spirit will cover the membership fee for all registered coaches and team personnel who attend a Varsity Spirit camp lasting two or more days. Coaches must complete their membership requirements before their camp. When checking in at camp, you will simply provide proof of membership for each adult from your organization attending camp. Please note that at least one coach is required to complete the “Coach” Membership, while all others may complete the “Professional” Membership to satisfy this requirement.
If you are attending a Varsity Spirit camp lasting two or more days, you will receive a code via email prior to attending camp to complete your free membership. Please do not complete the membership registration below if you do not have this code. Once you receive the code, register for your membership below. Be sure to click “Apply” after entering your code in the appropriate box.
Dance Membership
Price: $35 + $3 Processing fee
Once you click the “Join” button, you will receive additional information on completing the following:
- Annual Background Screening
- Results can take up to 10 business days to receive once submitted
- A Concussion Awareness Course
(TeachAids, NFHS, or CDC Heads Up) - Athlete Protection Course
Membership Benefits:
- Membership card
- Member newsletters
- Secondary Liability Coverage*
* Beginning in 2022-23, this membership includes secondary liability coverage for members who are 18 years of age or older who have completed all requirements for membership. Coverage applies while the approved Dance Coach member is supervising dance practices, games, or competition with their designated team. No coverage applies for 1) training individual participants or conducting their own camps/clinics 2) acting as a choreographer for a team that they do not coach full time or 3) while coaching any other sports besides cheer, STUNT and dance.
If you have any questions or issues during registration, contact our membership department at info@usacheer.org.
FAQ
Option 1: Check the public membership list here. This list is updated weekly.
Option 2: Log in to the member portal at usacheer.org/login. If your membership is current, you will see your Member ID card. If you see a popup window, it will show you which requirements are still needed in order to make your membership current.
This membership is meant to provide increased athlete protection. To obtain a USA Cheer Professional or Coach membership (Cheer Coach, STUNT Coach, or Dance Coach), an applicant must successfully pass a criminal background check. Background screening is one step to help ensure a positive and safe environment. It is important to note that background screening is a snapshot in time of recorded and reported criminal behavior or potential criminal behavior. A successful background screening should never warrant relaxing protocols for preventing abuse as outlined in the free USA Cheer Athlete Protection Course for athletes, coaches and parents.
A secondary screening, which is done during the membership application and eligibility process with USA Cheer, serves to establish criteria that would disqualify from membership those persons who have something in their background that would preclude them from working with children. The USA Cheer screening is consistent with the standards used by similar youth serving organizations, sport organizations and governing bodies.
If you are attending a Varsity Spirit camp lasting two or more days, you will receive a code via email prior to attending camp to complete your free membership. If you have registered for camp, you can expect to receive your code prior to May 1; if you register after May 1, you will receive your code the following day.
Only one coach for each team/program attending a Varsity Spirit camp or event will be required to have a Cheer Coach or Dance Coach membership.
Any additional coaches, choreographers, etc. who wish to attend an overnight camp or gain access to the warmup, backstage or coaches’ box areas at a Varsity Spirit competition may have either a Cheer Coach, Dance Coach, or a Professional membership.
Varsity Spirit will cover the membership fee for all registered coaches and team personnel who attend a Varsity Spirit camp lasting two or more days. Your code will be sent to you after registering for camp.
Memberships run from June 1 through May 31 each year.
If you are both a cheer coach and a dance coach, your USA Cheer Coach membership will will satisfy the requirements for both cheer and dance. You do not need to complete a Dance Membership in addition to the Cheer Coach or Professional Membership. If you coach a college program and a high school program, you only need to complete one membership. CLICK HERE to get your Cheer Coach Membership.
Choose your membership and follow the online prompts to complete your registration.
If you are attending a Varsity Spirit camp lasting two or more days, you will receive a code via email prior to attending camp to complete your free membership.
- Dance Coach Membership – if you are a Dance Coach only, use this option.
- Professional Membership
If you are a current or former USA Cheer member please click HERE to login and renew your membership.
We recommend getting your USA Cheer membership two weeks before your event, as the background check may take up to that long. If you arrive at the event without your membership, you will not be allowed in the warmup, backstage or coaches’ box areas.
Unfortunately, USA Cheer cannot accept a background check from another organization. Currently, there is significant duplication of efforts regarding background checks required by schools, churches, youth sports and employers in part because organizations are not permitted to share applicant’s background check reports with each other. In addition, different organizations use different criteria for their background checks. For example, your school would not accept your background check done through USA Cheer. USA Cheer membership standardizes the process for all USA Cheer members.
This background check is included with the Professional, Cheer Coach, and Dance membership so is no additional cost to the member.
If you have questions or issues regarding the membership process, contact USA Cheer’s Membership Director, Jessica Chatto, at jchatto@usacheer.org.
If you have questions regarding Varsity Spirit competitions, including registrations and requirements, please reach out to your local Varsity Spirit State Director.
Background Check Information
It is the policy of USA Cheer that all USA Cheer Professional members, Coach members, and STUNT Official members must complete a background check every year. Further, all coaches and anyone who works regularly with youth athletes should receive a primary screening from the hiring organization in addition to this secondary background screening.
Primary Screening
It is the responsibility of the hiring organization to utilize a selection process that includes screening for any behavior or history that would warrant prohibiting someone from working with youth. Such screening should include an application, information and reference check, interviews, a criminal background check, and comparing the information to any organizational disqualifiers (see NAYS: Background Screening in Youth Sports).
Secondary Background Screening
To obtain a USA Cheer Professional, Coach level membership (Cheer Coach and STUNT Coach), or Dance Membership, an applicant must successfully pass a criminal background check. Background screening is one step to help ensure a positive and safe environment. It is important to note that background screening is a snapshot in time of recorded and reported criminal behavior or potential criminal behavior. A successful background screening should never warrant relaxing protocols for preventing abuse as outlined in the free USA Cheer Athlete Protection Course and the Athlete Protection Course for Athletes.
This secondary screening, which is done during the membership application and eligibility process with USA Cheer, serves to establish criteria that would disqualify from membership those persons who have something in their background that would preclude them from working with children. The USA Cheer screening is consistent with the standards used by similar youth serving organizations, sport organizations and governing bodies.