Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022

 7:30 a.m. | St. John Arena and French Field House (Click here for Parking Map)

The 31st annual competition is presented by: The Ohio State University Cheerleading Team

COMPETITIONS

• Recreation Teams
• Junior High Teams
• Junior Varsity Teams
• Varsity Teams

*We offer Non-Tumbling/ Non Building/ Building/ Gameday Divisions for Junior High, Junior Varsity, and Varsity Teams

RULES

FOR ALL TEAMS:

• Initial registrations:
  • Entry deadline: Must be postmarked no later than Monday, Dec. 20, 2021. (Your team name will not be on t-shirts after this date)
  • Initial fee is $30.00 per entrant, per division. Payment or Purchase Order (P.O.) must be submitted with the registration form.
  • *Teams competing in a second division (i.e. Small Varsity Division and Gameday Division) will pay $10.00 per entrant for the second division
  • Checks should be made payable to The Ohio State University and sent to this address:

OSU Cheerleading Championship

Fawcett Center 7^th Floor

2400 Olentangy River Road

Columbus, OH  43210-1166

*Waivers and Concussion forms for each athlete participating must be sent in with registration forms and checks prior to the deadlines

• Late fee of $100 will be assessed to all applications postmarked after the deadline of Monday Dec. 20, 2021.
• No registrations will be accepted after January 3, 2022.
• Each Team will be permitted to have 2 coaches along with 1 administrator or bus driver free of charge.
• A non-refundable fee of $150 per team will be assessed to any teams canceling after January 10, 2022

Competition Day:

• Must check-in at least one (1) hour prior to performance time. Performance times will be posted on the official website of The Ohio State University Department of Athletics: ohiostatebuckeyes.com
• Coaches must submit all rosters at the time of check-in. Your team will not be permitted to warm-up or perform without these items. *Waivers and concussion forms for each athlete participating must be sent in with registration forms.
• Due to cancellations, schedule times may be moved up at the discretion of competition organizers (by no more than 30 minutes.)
• The Ohio State Cheerleading Championship organizers reserve the right to add, change, delete or combine divisions for any reason. This includes splitting divisions based on registrations.

Performance area:

• The performance area:
  • Cheer: 54’ wide by 42’ deep carpeted foam mat (13/8” thickness)
• Teams may enter the boundaries from wherever they prefer.

Warmup room:

• Teams will warmup inside the French Field House and will then be escorted to St. John Arena for the competition
• Teams will a have total of 16 minutes for their warmup in the following order/ surfaces
• 8 minutes to warmup on tumble strip
• 8 minutes to warmup on a full floor
• You must have music on an Mp3/ iPod for the warmup room. *There will not be a CD player in the warmup room.
  • Please bring a “dongle” or a “google adaptor” or any necessary adaptor to play your routine music in warmup room

Safety Guidelines:

1. • USA Cheer safety guidelines shall apply.
   • Violations of safety guidelines (or general rules) will result in disqualification. See Disqualification Rules (#7).
   • If unsportsmanlike behavior is observed from anyone (including coaches, athletes, parents and fans), officials reserve the right to assess a 10-point penalty against the associated team or program.
   • Competition officials have the right to stop a performance due to injury.
   • Body or hair glitter is prohibited.

Music:

• Music can be played on CDs or Mp3/iPods on the competition floor.
• You must have music on an Mp3/ iPod for the warmup room. 
• (We will provide Aux cord)
• Teams must have a representative at the music station one group prior to your performance.
• This competition will be following the initiative set by USA CHEER as it relates to the use of original music in routines.  Please visit http://usacheer.net/presssafety/music for further details on this major change as it relates to routine music.  Teams not following the new rules as set by USA CHEER will be disqualified from the competition.

General:

1. • Teams are not permitted to “spirit on” or have an “organized entrance” to the floor. Any team “huddles” should take place in the warmup room.  Teams may setup props prior to their performance then get “set” before the start of their performance.   Timing of the routine will begin with the first movement/ start of music once the team is “set” on the floor.
   • If an interruption occurs due to OSU’s equipment, facilities, etc., you may choose to perform your routine again. However, your routine will be judged on the first performance up to the error and then your team must perform the routine again, from the beginning, and the judging will continue from where the error occurred until the end.
   • If an interruption of the routine occurs due to a team issue (e.g. equipment, injury,) you may continue or withdraw from the competition.
   • Any squad that is disqualified from the competition automatically gives up any rights to awards presented.
   • Any squad that is disqualified will be notified immediately.
   • Rule interpretations will not be done over the phone. In order to receive the official rule interpretation, you must record only the stunts, pyramids, and tumbling in question from the front, side, and back and send via email to osucheerleading@osu.edu.  Please put “Rules Interpretation” as subject.
   • It is the coach’s responsibility to know what division your team will compete in at the competition.
   • All judging and rule interpretations are final.

Disqualifications:

1. • Violations of safety guidelines (or general rules.)
   • Performing knee drops in any division. (Dropping the knees together on the performance surface from a jump, stand, or inverted position).  Hands/feet must touch the ground before the knees may touch the performance floor.
   • Performing dive rolls. A dive roll is when your feet leave the ground before your hands reach the ground.
   • A forward three-quarter-flip to the seat or knees.
   • Absent at scheduled performance time.
   • Illegal use of props, equipment, music.

Divisions:

1. • We now have a divisions for youth, junior, and senior recreation teams
   • We have the following divisions for all junior high, junior varsity, and varsity teams:

Routine Rules:

• Will be no longer than two (2) minutes and 30 seconds (2:30) in length (team will lose 10 points from total score if time limit is exceeded, including a 3-second grace period taking into account human start and stop time.)
• Teams are not permitted to “spirit on” or have an “organized entrance” to the floor. Any team “huddles” should take place in the warmup room.  Teams may setup props prior to their performance then get “set” before the start of their performance.   Timing of the routine will begin with the first movement/ start of music (whichever comes first) once the team is “set” on the floor.
• The use of signs, megaphones, flags and pom poms are permitted. No other props may be used.
• Pyramids/stunts may not be performed in Non-Mount
• In Non-Mount division, individuals may not support one another in any type of mount/pyramid/stunt. This includes supporting the weight of another individual where that person’s feet do not touch the ground or is not bearing the majority of their own weight.  Every person must have at least one foot on the performing surface. Teams in Non-Building divisions who do any kind of mount/stunt will be moved to the Building division of their size.
• For school teams, routines need to include at least one (1) cheer. Music length must be at least 45 seconds and not more than one (1) minute and 30 seconds (1:30) during the routine.
• Building teams OSU will provide spotters for mounting teams and will not leave the floor.
• School non-tumbling teams cannot perform any gymnastics where the performer’s feet go above or over the performers head at any time. Forward, backward, and shoulder rolls are permitted in this division.  *Teams in the non-tumbling division will be scored on partner stunts, pyramids, and their cheer.

Gameday Division Information and Rules

•  Single leg stunts are limited to liberties and liberty hitches.
•  No Running Tumbling is allowed.
• Standing Tumbling is limited to one tumbling skill and a back tuck is the most elite tumbling skill allowed.
• Teams will be evaluated on their ability to lead the crowd, proper game day skill incorporations / performance, motion/dance and overall routine.
• The performance will follow this order: Band Dance, situational sideline into Cheer, Fight Song. Collectively the sideline and cheer section will be defined as the “Crowd Leading” portion of the routine.
• The use of crowd leading tools such as signs, poms, flags and/or megaphones is encouraged.
• The incorporation of skills (Stunts and tumbling are allowed in the fight song, sideline and cheer) Stunts and Tumbling are not allowed in the band dance.
• The Band Dance should have an emphasis on crowd appeal and practicality – No stunts or tumbling permitted however jumps and kicks will be allowed.
• Following completion of the band dance, the announcer with give squads a game scenario indicating an offense or defense situation. Teams should show their definitive understanding of the situation with an offense of defense crowd-leading response, which transitions the squad into the crowd leading portion.
• Teams in the Gameday Non-Building Division will not be permitted to build any stunts at any time during the performance. Teams registered in this division that build any stunts will be moved to the “Gameday” division.
• Each section should have a beginning and end. Note: Spirited crowd leading interaction between each section is encouraged to continue the game day feel.
• Traditional game day uniform is required.
• Total Time is limited to 3 minutes.
• Additional Skill Restrictions
• No Tosses (basket, sponge or elevator) are allowed.
• No Inversions are allowed.
• No Twisting Dismounts are allowed.
• Single leg stunts are limited to liberties and liberty hitches.
• No Running Tumbling is allowed.
• Standing Tumbling is limited to one tumbling skill and a back tuck is the most elite tumbling skill allowed.

Score Sheets

• Score sheets for each division will be online at ohiostatebuckeyes.com/camps/cheerleading-competition.html.
• Skills performed during the cheer will not count / be scored on “non-cheer” score sheets.
  • i.e. If you only perform jumps during your cheer you would receive a 0 on the overall score sheet if not performed during the music section.

QUESTIONS:  Please contact Head Coach Ben Schreiber at OSUCheerleading@osu.edu

* Coach Schreiber will be away with the OSU team at the College National Championships Jan 11-21, 2022