APPENDIX J - ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
APPENDIX J - ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
Coaches must be discretionary with minor athletes to meet age appropriateness .
CHEER TEAMS
Judges reserve the right to assess warnings and / or deductions when a team ’ s overall presentation does not meet the standards of appropriate as described in this policy . Overall presentation includes , but is not limited to choreography , uniform , make up , hair , and bows .
COVER-UP GUIDELINES
Athletes with non-full top uniforms must wear a t-shirt or other suitable cover-up over their uniforms unless they are : in the warm-up area ; traveling as a group directly to and from the warm-up area ; or on the performance stage when performing or during award ceremonies .
APPROPRIATE CHOREOGRAPHY
All facets of a performance / routine , including both choreography and music selection , should be appropriate and suitable for family viewing and listening .
Examples of inappropriate choreography may include , but are not limited to , movements such as hip thrusting and inappropriate touching , gestures , hand / arm movements and signals , slapping , positioning of body parts and positioning to one another . Music or words unsuitable for family listening , which includes , but is not limited to swear words and connotations of any type of sexual act or behavior , drugs , explicit mention of specific parts of the body torso , and / or violent acts or behavior are other examples of inappropriate choreography . Removing improper language or words from a song and replacing with sound effects or other words may still constitute inappropriate .
Music or movement in which the appropriateness is questionable or with which uncertainty exists should be assumed by the coach to be inappropriate and removed as to not put their team in an unfortunate situation .
MAKEUP
If worn , makeup should be uniform and appropriate for both the performance and the age of the athletes utilizing neutral colors for eyes and skin . Face / eyelid rhinestones are not allowed . False eyelashes are allowed but may not be decorated in rhinestones or additional jewelry .
HAIR
Hair must be secured off of the face with a simple and unexaggerated style that is adaptable to all diversities .
BOWS
Bows should not be excessive in size and shouldn ’ t be a distraction to the performance . Bows should be worn in a manner to minimize risk for the participants , should be adequately secured and should not fall over the forehead into the participants ’ eyes or block the view of the participant while performing .
APPROPRIATE UNIFORM : GENERAL UNIFORM GUIDELINES
No risqué , sexually provocative or lingerie looking inspired uniform or garments allowed . All uniform pieces should adequately cover athlete and must be secured to eliminate any possible wardrobe malfunction . Appropriate undergarments must be worn .
In addition to the below specific guidelines , coaches must also consider that a combination of uniform pieces may also deem a uniform appropriate or inappropriate . All garments must properly cover the athlete and the athlete ’ s undergarments during the routine .
UNIFORM SKIRT / SHORTS GUIDELINES
When a skirt is worn as part of the uniform , briefs under the skirt are required . The skirt must fully cover the hips . The skirt must completely cover the briefs and must fall at least 1 inch below briefs ( regular and boy cut briefs ). When shorts are worn as part of the uniform , there must be a minimum of a 2-inch inseam .
UNIFORM TOP GUIDELINES
Uniform tops may not include an exposed midriff ( including crop tops ) except when worn by athletes competing in Senior Club Elite Tier and International Senior / Open Tier divisions . Uniform tops must be secured by straps or material over at least one shoulder or around the neck ( tube tops are not permitted ).
NOTE : Competitions that follow IASF guidelines may have additional uniform restrictions for the International Divisions . Please check with the Event Producer directly for further information .
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