Expert: Kimmi - 8/23/2007

Question
My daughter is a 7th grade cheerleader.  Her Jr. High coach is now doing a lot more stunts.  What is the proper technique to do a cradle from an elevator?  Should the bases arms go straight up when they "pop" the flyer, or push "out" toward the crowd so that the flyer's legs go out into a pike position?  Thank you!

Answer
Hi Kim,

    Thanks for writing. First things first; no matter the level that is being a coach, proper safety certification should be obtained be every coach. Check to see what kind of certification, you daughter's coach has, and if it is none, as it so often is when no one is willing to coach, insist that some certification be obtained purely for the safety of the children. This can be brought to the Athletic Director, Principal, or Superintendent, and hopefully they will recognize the importance of the training.
    The proper technique for a toss cradle is as follows. The bases should, on a designated count, dip and pop using their legs. At the pop, they should explode up from the ground to the point where their toes leave the ground for a split second. The bases arms should extend and lock straight up. If the bases do not extend their arms fully, the flyer will not reach full height in the toss, and the bases will have a harder time catching her. As the flyer is in the air, the bases should keep eyes on her at all times. They should then catch the flyer as she comes back down. The bases need to catch the flyer at the highest point possible in order to absorb the flyer and slow her down. When a toss is caught to low, flyers hit the ground or the catch ends up looking sloppy and can be dangerous.
    As to the flyer's job - The flyer should NEVER pike in a cradle. When the bases dip to pop, the flyer should stay locked and tight. On the pop, when the flyer is released from the bases hands, the flyer should pull upwards (the flyer can throw her arms straight up by her ears, shrug her shoulders, etc. It's all a matter of coach preference.) She should pull upwards, at the same time, pull her belly button to the ceiling. The best way to think of what this looks like is a banana. The flyer's back should be arched with her stomach pointing straight toward the ceiling. At the top of the toss, when the flyer feels herself coming down, the flyer should move to the position that we call taco, that is pull in, not to a pike, but a V body position, where the girl is bending at the hips, but legs are straight out with toes pointed in a V. The flyers face should not be able to be seen past her toes when landing. The flyer should always be catching herself on her bases when she lands. She should be catching each one with an arm around their shoulder. Because of this V form, the bases must catch as high as possible and hold strong, because the flyer, in V form, has much more of a tendency to slip through the bases arms if they are not careful.
    For the safety issue, the number one rule I give my team is "The flyer never touches the ground." We stress the importance of keeping her safe, diving underneath her to catch her if you have to, because the heights at which she is falling are so dangerous. Each stunt group, including the flyer, because it is her job to catch herself, must do 20 pushups if any part of the flyer touches the ground. If it happens again at the same practice, they must do 25 more pushups, and so on and so on.
   Anyway, sorry about the rant, I hope that this has answered your question and helps you with what you need to know. Please let me know if you have anymore questions. Please let me know how it goes! Happy Stunting!
Kimmi