I am not an official, just an observer/player parent, but I can't seem to get an answer to this q. In a game following the High School federation rules, may cheerleaders stand along the sidelines right beside the inbounds line and actually do cheers, kicks, dances, etc., during the time the ball is actually live or during foul shots? I had always been taught they could not--- could only do that during timeouts--- but after a recent game where a team did this continuously to distract opposition I was told by the ref there is no such rule, and that the only standard he has to apply is whether he subjectively thinks that its affecting play. I have a hard time believing this, since it really means there is no rule at all. Can anyone tell me what the rule is, and give the the exact Rule number? Thanks a lot!

You aren't gonna like this, but the official was right. There is <b>no</b> rule that prohibits the cheerleaders from cheering during the game unless they actually interfered in the game, in the official's opinion.

Only problem I have is if they cheer while the opponent shoots free throws. O-yea, and if they're in my way.

To Jurassic-- you clearly know the rules better than I, but in your view does this also apply to cheerleader conduct right along (by which I mean, touching the) inbounds line? There's no distance back from the line that cheerleaders have to stay while cheering and dancing? I'm fairly sure that if a bunch of fans had decided to simply come down from the stands and stand along the inbounds line and jump up and down during play, the officials would have had something to say about it....

Actually, such a rule does exist. It just isn't written in the NFHS Basketball Rule Book. It's written in the NFHS Spirit Guide, which are rules that the cheerleaders are supposed to adhere to whenever performing at any NFHS game.

2-1-7
Stunts shall not be performed during a basketball or volleyball game when the ball is in play, including free throws.

2-1-11
Cheerleaders must not stand behind the free throw line extended.

Your state may also have restrictions with regard to cheerleaders. For example, in NC, the NCHSAA Handbook states:

CHEERLEADERS: Cheerleaders must remain seated during all live balls, which includes after the free throw shooter is handed the ball. Cheerleaders may not come onto the floor during 30-second timeouts.

Sooner or later, someone is going to be severely injured as a result of cheerleaders standing during a game. Then, the proverbial manure will hit the fan.

Why? Haven't you had a game where you constantly hear;

"R-E, R-E-B, R-E-B-O-U-N-D, Rebound, (clap, clap), Rebound"

OR

"M-I-S, S-I-T, Miss It, (pause), Miss It"

I hate those cheers now.

I think it would have to be something really unusual or profane for me to stop cheerleaders during any action.

Now, I was told of an official that stopped fans from using "thunder sticks" (those inflatable sticks you bang together" becuase he considered them artifical noise makers.


[Edited by LarryS on Feb 9th, 2005 at 11:20 AM]

I beleive that it's Florida that doesn't allow cheerleaders to cheer when the opponents are shooting FTs.

Artificial noisemakers, (thunder sticks, megaphones, cow bells, plastic bottles with pennies, etc.) are not allowed under NFHS rules.

Fans aren't cheerleaders. It's kinda expected that cheerleaders are gonna inhabit the end lines. As long as we judge that they're not interfering with the actual game in any way, then they can go ahead and cheer their little brains out. It's just a part of the game, and it's been a part of the game forever.

It's part of the game in certain areas. In other areas, it's not. :)

To BktBallRef (or anyone else): I don't want to get hypertechnical about this thing, but in these NFHS Spirit Rules, is "stunts" defined? For example, does that word mean only pyramids and things like that, or stuff like jumping up and down with pompoms, doing group dance moves and kicks, and so on?

Before you get too wound up in this, don't forget that the officials in your game may have never heard of "spirit" rules. We enforce only what is in the NFHS basketball rule book. The NFHS basketball rules say that we leave the cheerleaders alone if we feel that they aren't interfering in the game. If we feel that they <b>are</b> interfering in the game, then we say "don't do that". Let somebody else worry about their spirit rules. Take away their pom-poms or sumthin'. That's not our job.

These cheerleaders must have really ticked you off :D

I could understand if they did...my daughter is one.

Around here (North Texas), only thing I have seen officials say to cheerleaders is to stay out of the way when the action gets near them.

Have seen one ran over...but it was an accident...I swear...luckily her two squad mates didn't fall on her when she slid into them.

What about a harmonica or blowing into a jug? I also think swinging the straps from your overalls is also annoying.

The rules governing cheerleaders are not in the Basketball Rule Book because officials shouldn't be the ones enforcing the rules. Game management should be taking care of the issue.

Jeremy, I don't know how they define stunts." But to me, kicking and jumping are "stunts."

All I know is that I alomost killed one two years ago. I was headed back up the floor after a missed FT and she was where she wasn't suppose to have been. :(

Hey BktBallRef, can we go over this one more time how you got this book!!!???!! :D:D LOL

In a blowout game its often fun to see if you can mess their cheers up by standing right where they move their arms for their cheer. That and its always fun to step on them when backing up. :/

Sure we can. I don't have the guide. They have one at the rec center were I occasionally help out at and I looked specifically for the rule and found it. But the quotes came from a thread on the NFHS board, where a cheer coach posted who has the book. Here's a link to the thread, just for you.

http://www.nfhs.org/scriptcontent/va...;f=11;t=000581

I'm just giving you a hard time!!!! :)

Mmmmm,
 

J Moon wrote:

" . . . down with pompoms,"

The word actually is pompons.

Tee

I just about got one last night.... I was in full sprint in transition from trail to lead after a steal leading to a fast break. She was standing right on the sideline & I just caught a glimpse of her in my peripheral vision and managed to dodge around her at the last second - missed her by maybe 1/4 inch. As soon as I could, I talked with the head cheerleader and asked her to please keep her squad at least one foot behind the sideline at all times when the ball was in play.

There is no considering here, they ARE artificial noise makers. They don't make noise on their own, you need to smack them together to make noise and artificial noise makers are prohibited.

I realize that. That's why I got you back! :D

Just making sure....

Re: Mmmmm,
 

Not that anyone in their right mind would actually ever give a sh*t( :D ), but aren't the two words interchangeable?

I've never seen the 'spirit' book either. But, in Alabama, the rules, as we've been told by our association president, stipulate that cheerleaders must remain in the bleachers during all live ball situations and 30 second timeouts.

If they are on the bottom row of bleachers, they must remained seated during live balls. If they are in the second row and up, they are allowed to stand and cheer at any time.

They are allowed to come on the floor during full timeouts and in between quarters.

There are a few squads around here that will send a couple of their members to the floor (end of bleachers, well out of the way of the court) when their team is shooting free throws. If they make the free throws, they will do a jump or something. As long as they stay out of our way, most of our officials won't say anything.

Our feeling is, if they want us to enforce it, they should either give us the spirit book or put it in the NFHS rule book.

I accidentally hit a cheerleader once.
 

I was the trail when A1 was dribbling the ball in his backcourt near the division line. B1 stole the ball. I transitioned back to lead and ran to the endline, with B1 who now has the ball. A1 ran back on defense and fouled him. I was near the endline when up goes the fist right into the cheerleaders cheek. And by cheek, I do mean the side of her face. She laughed about it for the next 5/10 minutes.

Does an artifical voice box count as illegal? :D

Only if the person using said voice box is wearing the number "00."

You're not from NY, are you Chris? ;)

Re: I accidentally hit a cheerleader once.
 

I hit a cheerleaders cheek once and I don't mean the one on her face. I was standing there watching the pregame warmups when I put my leg behind me to stretch my quad. It just so happen that a chearleader was standing directly behind me with her back to me. I stuck my foot right up her backside! Needless to say she was embaressed and I decided it was a good time to quit stretching!

As others have said the restriction on being along the endline is NOT a NFHS BASKETBALL rule and therefore is not enforced in my area during the season. However, the following appears in the State Tournament packet:

* As per the NFHS Spirit Rules Book, spirit groups shall NOT perform in the free-throw lane extended (through the baseline) during live action. All gyms should have a specific area designated which does not interfere with participants.

* As per the NFHS Basketball Rules Book, spirit groups shall NOT take the court during 30-second timeouts.



The 30-second timeout prohibition is an NFHS rule and should be enforced during all games.

Lastly, since it was also mentioned in this thread this is part of the State packet too:
NO ARTIFICIAL NOISE MAKERS OF ANY KIND (including, but not limited to, thundersticks, airhorns, whistles, sirens, etc.) will be permitted at NIAA games (including regular-season contests). Balloons or other objects that impair spectator vision will also NOT be permitted at the games. Positive signs that recognize your own school and do not impair spectator viewing will be allowed. Schools must remove all signs at the conclusion of the game. Tournament / Game officials will always have the final say.

(Not disagreeing here...just playing devil's advocate)

If the noise makers are artificial, how to they make noise. What's a non-artificial noise maker? Is a shoe an artificial noise maker when it is stomped on the gound? Your vocal cords don't make noise on their own either. You need to put air through them to force them to make noise.

This happened to me last year. Transition from trail to lead on steal, saw her out of the corner of my eye as I head to the endline. I'm a big guy, 6'5", 220 lbs., and fortunately, she wasn't injured (I managed to semi-catch her before she fell). Let me just say that all of the cheerleaders stayed out of my way the rest of game. I had already moved them back earlier in the game.

Never been to NY. St. Louis MO by way of Houston TX. I've lived in 5 states and have come to realize that people play the harmonica and wear overalls in every state. We're all part Hillbilly. Yes, that includes All Ya'll.

Cheerleaders should go out for a "REAL" sport!

Their athletic talents should not be wasted with primping in front of the mirror....practicing their "whatever" they do in hallways/cafeterias prior to games causing a log jam at the gym entrance....and just "getting in the way" during the game :confused: oblivious to what's happening on the court.

Sorry to those parents who have kids aspiring to be "popular" and developing their "self esteem" :rolleyes: in this type of activity.

Probably a Technical Foul on me for being "unsportsmanlike".

wl