Cheerleading
11/21/24 – Winter Media Credential Applications Now Open
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NOV. 21, 2024
The KHSAA’s online media credentialing system for winter state championships (competitive cheer, dance, swimming & diving, bowling, wrestling, indoor track & field) is now live and can be accessed via credentials.khsaa.org.
Credentials to each KHSAA state championship event are issued by the KHSAA to working members of the media who regularly cover high school athletics. Credentials must be requested prior to the established deadline for each sport through the online credentialing system.
Credentials should be requested by the sports editor/director for all members of their organization needing to attend an event. Credentials for freelance photographers and stringers must be requested by the sports editor/director at the outlet the freelancer will be representing. Media outlets are responsible for the actions of all individuals representing their organization, including compliance with KHSAA policies and procedures. No credentials will be issued outside of the online credentialing system. The KHSAA reserves […]
11/18/24 – State Competitive Cheer Time Schedules & Instructions Released
Congratulations to all participants and coaches who have qualified for the 2024 KHSAA State Competitive Cheer Championships presented by UK HealthCare! First and foremost, we would like to thank the regional host schools for all of their hard work that contributed to the success of the regional competitions.
There are several items for review on the Competitive Cheer page of the KHSAA website, including the state instructions, time schedules, order of appearance, maps, and more. Slight changes may occur as each school reviews the time schedule for accuracy.
TIME SCHEDULES
PARTICIPATING TEAMS CONFERENCE CALL
- Teams qualifying for the state championships are also invited to join the KHSAA in a conference call that will take place on Monday, December 9 at 1:30 PM (ET).
- Details about joining the call will be sent to participating coaches. State Championship details, including parking, […]
11/18/24 – KHSAA Awards 2023-24 NFHS State Coaches of the Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NOV. 18, 2024
As part of its annual awards program, the National Federation of State High School Associations Coaches Association recognizes Coach of the Year honorees from each state. Those named Coach of the Year at the state level then advance for consideration for Sectional Coach of the Year honors. Winners are chosen through a combination of their coaching accomplishments, particularly for the season in question, as well as their contributions outside of competition to help grow their respective sports. These awards are announced following the recognized year.
The complete list of 2023-24 honorees from Kentucky is below.
- Baseball: Brad Burns, Pleasure Ridge Park
- Boys’ Basketball: Ryan Perry, Lyon County
- Boys’ Cross Country: Chris Davis, Bishop Brossart
- Football: Mark Spader, Bowling Green
- Boys’ Golf: Chris Cunningham, South Oldham
- Boys’ Soccer: Chris Grimm, Lafayette
- Boys’ Swimming & Diving: Jamie Palumbo; Bryan Station, Great Crossing, Lexington Catholic, Madison Central, Sayre, Scott County
- Boys’ […]
11/05/24 – Competitive Cheer State Qualifiers Numbers Released for 2024
STATE QUALIFIERS
- The number of qualifiers for each region and each division of Competitive Cheer is released in this notice.
- Declaration numbers are pro-rated by region so as not to penalize larger regions.
- After reviewing the declarations/withdrawals, this chart illustrates the updated number of squads per division and per region that will qualify for state competition.
10/15/24 – 2024 KHSAA Competitive Cheer Regional Information & Instructions Available
Information pertaining to the KHSAA Competitive Cheer Regional competitions for 2024-25 has been posted to the KHSAA website. There are several items for participating schools to review prior to the competition on the Competitive Cheer page of the KHSAA website. This includes regional instructions for managers, participating teams, and fans as well as a detailed time schedule for each region.
INSTRUCTIONS/DECLARATIONS
- A link to the regional instructions is provided here:
- Declaration numbers have been compiled for 2024-25. Links to that information are below:
COACHES BOX
- Each regional site will have a “coaching box” of a maximum of 6 seats.
- Each participating school can decide who will occupy these seats during the school’s performance, as long as it doesn’t exceed six (6) total (i.e. 2 alternates, 4 coaches or 3 alternates, 3 coaches, etc.). […]
10/01/24 – KHSAA Combined Participation Tops 115,000 for First Time in 2023-24
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: OCT. 1, 2024
More than 115,000 participants occupied roster spots in KHSAA sports and sport-activities in the 2023-24 school year, marking an all-time record and an increase of more than 5% from the previous year.
A total of 115,608 participants were on rosters for Kentucky high school competition in 2023-24, which is up 5,792 from the previous record of 109,816 set in 2022-23. The latest total includes 63,694 boys and 51,914 girls, a record high for both genders and the first time that girls’ participation has exceeded 50,000.
The 115,608 roster spots were comprised of 86,357 individuals, including 46,635 boys and 39,722 girls.
The 2023-24 total marks a third consecutive increase across KHSAA member schools after numbers briefly declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, national participation eclipsed the 8-million mark for the first time last school year.
“We are extremely pleased with our compilation […]
09/24/24 – Competitive Cheer Nominations Sought for Midway/KHSAA Student-Athlete-of-the Year
The nomination process for the Midway University/KHSAA Student Athlete-of-the-Year among Competitive Cheer participants for 2024-2025 is now open.
This award is based on athletic and academic achievement as well as community service and leadership. The link to the application contains additional criteria and a form to nominate one participant from each 2024-2025 team. Nominations must come from a member school, but can be submitted by an administrator, guidance counselor, or coach. Nominations may only be submitted online at https://khsaa.org/ge35-midway-university-khsaa-female-student-athlete-of-the-year-nomination-form/.
The winner will be announced early in the postseason and recognized at an awards event at Midway University in early summer 2025. From the winners selected for each KHSAA championship, one student-athlete will be selected as the 2024-2025 Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year announced at the event. All individual winners will also receive their recognition awards at that time.
The deadline for nominations for the Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year in the sport […]
08/25/24 – Competitive Cheer Online Rules Clinic Now Available
The mandatory online KHSAA Rules Clinic for the sport-activity of Competitive Cheer is available through your Arbitersports Eligibility Dashboard.
The clinic is required of all coaches (varsity, junior varsity, and freshmen), regardless of whether or not the coach receives pay.
For full instructions on how to access your Eligibility Dashboard to complete the Online Rules Clinic and the rest of your Bylaw 25 requirements, see below:
Below is additional information:
- August 21 to October 20 – The clinic may be viewed at no charge during this period.
- October 21 to October 28 – The clinic may be viewed for the makeup fee ($100) during this period.
- October 29 to November 12 – The clinic may be viewed for the makeup fee ($200) per the Bylaw 27 schedule during this period. After this time, postseason penalties per Bylaw 27 will apply.
The presentation can be viewed on most PC or Mac desktops […]
08/22/24 – Competitive Cheer Declaration Form for KHSAA Postseason Now Open
The declaration form (CC101) for the sport-activity of Competitive Cheer is now open.
The deadline to complete this form is Monday, September 30. This is for KHSAA Regional and State Competitions, so please discuss what division(s) your school will be entering as there will be no adjustments to divisions once the entries are posted. Each member school Athletic Director or Head Coach shall only submit one form to declare. You can find CC101 at the following link: https://ly.khsaa.org/tcmw
SQUAD SIZES/DIVISIONS
- All-Girls Divisions (4 divisions):
- Small (Traditional 2.5 Minute): minimum 5, maximum of 15
- Medium (Traditional 2.5 Minute): minimum 16, maximum of 19
- Large (Traditional 2.5 Minute): minimum 20, maximum of 23,
- Super Large (Traditional 2.5 Minute): minimum 24, maximum of 30
- Co-Ed (1 division):
- Coed (Traditional 2.5 Minute): 1 or more boys; minimum 5, maximum of 30
- Game Day (2 divisions) –
- Game Day […]
08/09/24 – KAPOS Coaches Conference Information
On behalf of the Kentucky Association of Pep Organization Sponsors (KAPOS), the KHSAA wanted to send a note to member schools about the upcoming KAPOS Coaches Conference. This year’s event will be Saturday, August 17 at the KHSAA Office in Lexington. For more details and registration information, use the link below. Please contact KAPOS (hack.hudson@kapos.org) with any questions about this event.
08/08/24 – Board of Control Approves Adjustments to Competitive Cheer Game Day Divisions
At its most recent meeting, the KHSAA Board of Control approved a proposed adjustment to the Game Day division. To better align with the current UCA Game Day divisions, KHSAA will offer Small Game Day for teams with 5-19 members, and then the Large Game Day will be for teams with 20-30 members. Schools who wish to compete in the KHSAA Competitive Cheer postseason for 2024-25 will receive a notification when CC101 (Competitive Cheer Division Declaration form) is open and available.
The KHSAA will offer the following divisions for 2024-2025:
- Small All-Girl (Traditional 2.5 Minute): minimum 5, maximum of 15
- Medium All-Girl (Traditional 2.5 Minute): minimum 16, maximum of 19
- Large All-Girl (Traditional 2.5 Minute): minimum 20, maximum of 23,
- Super Large All-Girl (Traditional 2.5 Minute): minimum 24, maximum of 30
- Coed (Traditional 2.5 Minute): 1 or more boys; minimum 5, maximum of 30
- Game Day Small: minimum 5, maximum of 19
- Game Day […]
08/02/24 – Board of Control Conducts First Meeting of 2024-25
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: AUG. 2, 2024
The KHSAA Board of Control conducted its first regularly scheduled meeting of the 2024-25 academic year on Friday in Newport, approving a review of proposals to be considered at the 2024 Annual Meeting and approving competition rules information regarding three sports and two sport-activities.
A two-day series of meetings began with an orientation for new and returning Board members and then launched into the full Board work session on Thursday, followed by the conducting of Friday’s full Board meeting. The Board and staff welcomed new Board members Noel Crum of Stambaugh, Chuck Mullins of Hazard and Coy Samons of Murray, as well as new Assistant Commissioner Abby Jackson.
“This meeting offered an opportunity to help the Board members become familiar with both new Board and staff members, as well as lengthy discussions about the future of the important work that they do,” said Commissioner Julian Tackett. “The wide variety […]
06/04/24 – Thurmond, Germann Named 2023-24 Midway/KHSAA Student-Athletes of the Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JUNE 6, 2024
The 2023-24 Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year awards program culminated Tuesday on the campus of Midway University, as Carlie Thurmond of Bethlehem (Soccer) and Max Germann of Boyle County (Track & Field) were recognized as the overall Student-Athletes of the Year.
Beginning in May 2016, Midway has presented a Female Student-Athlete of the Year award at each KHSAA girls’ state championship event. The awards program was expanded in 2019-20 to include male student-athletes, with Midway honoring a deserving student-athlete in each KHSAA sport and sport-activity.
The awards are based on athletic and academic achievement, as well as community service and leadership, with Midway choosing one overall Male and Female Student-Athlete of the Year each academic year. School administrators, coaches and athletic directors nominate student-athletes, and the nominees are voted upon by a closed panel consisting of representatives from Midway.
2023-24 Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athletes of the […]
VisitLex 2024 KHSAA Championships Hotel Contacts
VisitLex 2024 Housing Suggestions – select tab at bottom to change sports
03/08/24 – Competitive Cheer & Dance Tryout Window and Spring Allowances Reminders
As a reminder to KHSAA member schools, there is a specific allowance in Bylaw 23 for Competitive Cheer and Dance teams to have a tryout period in the spring. During April, schools are permitted to designate a single two-week tryout period following which there shall be no further practice or competition outside of the defined season as detailed in Bylaw 23. Portions of Bylaw 23 are below for reference.
Bylaw 23) 1) f) states…
f) Organized Play and Involvement of Members of the Coaching Staff Out of Season During the School Year
12/06/23 – Competitive Cheer & Dance Tickets on Sale Now!
A reminder to coaches and fans that tickets for the State Competitive Cheer (December 8-9) and State Dance (December 10) are on sale now! Encourage your fans to purchase early! All ticket prices are in advance, $15 each per session which includes all fees. On the day of the event, prices per session increase to $17. Children ten-and-under will be admitted free, but must still “purchase” the free ticket through GoFan. All tickets will be sold online via GoFan, the KHSAA’s official digital ticket vendor. Tickets for each game are available online only at khsaatickets.org. All of the competitions will be broadcast live on khsaa.tv to subscribers of the NFHS Network.
2023 KHSAA STATE COMPETITIVE CHEER & DANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS PRESENTED BY UK HEALTHCARE
- khsaatickets.org
- khsaa.tv
- State Competitive Cheer Championship Program
- State Dance Championship Program
The official press release containing […]
12/06/23 – George Rogers Clark to Host Cheer, Dance State Championships Over Weekend
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DEC. 6, 2023
The 2023-24 KHSAA Competitive Cheer State Championships presented by UK HealthCare and the 2023-24 KHSAA Dance State Championships presented by UK HealthCare are set to return to George Rogers Clark in Winchester this weekend, with the former taking place Friday, Dec. 8, through Saturday, Dec. 9, and the latter taking place Sunday, Dec. 10.
The 12th annual Competitive Cheer State Championships will kick off the first of three sessions on Friday at 5 p.m. ET with Game Day Large and Game Day Small competition. On Saturday, All-Girls Large and Coed competition will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the All-Girls Small, All-Girls Medium and All-Girls Super divisions starting at 1:45 p.m.
The seventh annual Dance State Championships will open with Jazz and Game Day competition in the first of two sessions on Sunday at 1 p.m. and close with the Hip-Hop and Pom divisions starting at 4:30 p.m.
Tickets […]
12/04/23 – Media Credentials Now Available for Winter Championships
The KHSAA’s online media credentialing system for 2023-24 winter state championships (competitive cheer, dance, esports, wrestling, swimming & diving) is now live and can be accessed via credentials.khsaa.org.
The media credentialing system for the Mingua Beef Jerky Girls’ Basketball Sweet 16® and UK HealthCare Boys’ Basketball Sweet 16® will be made available at a later date.
Credentials to each KHSAA state championship event are issued by the KHSAA to working members of the media who regularly cover high school athletics. Credentials must be requested prior to the established deadline for each sport through the online credentialing system.
Credentials should be requested by the sports editor/director for all members of their organization needing to attend an event. Credentials for freelance photographers and stringers must be requested by the sports editor/director at the outlet the freelancer will be representing. Media outlets are responsible for the actions of all individuals representing their organization, including compliance with KHSAA […]
11/27/23 – Competitive Cheer & Dance Workers Instructions
Thank you for agreeing to work the 2023-24 State Competitive Cheer & Dance Championships. These instructions highlight your duties and report times for the event and please feel free to send any questions you may have.
EVENT DETAILS
- December 8-9-10
- George Rogers Clark High School
- 2745 Boonesboro Rd, Winchester
CHECK-IN/PARKING/MEALS
- Worker check-in is at the front entrance of the school.
- Parking – No parking pass is needed, please look for the KHSAA signs for worker parking.
- A boxed lunch will be provided on Friday night (after), once on Saturday (lunch), and once on Sunday.
WORKERS ASSIGNMENTS
- MEDIA/WORKER/TEAM CHECK-IN
- Marsha Day, Donna Bumps
- Marsha will be checking in media/workers/pass gate. Donna will assist Jeanie & Jeremy (KHSAA) with team check-in and counting squads.
- Arrival time, Friday – 3:15 PM
- Arrival time, Saturday – 7:00 AM
- Arrival time, Sunday – 11:15 AM
[…]
11/21/23 – State Competitive Cheer Time Schedules & Instructions Now Available
Congratulations to all participants and coaches who have qualified for the 2023 KHSAA State Competitive Cheer Championships presented by UK HealthCare. First and foremost, we would like to thank the regional host schools for all of their hard work and the success of the regional competitions. There are several items for your review on the Competitive Cheer page of the KHSAA website, including the state instructions, time schedules, order of appearance, maps, and more.
TIME SCHEDULES
PARTICIPATING TEAMS CONFERENCE CALL
Participating Teams are also invited to join the KHSAA in a conference call that will take place on Monday, December 4 at 1:30 PM (ET). Details about joining the call will be sent to participating coaches. State Championship details including parking, check-in procedures, ticketing, and other pertinent details related to attending the event will be discussed.
STATE INSTRUCTIONS
State Championship […]
11/15/23 – Board of Control Adopts Changes to State Formats For Swimming, Indoor Track & Field, Girls’ Wrestling; Sets State Archery Site, Accepts Results of Bylaw 9 Amendment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NOV. 15, 2023
The KHSAA Board of Control conducted its third regularly scheduled meeting of the 2023-24 academic year on Wednesday in Lexington, approving changes to the Swimming State Championship format and event implementation plans for the inaugural Indoor Track & Field and Girls’ Wrestling State Championships.
The Board approved the selection of Russell County High School (Regions 1-3), the University of Louisville (Regions 4-6) and Scott High School (Regions 7-9) as 2024 State First Round sites for Swimming and approved revisions to relay card procedures for the regional and state meet rounds to help address facility deck and crowd capacity concerns.
The Board also approved the increase of the total number of qualifiers advancing from the swimming & diving region meets to the State First Round to 48 per event statewide, including approval of the format structure for those three first-round events. This will result in a total of a total […]
11/01/23 – Competitive Cheer State Qualifiers Numbers Released
The number of qualifiers for each region and each division of Competitive Cheer is released in this notice. Statewide declarations supported the divisions with more than 16 participating schools entered to be pro-rated by region so as not to penalize larger regions. Any division with less than 16 entries will advance to the KHSAA State Championships provided each squad competes at the region event. After reviewing the declarations/withdrawals, this chart illustrates the updated number of squads per division and per region that will qualify for state competition.
All-Girls Small – minimum 5, maximum of 15 All-Girls Medium – minimum 16, maximum of 19 All-Girls Large – minimum 20, maximum of 23 All-Girls Super – minimum 24, maximum of 30 Coed Division – 1 or more boys, minimum 5, maximum of 30 Game Day, Small (minimum 5, maximum 17) Game Day, Large (minimum 18, maximum 30) Region Teams Entered Total Advancing to State Teams […]
10/19/23 – NFHS Understanding Copyright & Compliance Course Required for Cheer & Dance Coaches
This is a reminder that all KHSAA Cheer and Dance Coaches (Head and Assistant, paid or unpaid) must complete the NFHS Music Copyright Course “Understanding Copyright and Compliance”. This course is free and 100% online and is required whether or not a team competes in KHSAA competition. This course from the NFHS is geared toward music teachers, spirit coaches (cheer and dance) and school administrators. Understanding Copyright and Compliance is available through the NFHS Learning Center at www.NFHSLearn.com.
The course explores copyright laws and how those laws impact the interscholastic community and the course was produced with the assistance of NAME (National Association for Music Education) and USA Cheer. It also expands on topics such as fair use, public domain, copyright infringement penalties and much more. Spirit squads, as well as Dance teams, are increasingly met with copyright infringement claims and this course is a tool to assist cheer and dance coaches in education on […]
10/10/23 – 2023 KHSAA Competitive Cheer Regional Information & Instructions Available
Information pertaining to the KHSAA Competitive Cheer Regional competitions for 2023-24 has been posted to the KHSAA website. There are several items for participating schools to review prior to the competition on the Competitive Cheer page of the KHSAA website. This includes regional instructions for managers, participating teams, and fans as well as a detailed time schedule for each region.
INSTRUCTIONS/DECLARATIONS
- A link to the regional instructions is provided here:
- Declaration numbers have been compiled for 2023-24. Links to that information are below:
COACHES BOX
- Each regional site will have a “coaching box” of a maximum of 6 seats.
- Each participating school can decide who will occupy these seats during the school’s performance, as long as it doesn’t exceed six (6) total (i.e. 2 alternates, 4 coaches or 3 alternates, 3 coaches, etc.). […]
10/06/23 – KHSAA Announces 2022-23 NFHS State Coaches of the Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: OCT. 6, 2023
As part of its annual awards program, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Coaches Association recognizes Coach of the Year honorees from each state. Those named Coach of the Year at the state level then advance for consideration for Sectional Coach of the Year honors. Winners are chosen through a combination of their coaching accomplishments, particularly for the season in question, as well as their contributions outside of competition to help grow their respective sports. These awards are announced following the recognized year.
The complete list of 2022-23 honorees from Kentucky is below.
- Baseball: Jeremy Shope, Whitley County
- Boys’ Basketball: Josh Cook, George Rogers Clark
- Boys’ Cross Country: Brian Ruggles, North Oldham
- Football: Keegan Kendrick, Bullitt East
- Boys’ Golf: Kyle Congleton, Madison Central
- Boys’ Soccer: Stephen Collins, Ryle
- Boys’ Swimming & Diving: Mike Essig, Trinity (Louisville)
- Boys’ Tennis: Al Hertsenberg, Covington Catholic
- Boys’ Track & […]
09/18/23 – Competitive Cheer Nominations Sought for Midway/KHSAA Student-Athlete-of-the Year
The nomination process for the Midway University/KHSAA Student Athlete-of-the-Year among Competitive Cheer participants for 2023-2024 is now open.
This award is based on athletic and academic achievement as well as community service and leadership. The link to the application contains additional criteria and a form to nominate one participant from each 2023-2024 team. Nominations must come from a member school, but can be submitted by an administrator, guidance counselor, or coach. Nominations may only be submitted online at https://khsaa.org/ge35-midway-university-khsaa-female-student-athlete-of-the-year-nomination-form/.
The winner will be announced early in the postseason and recognized at an awards event at Midway University in early summer 2024. From the winners selected for each KHSAA championship, one student-athlete will be selected as the 2023-2024 Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year announced at the event. All individual winners will also receive their recognition awards at that time.
The deadline for nominations for the Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year in the sport of […]
08/24/23 – Tentative 2023-2024 Competitive Cheer Regional Sites
The following schools are tentative sites for the 2023 Competitive Cheer Regionals. KHSAA Staff is finalizing details with host sites and once host schools accept all responsibilities/conditions of hosting a regional event, this list will be updated.08/18/23 – KAPOS Coaches Conference Information
On behalf of the Kentucky Association of Pep Organization Sponsors (KAPOS), the KHSAA wanted to send a note to member schools about the upcoming KAPOS Coaches Conference. This year’s event will be Saturday, August 26 at the KHSAA Office in Lexington. For more details and registration information, use the link below. Please contact KAPOS (hack.hudson@kapos.org) with any questions about this event.
08/14/23 – Competitive Cheer Declaration Form Now Open
The declaration form (CC101) for the sport-activity of Competitive Cheer is now open. Each member school shall only submit one form and you must be signed into the KHSAA School Subdomain to submit.
The deadline to complete this form is Friday, September 29. This is for KHSAA Regional and State Competitions, so please discuss what division(s) your school will be entering as there will be no adjustments to divisions once the entries are posted. Each member school Athletic Director or Head Coach shall only submit one form and must be signed into the KHSAA School subdomain (https://schools.khsaa.org/) to declare. You can find CC101 on the school subdomain under the dropdown menu “Forms and Reports” and under “Cheerleading Forms”.
SQUAD SIZES/DIVISIONS
- All-Girls Small – minimum of 5, maximum of 15
- All-Girls Medium – minimum of 16, maximum of 19
- All-Girls Large – minimum of 20, maximum of 23
- All-Girls Super-Large – minimum […]
08/14/23 – Competitive Cheer Rules Clinic Now Available
The mandatory online KHSAA Rules Clinic for the sport-activity of Competitive Cheer is now available today, August 14. The clinic is required of all coaches (varsity, junior varsity, and freshman) whether or not the coach receives pay.
COACHES
For member schools, the clinics are located on the School Log-in Page. To access the clinic, go to https://schools.khsaa.org/ and — under the section entitled Rules Clinics — click on the link that says “View Online Rules Clinics“.
- August 14 to October 5 (Coaches) – the Clinic will be online only and may be viewed at no charge during this period.
- October 6 to October 20 (Coaches) – the Clinic will be online only and may be viewed for the makeup fee ($100) during this period.
- October 21 to November 4 (Coaches) – the Clinic will be online only and may be viewed for the makeup fee ($200) during this period. After this time, postseason penalties […]
07/11/2023- Fall Sports Tryout Reminders
Good afternoon to all member schools. This message is intended for all member schools based on multiple inquiries received in the last few days. Please share this with all members of your fall sports coaching staff, and the coaches of Competitive Cheer and Dance. This post is not intended to be comprehensive regarding all aspects of Bylaw 23, but intended to highlight areas around tryouts.
References for this information come from the Bylaws of the Association, online as part of the KHSAA Handbook. There is not (and has never been) a separate tryout period for fall sports prior to the start of practice. Recently, we have been made aware that several schools have posted “tryouts” for fall sports that are being held prior to the first date of practice. This is not permitted.
SPORTS OF CROSS COUNTRY, FIELD HOCKEY, GOLF, SOCCER AND VOLLEYBALL
- Required activity (including tryouts) can begin for Cross Country, Field Hockey, […]
06/06/23 – Johnson, Ferree Named 2022-23 Midway/KHSAA Student-Athletes of the Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JUNE 6, 2023
The 2022-23 Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year awards program culminated this week on the campus of Midway University, as Rafaella Johnson of Elizabethtown (Cross Country) and George Ferree of Trinity (Louisville) (Wrestling) were recognized as the overall Student-Athletes of the Year.
Beginning in May 2016, Midway has presented a Female Student-Athlete of the Year award at each KHSAA girls’ state championship event. The awards program was expanded in 2019-20 to include male student-athletes, with Midway honoring a deserving student-athlete in each of the 19 officially recognized KHSAA sports and sport-activities.
The awards are based on athletic and academic achievement, as well as community service and leadership, with Midway choosing one overall Male and Female Student-Athlete of the Year each academic year. School administrators, coaches and athletic directors nominate student-athletes online at khsaa.org, and the nominees are voted upon by a closed panel consisting of representatives from Midway.
02/24/23 – Competitive Cheer & Dance Tryout Window and Spring Allowances Reminders
As a reminder to KHSAA member schools, there is a specific allowance in Bylaw 23 for Competitive Cheer and Dance teams to have a tryout period in the spring. During April, schools are permitted to designate a single two-week tryout period following which there shall be no further practice or competition outside of the defined season as detailed in Bylaw 23. Portions of Bylaw 23 are below for reference.
Bylaw 23) 1) f) states…
f) Organized Play and Involvement of Members of the Coaching Staff Out of Season During the School Year
03/24/23 – NFHS Announces Competitive Cheer, Dance Rule Changes
Released Inversions, Tosses to Stunts Highlight High School Spirit Rules Changes for 2023-24
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
INDIANAPOLIS (March 24, 2023) – Two major rules changes for the 2023-24 high school spirit season involve released inversions and tosses to stunts to clarify rules for consistency.
Continued efforts to promote skill development and minimize risk led to eight total rule changes recommended by the NFHS Spirit Rules Committee at its February 13-14 meeting in Orlando, Florida. All recommended changes were approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
Several rules regarding released inversions with various twisting limitations were consolidated into Rule 3-3-6a. As a result, every usage of a “half turn” was changed to a “one twist” to allow for consistency. This revision establishes the same twisting allowance for each type of landing. Previously, there were full twist-, half- and quarter-turn landings.
“Consolidating each landing to one twist considers sensible anatomic […]
12/19/22 – KHSAA Announces NFHS State Coach of the Year Honorees for 2021-22 Seasons
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DEC. 19, 2022
As part of its annual awards program, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Coaches Association recognizes Coach of the Year honorees from each state. Those named Coach of the Year at the state level then advance for consideration for Sectional Coach of the Year honors. Winners are chosen through a combination of their coaching accomplishments, as well as their contributions outside of competition to help grow their respective sports. These awards are announced following the recognized year.
The complete list of 2021-22 honorees from Kentucky is below.
Baseball: David Rexroat, Russell County
Boys’ Basketball: William Unseld, Warren Central
Girls’ Basketball: Kristy Orem, Pikeville
Boys’ Cross Country: Ian Johnstone, Conner
Girls’ Cross Country: Tom Stickel, Lexington Christian
Field Hockey: Jody Schaefer, Assumption
Football: Noel Rash, Beechwood
Boys’ Golf: Greg Zimmerer, Christian Academy-Louisville
Girls’ Golf: Sam Westfall, Madisonville-North Hopkins
[…]
12/08/22 – Competitive Cheer, Dance State Championships Return to George Rogers Clark
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DEC. 8, 2022
The 2022-23 KHSAA Competitive Cheer and Dance State Championships presented by UK HealthCare are set to return to George Rogers Clark in Winchester this weekend.
The KHSAA Competitive Cheer State Championships will kick off the 11th iteration of the event on Friday, starting at 5:15 p.m. ET with Game Day Large and Small competition. Saturday’s opening session, which features Coed, All-Girls Large and All-Girls Super lineups, will resume the contest at 9 a.m. Once Cardinal Arena is cleared between sessions, All-Girls Small and All-Girls Medium teams will start to compete at 2 p.m.
The sixth annual KHSAA Dance State Championships will begin with Jazz and Game Day routines at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. The venue will once again clear at the conclusion of Sunday’s first session before Hip Hop and Pom competition will bring the weekend to a close, starting at 3 p.m.
Tickets to the event are only […]
12/07/22 – Media Credentials Now Available for Winter Championships
The KHSAA’s online media credentialing system for winter sports championships (competitive cheer, dance, eSports, bowling, swimming & diving, wrestling) is now live and can be accessed via the following link: credentials.khsaa.org
Credentials to each KHSAA State Championship event are issued by the KHSAA to working members of the media who regularly cover high school athletics. Credentials must be requested prior to the established deadline for each sport through the online credentialing system.
Credentials should be requested by the sports editor/director for all members of their organization needing to attend an event. Credentials for freelance photographers and stringers must be requested by the sports editor/director at the outlet the freelancer will be representing. Media outlets are responsible for the actions of all individuals representing their organization, including compliance with KHSAA policies and procedures. No credentials will be issued outside of the online credentialing system. The KHSAA reserves the right to limit the number of credentials […]
11/23/22 – State Competitive Cheer Time Schedules & Instructions Now Available
Congratulations to all participants and coaches who have qualified for the 2022-23 KHSAA State Competitive Cheer Championships presented by UK HealthCare. First and foremost, we would like to thank the regional host schools for all of their hard work and the success of the regional competitions. There are several items for your review on the Competitive Cheer page of the KHSAA website, including the state instructions, time schedules, order of appearance, maps, and more.
TIME SCHEDULES
PARTICIPATING TEAMS CONFERENCE CALL
Participating Teams are also invited to join the KHSAA in a conference call that will take place on Monday, December 5 at 1:30 PM (ET). Details about joining the call will be sent to participating coaches. State Championship details including parking, check-in procedures, ticketing, and other pertinent details related to attending the event will be discussed.
STATE INSTRUCTIONS
State Championship […]
11/03/22 – Competitive Cheer State Advancers Numbers Released
The number of qualifiers for each region and each division of Competitive Cheer is released in this notice. Statewide declarations supported the divisions with more than 16 participating schools entered to be pro-rated by region so as not to penalize larger regions. Any division with less than 16 entries will advance to the KHSAA State Championships provided each squad competes at the region event. After reviewing the declarations/withdrawals, this chart illustrates the updated number of squads per division and per region that will qualify for state competition.
All-Girls Small – minimum 5, maximum of 15
All-Girls Medium – minimum 16, maximum of 19
All-Girls Large – minimum 20, maximum of 23
All-Girls Super – minimum 24, maximum of 30
Coed Division – 1 or more boys, minimum 5, maximum of 30
Game Day, Small (minimum 5, maximum 17)
Game Day, Large (minimum 18, maximum 30)
Region
Teams Entered
Total Advancing to State
[…]10/25/22 – NFHS Understanding Copyright & Compliance Course Required for Cheer & Dance Coaches
This is a reminder that all KHSAA Cheer and Dance Coaches (Head and Assistant, paid or unpaid) must complete the NFHS Music Copyright Course “Understanding Copyright and Compliance”. This course is free and 100% online and is required whether or not a team competes in KHSAA competition. This course from the NFHS is geared toward music teachers, spirit coaches (cheer and dance) and school administrators. Understanding Copyright and Compliance is available through the NFHS Learning Center at www.NFHSLearn.com.
The course explores copyright laws and how those laws impact the interscholastic community and the course was produced with the assistance of NAME (National Association for Music Education) and USA Cheer. It also expands on topics such as fair use, public domain, copyright infringement penalties and much more. Spirit squads, as well as Dance teams, are increasingly met with copyright infringement claims and this course is a tool to assist cheer and dance coaches in education on […]
10/21/22 – Competitive Cheer Regional Information & Instructions Available
Information pertaining to the KHSAA Competitive Cheer Regional competitions for 2022-23 has been posted to the KHSAA website. There are several items for participating schools to review prior to the competition on the Competitive Cheer page of the KHSAA website. This includes regional instructions for managers, participating teams, and fans as well as a detailed time schedule for each region.
INSTRUCTIONS/DECLARATIONS
- A link to the regional instructions are provided here:
- Due to a high number of entries in the Game Day division, the KHSAA will offer a Small and Large Division this year for the postseason competition. Game Day Small will consist of 5-17 athletes on the floor and Game Day Large will consist of 18-30 athletes. Declaration numbers have been compiled for 2022-23. Links to that information are below:
TICKETS
- All regional […]
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