It’s been a tough season with a light, active roster. But the young team is working hard at mastering advanced stunning skills!
The Acalanes Women’s Varsity Competitive Sport Cheer Team hosts DAL League hosts Tournament Day, Thursday 3/28/29. AHS plays 5pm vs Clayton + 7pm vs Alhambra.
Despite early stumbles, the team’s positive spirit and infectious smiles haven’t gone unnoticed. Acalanes’ first point of the season (Game 3 vs Clayton) resulted in a huge roar from the stands and Ugly Eagles Bench. Even with missing players and unable to participate in certain rounds entirely, the Dons still managed to win 2 points against Clayton — the dominant team with seasoned, All-Star cheer gymnasts. Post game, Clayton parents and coaching complimented the team for sticking difficult stunts and their wonderful attitude.
WHAT IS CSC?
Competitive Sport Cheer (CSC) is a newer California Interscholastic Federation Women’s Varsity Spring Sport that focuses on the athletic and stunt skill components of cheerleading. It was approved in California as an official high school sport in 2015 and was launched in our school district in Spring 2018 season.
Games are hosted tournament style with multiple games in a hosting window. A CSC tournament day features different high schools competing every hour. Every hour two teams compete head-to-head in categories such as partner stunts, jumps & tumbling, and pyramids! They’re judged by completion and execution of pre-choreographed plays designed at the national level. The floor official runs the game. Panel judges sit high up in the stands at half-court, scoring team execution; for tie and close situations, they rely on video replay. For 2019 Spring season, there are 4 games per tournament day with each team competing twice during the day.
CSC NCAA Consideration
Sport Cheer is known as STUNT at the collegiate level and was recently resubmitted to the NCAA for emerging sport status. Just this week, it was announced STUNT made the next round of vetting with the NCAA. Over 40 college teams have STUNT teams, with 10+ officially launching league participation in 2020 and another 15+ schools declaring intent. With majority of competition cheer coaches specializing in Sideline Cheer or Traditional Competitive Cheer (think ESPN2 or every movie that has cheer competition teams battling it out), this newer CIF sport is finally revving up across the region. In the near future, our Sport Cheer athletes may have their own NCAA sport!
With majority of competition cheer coaches specializing in Sideline Cheer or Traditional Competitive Cheer (think ESPN2 or every movie that has cheer competition teams battling it out), this newer CIF sport is finally revving up in the region. Just this week, it was announced STUNT made the next round of vetting with the NCAA. Over 40 collegiate teams have active STUNT teams, with 10+ officially launching league participation in 2020 and another 15+ schools showing intent.
Why move away from Traditional Competitive Cheer to CSC?
Cost and travel time. Some schools will continue with TCC, but team members are more likely to be year-round all-star cheerleaders on club teams.
CSC is a solid solution that utilizes existing training and training equipment overlapping from the Sideline Cheer season. Other major investments include additional regulation safety mats, membership to the national sport, re-usable uniforms. Initial investments include any additional tumbling mats (11 minimum are required for regulation play), open gym time (bigger sports are often given priority), home & away regulation jerseys (volleyball uniforms are typical), STUNT membership for current training videos. To utilize resources and traveling costs, AHS CSC teams with Boosters and the other Cheer Program teams for any shared needs. The reward for hosting? The hosting school gets the DAL-sanctioned required admissions gate and concessions money for their teams. Schools in the league work together to streamline costs; designated campuses are tasked with hosting several sets of games per tournament day.