For the 4th year in a row, the KHSAA declarations for Competitive Cheer have come out and the change that is needed is staggering.  The cheer environment has changed and needs to grow programs are not being met.

School cheer programs can declare - Small, Medium, Large, Super Large, CoEd, or Game Day.  The sized divisions and CoEd are only for programs competing in 2.5 minutes.  Game Day, is left to have all sizes in one big fish bowl. This means that programs with as little as 7 members have gone against programs of 30.  This is a Small Game Day team, versus a Large Game Day team.  The historic numbers with KY State Champions indicate that small programs will not succeed at the State level and win, they have not yet.  In the 2020-21 school year, the lowest number of athletes on a team in the top 10 was 15.  Props from signs, flags, megaphones, and even doing ripples are more prominent with larger programs; however smaller teams should not be penalized for what they cannot control.  

Many schools have lower enrollment, and although small, they are mighty.  They aren't underperforming, they are underserved. By realigning and offering Small Game Day & Large Game Day, KHSAA would actually increase revenues and participation at Regional and State Levels.  By doing this 16 teams would be ADDED to the event; meaning more at the gate and more experience for our programs across the Commonwealth.  On average most small teams have 12 athletes, admission to State comp is $10 and every athlete easily brings 4 fans (minimum) -  that's an additional $7680 in revenue on admission alone for an event that is already being held.  Due to COVID, we can see more than ever the higher amount of participating teams in the Game Day Division.

Our role is to ensure that all our athletes and programs are competing on an appropriate level, in cheer for Game Day, they are not.  Football has classes, even 2.5 minute cheer has classes, yet Game Day is not divided and it also discriminates for those athletes who are crossovers and compete as 2.5 minutes and Game Day are not allowed to compete for the KHSAA Competitive title in Game Day.  Meaning, if you have 16 athletes competing 2.5 minutes, none of those athletes cannot be on Game Day and compete in KHSAA, however competing with UCA allows the dual role of these athletes for the style and type of routine, as well as competition, is very different.

Cheerleading is changing in Kentucky, we are a major pulse in the cheer industry,  and we need to keep up for our athletes.  We have a commitment to them to do what's best for them, and the competitive divisions should align with the higher ranked divisions that countless teams use on the National level.

Sign this petition to pledge that you want action and rightful action for our cheerleaders!