USA Cheer has introduced a Youth/Rec Coach Membership to promote safety and education to Youth/Rec coaches. This Youth/Rec Coach Membership is an important part of USA Cheer’s mission to promote safety and safety education for all participants, as well as to grow and develop interest and participation in cheer throughout the United States. The two goals are closely intertwined – we believe that cheerleading is a safe and valuable experience for athletes and that participation in cheerleading will help athletes develop not just physical benefits, but lifelong lessons as well.

Youth/Rec Coach Membership

To qualify for this membership, coaches must complete a background check as well as complete a course that includes sessions in Risk Management, Coaching Youth Athletes, Concussions, Heat Illness Prevention, and Identifying Athlete Maltreatment. Recognizing that cost is often a factor in youth/rec sports, the charge for this training program will be available for an annual cost of just $25 per coach.

Information on the Youth/Rec Coach Membership is available on our website. We will also be sharing on social media to ensure that we reach as many coaches as possible.

USA Cheer Event Recommendation

USA Cheer recommends that all youth/rec cheer coaches acquire a USA Cheer Youth/Rec Coach Membership as soon as they are able to. Further, we recommend that event producers require this membership for at least one coach associated with a program at your events no later than the 2020-21 season. We ask that you begin making announcements and recommendations for the upcoming 2019-20 season and directing customers to our website for more information. Depending on your event schedule and registration timetable, you may want to consider requiring this membership for the 2019-20 season.

How to Acquire Youth/Rec Membership

Depending on which credentials they already have, completion of all course requirements should take no more than 5 hours. The background check will take 2-10 days to be processed and returned. Once their membership is complete, coaches can print or save their membership card or display it on their mobile device to present at your event registration.

USA Cheer is committed to protecting the health of the athletes that participate in cheerleading. We recognize that having better trained and screened coaches at all levels creates a safer environment for all involved. If you have any questions regarding this program, please contact Jim Lord at jlord@usacheer.org.