USASF Image Policy

USASF LogoHere is the information regarding the USASF Image Policy.

IMAGE POLICY

Judges reserve the right to assess warnings and/or deductions when a team’s choreography, uniform, make up, bows etc. do not meet the standards of ‘appropriate’ as described in this policy.

APPROPRIATE CHOREOGRAPHY

APPROPRIATE CHOREOGRAPHY goes into effect with the 2012-2013 season .

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 swearwords 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.

APPROPRIATE UNIFORM

APPROPRIATE UNIFORM goes into effect with the 2015-2016 season.

General Uniform Guidelines

No risqué, sexually provocative or lingerie looking or inspired uniform or garments allowed. All uniform pieces should adequately cover an athlete and must be secured to eliminate any possible wardrobe malfunction. Appropriate undergarments must be worn.

In addition to the below specific guidelines, athletes must also consider that a combination of uniform pieces may also deem a uniform appropriate or inappropriate.

Uniform Skirts/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” inseam.

Uniform Top Guidelines

Uniform tops may not include an exposed midriff except for Seniors which may have a maximum of 10” between the skirt/short top and the uniform top bottom. Uniform tops must be secured by straps or material over at least one shoulder or around the neck (tube tops are not allowed).

COVER UP GUIDELINES

This requirement begins with the 2012-13 season.

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 or from the warm up area, or on the performance stage.

MAKEUP AND OTHER

MAKE UP AND OTHER goes into effect with the 2012-2013 season, but will not be enforceable by deduction until the 2013-2014 season.

Makeup

Makeup should be uniform and appropriate for both the performance and the age of the athletes. Face/Eyelid Rhinestones are not allowed. False eyelashes are allowed but may not be decorated in rhinestones or additional jewelry.

Bows

Bows should not be excessive in size (acceptable bows are generally no more than 3” in width) 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.

Judges reserve the right to assess warnings and/or deductions when a team’s choreography, uniform, make up, bows etc. do not meet the standards of ‘appropriate’ as described in this policy.

USASF Image Policy


Comments

13 responses to “USASF Image Policy”

  1. I HATE these new rules! But it’s not just me, ALL cheerleaders/dancers dislike all this! We LOVE tumbling and having glitter or rhinestones on our face. We LOVE the way we were before you changed it! We WANT the old cheer style back! Cheer and Tumbling is what we do and we’re not going to let this pass by! We STAND and SHOUT, “BRING US BACK THE REAL CHEERLEADER’S WE ARE!”

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  2. Natalie Avatar
    Natalie

    THIS IS B.S.!!! So many cheerleaders/dancers hate this! WE HAVE A RIGHT to express and wear what we want. Cheer uniforms are apart of expressing your team and showing who it is. Most of the times cheerleaders go to a certain gym JUST because they like their uniforms! WE WANT THINGS BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS!

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  3. I think there should be a cheer walk out if they do not change them back. Level 5 kids work so hard and should be able to show those skills off! The uniforms shouldn’t look like school uniforms! Those uniforms are what make those teams look so great. If you don’t want your team in a flashy uniform buy the more conservative one. Don’t make all teams look the same! Part of this sport is designing that uniform and looking forward to wearing it. Its not fair to make them all conservative just to please some of the people.

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  4. JennaBSN Avatar
    JennaBSN

    Wow! I am a mother of a ten yr old cheer mom and when I started her in All star cheer it tookmtime for me to adjust to the bare midrib & short skirt. Now I look at it as part of a uniform/ costume. The girls are tumbling all over the mats, flying up in the air everything a “modest” uniform would hide would be uncovered at this point anyway. I also must say the gym has the right to tone down the uniforms if they so choose and the parents DON’T have to put their children in cheer if they don’t like it! It’s no different from skin exposed in a leotard or tutu for goodness sakes! It’s sad the world continuously has to change the majority due to the minority complaining. I agree with the people above, Get over it or get out; how comfy are omish dresses going to be when tumbling around! Give the girls their their uniforms back!

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  5. Hannah Avatar
    Hannah

    Okay, first of all nobody likes this rule parents, coaches, and cheerleaders! People are going to quit cheerleading and do something else, which you guys will lose lots of money, because of these rules. Just give us the old uniforms back! That’s all were asking for. Plus, those uniforms are hot and sweating. WE WANT OUR UNIFORMS BACK!!!!

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    1. Several parents, coaches, and cheerleaders are in favor of the uniform changes and image guidelines. Some people will consider leaving cheerleading because of this, but those people were leaving anyway and are using this as an excuse. What will be interesting to see is how many new people will now consider cheerleading because their 5 year old isn’t walking around naked.

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      1. First of all Andre I have been to competitions all over the US and never seen a naked 5 year old anywhere! Second when you get into this sport you know exactly what you will be wearing from head to toe! Third if your gym has skimpy uniforms for 5 year olds take that up with the gym owner! It’s not other gyms or parents problem that there are parents out there who have issues with the uniforms. That’s a personal problem and it sounds like a dictatorship. Designing these uniforms are part of the experience. These kids and parents know exactly what they are getting into when they sign up. If they don’t like the way the girls look join a “Christian” school cheer team. I wish people would stop imposing their beliefs and conservative issues on everyone around them.

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      2. Have you seen some close enough to being naked that other people would call them naked? If so, I believe we have a problem. If not, take a trip to the west coast.
        How many people don’t get in because they don’t like what they’ll be asked to wear head to toe? We don’t know a total, but I know they exist.
        Unfortunately single gyms cannot be regulated without a lawsuit so the entire industry gets regulation. The gyms could have regulated themselves, but they have failed to do so.
        It’s the industry’s issue and the industry addressed it. I could just as easily saw it’s not the industry’s problem that you don’t like the change.
        You’ll still be able to design uniforms, in fact you’ll have more material to work with so it should be a better experience.

        I’m anything but conservative.

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      3. I live on the west coast as a matter of fact. My daughter has been in cheer for 5 years now. I feel like it should be up to the gym owner as to what image they want their gym to have. Honestly if you aren’t comfortable with that gyms uniform find another one there are plenty out there. I can understand watching out for their safety. But a short skirt is hardly a safety issue. Seems to be a moral issue for some. We have people in church telling us what to wear, schools telling us what to wear and now the cheer leading industry. I don’t think the west coast is the only coast you should single out! I’ve been to Florida, Texas and several north of that. I say if you can wear it do so if not get a different uniform you are comfortable with.

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      4. The gym owners can continue to do what they want to do, they’ll just get a deduction for doing it. I attend about 20 events each year, most on the East coast since that’s where I lived until this season. From my point of view the West coast is more of an offender than any other region, especially when it comes to younger kids. There are plenty of sick people out there, http://www.whas11.com/home/Man-charged-with-performing-lewd-acts-at-high-school-cheerleading-competition-115527644.html, let’s not give them motivation.

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  6. Skyler G Avatar
    Skyler G

    im a cheerleader myself an allstar cheerleader at that
    we are on the floor/stage for a total of 2min. and 30sec. we are there to show our skills and our movements. no judge should be looking at a young girl bottom or breast will judging. dont take the rules down because the judges arnt doing their correct jobs. maybe you should be inforcing the judges and not the cheerleaders uniforms. cheerleaders express themselves in their movement and uniforms. so dont come down on us!!! check your judges

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  7. Rachel Avatar
    Rachel

    Its about time. I am a junior in high school and have loved cheering for almost 10 years. The only reason I never did all stars was because of the makeup, uniforms, choreography etc. I am so glad that these rules have been made and that people can focus more on the sport of cheering, which is the routine and talent. NOT the looks. I only wish they had made these rules earlier.

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