Middle and Elementary Cheer Coaches:

Congratulations on your team advancing to the KAPOS State Championships!!!

The competition is Saturday, December 17, 2022 in Lexington at Frederick Douglass High School. Please read the following information carefully as there are some procedural changes this year with the new venue.

There will be three (3) separate sessions. Awards will be presented upon the completion of each session. All spectators and teams must exit the facility after each session ends. Session One will include all Elementary School teams (Small, Large, Game Day), and Middle School Game Day.  Session Two will include Middle School Small and Medium teams.  Session Three will include Middle School Large and Super Large teams.  The “Performance Schedule” will be posted on the KAPOS website after December 1st, BUT please continue to check back for updates as teams may cancel and warm-up times may change.  

Doors will open approximately 45 minutes before each session.  Admission is $10 per session, with children age 5 and under admitted free. There is no fee to park.

Spectators may only enter through the gym entrance. Cheerleaders may enter the Pass Gate or uniformed cheerleaders may enter at the gym entrance.  Only coaches listed on your Registration form may enter through the Pass Gate, the warm-up area with your team, and onto the arena floor. Pass Gate entry is permitted for the bus driver, school principal, athletic director, and superintendent.  Please see the map below for parking and entry information.  Remember buses will use the Meeting Street entrance off Sir Barton Way, but spectators will turn off of Winchester Road onto the Frederick Douglass Campus.   

Be ready to enter the warm-up area at least 10 minutes prior to your warm-up time.  Coaches should have team members use the restroom PRIOR to the beginning of the warm-up process.  There will not be time during warm-ups and the clock cannot be stopped once you enter. There will be group photos taken before warm-ups.  Teams will enter the warm-up area via the stairs on the left side of the gym behind the spectators. Cheerleaders should be dressed upon entering. Do not bring gym bags, because of limited space. Water will not be provided. Participants may bring individual water bottles. NO CHILDREN, other than participants, are allowed in warm-up area. A trainer will be provided for medical and injury issues only. The trainer is not available to tape ankles, etc. Any necessary taping must be done PRIOR to entering the warm-up area. 

At Check-In, your Regional Insurance Form will serve as a roster for participating members.  Any changes made to the Regional Insurance Forms prior to State will require a new form to be completed and submitted to the President.  Please contact your Regional Chair for more information.  Teams will be assigned an escort to usher you through warm-ups. Teams will have eight (8) minutes for stretching, tumbling, and/or stunting on one mat before moving to the full warm-up mat. Teams will then have eight (8) minutes on a full mat to use as you see fit with four (4) minutes of music. Please do not play music during any other time. Teams will be escorted to holding prior to their performance. When your team is on deck, a coach will take the music to the sound table.  Please bring two forms of music/audio. You may use CD’s, mp3 format, phones, or iPods. If using your phone, it is advised to have the music loaded on the device and not rely on pulling it from the cloud or an off-site server. The internet connection inside may not be reliable. Teams will be called to the floor and while setting up props, will have a sound check.  Teams are not permitted to tumble while entering the floor and no formal entrances or chants are allowed.  This could be mistaken as the beginning of your routine and time would start. You will not be told to begin your routine after being called to the floor.

Coaches must sit in the Coaches Box and must remain seated throughout the entire performance. A maximum of six (6) coaches/alternates are permitted in the Coaches Box.

Pine Mountain Photography will be taking action shots during the competition to be available on their website www.pinemountainphotography.com. The contract requires no other photographer on the performance floor. Personal photos may be taken of your own team.  Team IP will have the official KAPOS t-shirts available for purchase.  Pine Mountain Photography and Team IP have information and forms available on the KAPOS website.

State KAPOS programs featuring team photos and rosters, as well as supporting ads, will be available.

If you need hotel rooms for Friday and/or Saturday night(s), there are Lexington area Host Hotels that are offering special rates for KAPOS participants.  That information can be found at kapos.org as well.  Room block deadlines may vary.

Parents and boosters may bring goody bags, signs, flowers, etc. for your team members.  However, please remember these items may NOT block the view of spectators.  Balloons ARE NOT allowed!  

A “FanZone” section will be designated for fans of the performing team to occupy during their team’s performance.  This section will be located behind the judges.  Fans will then exit the FanZone to allow the next team’s fans to enter.

If you have altered your routine after regionals, please review the NFHS rules and continue to time your routine. Time limits are one and one-half minutes for audio and two and one-half minutes for full routine. Game Day performances cannot exceed three minutes.

Awards will be presented to the top four teams in each of the eight divisions.  During awards announcements, ONLY coaches of teams receiving a trophy will be called to the floor. Participating cheerleaders will not gather in one large group, as has been done in past years.  Coaches of the Championship team in each division will then gather their team and accompany them to the photo area on the upper level for a group photo and to receive their jackets.  Coaches of all participating teams may pick up a copy of their scoresheets upon completion.

Not everyone will leave as a state champion, but all teams are winners for their hard work and dedication.  Good sportsmanship is expected from all teams, including coaches, and measured from the time of arrival on campus until departure. Thank you for all the time you have devoted to these young athletes.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at hack.hudson@kapos.org.

Good luck to all teams!

Hack Hudson, KAPOS President