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NDCCA Competition

Penalties & Deductions

This page outlines the penalties and deductions that may be assessed during NDCCA competitions. Coaches and athletes are responsible for understanding these penalties and how they may affect competition scores.

Stunt Legalities & Clarification Process

With the recent National Federation Spirit Rule changes, including inversions and other rule changes, the following process should be followed if a coach is unsure whether a stunt is legal.

  1. Submit a Band chat to both Haylie Wiberg and Jen Lawson with a video of the stunt you are questioning. All stunt legality questions must be submitted through Band at least one week prior to the competition, whenever possible.

  2. The stunt—as performed in the submitted video—will be reviewed and ruled legal or illegal. If the stunt is ruled illegal, the coach will be informed of the applicable rule in the NFHS Rule Book that the stunt violates.

  3. A list of these rulings and interpretations may be provided to the Technical Judges for that specific competition.

  4. Coaches should understand that if the stunt is not performed exactly as it was shown in the submitted video, it may be ruled differently during competition.

  5. A coach is not required to submit a stunt for clarification. However, coaches are responsible for ensuring that all stunts performed at competition are legal.

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Important: When submitting a stunt for clarification, coaches must identify the competition division in which the stunt will be performed. Division-specific stunt limitations may affect whether a skill is legal.

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Example: A backflip pyramid may be legal in the Performance Division, provided all applicable NFHS rules are followed, but may not be legal in the Time-Out Division because of the stunt limitations for that division.

Penalties & Deductions

The following penalties and deductions may be assessed during NDCCA competitions. Unless otherwise noted, deductions are assessed per instance.

1. Sign and Pom – 0.25 point deduction per instance

  • Tossing signs where the sign flips or spins.

  • Tossing props and hitting another athlete.

2. Coaches/Fans Yelling – 0.25 point deduction per instance

  • Coaches, other cheer teams, and fans may NOT say the words with the cheer team performing unless it is to reply to the cheer.

3. Stunt/Tumbling Limitations – 0.25 point deduction per instance

  • Not following the Game Day and Time-Out Division stunt and tumbling limitations.

4. Athlete Fall – 0.5 point deduction per instance

  • Hands down in tumbling/jumps.

  • Knees down in tumbling/jumps.

  • Multiple body parts touch the floor in tumbling/jumps.

  • Drop to the floor in individual skills (tumbling, jumps, etc.).

5. Building Fall – 1.0 point deduction per instance

  • Cradle, dismount, or bringing down stunt/pyramid early (not timing issues).

  • Base falling to the floor during cradle or dismount.

  • Intentional boundary violation.

  • If a spotter helps build a stunt, assists a stunt, or catches a stunt, the team will be deducted 1 point each time the spotter assists.

6. Safety Violation – 1.0 point deduction per instance

  • Uniform, jewelry, nails, hair, etc. — violation under NFHS guidelines.

7. Major Building Fall – 5.0 point deduction per instance

  • Falls from individual stunt/pyramid/tosses where multiple athletes and/or the flyer fall to the ground.

8. Unsportsmanlike Conduct – 5.0 points and ejection
The following will be used to help define unsportsmanlike conduct:

  • Disrespectfully addressing an official or gesturing in such a manner as to indicate resentment.

  • Using profanity or vulgarity; taunting, baiting, or ridiculing officials or opposing team personnel; or using derogatory marks or personal comments during the competition.

  • Trying to influence or dispute an official's decisions by continuing to argue or excessively expressing themselves with prolonged actions or offensive language.

9. Inappropriate Music – 5.0 points

10. Time Infraction for Timed Events

  • 3–5 seconds over — 0.25 point deduction

  • 6–10 seconds over — 0.5 point deduction

  • 11+ seconds over — 1.0 point deduction

  • Entrance and exit do not count for time unless excessive.

Questions?

If you have questions regarding these rules, penalties, deductions, or stunt legality, please contact the NDCCA Board at ndccaboard@gmail.com or Jen Lawson, NDCCA President, at president@ndccaboard.com.

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