North Butler 
Football Cheerleading 
2020-2021 Handbook 
 
 
 
Contact and Communication 
Coach/Ms. Kleitsch | ​meghan.kleitsch@northbutler.org 
BAND App: We will be using this app to communicate throughout the season. Cheerleaders 
and parents will be added into the group at the beginning of the season. 
 
Expectations 
*Summer practices are more flexible than in-season. Please be patient this year as we 
work through the COVID-19 pandemic.* 
- Cheerleaders are expected to be at/on time for all practices and games/events. 
- Notices of absences should be in advance. 
- Excused absences include: 
- Medical (please bring a doctor’s note) 
- Approved (by coach) school functions 
- Family Emergencies 
- Anything COVID-19 related (Please let coach know IMMEDIATELY if 
anything arises!) 
- Unexcused absences: 
- A cheerleader will sit 1 event for 2 unexcused absences from ​practice​. 
(must attend event) 
- A cheerleader will sit 1 event for an unexcused absence from an ​event​. 
(must attend events) 
- Cheerleaders must follow all school policies, and must be a positive representation of 
North Butler Schools (including online). 
- Cheerleaders must follow all ICCA (Iowa Cheer Coaches Association 
- Cheerleaders can’t have jewelry in or on during practices or games. Please don’t 
get any new piercings during the season. 
- Hair must be up off the shoulders. 
- Cheerleaders must wear a school-issued uniform to cheer. 
- Nails have to be kept short (if you can see your fingernails over your fingertips 
when looking at your palms, your nails are too long). 
- No stunting/tumbling is allowed without a coach present. 
 - Have fun!! 
Things to be Purchased 
If you don’t already have them​, the following items will need to be purchased. I have provided 
suggested links to keep it as cost effective as possible: 
- Navy, V-neck crop 
- https://cheeroutfitters.com/cheer-fantastic-vneck-midriff-bodysuit-00422.htm
l 
- Spandex shorts for under your cheer skirt (preferably navy, but black is okay too) 
- https://cheeroutfitters.com/cheer-fantastic-boy-cut-briefs-00433.html 
- White Cheer Shoes (Browse through the sales and closeouts!) 
- https://cheerzone.com/cheerleading-closeout.html 
- https://cheeroutfitters.com/cheerleading-closeout/closeout-cheerleading-shoe
s.html 
- Amazon 
 
2020 Football Schedule 

 
Practice Packing List 
- Athletic Clothes (make sure they are still school appropriate) 
- Cheer Shoes/socks 
- Hair Ties/Bobby Pins/Headband (your preference, hair just has to be up) 
- Your Own Water Bottle 
- Hand Sanitizer 
- Mask (not required, but highly encouraged) 
- Poms 
- Deodorant/Body Spray 
- No Jewelry! 
 
Game Day Packing List 
- Uniform (Vest, Skirt, Crop, Spandex) 

1
 - Bow 
- Cheer Shoes 
- White no-show socks 
- Poms 
- Your Own Water Bottle 
- Hand Sanitizer 
- Hair Ties/Bobby Pins/Headband 
- Hairspray (optional) 
- Brush 
- Makeup (optional) 
- Money (for food, if needed) 
- No Jewelry! 
- Etc. 
 
 

 
 
 

2
 CLARIFYING THE HAIR RULE FOR CHEERLEADERS
The following are examples to help coaches understand the intent of the hair rule; not all
situations are covered.

SECURING hair away from the face situations:

1. Hair in a ponytail and bangs (which would have been in the eyes) secured away from the face – legal
2. Hair in a high ponytail that is long and goes down the back – legal
3. Hair in pigtails or side ponytail that does NOT touch the shoulders – legal
4. Hair in a low back ponytail at the base of the nape of the neck – legal
5. Short hair that has hair long enough to tuck behind the ears, or be in the face, which is not secured – illegal
6. Hair long enough to touch the shoulders that is half up and half down (the back of hair is down, but front and
bangs are pulled up and secured) – illegal
7. Long, ratted hair and/or hair pieces that fall in a cheerleader’s face, including the hair of the top person obscuring
the vision of the base(s) or spotter(s) – illegal
8. Long hair in a ponytail high on the crown that allows the hair to fall into the face – illegal
9. Short hair that brushes the tops of the shoulders – illegal
10. Hair in a ponytail that’s lying on or over the front of the shoulder – illegal
. 11. Hair in a side ponytail that goes onto or touches the shoulders – illegal
12. Hair in pigtails that touches the shoulders – illegal

NOTE: For State Wrestling, cheerleaders must not have hair covering any part of their ears. This is to make it easier for
monitors to check for jewelry and plugs as cheerleaders travel back and forth between the stands and the mats.

Bangs pulled across forehead, wispies, and chunks of hair beside face:
1. The above - out of eyes and if necessary soundly secured away from the face – legal
2. Hair that falls into the face while cheering, stunting, or tumbling – illegal
3. How do you know if it is legal? If you have to:
a. Move your head to move hair away from your face – illegal
b. Use your hand to move hair away from your face – illegal
c. Tuck hair behind your ears – illegal
Accessories:
1. Small rhinestones professionally adhered/punched into a bow or headband – legal
2. Headbands and bows with small, flat items sewn on – legal
3. Flat clips or bobby pins – legal
4. Headbands and bows with sequins or other items (any size) glued on – illegal
5. Bows with hard rhinestones/bling as the middle part of the knot – illegal
6. Large items on headbands or bows sewed on – illegal
7. Bows touching the face area including the forehead – illegal
8. Alligator type clips, including those on bows or other items – illegal
9. The plastic hair bump-it, bun sock, or anything under the hair to lift it up – illegal
10. Hair interwoven with beads – illegal
11. Flowers, feathers, etc. in the hair – illegal

If you have to move your head to get hair out of your eyes, use your hands to tuck hair behind your ear, or move
hair off your shoulders – your hair is not secured and probably ILLEGAL.
Any time the hair gets in the way of a stunt, it is illegal. The hair should be off the shoulders for stunting.
 REOPENING GUIDANCE: Cheerleading in Iowa
Schools Summer 2020 PHASE ONE BEGINS: 7/1/2020

This guidance reflects the cooperation/partnership between the ICCA and the IHSAA.
We have consulted with the IHSAA, the National Federation of High School
Associations’ guidelines and USA Cheer. It is important to note that this is a fluid
document that will be updated as more information becomes available from our national
and state governing bodies. Any district policies established for COVID-19 should
always be done in compliance with local public health officials. It is the responsibility of
each school to comply with requirements. Our main concern is and will continue to be
the safety of all involved in cheerleading.

SUMMER CHEERLEADING PRACTICES - Phase 1 ​First and foremost, each CHEER

COACH and the ATHLETIC DIRECTOR should meet before summer cheer practices
begin. Coaches must be knowledgeable about their districts’ policies concerning
contact with students during this time. ​Coaches must not begin practices without
the consent of their school district administration.​ The following mitigation efforts
are strongly encouraged to ensure cheerleader, coach, and parent safety.

● Coaches are encouraged to include messages about behaviors that help reduce
the spread of COVID-19 when communicating with cheerleaders and parents, such
as on websites or in emails.
● There should be no car-pooling to or from practices. Parents must remain in their
cars or drop off and pick up cheerleaders before and after practice.
● Practicing outside is recommended when possible. The practice space,
whether inside or outside, should be safe and allow social distancing.. Coaches
and cheerleaders should inspect the area for holes, sticks, etc.
● The school district’s COVID policies regarding temperature recording and
attendance should be followed before every practice. Anyone with symptoms or
illness will not be allowed to practice or perform. The person with symptoms should
contact his or her primary care provider or other appropriate healthcare
professional.
● Coaches are responsible for ensuring students maintain social distancing as
much as possible. This means that students should be spaced at a minimum of
six feet from one person to the next in all directions. Coaches and athletic
directors should also be aware of the practice area size in an effort to maintain
social distancing with the number of practicing cheerleaders.
 ● Cheerleaders should be encouraged to provide their own hand sanitizer and
water bottles. Hydration stations (water cows, water trough, water fountains,
large Gatorade jugs, etc.) should not be utilized.
● Each cheerleader should have their own area designated for their bags and other
personal belongings that is their area alone.

SPECIFIC PRACTICE INFORMATION:

PHASE 1
● ​STUNTING IS FORBIDDEN AT THIS POINT IN TIME​.
● Cheerleaders and coaches may wear masks and should consider doing so for
the protection of others.
● Cheerleaders may work on motions, jumps, tumbling, dance (such as the school
song), and do cheers and chants while social distancing. NO STUNTING.
● Coaches may hold tryouts if they wish, but cheerleaders and coaches must
maintain social distancing during the try-out. NO STUNTING.
● Coaches should work in small groups (10 or less) whenever possible. Group
members may not change from one group to another. The coach should be
included in the group number.
● Cheerleaders should mark their poms so they are easily distinguishable. All
poms, signs, and megaphones are marked to the individual.
● ​Cheerleaders should not share poms, signs, megaphones or other equipment. If
something must be shared, the equipment (i.e. signs, jump ropes, mats, etc.)
should be properly cleaned and sanitized before it is shared with someone else.
Poms should not be thrown together at any time.
● Cheerleaders who tumble should use hand sanitizer when completing the
tumbling portion of practice. Coaches should remind cheerleaders to not touch
their faces while practicing tumbling, or during practice in general.
● Cheerleaders should not share shoes, uniforms, or personal apparel.
● Social distancing and sanitation practices should be followed according to the
school district’s mandates.
● ​*ALL NF and ICCA/IHSAA Safety Rules ​apply and should be maintained: No
jewelry (including hair ties on wrists), nails trimmed to proper length, hair secured
out of the face and off shoulders (see Clarifying Hair Rules), etc.
● ​**Masks would normally be considered Jewelry: however, because of
COVID, they are allowed in specific situations. A mask has been okayed for
the time being and not considered a violation of the NFHS rules. All
other jewelry rules still apply.