The coach of any cheerleader competing must be a current member of NDCCA and be fully certified. If stunting in any division above waist high, the cheer coach of an individual/team must be ND STUNT-CERTIFIED.  In order to be permitted access to team rooms and practice area, each coach must be a member of NDCCA, be fully credentialed, and have a wristband. 

All participants must have a completed medical form. A $100 fine will be assessed if all forms are not completed before the stated deadline, prior to the Regional Competition and a $200 fine will be assessed if all forms are not completed before the stated deadline, prior to the State Competition.

Members of all competing divisions must be bona fide cheerleaders.

A team may move up JV cheerleaders onto a competing Varsity team, as long as that JV cheerleader is also cheering that season.  If that JV cheerleader is moved up to compete with Varsity, the cheerleader will be deemed Varsity for the entire competition. For example, if the cheerleader does a Varsity Performance routine the cheerleader then cannot compete in the JV Jump Off.  This also applies to the Middle School division (a cheerleader cannot compete in a Middle School Time Out routine and then compete in a JV Game Day routine, etc.).

Effective with the Fall 2016 Cheer Competition, NDCCA will be following the music rules and guidelines outlined by USA Cheer Federation. For an explanation, go to www.varsity.com/music-guidelines/.   To see these guidelines, go to www. usacheer.net/presssafety/music.  MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THESE GUIDELINES—NDCCA WILL BE FOLLOWING THEM STRICTLY.  For any questions, contact ndccaboard@gmail.com.  

The coach will be required to have proof of purchase for the music they have chosen for their routines. Proof of purchase must be submitted electronically before the stated deadline, prior to the Competition. 

All music should be suitable for ALL audience members. If any judge hears
inappropriate music/words/profanity, the issue will be brought forward to the technical judge panel. A 5-point deduction (cheer/dance and game day) or disqualification (stunt group) will be assessed after review by the tech judge for any inappropriate music during the cheer/dance, game day, and stunt group competitions. 

In the event that the music equipment does not work, the coach can choose one of the following procedures:

The team keeps going, and they complete the performance; if so they will be scored as usual. 

The coach stops the performance at the time of the injury or music malfunction.  The team leaves the mat and will redo their routine either at the end of their division, or 2 teams later.  Once this decision is made, they do not have the choice to use either the 1st or 2nd performed routine—they must take the scores of the 2nd performed routine. 

Interruption of Performance due to Injury

The Safety Judge, coach, athlete or competition official reserves the right to stop a routine due to an obvious injury. In the event that an injury causes the team’s routine to be interrupted during a Battle or State Championship, the team will have at least 30 minutes to regroup before performing their routine again from the beginning.  Any alternate listed on the team's registration form may be used in place of the injured athlete.

Judging will resume from the point at which the injury/interruption occurred as determined by the judges. The routine must be performed full-out from the beginning of the routine. All point deductions accumulated to that point will carry over.

If a team prefers not to re-work the routine, then, at the coach’s discretion, they will take the score they have received up to that point.

If a skill has not been performed a “0” will be given in the category. In the event that an injury causes the team’s routine to be interrupted during State Competition, the judges will determine if there is sufficient time and feasibility for the team to complete their performance. If not, scores will be based on the performance prior to the injury.​

If a team has an alternate(s), the alternate(s) must be listed and paid for on the registration form. However—if an injury occurs between the time the registration is sent in and the day of the competition, the coach must contact the competition director BEFORE the day of the competition, with an explanation given of the injury.

Nails, piercings, jewelry, hair, etc. will be checked for National Federation Rule violations while the team is in line or on deck before all their performance times.

Hair must not be in the face; fully pulled back, and off the shoulders if stunting.

If a cheerleader is removing her jewelry, piercings, or is clipping her nails while in line or on deck, it will be an infraction.

See penalties & deductions values

Regular cheer team uniforms are to be worn during ALL divisions of the competition with the exception of the Stunt-Off division.

If there is a uniform violation, the person/group will not be allowed to compete.

Mascots must be in a complete mascot uniform during the performance and must not remove any portion of their costume.

The only props that will be allowed are megaphones, poms, signs and flags.

Each team may provide spotters for their team.  The spotter may not help or hold stunts in any way.  Spotters may assist for spotting purposes only.

If the spotter does help build the stunt, assist the stunt, or catch the stunt, the team will be deducted 1 point each time the spotter assists. (EXCEPTION: in the stunt group division the group will be disqualified).

Spotters must adhere to all safety rules—including hair, nails, jewelry, etc.

NDCCA does not want to see teams doing stunts that they are not ready to perform.  If your team is not hitting the stunts you are planning to use consistently, make adjustments to perform stunts that they are capable of doing safely.

All routines will be performed on a 42’ x 54’ cheer mat. (9 strips of 6’x 42’)

Each team in the Performance Routine, Game Day, Time-Out, and All-Around Divisions will be assigned a practice time for each division. The time limits will be strictly enforced. There are no scheduled practice times for Top Sideline, Stunt Group or Jump Off divisions. 

Performance Division: 5 minutes on a stretch mat, then rotating to 5 minutes on a full set of mats.

Game Day Division: 3 minutes on a stretch mat, then rotating to 3 minutes on a full set of mats.

Time-Out Division: 2 minutes on a stretch mat, then rotating to 2 minutes on a full set of mats.

All Around Division:  2 minutes on a stretch mat, then rotating to 2 minutes on a full set of mats.

Spiriting on and off the mat is permitted.

For the final performance, your team will be called twice: once when on deck and once as up next, which will be the cue to take their position on the performance mat. The team should be in line before they are on deck, as they have to be safety checked before entering the performance area.

Disqualification will occur if the cheer team is not ready to perform at their assigned performance time, unless there are extenuating circumstances approved by the NDCCA President and/or competition director.

Coaches, other cheer teams, and fans may NOT say the words with the cheer team performing—unless it is to reply to the cheer—for example “give us a B” B, etc. This also includes voiceovers recorded as part of a team's music. A 0.25 point deduction will be assessed to the cheer team performing if this occurs.

For safety reasons, no one, other than the coaches listed on the registration form, may sit in front of the mat while a performance is in progress. Coaches should not sit on the edge of the mat, but rather next to the music source on the sideline.

A team may use the same competition routine in 2 consecutive competitions, provided they are within the same school year. This applies to Performance, Game Day, and Time-Out.

For example, if a team uses a routine in one of the Regional Competitions, they may use the same routine for the State Competition. However, if a team uses a routine in a State Competition, the same routine may not be used for the next year's Battle competitions.

Apart from using one routine within one school year, a routine may not be reused for the following two school years. For example, if a routine is used in the 2024-2025 school year, the next time any part of the routine may be re-used is the 2027-2028 school year.

If the situational chant portion of a Fall Game Day routine is season specific (football), the team is not required to change the chant to reflect the current Winter season (hockey, basketball, etc.).

If an infraction is suspected, the Comp Director must be contacted as soon as the infraction is suspected.

The only people that can challenge a routine is a judge, head coach, or NDCCA Board Member.

If one is reported, previous recordings and current videotape of the competitions will be compared. If found to be the same, the team will be disqualified.

Reusing stunts between consecutive competitions is allowed.

If a team is the only team registered for a specific division, the team has the following options:​

The team can choose to compete in the division by themselves. In order to earn a place, the team must earn at least 65% of that division's scoresheet. Example: If the team achieves 67% of the scoresheet, the team will be awarded champion in that division. If the team achieves 63% of the scoresheet, no award will be given.

The team may choose to not perform at all. In this case, the registration fees will be refunded.

The Class AA Varsity division will be split into small, medium and large categories based on the number of athletes competing in the event. Small Division will be up to 11 athletes; medium division will be 12 - 15 athletes and large division will be 16 to 24 athletes

The Class A/B Division will stay at small and large categories.  Small shall consist of up to 11 athletes and large will be 12 - 24 athletes.

All athletes must be in junior high or high school.  

Athletes may not compete in both All Around and Top Sideline.