USASF 2011-13 Rules – Level 3 Changes

The USASF recently released the rules that will be used during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. Spirit Post decided to list every change and give some insight into the impact each change will have. This article discusses the changes made to Level 3.

General Tumbling A

All tumbling must originate from and land on the performing surface. Exception: Tumbler may (without hip-over-head rotation) rebound from his/her feet into a stunt transition. Rebounding to a prone position in a stunt is allowed.

Example: Round off handspring and then a bump or contact from a base or bracer straight into a back flip would break this rule for levels 1-5. A clear separation from the tumbling to the stunt is needed to make this legal. Catching the rebound and then dipping to create the throw for the rotation is legal. This would also be true if coming from just a standing back handspring without the round off.

This rule change should have little impact because the actual rule didn’t change, but the example was added to further point out there needs to be a clear separation between tumbling and stunting, unless going into a stunt transition without head over hip rotation.

General Tumbling D

Assisted or connected tumbling is not allowed.

Clarification: Double cartwheels and double forward rolls are allowed because they will be interpreted as stunts, not assisted tumbling. CLARIFICATION: The USASF Rules no longer restrict assisted tumbling. However, assisted tumbling may negatively affect your score at the Event Producer’s discretion. For Legality Judges, when an athlete supports another athlete above the performing surface, it is considered a stunt and ruled according to the appropriate level stunt rules.

Example: If an athlete in L3 receives a spot on a back handspring, this would be considered legal under L3 Stunt – Inversions. Change to illegal example – if coming out of a round off-this would break letter A.

Example 2: In L5 if 6 athletes did standing fulls, and 3 of them were spotted by other athletes, the judges should score only the 3 standing fulls and really give bad scores for 3 really bad inverted stunt.

This rule change should have some impact in Level 3. I don’t think this was done to encourage spotted back handsprings, tucks, and fulls, but instead to allow more stunt entries, transitions, and set outs, including some chorus line flip variations.

General Tumbling F

Jumps are not considered a tumbling skill from a legalities point of view. Therefore, if a jump skill is included in a tumbling pass, the jump will break up the pass.

Example: If an athlete in L3 were to do a round off – toe touch – back handspring-back tuck, this would be considered illegal since a back tuck is not allowed in Standing Tumbling for L3.

This rule will have some impact in Level 3. The example given explains it pretty well.

Standing Tumbling A

Flips are not allowed. Clarification: Jumps connected to 3⁄4 front flips are also not allowed.

This rule will have some impact in Level 3. The way to define running tumbling versus standing tumbling was once the direction the person was moving when they started, forward being running and backward being standing, leaving a hole in the rules for jumps to front flips in Level 3. This rule closes that hole by clearly banning jumps to front tucks in Level 3.

Running Tumbling A

Flips:

1. Back Flips may ONLY be performed in tuck position only from a round off or round off back handspring(s). Exception: Aerial cartwheels, running tuck fronts, and 3⁄4 front flips are allowed. The following tumbling skills are examples of skills not allowed: X-outs, layouts, layout step outs, whips, pikes, aerial walkovers, and arabians.

Clarification: A front handspring (or any other tumbling skill) into a front tuck is illegal.

2. Other skills with hand support prior to the round off or round off back handspring are allowed. Example: Front handsprings and front walkover through to round off back handspring back tucks are legal.

3. Cartwheel tucked flips are not allowed.

This rule should have little impact. Part 1 formerly started with “Flips” instead of “Back Flips” and Parts 2 and 3 remain the same.

Stunts F

No stunt, pyramid, or individual may move over or under another separate stunt, pyramid or individual.

Example: shoulder sits walking under prep.

Exception: An individual may jump over another individual.

This rule change should have little impact on Level 3. It clarifies the only time a stunt, pyramid, or individual may pass over a separate stunt, pyramid, or individual is if an individual jumps over another individual. An individual may not push off the individual they are jumping over as they would if playing leap frog.

Stunts J – L3 Stunts-Release Moves

1. Release moves are allowed but must not pass above extended arm level. Exception: Cradles are allowed.

2. Release moves may not land in an prone or inverted position. Releasing from inverted to non-inverted is not allowed.

3. Release moves must start below prep level and must be caught at prep level or below. Release moves may not pass above extended arm level.

4. Release moves are restricted to a single skill/trick.

5. Release moves must return to original bases.

Clarification: An individual may not land on the performing surface without assistance.

6. Helicopters are not allowed.

7. A single full twisting log/barrel roll is allowed as long as it starts and ends in a cradle position.

Clarification: The log roll may not be assisted by another top person.

Clarification: Log/Barrel roll must return to original bases and may not include any skill other than the twist. (example: no kick full twists)

8. Release moves may not intentionally travel.

9. Release moves may not pass over, under or through other stunts, pyramids or individuals.

This rule should have a significant impact. It makes switch and ball ups to prep level legal, but does not make prep level tick tocks legal. It also makes release moves to prone position legal.

Stunts K – L3 Stunts-Inversion

1. No inverted stunts above shoulder level. The connection and support of the top person with the base(s) must be at shoulder level or below.

Exception: Multi base suspended forward roll dismounts to a cradle or the performing surface are allowed. Multi base suspended forward rolls must be supported by two hands. Both hands of the top person must be connected to a separate hand of the base(s).

2. Inversions are limited to a 1⁄2 twisting rotation. Exception: Multi base suspended forward roll may twist up to a full twisting rotation.

3. Downward inversions are only allowed below prep level and must be assisted by at least two bases positioned at the waist to shoulder region to protect the head and shoulder area. Top person must maintain contact with an original base.

Clarification 1: The stunt may not pass through prep level and then become inverted below prep level (the momentum of the top person coming down is the primary safety concern).

Clarification 2: Catchers must physically catch the top person at the waist to shoulder region to protect the head and shoulder area.

This rule should have little impact. It prevents twisting inversion of more than 180 degrees, with the exception of full twisting suspended forward rolls. This rule also makes spotting standing fulls illegal in Level 3.

Pyramids E – L3 Pyramids-Release Moves

Clarification: Anytime a top person is released by the bases during a pyramid transition and does not adhere to the following four rules, the top person must land in a cradle or dismount to the performing surface and must follow the L3 dismount rules.

1. During a pyramid transition, a top person may pass above 2 persons high while in direct physical contact with at least two persons at prep level or below.

Clarification: Level 3 Pyramid Release Moves may now incorporate release moves that maintain contact with one other top person provided the Release move meet the criteria established under Stunt Release Moves. L3 Pyramid Release moves, must maintain contact with two other top persons if the release move begins at prep level or above, passes above extended arm level, includes more than one skill, or is caught in an extended position.

2. Top person must remain in direct arm-to-arm contact with at least two different top persons at prep level or below.

Clarification 1: Being braced on one side with both arms and the other side by hand-foot connection is NOT allowed.

Clarification 2: If top person is braced on each side with arm-to-arm connection and a third bracer with hand-foot connection, the skill would be legal.

3. These release transitions may not involve changing bases.

4. These transitions must be caught by at least 2 catchers.

a. Both catchers must be stationary.

b. Both catchers must maintain visual contact with the top person throughout the entire transition.

This rule will have little impact other than what is cause by release moves being allowed in Level 3. The only changes to this rule are the clarifications, which limit pyramid release moves to what is listed here and in stunt release moves. It also clearly states any release move allowed under stunts can also be performed with 1 brace.

Dismounts A

Cradles from single based stunts must have a separate spotter with at least one hand/arm supporting the waist to shoulder region to protect the head and shoulder area through the cradle.

This rule should have little impact because it just further defines the region the spotter must catch when cradling.

Dismounts B

Cradles from multi-based stunts must have two catchers and a separate spotter with at least one hand/arm supporting the waist to shoulder region to protect the head and shoulder area through the cradle.

This rule should have little impact because it just further defines the region the spotter must catch when cradling.

Dismounts C

Dismounts to the performing surface from stunts and pyramids must be assisted by an original base. Bases may not intentionally pop, move or toss an athlete to the performance surface. Straight drops or small hop offs, with no additional skills, from waist level or below are the only dismounts allowed to the performing surface that do not require assistance.

Clarification: An individual may not land on the performing surface from above waist level without assistance.

This rule change should have a significant impact. Teams were often called for not assisting the top person to the ground after doing a smoosh down from a stunt, but letting the top person go after getting them to the smoosh. It seemed this was done so the bases could get to their next spot quicker, but was called because the top wasn’t assisted to the ground. Teams were also often called on this in dances in which they performed a thigh stand and the top person jumped off or they performed a minor lift and let the top person go. This does not allow you to toss a person out of a cradle or allow a top person to take a big jump off a stunt.

Dismounts E

Up to 1-1⁄4 twists are allowed from any two leg stunts. Twisting out of a platform position is not allowed.

This rule will have some impact, but partially depends on the definition of “platform position”. I believe this rule was put in place prevent teams from performing single leg stunt and passing through a two leg stunt as they full down.

Dismounts F

No stunt, pyramid, individual, or, prop may move over or under a dismount, and a dismount may not be thrown over, under, or through stunts, pyramids, individuals, or props.

This rule should have little impact. I haven’t seen many dismounts of this type.

Dismounts H

Any dismount from prep level and above involving a skill/trick (i.e. twist, toe touch) must be caught in a cradle.

This rule should have little impact and is self explanatory.

Tosses G

Top persons in separate tosses may not come in contact with each other.

This rule should have little impact, but will stop high five baskets. This rule does not include the word “intentional” so please space your tosses properly.

Tosses H

Only a single top person is allowed during a toss.

This rule should have little impact and is self explanatory.