The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors is a non-profit educational association for the over 50,000 cheerleading coaches across the United States. Founded in 1988, members of the association include: youth, junior high school, high school and college or university coaches/advisors as well as leading national cheerleading instructional companies dedicated to the safe and responsible practice of student cheerleading.
The AACCA Spirit Safety Certification Program is a lecture course, study manual, and timed exam designed to educate cheerleading and dance coaches in all aspects of spirit safety and risk management.
The course is a three-hour lecture and review of the AACCA Safety Manual directed by an AACCA National Safety Instructor. The course covers such topics as legal and medical responsibilities, spotting, skill progressions, environmental safety concerns, psychological readiness, physical readiness, program evaluation and more. It concludes with a 90-minute, 100-question exam. A score of 70 must be achieved to qualify for certification. The course tuition is $75, which includes the required AACCA Safety Manual.
The minimum age to take the course for certification is 18 years of age. Those under 18 can take the course as a benefit to their safety awareness, but certification will not be given until the age of 18.
The certification is valid for four years, and provides the certified coach with one million dollars of secondary liability insurance coverage for coaches who are employed full time by a school or school district and be the coach or advisor for the school's cheerleader or dance squad(s) and must be 21 years of age. Coverage for credentialed members remains in force for four years, subject to the renewal of the master policy. There is no policy at this time for non-school coaches.
Coaches receive a lapel pin displaying their "Certified" status and a certificate attesting that they have successfully completed the AACCA Safety Certification Course.
Safety manual
