Their main goal is to protect the flyer's head and neck from injury. Spotters are additional athletes whose primary responsibility is to watch the stunt and assist the flyer in the case of a fall or accident. Due to the back spot's responsibilities, they are generally the tallest members of the stunt group.Ĭheerleaders from Charlotte High School in Punta Gorda, Florida performing a prep Additionally, the back spot will actively stabilize the stunt, commonly supporting or lifting the flyer's ankles, calves, thighs, or buttocks. Back spots can help save a stunt if it appears to be falling and serve almost as a kickstand for the top girl. They normally organize a stunt by calling out its name and the necessary counts to ensure group synchronization. They are not essential, but some stunts may require the assistance of a back spot, and in typical stunt groups they are included. Back spot: The back spot is also called a "third" and gets their name by standing behind the stunt.Their grips include throwing and catching, but occasionally they will have a more complicated stance. They hold the ball of the foot where the flyer's weight should be. The side base mainly controls the rotation of the foot. The secondary bases help lift the flyer up into the air and support the flyer's foot. Secondary base: This position can also be referred to as "side base".The main base must also be the first to react if the stunt seems to be unstable to keep it up in the air. Their grips tend to be simpler and easier to adjust. In a one-leg extension stunt, the main base will lift the toe and heel of the foot to increase stability and prevent the flyer from tilting forward or backward and will be almost directly under the stunt. Main base: This base is the left side of the stunt and helps with the stability of the flyer's foot.Different levels of stunting come with different styles of grips for the bases. It is crucial that bases stay in the same position when they toss so they are able to catch the flyer safely in a cradle position. The bases are responsible for understanding grips on the flyer's shoes so that the stunt can flow smoothly. Bases are very strong and are usually assigned together based on height to create a level platform for the flyer to perform an action. Įxtension by Ponte Vedra High School cheerleaders Bases īases are the athletes that hold the flyer or top girl in the air during the stunt. The flyer can make or break the stunt since they have control over what is put up in the air. The flyer's main job is to squeeze their muscles together in order for their bases to be able to perform stunts from below them. Flyers are also typically the shortest and smallest members of a team, but any member can act as a flyer depending on their abilities and the needs of the team. Since many of the body positions a flyer can perform require a high level of flexibility, this is a desired trait for the role. The flyer is the athlete who is lifted into the air during a stunt and is on top of the stunt or pyramid. A third athlete, a spotter, will be involved depending upon the skill level of the stunt executed and the rules and regulations for that skill. These tend to be co-ed, but all-girl versions do occur. A "partner stunt" will involve two athletes - a flyer and a main base. Ponte Vedra High School Sharks performing a stunt Athletes involved Ī "group stunt" will typically involve a flyer, two bases (one main and one side), and a back spot, or occasionally include a front spot. Having two flyers on top of two bases is very common in college cheerleading. While high school cheerleading can have teams with high-caliber stunts, collegiate cheerleading tends to focus on the pyramid aspect of stunting. In most situations, club cheer, also known as all-star, do more of a classic type of stunting which is not as common in school cheer. The level of difficulty an organization allows depends on where the teams stunt and practice as well as the type of organization they are a part of (school, club, college, etc). Therefore, some stunts may be permitted in certain divisions but illegal in others due to different stunt rules and regulations. Cheerleading teams are restricted to specific stunt rules based on the guidelines of certain associations, organizations and their designated level. There are two recognized styles of stunting: coed and all-girl. Stunts are classified into seven levels of increasing difficulty. Stunts range from basic two-legged stunts, to one-legged extended stunts, and high-flying basket tosses. Stunting in cheerleading has previously been referred to as building pyramids. In the competitive athletic sport of cheerleading, stunts are defined as building performances that display a team’s skill or dexterity.
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