Tag Archives: coronavirus

In the Spirit of Safety

spirit of safety YHZ ippmusic com

By Jess Forte

Published August 10, 2020

Social Distancing. Quarantine. Travel Ban. Pandemic. Asymptomatic. Pivot. Masks. Sanitize. New Normal. Apex. Virtual…

spirit of safety flyers

These words have become what we wake up to every morning, what we talk about with our families, in “social” situations, at work. They infiltrate our heads as we lay down to sleep at night and try to hold onto the hope in our hearts that it will pass. This is our reality now, and it happened so abruptly that we didn’t even have the chance to process it. We are LIVING it. Breathing history, inhaling the narrative of a nation enveloped in fear of the unknown. We can either let it consume us, or we can fulfill our duty as the spirit of the country. Our friend and longtime industry professional/coach, Jeff Manhart, put it best:

“Remember it’s the cheerleaders that continue cheering when down 20 points with a minute left. While some fans head for the exit before time runs out, it’s the cheerleaders that are out on the floor after the game for one more fight song, or school song. Remember what we are: we are the people going nuts and loving life when our situation is going great! But what we also are is “HOPE” when our backs are against the wall. In my mind it will be the “cheerleaders” that won’t give up until the game is over.”

So, when given the “go ahead,” every gym in America created a “re-opening plan” in accordance with their own state guidelines and with the National CDC recommendations. Intensity Athletics in Albany, NY followed suit. New York was the last state to allow competitive cheer to resume in any capacity. So we are cognizant that the hesitancy with which we were allowed to reopen is still looming, so we needed to be as calculated and CAREFUL with our plan as possible.




The first thing that we did was a morning check in every day about any changes in the state of the pandemic and any regulations regarding our ability to operate. Watching our Governor (Andrew Cuomo) everyday at 11:30am became a ritual. This allowed us to gauge the process in regards to the reopening of other industries in preparation for our own to be released. We created a Phasal Reopening Plan which ultimately we were never able to implement as our gyms were not allowed to open in any capacity until the FINAL PHASE (July 6).

As soon as our sport guidelines came out, we read through them all and created a document with all of the regulations that would apply to our staff and our customers.

We then did a “walk through” of the gym and took notes on how to make each room compliant and what potential hurdles we would need to overcome. This allowed us to create a “To Do” list of things that needed to get done in preparation for reopening which we dictated in a separate document, along with a list of supplies we needed to purchase:

  • Gloves
  • Hand Sanitizers and Refill
  • Ice Bags
  • Ice
  • Lamination Paper 
  • Bleach Cleaner
  • Floor Stickers
  • PlexiGlass
  • Disposable PPE
  • Lysol
  • Lemocide
  • 3 Fumigators
  • Paper Towels
  • Automatic Paper Towel Dispensers
  • No-Touch Thermometers
  • 3M duct tape

All hands were on deck! Our staff each took responsibilities and got to work! Laminating guidelines, putting tape on the floor for social distancing, creating a gym entrance process. We even created a video that we pushed out via email, social media, and our website so parents and athletes knew what to expect and how they could stay compliant with the guidelines we needed to follow.

It took us at least a week to prepare for the BIG DAY! And still, we were nervous to press play. July 6 came and each staff member was ready! The multiple zoom staff meetings we had prior to opening day were important in creating cohesion where not only did everyone understand the plans, but they were “all hands on deck,” so to speak. All of the Intensity Staff was willing to not only do their designated jobs but to pick up the slack if something needed to get done, whether that was bring a child to the bathroom, open up doors for parents, run to the store to grab something last minute. 

Currently, in NY State nothing has changed since July 6 in the way of regulations for our sport. They have not tightened or loosened. We are playing it incredibly safe as we do not want to take advantage of this opportunity to physically operate after being virtual for so long. Right now, “group trainings” are not (and cannot be) mandatory. We set up a computer at every practice and create a google meets link which we attach to our google calendar which is shared with each team separately. This way, team members who do not feel comfortable coming into the gym, or are quarantined from it, can still participate! All of our practices follow social distancing, so we are not stunting at all. We are training with backpacks! And “stunt buddies!” We adapted these techniques and trainings based off of Spring CDT’s BASE system!

cheerleading safety




Kenny Feeley is a mastermind when it comes to stunting and his ability to pivot in this setting and to create a system so that our athletes are able to maintain (and gain) strength and technique for our sport is genius! This, coupled with some of our own drills have allowed our athletes to mimic the movements of stunting without actually doing it. We have created 2.5 minute stunt workouts to IPPs 8-count track that we repeat. Check one out HERE!

We are confident that we will have no problem getting back into the groove of stunting once it is safe to do so.

It is so important to us to put the athletes first right now. Every family’s situation is different, so it is very important to us to be aware of this and make sure we are not making any families feel uncomfortable. We are also very aware of the reality of what would happen if a breakout happened at our gym. We need to be looking 10 steps ahead. If we were to have multiple athletes with COVID in our location, we would need to shut down again, losing revenue and potentially customers. It could cause the government to tighten restrictions on all NY State All Star Programs. Not to mention, our athletes contracting it could have serious health ramifications for them and their families. Because of this, we are 100% abiding by the NY travel ban. We are also sending athletes home if they have ANY symptom whatsoever. Headache, tummy ache, cough, runny nose. You name it, they are going home! We even have our bathrooms labeled by which floor the kids are practicing on for contact tracing! We are going by the motto that “you can’t be OVERCAUTIOUS!”




cheer safety guidelines

Today I asked an athlete who was frustrated about the situation, “who won the race? Did the hare win? Or the tortoise?” Right now, patience will win out. We have a responsibility to our athletes to keep them safe. They are trusting us. And most importantly, their parents trust us. That is a huge responsibility. When they are dropped off at our front door, as we take that temperature and escort them to their “x” on the spring floor, their well being lies in our hands. Right now we show our families that we are that “home away from home.”

We need to be the constant in their lives. We were there virtually the moment the pandemic shut us down. We were there to “foot-five” the kiddos after they did their back handsprings for the first time again in 3 months. We will be there this season in whatever capacity we are able to practice (and compete) our sport! The kids need us to be that constant, but also need us to have their best interest at the forefront. The health, the wellbeing, and the safety of each athlete is the priority in the “new normal.”

Remember, we are making history. Let’s do it right!




Netflix CHEER! Snatches 6 Emmy Nominations

Netflix Cheer Navarro Emmy Nominations

By Steve Pawlyk

Published July 30, 2020

The Results are in…

The Results are in…

and Navarro Cheer just made mat! As of July 28, 2020 Netflix “CHEER” Snatches 6 Emmy nominations. Soon after airing in January 2020, the coaches and athletes became household names. 

Whether you were are cheerleader or not, you were on the edge of your seat waiting to see if Jerry was going to make mat or if Lexi was going to stay on the team or if Morgan was going to hit her elite stunt!  And of course we all wanted to be Gabi Butler!

The amazing docu-series shed light on an industry that is so deserving of the spotlight. We can all agree that cheer is an intensely competitive sport like no other. The combination of strength, agility, stamina and competitiveness shredded any preconceived notions that many viewers may have had about cheerleading. 

Navarro Cheer Netflix




Each episode of Netflix Cheer! grew more and more intense and made us all hopeful that we too could make mat so that we could experience the sense of accomplishment that the Navarro athletes felt when hitting a flawless routine. Although the season ended abruptly due to covid-19, it’s undeniable that Navarro College was about to capture another college national title adding to their mound of accolades.

Visit Netflix to relive the experience with your favorite Navarro Cheer athletes!

  • Outstanding cinematography for reality program
  • Outstanding directing for a reality program
  • Outstanding picture editing for an unstructured reality program
  • Outstanding unstructured reality program
  • Outstanding sound editing for a nonfiction or reality program (Single or Multi-camera)
  • Outstanding sound mixing for a nonfiction or reality program (Single or Multi-camera)  




Check out Navarro College’s 2019 Performance!

Steve Pawlyk Signature Full



Varsity Releases New Considerations For Competition Formats

varsity new compeititons

By Steve Pawlyk

Published July 27, 2020

Covid-19 has been the ultimate disruptor in both our personal and professional cheerleading lives.

The Coronavirus has brought many uncertainties and has suspended many things that bring us joy and make us feel whole.  It abruptly ended our 2019-2020 season and has delayed our 2020-2021 season.  With each state operating under unique safety guidelines it’s unclear as to when we will have a uniformed practice protocol in place to prep each program for competition. 

Thus, resulting in unpredictability for the possibility of normalized competitions this season.  To help ease some tensions, Varsity Spirit has released some new considerations for competition formats!  Each is designed to be beneficial to all programs nation-wide.  

Cheer Coronavirus Guidelines 2020

According to Varsity Spirit:

We are considering four options to safely and responsibly host Varsity Spirit events for the 2020-21 season. The format that each event follows will be communicated pre-event to all registered teams. All Varsity Spirit event staff will be educated and trained based on the guidelines set forth for each event.”



The formatting will possibly proceed as follows:

Varsity competition option 1

In-Person with Spectators

  • Spectators allowed with social distancing measures in place
  • Live awards ceremony with limited athletes and/or coaches
Varsity competition option 2

In-Person with Limited Spectators

  • Spectator viewing limited to team performance time only
  • Live awards ceremony with limited athletes and/or coaches; OR virtual awards ceremony
Varsity competition option 3

In-Person with No Spectators & Virtual Awards

  • Spectators not allowed; only athletes and coaches permitted 
  • Virtual awards ceremony
Varsity competition option 4

Virtual

  • Routines will be uploaded and judged virtually by Varsity Spirit certified judges 
  • Virtual awards ceremony

To learn more about our Varsity All Star Virtual Competition Series click here:

To learn more about Varsity All Star Virtual Competition Series click below:



Based on the aforementioned competition format options above and information found on the Varsity Spirit website, it appears that Varsity Spirit is holding the health and safety of competitors, coaches, families and staff at the forefront.  The presented formats will provide options for most programs to be able to compete and enjoy the 2020-2021 season to the best of their ability.  

Although we may be some time away from normalcy in both our personal lives and cheer, unprecedented steps are being taken to ensure that allstar cheer doesn’t suffer anymore than it has already had to endure. 

I know that the cheer community is looking forward to a productive competition season regardless of the format.  We must all strive to make sure that comeback is greater than the setback!

For more information on the 2020-2021 competition season and the health and safety measures that Varsity Spirit is taking please visit https://www.varsity.com/health-update/

Varsity Releases New Considerations For Competition Formats

Steve Pawlyk Signature Full



Varsity Summer League

Varsity All Star Summer League IPP Cheer Music 2020

By Steve Pawlyk

Published July 13, 2020

As Allstar cheer programs around the country are beginning their summer practices, it seems like cheerleading is going to make an unbelievable comeback. Despite the huge setback caused by Covid-19, Varsity is giving the allstar world something bright and sunny to look forward to! Just last week we saw the release of the Varsity Allstar Summer League.

What is Summer League?

Varsity Summer League

The main goal of the summer league is to keep athletes active in allstars all summer long. Athletes of all skill levels will get the chance to learn compulsory routines created by Jennifer Cooper of Big Red Choreography and will be able to challenge other groups in both live and virtual competitions. 

Two different routine options were developed to help abide by state-by-state social distancing guidelines. One set of routines will include stunts and pyramids for those who can practice in such a manner and the other will focus on choreography only. All routines are set to music created by Innovative Performance Productions (IPP Music). 8 count sheets are also available for each routine.





Rules and Levels

The summer league routines are categorized by level and include levels 1&2, 3&4 and 5&6. Each level was purposely created to highlight level appropriate skills. For example, according to the Varsity website:

The Level 1/2 Routines were designed to highlight the execution of basic building skills while introducing all star elite athletes to beginner level choreography and transitional elements. This program provides great Summer building blocks to set your lower level teams up for success in the coming season.

The Level 3/4 Routines were designed to elevate athletes knowledge of key level appropriate building skills and highlight tumbling and jump progression mixed with unique transitional choreography. This program provides great Summer building blocks to set your mid-level teams up for success in the coming season.

The Level 5/6 Routines were designed to challenge top level athletes with intricate building sequences, stamina-driven tumbling & innovative choreography. This program provides great Summer building blocks & a challenge to your most advanced teams, to set them for success in the coming season.

The Level 1/2 Routines were designed to highlight the execution of basic building skills while introducing all star elite athletes to beginner level choreography and transitional elements. This program provides great Summer building blocks to set your lower level teams up for success in the coming season.

The Level 3/4 Routines were designed to elevate athletes knowledge of key level appropriate building skills and highlight tumbling and jump progression mixed with unique transitional choreography. This program provides great Summer building blocks to set your mid-level teams up for success in the coming season.

The Level 5/6 Routines were designed to challenge top level athletes with intricate building sequences, stamina-driven tumbling & innovative choreography. This program provides great Summer building blocks & a challenge to your most advanced teams, to set them for success in the coming season.

For more information or to register your athletes for Varsity Summer League click here

To download the music for your level click here

For choreography tutorials and 8 count sheet click here

Summer League music mixes free mp3 downloads ippmusic no logo

Steve Pawlyk Signature Full







Home Quarantine Workouts by Jess Forte of Cheer Intensity (with videos)

Home Quarantine Workouts for Cheerleading

By Jess Forte

Published March 20, 2020

This is our world...

I often liken the anticipation, the adrenaline we experience to climbing that first major drop of the highest roller coaster in the amusement park. It’s “Scary” in a sense, but also exhilarating!  This sense of “fear” has ironically preceded almost anything and everything great in my life. Or is it not irony? 


One of my Level 5 athletes was walking to perform in A Hall at NCA Nationals a few weeks ago and asked me “why do I keep doing this, even though I feel like I am about to vomit? But I continue to want to cheer, to put myself back on that stage?”

On Deck
The butterflies
The jittery hands
The lights blinding
The roar of the crowd
The smell of sweat
The 9 panels
The music starts
A snap, a wink, a smile
Let’s go
The point stunt
The last pass
Your coaches’ eyes scream “you’ve got this!”
The final structure
The last pose
The embraces
The tears

I recently read a book entitled “Fearvana” by Akshay Nanavati. He firmly believes that fear is an essential element to unlocking our potential, our success, and our passion. That finding and enduring a worthy struggle can open doors that we didn’t know existed and allow us the ultimate amount of  bliss and fulfillment. So basically, All-Star Cheerleaders are onto something! Akshay defines fearvana as “the bliss that results from engaging our fears to pursue our own worthy struggle.” We experience our own version of “Fearvana” when we stand in the corner to throw a new pass, or when we set for our routine at Nationals. 



Home Quarantine Workouts by Jess Forte of Cheer Intensity why keep doing this

So now on May 20, 2020 we find ourselves in a very odd situation. Our season, as we had envisioned it, was stripped from us by the Coronavirus. And there are so many unknowns. As an adult, I am having to draw on all I have known in my life to come to a logical conclusion that “this too shall pass;” that difficult situations come upon us and we are equipped as humans to work through them and overcome obstacles. Our athletes may not have this frame of reference. For them, their world is potentially about to be turned upside down. What I want to tell them is that you are right where you are supposed to be. If that is in a state of FEAR, that’s ok. 

Because fear keeps us on our toes; it elicits a heightened sense of reality that allows us to be our best selves. And who is better equipped to handle this fear than an all-star cheerleader? You all face it head on every day! And not only that, but you thrive on it! You hit that stunt, you land that pass, and you rock that dance – butterflies and all! So you have the tools to handle this, too. 

SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

Every athlete is being dealt the same hand right now. But it is your choice how you decide to handle it. If you are forced to be home for an undetermined amount of time, what is going to propel you from the state of fear, disappointment, or anger into a state of being that is productive for your goals in the sport! Here is a suggested to do list:

  1. Write down 3 of your goals every morning. The same 3!

  2. Write down actions you can take NOW to take a step towards those goals (conditioning, studying technique, reading motivational books, contacting college coaches if you are an upperclassman, applying for scholarships at your dream school, e-mailing you gym owner to ask for internship hours, or your coach to help set a plan to achieve your goals when the gym opens back up.)

  3. Schedule those actions for each day. For example:

  • 9:00 am – wake up and get ready
  • 9:30 am – eat a breakfast high in protein and fats! (Think eggs, sausage, bacon)
  • 10:00 am – journal goals and current emotions (this will be cool to look back on)
  • 10:30 am – school work
  • 12:30 pm – lunch high in nutrients (think salads, fruits, veggies)
  • 1:30 pm – Conditioning workout (example below)
  • 2:30 pm – more school work
  • 3:30 pm – watch tumbling technique videos, read a motivational book, or work towards goals
  • 4:30 pm – flexibility regimen
  • 5:30 pm – Dinner high in protein and carbs (think pasta, steak, potatoes, meat)
  • 6:30 pm – Relax and connect with teammates, coaches, etc.
    Get at least 8 hours of sleep!



Adam Forte's Conditioning Workout

1. WARM UP

30 seconds each exercise X 3

  • Jog in place
  • High Knees
  • Butt Kicks
  • Mummys
  • Heisman

2. JOINT ROTATIONS

Upper Body 

    1. Finger wiggle and squeeze
    2. Motorcycles
    3. Wrist circles (both ways)
    4. Arms behind head
    5. Arms across body
    6. Hold hands behind back and pull up
    7. Look up, down
    8. Tilt head to both sides
    9. Shoulder rolls
    10. Arm circles forward and back
    11. Small arm circles forward and back
    12. Arms up tilt both ways
    13. Hips washing machine
    14. Hips figure 8
    15. Leg swings forward/back 5x each
    16. Cross leg swings (knee to front)
    17. Pony (alternating knees)
    18. Ankle circles (both ways)
    19. Sit on shins and rock back and forth
    20. Sit on heels and arms behind head turn (to both sides) and tilt 3x
    21. Hands and knees one arm behind head elbow up/elbow down 5x

Wrists 

    1. On hands and knees circle around
    2. Fingers facing you
    3. Side to side
    4. Cross hands (both ways)
    5. Back to all fours and do 5 flicks
    6. Palms up

3. JUMP FOCUS

  • 10 Double Marked Jumps
  • 10 Double T Jumps

4. JUMP Conditioning

3 Rounds

  • Fast Kicks – 20
  • Side Hurdler Lifts – 20 Right and Left
  • Hip Rolls – 20 Right and Left
  • Toe Lifts – 20
  • Floor Jumps – 20

5. TUMBLING Conditioning

3 Rounds (you can lower amount on each if you would like)

  • Plank – 1 Min
  • Side Plank – Right and Left 30 Min
  • Superman Hold – 1 min
  • Lunge Hold – 30 Sec*
  • Lever Hold – 30 Sec*
  • Heel Kicks – 30*

*Do one leg then the other

6. Stunt Focus

3 Rounds of 30 seconds each

  • Mountain Shrugs – 20
  • Lib Lifts – 10 Right and Left 10 
  • Full Up Squats – 20
  • Ext Pops – 10

7. Cool down/stretch

 



Adam Forte's Flexibility Workout

1. WARM UP

30 seconds each exercise X 3

  • Jumping Jacks – 30 Seconds
  • High Knees – 30 Seconds
  • Butt kicks – 30 Seconds
  • Mummys – 30 Seconds
  • Sprawls – 10

2. BRIDGES

3 Rounds

  • 3 Count Bridges – 10
  • Bridge Hold – 30 Seconds
  • 1 Leg Bridge Kick Right – 20
  • 1 Leg Bridge Kick Right – 20

3. Split Warm Up

Alternate Right and Left Leg 3x

  • Leg Lift Kicks – 12/10/8
  • Forward Lunge Twist Stretch – 30 Seconds
  • Forward lunge kick – 30/20/10

4. Right and Left Splits

1 Min hold each

  • Sit up – 30 Seconds flex foot and lock back leg
  • Chest Down
  • Head up arms back in should stretch

4. CENTER

1 Min hold each

  • Squat Stretch
  • Frog Stretch
  • Center Split

7. Cool down




Cheerleading and the Coronavirus: Schools with Travel Restriction (LIVE UPDATES)

cheerleading and the coronavirus schools with travel restrictions

By Steve Pawlyk

Published March 13, 2020





updated 11:31 a.m. (EST)
Sunday March 15, 2020






The cheerleading world has seen a tidal wave of competition cancellations in the last 24 hours.  In an effort to help you stay up to date on what’s going on with your team and your competitions, this post will serve as our official list of which colleges and schools have announced travel restrictions for their student body and extra curricular programs.

We will do our best to update this throughout the day so check back to be sure your school has not announced a ban on travel or any other restrictions.





To stay up to date with which competitions have been cancelled or postponed and which ones are still occurring as scheduled, check out our post, “Cheerleading and the Coronavirus: What’s Cancelled as of now”



Cheer Competitions & Coronavirus – What’s Cancelled as of now (LIVE UPDATES)

There is an obvious concern at the moment regarding cheerleading competitions cancelations due to the [Read More...]






SCHOOLS WITH TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS:

updated 10:45 am (EST) Friday, March 13 2020

  • Boston college
  • University of Louisville
  • University of Texas at San Antonio
  • Harvard University
  • Framingham State University
  • University of Central Oklahoma
  • Florida International University
  • Radford University
  • Fitchburg State
  • University of San Diego
  • West Virginia University
  • Cal State Stanislaus 
  • Holy Cross
  • Valley State
  • Umass Lowell
  • UW – Milwaukee *pending
  • New York University (NYU)
  • College of Charleston
  • Merrimack College



updated 2:29 pm (EST) Friday March 13, 2020

  • UMKC
  • American University
  • Penn State – Behrend
  • Brenau University
  • University of Michigan
  • Eastern Kentucky University
  • Alderson Broaddus University *pending
  • Elon University
  • Virginia commonwealth university
  • University of New England
  • Oakland University
  • University of Maryland
  • University of North Carolina Wilmington
  • Saint Joseph’s University
  • University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
  • Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville (decision will be made monday)
  • CalU of PA *pending
  • Limestone College
  • Wingate University
  • Stan State University


updated 5:10 pm (EST) Friday March 13, 2020

  • University of maine
  • Arkansas State
  • Southern Arkansas University
  • Endicott College
  • Bellamine University 


updated 8:45 pm (EST) Friday March 13, 2020

  • University of South Carolina
  • Oklahoma State University
  • Young Harris College

 


updated 10:50 a.m. (EST) Saturday March 14, 2020

  • University of North Texas
  • Georgia College
  • North Carolina Wesleyan


last updated 6:35 a.m. (EST) Saturday March 14, 2020

  • Utah Valley University

updated 11:31 a.m. (EST) Sunday March 15, 2020

  • University of Arkansas at Fort Smith
  • Ohio State University


We will continue to stay on top of this and update the list throughout the day as schools announce travel restrictions for athletic programs.





Steve Pawlyk Signature Full



updated 11:31 a.m. (EST) Sunday March 15, 2020

Cheer Competitions & Coronavirus – What’s Cancelled as of now (LIVE UPDATES)

cheerleading competitions and coronavirus cancellations

By Steve Pawlyk

Published March 12, 2020



updated 7:14 p.m. (EST) – Tuesday March 17 2020

Varsity has made another announcement this evening:

“The coronavirus is affecting our sport in ways we could never imagine. Gyms across the country are anxious about their futures. Athletes in every state are worried about being deprived of their year-end memories. And parents are understandably concerned about the safety and well-being of their children. Throughout this crisis, we are trying to carefully think through every scenario before we make a decision that could affect everyone involved in our sport.


In parallel with most other sports, we made the decision to postpone year end events, including those at Disney. But unlike some other sports, we feel that our season has more flexibility. We train and compete year-round. Therefore, we hope to save the competitive season for our athletes. We understand that kids just want to finish what they have started. So do we.

We are exploring ways to reschedule as many events as possible, including our Championships at Disney, which could extend the season to possibly end by late June to mid-July. Will this process be perfect? No. Will it be optimal? No. But we are making every effort to not deprive thousands of athletes the chance to finish this season, while still complying with future CDC and governmental guidance.

To achieve this we are asking you, our customers, to remain flexible. We need your support and partnership as we work to navigate this extremely difficult situation. We know that cheerleaders are tough and resilient. We are not a crowd that “throws in the towel” easily, and we will continue to explore all opportunities to safely save the season. We are all in this together.


IMG_3556



https://youtu.be/meKDogRTYtM



WORLDS AND DAYTONA CANCELLED/POSTPONED:

READ MORE


Cheerleading Worlds Postponed and NCA College Nationals in Daytona Cancelled for 2020

Last night at 9:00pm Varsity Spirit made the unprecedented and clearly difficult decision to postpone [Read More...]


– 11:13 p.m. (EST) – Sunday March 15 2020

VARSITY SPIRIT SUSPENDS ALL EVENTS FOR THE NEXT 8 WEEKS

As you may have seen, the CDC just announced their recommendation to cancel or postpone events with 50 or more people for the next eight weeks. With that recommendation, we have made the decision to not proceed as planned with scheduled events for at least the next eight weeks of the 2020 competition season. We are actively exploring all options, including rescheduling events, extending the competition season, and hosting virtual competitions, to continue to provide a competition experience for the thousands of athletes who have worked so hard this year to compete.”

source: Varsity.com



we've received many questions regarding coronavirus and CHEER...


There is an obvious concern at the moment regarding cheerleading competitions cancellations due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

  • “Is my competition cancelled?”
  • “Will my license still be valid whenever a makeup event is held?”
  • “Will there be any discounts?”
  • “Is Cheerleading Worlds 2020 cancelled?”
  • “Is NCA Cheer Nationals in Daytona cancelled?” 


Let’s start with the license issue.  IPP will be issuing license extensions to any current customers whose competitions have been cancelled.

To request an extension, click here.  Be sure to include your team name and order number in the message and we will send an updated license.

Additionally, all purchases made from today onward will come with 15 month licenses (vs the standard 12).  


cheerleading competition cancellations


There have also been inquiries regarding discounts as the COVID-19 outbreak is expected to have a negative impact on the economy.  To help offset this, we have implemented a discount code that anyone can use to take an additional 10% off any order of any kind.

Simply enter this code at checkout in the coupon code box:

ALITTLEHELP


cheerleading coronavirus




WHAT CHEERLEADING COMPETITIONS ARE CANCELLED?

As it stands right now (3:40 EST, Thursday, March 12), no competitions have been cancelled.(see below)  Varsity released a statement this morning saying that they were “diligently monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and closely watching official information from health authorities such as the Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) and World Health Organization (“WHO”) as it relates to our larger community and our events, camps and competitions.”

The article goes on to suggest the CDC’s best practices to mitigate the spread of the disease at events and promises that they “have a dedicated response team working around the clock to make sure that we keep our participants and attendees updated as the situation evolves.”

Bottom line is nothing has been cancelled as of yet.  Below is a searchable list of all upcoming Varsity events through the summer.  We will be actively tracking any changes to the status of these events and providing live updates here in this article.


Be sure to check our other coronavirus-related POST:


Cheerleading and the Coronavirus: Schools with Travel Restriction (LIVE UPDATES)

In an effort to help you stay up to date on what's going on with [Read More...]


LIVE UPDATES:

updated 7:10 pm EST – Sunday, March 15, 2020

ICU Postpones competition for international teams // US Teams will compete as planned 

announced via Facebook (@InternationalCheerUnion):

Memphis, 15 March 2020
European Office: Lausanne
National Cheer Federation Members
International Cheer Union (ICU)
Re: ICU World Championships Week Update – 15 March 2020

Dear ICU National Cheer Federations:
As you all know, the global sports community is facing an unprecedented test: determining when and how to move forward with competitions and events in light of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The health and safety of our athletes, coaches, employees, families, and friends is paramount.
The ICU Governing Council has met and has unanimously agreed to postpone the 2020 ICU World Championships and AGM, scheduled for 27 April – 1 May. A large number of countries have already informed us that their athletes and delegations will not be attending and there are travel restrictions in place in the US and around the world, making a global competition impractical at this time.
We will continue to actively work with officials in the United States, as well as Walt Disney World management, to monitor and assess the situation so we can determine when we may be able to reschedule. We will communicate updates to you when we have them.We are grateful for your cooperation as we take steps to confront the spread of this virus. Thank you again for your commitment to our athletes and your support of the International Cheer Union and its mission.
Sincerely,
Jeff Webb
President
International Cheer Union

IMG_3532


updated 8:55 am EST – Friday, March 13, 2020

MG Spirit Spectacular (St. Louis) CANCELLED

UCA International All Star Championship – OCCURRING


Varsity announces on Twitter UCA International All Star Championship in Disney still occurring as scheduled:

Varsity Cheer Twitter

“Hello Coaches, and Gym Owners, Family and Friends,

Due to the fact that the Walt Disney World Resort is not closing the Theme Parks until March 16th, we will continue to host the UCA International All Star Championship with the precautionary measures we have put into place. We hope you understand how quickly the situation has been evolving over the last few hours. Because so many of our teams have worked so hard to be here and have already arrived in Florida, we are going to proceed with our isolated competition format as planned with the event ending Saturday evening.

The following precautionary measures were announced earlier today to significantly reduce the number of people in the venues and large crowds in general:

• All UCA International All Star Championship teams will compete one time on Saturday only.

• Only the families and fans from the team that is on deck, on the floor, or just finishing will be allowed in all competition venues.

 • To enable social distancing, all award ceremonies will be online only (no live presentations) and available free of charge on Varsity TV on Varsity.com.

For those who have not yet verifiedto your Disney hotel or picked up your commuter tickets, if you choose to cancel, although we are bound to Walt Disney World’s cancellation policies, we – Varsity Spirit will be issuing you a full refund. If you choose to cancel, please contact your registration specialist.

If you have already verifiedto your Disney hotel, picked up your tickets and have used them at the Theme Parks and decide to leave early based on the recent developments, we – Varsity Spirit will be fully refunding any unused portion of your package.

The Theme Parks will be open until the close of business Sunday for you to enjoy if you choose to do so with your teams. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate this unprecedented situation.”

source: Varsity Cheer Twitter


Varsity UCA announcement part 1Varsity UCA announcement pt 2

 

 

 

 

 


updated 1:50 am EST – Friday, March 13, 2020

MSAA New England Cheer @Worcester State MA – CANCELLED
Gateway Championship – St. Louis – CANCELLED


 

updated 12:57 am EST –  Friday, March 13, 2020

Cheerleading Competitions Coronavirus Cancellations Varsity TwitterVarsity announces via Twitter: The Quest Recreational Championship and the UCA International All Star Championship this weekend in jeopardy…

Tweet reads:

“As you may have just seen, the Walt Disney World Resort just announced that they will be closing the Theme Parks on Monday, March 16th. Note that the hotels will remain open at this time. The Quest Recreational Championship will continue as scheduled tomorrow. Please understand that we are diligently working with Walt Disney World in regards to the potential impact it may have on the UCA International All Star Championship. We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as we gather more information from Disney throughout the night and will share it with you as soon as we can.”

Varsity


updated 9:02 pm EST – Thursday, March 12, 2020

CHEERSPORT – Colorado Grand Championship – POSTPONED

Bowie State Cheerstarz 2020 – POSTPONED

Universal Spirit-The Grand Championship – POSTPONED

USA Non Affiliated Rec Championships – POSTPONED

 
Twin Cities Challenge – POSTPONED
 
Tournament of Champions & All Star Prep Nationals – POSTPONED
 
Tidewater Beach Championship 2020 – POSTPONED
 
Spirit Festival Nationals – POSTPONED
 
Spirit Celebration Spring Fling Nationals – POSTPONED
 
Northside Xpress Regional – POSTPONED
 
One Up – Syracuse – POSTPONED
 
Platinum Nationals PA 2020 – POSTPONED
 
Reach the Beach Dance National 2020 – POSTPONED
 
Reach the Beach Daytona National 2020 – POSTPONED
 

updated 7:34 pm EST – Thursday, March 12, 2020

CHEERSPORT-Kansas City – Midwest D2 Championship – POSTPONED

CHEERSPORT-Kansas City Grand Championship – POSTPONED

CSG Dance Nationals – POSTPONED

COA – Nor Cal Nationals – POSTPONED

Athletic Championships – Tulsa DI & DII – POSTPONED

ACP Bid Championship – POSTPONED

ACP Disco Open Championship – Trenton – POSTPONED

ACP Power Dance Nationals & TX State Championship – POSTPONED

Aloha DI & DII Championships – POSTPONED


updated 6:54 pm EST – Thursday, March 12, 2020

JAMfest – Louisville Championship – POSTPONED

JAMfest – JAM Bash North Georgia – POSTPONED

Epic Tour: Ocean City 2020 – POSTPONED

Colonial Championship 2020 – POSTPONED

Double Down Championships – Smoky Mountain Championship DI & DII – POSTPONED

Empire State Championship 2020 – POSTPONED

Encore Championships – Pittsburgh Area DI & DII – POSTPONED


updated 6:20 pm EST – Thursday, March 12, 2020

ICU Cheer is holding emergency meetings to evaluate the fate of ICU Worlds 2020.  Decision will be made in 24 hrs….

ICU Cheer Compoetiotion coronavirus cancelled


updated 5:10 pm EST – Thursday, March 12, 2020

Spirit Festival Nationals – POSTPONED

CHEERSPORT – NorCal Grand Championship – CANCELLED

CHEERSPORT – West Coast D2 Championship – CANCELLED

JAMfest – Lucky JAM – POSTPONED

 



Turn your phone to landscape mode to view the list of competitions


 



We hope all of you are safe and well.  Remember to wash your hands and check back here for any cancellations or further news.

MORE CHEERLEADING CORONAVIRUS NEWS SOURCES:


cheermad com__Covid 19 and cheer blog


Varsity twitter page


cheermad com__taking home more than souvenirs


Steve Pawlyk Signature Full

updated 11:13 p.m. (EST) – Sunday March 15 2020


Which 2020 Cheerleading Competitions have been cancelled/postponed due to Coronavirus?

These are the current cancellations as of March 13, 2020:
Spirit Festival Nationals – POSTPONED
CHEERSPORT – NorCal Grand Championship – CANCELLED
CHEERSPORT – West Coast D2 Championship – CANCELLED
JAMfest – Lucky JAM – POSTPONED
CHEERSPORT-Kansas City – Midwest D2 Championship – POSTPONED
CHEERSPORT-Kansas City Grand Championship – POSTPONED
CSG Dance Nationals – POSTPONED
COA – Nor Cal Nationals – POSTPONED
Athletic Championships – Tulsa DI & DII – POSTPONED
ACP Bid Championship – POSTPONED
ACP Disco Open Championship – Trenton – POSTPONED
ACP Power Dance Nationals & TX State Championship – POSTPONED
Aloha DI & DII Championships – POSTPONED
JAMfest – Louisville Championship – POSTPONED
JAMfest – JAM Bash North Georgia – POSTPONED
Epic Tour: Ocean City 2020 – POSTPONED
Colonial Championship 2020 – POSTPONED
Double Down Championships – Smoky Mountain Championship DI & DII – POSTPONED
Empire State Championship 2020 – POSTPONED
Encore Championships – Pittsburgh Area DI & DII – POSTPONED
CHEERSPORT – Colorado Grand Championship – POSTPONED
Bowie State Cheerstarz 2020 – POSTPONED
Universal Spirit-The Grand Championship – POSTPONED
USA Non Affiliated Rec Championships – POSTPONED
USA All Star Championships – POSTPONED 
Twin Cities Challenge – POSTPONED
Tournament of Champions & All Star Prep Nationals – POSTPONED
Tidewater Beach Championship 2020 – POSTPONED
Spirit Festival Nationals – POSTPONED
Spirit Celebration Spring Fling Nationals – POSTPONED
Northside Xpress Regional – POSTPONED
One Up – Syracuse – POSTPONED
Platinum Nationals PA 2020 – POSTPONED
Reach the Beach Dance National 2020 – POSTPONED 
Reach the Beach Daytona National 2020 – POSTPONED
MSAA New England Cheer @Worcester State MA – CANCELLED
Gateway Championship – St. Louis – CANCELLED
Mardi Gras Spirit Spectacular (St. Louis) – CANCELLED

SHARE YOUR CART