Stunt Positions

• A stunt consists of a flyer, the person who is pitched into the air; two bases, the primary holders of the flyer; a back spot helping the flyer get into position and assisting the bases in holding the flyer; and a front spot is there to assist the bases. A person in any of these positions can be injured, but proper form and training can diminish the risk of injury. It is the responsibility of the flyer to keep her muscles tight and to pick a spot in front of her to focus on. This diminishes her risk of falling or shaking on top the stunt. If a flyer does feel herself falling, she should assume a cradle position to make it easier for the bases and back spot to catch her. The bases and spotters should keep their eyes on the flyer at all times. The back spot in particular is responsible for relaying communication between the bases and the flyer. She should be able to react quickly in the event of a fall.
  
  

Prep

• In a prep, two bases hold the flyer's feet at chin level. A back spot assists, and at times a front spot may be used. In this position, the back spot can either grip the wrists of each base, or the ankles or thighs of the flyer. The front spot would assist by checking the stability of the flyer, and possibly gripping the wrists of each base. Along with gripping the wrists, the spotters help push the flyer's weight upward, easing the burden off of the bases. Each base could reach a hand up and help the flyer dismount, or the flyer could cradle out of the stunt.
  
  

Extension

• An extension is a prep stunt with the bases' arms extended straight over their heads. The back spot should have her hands on the wrists of the bases. If the back spot is tall enough, she may grab the flyer's ankles. If a front spot is used, she would grab the bases' wrists to provide additional support. A flyer would cradle out of this position. Once their arms are extended, the bases should keep their eyes on the flyer at all times, as should the spotters. When the flyer cradles out of this position, the front spot should immediately move out of the way.
  
  

Liberty

• A liberty is a one-legged stunt that can be accomplished at either prep or extension level. One of the bases holds the flyer's foot as she would for a prep or extension. The other base can hold on in a few different variations. She can grab the bottom and top of the flyer's foot, or she can grab the flyer's ankle and the other base's wrist. The back spot will either grab the flyer's ankles or the bases' wrists, depending on what height the stunt is being conducted. The front spot would grab the bases' wrists. The flyer holds her free leg at a bent angle. Another variation is called a heel stretch, where the flyer will grab her free leg's ankle.
  
  

Basket Toss

• In a basket toss, each base grabs her wrist and the opposite base's wrist, so that their hands form a crisscross, or a "basket." The flyer, assisted by the back spot, jumps onto the bases' hands and then is tossed into the air, where she will complete some sort of jump or flip before returning to cradle position and being caught by the bases and back spot. A front spotter can assist in the toss, but needs to quickly move out of the way lest she be clocked in the head by the flyer's feet. While impressive, this can be a very dangerous stunt, making it important for the bases and spotters to keep their eyes on the flyer at all times. When she is tossed in the air, the bases and spotters should take care to throw her straight into the air. If the flyer moves at all, the people on the ground need to move with her in order to catch her. This stunt in particular should be practiced on a mat and with a trained coach prior to performing.
  
  

Basic Safety

• Prior to practicing or performing stunts, cheerleaders should be wearing the appropriate footwear. Athletic shoe companies offer cheerleading-specific shoes, which are designed to provide proper traction and foot and ankle support. Cheerleaders should also remove all jewelry and keep fingernails short and trimmed. A proper warm-up should be completed prior to stunts as well. Additionally, cheerleaders should never attempt a more advanced stunt before they have successfully accomplished a more basic stunt. For example, cheerleaders should not practice an extension until they have perfected a prep.