CHEER
RENO-SPARKS POP WARNER
DREAM. BELIEVE. ACHIEVE.
CHEER INFO
2024 SEASON
​
Have questions? Check out our FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) document below.
You can also reach out to our cheer coordinator for more info at renosparkspopwarnercheer@gmail.com .
QUICK LINKS
2024 SEASON
​
-
Uniform Info (Coming Soon)
-
Camps/Clinics (Coming Soon)
- Event Calendar
COACH APPLICATION DOCS
​
EVENTS​
HISTORY
Cheerleading was officially recognized in the 1970's, but has been a part of the Pop Warner program for several decades. The first ever National Cheerleading competition was held in DeKalb County, GA. Today, more than 180,000 children are participating in Pop Warner cheerleading and dance around the world.
OUR CHEER & DANCE PROGRAM
The Reno-Sparks Pop Warner Cheer & Dance (Spirit) program offers cheerleading and dance for ages 5-14 year olds. We have competitions at the State, Regional and National level for the higher divisions. Participation provides kids an opportunity to perform in an organized, supervised, safety-oriented environment. It emphasizes fun for all and encourages the development of qualities important long after Pop Warner days are gone. Participants in this program are unique as opposed to those of other programs. While they are taught about the values of competition, they are also maintaining their grades at a satisfactory level in order to attain the ultimate prize of being named a Pop Warner National Champion. We salute all the efforts and accomplishments that our participants put forward!
SAFETY & TRAINING
Our Cheer & Dance (Spirit) Program is growing in numbers each year due to the popularity of the sport. In an effort to keep pace with the many new changes in the cheer & dance industry, there are general rules that are unique to Pop Warner Spirit Squads. Pop Warner teams also follow extensive safety and scoring guidelines to keep athletes safe and to promote consistency in scoring at championship events.
YCADA
YCADA MEMBERSHIP, RULES & SCORING
Your league affiliation with Pop Warner automatically grants you full membership to YCADA (Youth Cheer & Dance Alliance). Pop Warner has a custom page on the YCADA website where you can access all the safety and training info you need for the season. There you'll find a link to the Y101PW, Y102PW and Y103PW mandatory training courses, the latest version of the YCADA/Pop Warner Rules & Scoring docs and more! Make sure to sign up for the YCADA/Pop Warner Coach's Resource Center.
YCADA TRAINING COURSES
All Rostered Spirit Staff must successfully complete YCADA (Youth Cheer and Dance Alliance) online Coaches’ Education and Testing including but not limited to the Head Coach, Assistant Coaches, Coach Trainee, Student Demonstrator, Coordinators, etc. Seasons Coaches must re-certify before the season . All Rostered Cheer and Dance Staff must have their YCADA Training Certificate in the Team Book for Book Certification. Learn more about which training course you need to take this season. You'll find everything you need on the YCADA/Pop Warner Page
SAFETY FIRST!
OTHER SAFETY INITIATIVES
Safety First! is the latest of a number of safety initiatives that Cheerleading's governing bodies have implemented in past years. The results show, among other things, that cheer's total catastrophic injuries were cut in half from 2005 to 2006*, and that cheerleading's injuries per 100,000 participants is only 2.0, significantly less than the figures for popular women's sports such as gymnastics.
Below are some tips compiled by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association that help reduce cheerleader injuries at all levels:
-
Proper Conditioning: Physically prepare and maintain your body’s strength, flexibility, and stamina for stunting and tumbling. Strengthen your core muscles (abdominal and lower back muscles) along with the upper and lower body and include aerobic (running, jogging, cycling, swimming) and anaerobic (wind sprints, circuit training) activities.
-
Exercise Reminders: Warm up, stretch and cool down for every practice or competition and be sure to rest.
-
Proper Equipment: Practice on mats or padded flooring until your routines are perfected. Make sure the mats are adequately sized and sufficient for the activities you’re performing.
-
Spotting: Have trained spotters present and engaged at all times.
-
Knowledgeable Coaches: Make sure your coaches are certified in safety, first aid, CPR and AED use.
-
No Horseplay: Focus at all times during stunting and tumbling activities.
-
Communication: Request that your coaches review safety precautions, rules and regulations with the squad on a regular basis, and that they establish and implement an emergency action plan.
-
Read Safety Guidelines: Ask your coaches to be familiar with the latest Pop Warner Rules Book, YCADA (Youth Cheer and Dance Alliance) safety guidelines and participate in the ASEP (American Sport Education Program) Coaches Online Education Training for basics in cheerleading principles.
-
Know Your Limits: Be aware of your ability level and do not attempt advanced level gymnastic or stunting skills before mastering less advanced skills. Always have a supervisor present.
-
Treatment of Injuries: Promptly attend to any injuries you sustain. Your school or organization’s athletic trainer can assist in the proper treatment and prevention of such injuries. He or she can also offer an injury prevention education seminar and assist in creating the conditioning routine.
-
Concussions: A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works. Concussions can also occur from a fall or a blow to the body that causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth. Health care professionals may describe a concussion as a “mild” brain injury because concussions are usually not life-threatening. Even so, their effects can be serious.