How to add a STUNT program at your college or university.
- Standard recruiting, travel, and uniform costs similar to volleyball or soccer.
- Standard “cheer” matted floor of 11 to 13 rolls of 42’ x 6’ carpet bonded foam, approximately $600 per roll. This is an initial implementation cost. Individual rolls last from 5 to 10 years depending on use. Future budgets can include replacing two to three rolls per year on a rotating basis.
- Standard institutional coaching salary for one head coach and at least one assistant.
- Post to your institution job board.
- In addition to your standard requirements, college or high school STUNT or cheer experience is highly desirable.
- Post to the USA Cheer/STUNT job board.
- Example Job Description:
Job Summary: Develops and oversees a competitive stunt program that operates within the parameters set by Hanover College and USA Cheer and STUNT.
Essential Functions:
1. Coordinates and processes all aspects of on and off campus student-athlete recruitment, scheduling of season contests and practice times, preparation of scouting of opponents.
2. Provides customer service to the student-athletes, faculty and administration, fans, parents, community, and the media.
3. Responsible for functioning with in a set budget, game and practice preparation, team travel arrangements, purchasing and maintaining safe and adequate equipment, attending conference coaches meetings, initiating conditioning program, knowing and interpreting USA Cheer and STUNT rules and regulations.
4. Oversees the preparation of a detailed, itemized, budget.
5. Initiates changes in the budget that will improve the quality of the program and the students-athletes experience.Other Responsibilities:
1. Performs general duties to insure the quality, safety, and development of the program and the student-athletes experience.
2. Maintains records for statistical analysis and historical ramifications.
3. Will be assigned another responsibility based on coaching/administrative strengths.Job Qualifications:
Education: Bachelor’s degree required. Stunt certifications or the ability to obtain stunt certifications during the first year of employment required.
Experience: Previous high school or collegiate stunt participation and or coaching experience is highly desirable.
Skills Required: Good interpersonal skills, ability to communicate with a wide audience, ability to do a variety of secondary assignments.
- Identify and acquire any needed equipment and facility space. (a standard “cheer” floor a standard basketball court sized facility are all that is needed.)
- Recruit your athletes. With so many STUNT and cheer athletes coming out of high school, there are plenty of opportunities to attract athletes to your program, including some who may be on your campus already!
- The College STUNT Association will promote your program via social media.
- USA Cheer hosts combines for coaches to see potential recruits’ talents.
- Schedule your games. Practices begin in December, with games occurring in February, March, and April. The national championship tournaments are scheduled from the last weekend in April through the second weekend in May.
- Your College STUNT Association regional director can assist with scheduling.
In order to count towards Title IX requirements, a STUNT program should be implemented in the same manner as other athletics programs in your institution. While STUNT has its skill basis in cheerleading stunts, pyramids, tosses, and tumbling, STUNT should be institutionally separated from the institution’s cheer program. Your STUNT program should have:
- Separate coaching staff, or separate salary for coaching STUNT.
- Separate and open selection process that mirrors other athletic programs.
- Separate budget for travel, uniforms, scholarships, etc.
- Access to all support programs, requirements, and awards as other athletic programs.
USA Cheer has a Title IX advisor who can assist your institution’s compliance officer in implementing STUNT.