The NCSSE, National Council for Spirit Safety and Education, is a comprehensive source for cheerleading safety education. Coaches of all types of squads–school, all star, youth, rec, college–take part in NCSSE courses. Our mission is to provide comprehensive safety training and certification programs for the educational development of spirit coaches and advisors through an international council of unified industry leaders. The course materials were developed by professionals in the spirit industry and the medical and legal fields. The material is updated regularly as new information emerges.
Four core courses contribute to a comprehensive study of coaching cheerleaders. Each course includes a 3 1/2 to 4 hour discussion of the material followed by a test. Taught in classroom settings, the courses include a lively exchange of ideas and discussions on cheer-related topics with input from the coaches. These face-to-face situations combine education that is formal (NCSSE manuals) and education that is informal (learning from life experiences) as class participants contribute their insights.
The NCSSE courses include Cheer & Dance Coaching Principles and Ethics (legal issues, introduction to safety and risk management, ethics in coaching, injury prevention, heat-related issues and hydration), Program Management and Cheer Fundamentals (further discussions on safety & risk management, methods for running a safe program, nutrition, specific instruction in jumps, motions, and cheer technique), Coaching Stunts & Tumbling I (step-by-step instructions for basic to intermediate stunts and tumbling skills, emphasis on proper progressions, detailed information about the coach’s role in stunting, and the roles of each person in a stunt group), Coaching Stunts & Tumbling II (safety review, detailed instructions for intermediate to advanced stunts and tumbling skills with an emphasis on proper progressions).
Upon successful completion of the test for each course (80% or higher), a certificate is given to the course participant. Coaches under the age of 18 who complete the course work are given a certificate of attendance. For coaches who complete all four courses, an additional Master Level certificate is awarded indicating the completion of 16 hours of coursework.
The NCSSE’s philosophy is “Education–not just certification.” The NCSSE is unique in the sense that coaches are encouraged to take all quality safety education programs. The notion that one or two safety courses is all a coach will ever need is contrary to accepted educational philosophy. Continuing education in the coaching field increases the knowledge base and skill base of a coach; it helps the coach formulate coaching strategies to teach cheerleaders new skills and safer techniques. Continuing education contributes to a coach’s persona as a professional.
The media is still buzzing with the latest on cheer injuries. Let’s focus on prevention. Three important steps in injury prevention are coaches’ training, having an emergency plan, and supervision.
Every report that presents recommendations for injury prevention calls for coaches’ training. Training specifically for coaching cheerleaders is imperative. Taking a variety of quality courses engages your thought processes and enhances your knowledge base. The notion that one or two courses is all a cheer coach needs is not safe. Education is an important key to keeping cheerleaders safe. Education should not be exclusive to coaches’ training but should include CPR, First Aid, and AED training. All of this training should be current.
Having an emergency plan that is posted, practiced and reviewed regularly is another key safety procedure. A recent study at Wake Forest University of Medicine has prompted the NCHSAA to mandate all its member schools to have appropriate Emergency Action Plans in place. Having a solid emergency plan in place is only part of the process. The plan should be practiced regularly. Document your practices and have the cheerleaders verify their roles in the practices. Guidelines for writing an emergency plan can be found on the National Athletic Trainers Association website or you can download an emergency plan from the NCSSE website or the NCSF website.
Proper supervision also plays a role in injury prevention. No activity should take place without the supervision of a coach–no conditioning, no jumping, no activity. Cheerleading and the Law, by Appenzeller, Mueller, and Appenzeller, reports that courts expect supervision will be provided for cheerleading and that the supervision will be “competent.”
Take time this month to review your safety procedures to ensure you are meeting the proper standard of care for your cheerleaders.
The National Council for Spirit Safety and Education (NCSSE) has become the international source for quality education and certification for cheerleading coaches. This recognition has prompted a continuous growth and outreach crossing all borders by certifying over 12,000 coaches in cheerleading safety in just six years. Course manuals are now available in three languages. As a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching coaches of all levels the basics of safety as it relates to the athletic activity of cheerleading, the NCSSE continues to expand its influence internationally by offering safety certification to coaches in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and North America.
As Dr. Fred Mueller’s report, TWENTY-SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT: FALL 1982 – SPRING 2008, indicates, over the past 26 years a number of school cheerleaders have suffered catastrophic injuries or have died as a direct or indirect result of participating in cheerleading. While the spirit industry is working hard to reduce the number of injuries, it should be noted that school cheerleading is a unique athletic activity as it spans three to four seasons during a school year. Typically, cheerleaders are chosen during the spring and tryout the next spring. They practice, perform, and compete ten to twelve months a year. Comparing a ten-month activity injury rate to a three-month activity injury rate places the longer activity at a disadvantage. This is not a denial of the numbers—any catastrophic or serious injury is one too many—but it does alter the perception of the statistics.
The report also suggests guidelines for improving the safety of cheerleading at school. These guidelines are addressed in the NCSSE material.
Cheerleaders should be trained and supervised by a qualified coach who is safety certified. This is the focus of the NCSSE. Four comprehensive courses cover all aspects of coaching—including stunting. From its inception the NCSSE has emphasized the importance of education and strongly encourages coaches to avail themselves of all quality coaching educational opportunities.
Cheerleaders themselves should be exposed to proper training and conditioning and demonstrate mastery of the stunts. Many cheerleaders attend summer camps where they are trained in the appropriate skills, and coaches learn stunting skills at camps, state and national conferences, and through the NCSSE. The NCSSE encourages coaches to include proper conditioning, and, if not knowledgeable about conditioning, find qualified personnel to conduct the conditioning. From the beginning, the NCSSE has included stunting instructions in two of its four manuals and suggests using a Skill Check-off system which allows cheerleaders to prove their mastery of a skill before being allowed to perform it outside of practice.
Coaches should have an emergency plan in place and know to deal with head trauma. The NCSSE coursework addresses devising emergency procedures for every place a squad practices, performs, and competes. The plans should be posted, practiced, and distributed to administrators, parents, and cheerleaders. Attention to head trauma and other serious injuries is also part of the NCSSE educational material. Coaches should know the signs of serious head trauma, know when and how to contact emergency medical personnel, and require a medical release before returning the cheerleader to practice.
Cheerleading coaches should have some type of safety certification. Four comprehensive safety classes comprise the core curriculum of the NCSSE. Coaches should take all available workshops and coursework. Continuing education and professional development are key to keeping cheer coaches knowledgeable and safe.
Liz Rossetti, President and CEO of AmeriCheer, Inc., agrees that safety education can help reduce injuries, “With so much focus on the injuries in the spirit industry, NCSSE training offers coaches the perfect opportunity to provide a safe environment for their teams. NCSSE advances a coach’s knowledge and will continue to make cheerleading and dance even safer by providing coaches with current information on the best coaching practices.”
Lisa Saline, President of UPA agrees, “The NCSSE was developed specifically to provide safety education and training for cheerleaders and dancers. With Debbie Bracewell’s leadership and the collaboration of current NCSSE members, we have been able to certify thousands of coaches around the world.”
Dr. Mueller states, “Progress has been slow, but there has been an increased emphasis on cheerleading safety.” The spirit industry is working hard to reduce the number of injuries and to contribute to the education of cheer coaches. The NCSSE is proud to be a major component of cheerleading safety education; however, the safety organizations cannot do this alone. School administrators, gym owners, and coaches must do their part. Schools and gyms must hire qualified coaches and provide educational opportunities. Inexperienced coaches should be mentored, required to participate in safety classes written specifically for the cheer coach, and receive training in proper stunting procedures. Cheer coaches should seek training and participate in continuing coaches’ education and professional development opportunities. We all agree that any catastrophic injury is one too many. We all must make a concerted effort to continue making safety a top priority.
NCSSE is funded and supported by these companies in the cheerleading industry: AmeriCheer, British Cheerleading Association, Cheer Ltd. Inc., National Cheerleading Federation, National Spirit Alliance, and United Performing Association, Inc.
With the summer heat comes the dangers of heat-related illnesses. Be aware of the signs and symptoms of heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat stroke deaths can be prevented with the proper precautions. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has a heat index chart that helps you determine the heat index. Visit http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ffc/html/hichart… to view the chart.
Need your coaching batteries recharged? I suggest three books for your summer reading list: The No Complaining Rule: Positive Ways to Deal with Negativity at Work by Jon Gordon, How Full is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton, PhD., and The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy by Jon Gordon. All three books focus on helping readers learn how to infuse their lives with positive energy. The No Complaining Rule is based on a real company that created and used the no complaining rule to turn a business headed for failure into a successful venture. The book is easy to read and is filled with creative ideas to build positive leaders and teams. How Full is Your Bucket will inspire readers to incorporate positive interactions into their daily lives. The book has interesting stories, research and strategies about the power of positivity. The Energy Bus, another easy read, takes the reader on a bus ride that illustrates 10 rules to meet the challenges of life.
Cheer coaches face challenges and negativity every day, whether from cheerleaders, parents, other coaches, or situations. These books will help coaches improve their team building strategies and find positive ways to deal with work obstacles. Readers will also find ways to infuse their personal lives with positive energy, thereby bringing out the best in themselves.
