Dear Coaches: Judging Stunts

Dear Coaches,

Now that major competition season is in full swing we felt it’s a good time to address how stunts are scored. First we’ll go over questions to ask yourself about increasing your stunt score in general, then we’ll add some observations specific for Cheersport, JAM Brands, and Varsity Brands. In general the things that will impact your stunt score are:

• Entry & Transitions – Does your stunt sequence have a creative, visual, or difficult entry. Does your entry include a flip or twist to a loading position, prep level, or to the top? What do you do between stunts and/or body positions? Do you flip, twist, tic-toc, or something else creative? Do you flip, twist, AND tic-toc or do you twist repeatedly?
• Dismounts – Do you pop down, double take down, straight cradle, full down, double down, or flip down?
• Number of Bases Used & Number of Stunts – Do you use front spots, the standard 4 person stunt groups, or have you graduated to 3 person stunt groups? Do you put up as many stunts as your team size allows or do you have some people not participating in the stunt sequence?
• Synchronization & Timing – Do your stunts go together or are your ripples crisp? Do you effectively use both synchronized and rippled elements?
• Technique – How solid are your stunts and body positions? Are your bases tap dancing around the mat? Do your flyers have balance checks or miss body positions because they don’t feel stable? Do your stunts look easy when everyone knows they are not?
• Variety – Do your stunt sequences have variety? Do you flip in, tic-toc and twist down or do you twist in, transition with a twist, and twist down? Do you show multiple stunts and/or body positions or is everything a stretch? Do you do stunts in sync and use ripples.
• Execution & Deductions – Did you stunts hit and did they look easy? Did your stunts have controlled falls or did you have to pick people up off the mat?

Cheersport

Cheersport allows all levels to earn perfect scores. Cheersport is not as specific as Jammy or the Varsity Brands, but clearly points out you need to perform skills that are not allowed in the level below the one you are competing in, i.e., Level 4 teams must perform skills that are not allowed in Level 3. Your range will be determined by the percentage of groups performing level appropriate skills and where you fall within the range will be dependent on the items listed above. Cheersport has the point deduction judge deduct 2 points for Stunt Bobbles (balance checks, dropping a leg in a stunt, and incomplete twists) deduct 5 points for Stunt Falls (top person falling out of a stunt, but being caught by the bases or a base falling to the ground when catching the top person) and 6 points for Stunt Majors (the top person hitting the ground or 2 bases hitting the ground when catching the top person).

• All Levels
  • 5-10 Points – Less than 1/3 (0% – 32%) of team performed the minimum skills allowed within the level
  • 10-15 Points – 1/3 – 2/3 (33% – 66%) of team performed the minimum skills allowed within the level
  • 15-20 Points – More than 2/3 (67% – 100%) of team performed the minimum skills allowed within the level

JAM Brands

The JAM Score breaks the total into 4 elements, Difficulty, Load Ins, Dismounts, & Release Moves, Technique, and Quantity. The Difficulty, Load Ins, Dismounts, & Release Moves, and Technique portions are pretty clearly defined below. The Quantity score is based on have 4 person stunt groups to get a 9.5 (out of 10) and fewer people per stunt group to score a 10. Jammy also uses the a deduction judge to deduct for Stunt Bobbles (dropping a leg out of a stunt or saving a stunt), Stunt Falls (missing a stunt and catching the top person in a cradle), and Stunt Falls to the Floor (the top person or a base hitting the floor).

Difficulty

• Level 1
  • 4-5 Points – Any two-legged stunt below prep level
  • 5-6 Points – Any one-legged stunt below prep level/any two legged stunt at prep level (Multiple body positions will increase your score within range)
• Level 2
  • 6-7 Points – Two-legged extended stunt and/or one-legged stunt at prep level (Multiple body positions will increase your score within range)
• Levels 3-5
  • 7-8 Points – Extended one legged one body position stunts, not in a combination
  • 8-9 Points – Combination of one legged extended stunts with 2 body positions and/or assisted single base extended stunts
  • 9-10 Points – Combination of one-legged extended stunts with 3 or more body positions or Non-Assisted single base extended stunt

Load Ins, Dismounts, & Release Moves

• Level 1
  • 5-6 Points – 1/4 twisting mount or transition, straight cradle from 2-legged prep level stunt, inversion before a stunt sequence, or other creative or unique load in, dismount or transition
• Level 2
  • 6-7 Points – 1/2 twisting mount or transition, Straight cradle from 1-legged prep level stunt, Inversion into a stunt, Log/barrel roll, Other creative or unique load in, dismount or transition
• Level 3
  • 7-8 Points – Single twisiting mount or transition, 1/2 up to extended single-leg stunt, Single twisiting cradle from 2-legged stunt, Shoulder level or below inversion, Straight cradle from extended single leg stunt, Prep level or below downward inversion, Other creative or unique load in, dismount or transition
• Level 4
  • 8-9 Points – 1 twisting mount or transition landing at extended level, Release move at extended arm level, Extended inverted stunt, Prep level or below downward inversion, Extended level tic-toc, Double twist cradle from a 2-legged stunt, Single twist from a 1-legged stunt, Other creative or unique load in, dismount or transition
• Level 5
  • 9-10 Points – 1+ twisting mount or transition landing at extended level, Release move above extended arm level, Prep level and above downward inversion, Helicopter release move, Double twisting mount landing at extended level, Double twisting cradle from extended 1 legged-stunt, Other creative or unique load in, dismount or transition

Technique

• All Levels
  • 5-6 Points – Little or no flyer body control, Shaky or non-steady bases, Poor Flexibility
  • 6-7 Points – Poor flyer body control, Poor flyer motion position, Below Average flexibility
  • 7-8 Points – Average flyer body control, Average flyer motion position, Average flexibility
  • 8-9 Points – Consistent flyer body control, Good flyer motion position, Good flexibility
  • 9-10 Points – Excellent flyer, body control, Excellent flyer motion position, Excellent flexibility

Quantity

• All Levels
  • 1-10 Points

Varsity Brands

The Varsity Standard of Scoring breaks the total stunt score into Difficulty and Execution. Bobble are taken into account in the Execution score and Mistakes (dropping a stunt to a cradle or pop down) and Falls (top person or multiple bases land on the ground) are the responsibility of the deduction judge.

Difficulty

• Level 1
  • 3-4 Points – Extension Preps OR One Leg Variations below Prep Level
• Level 2
  • 4-5 Points – Extensions OR One Leg Variations at Prep Level
• Level 3
  • 5-6 Points – Extended One Leg Stunts AND Full Twist from Two Leg Stunt
• Level 4
  • 5-6 Points – Advanced Skills AND Single Twist from One Leg Stunt
  • 6-7 Points – Elite Skills AND Single Twist from One Leg Stunt
• Level 5
  • 7-8 Points – Advanced Skills AND Double Twist from One Leg Stunt
  • 8-9 Points – Elite Skills AND Double Twist from One Leg Stunt

Execution

• All Levels
  • 0-1 Point

We aren’t sure what will be covered next, but some of the ideas here can be applied to any section of a routine.

Sincerely,

Andre