8-count Usual mark of time used to count out one section of a dance, or other counted element.

Abstract You jump to a normal prep and put one foot on your other knee. It is like you are doing a side hurdler with your straight leg bent and on your bent legs knee. Your hands in a T.

Aerial the move in which the tumbler turns completely over in the air without touching the mat with his or her hands. Used to describe a cartwheel without hands touching the ground or floor. Sometimes refers to a walkover or roundoff without hands.

All-Star Team A cheer squad that is not affiliated with a school or team, but is independently run and most often affiliated with a cheer gym. All-star teams exist for a wide-range of age groups, compete in a separate division and are often looked at as having more elite-level cheerleading.

Arabesque A fully-extended stunt where the flyer stands on one straight leg and extends the unsupported leg straight behind her with toes pointed, while keeping the torso upright and arms in a "T." The arabesque is a variation of the Liberty.

Arch A position in which the back is curved.

Around the World legs come up in a pike, then circle around to a toetouch - HARD to do and land with your feet together.

Assistant Coach The person responsible for helping the Coach in any way they can and if the Coach is not there they are the acting Coach.(See Coaches Duties)

Athlete a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina

Attack the Crowd Technique used to induce crowd involvement, achieved by yelling, jumping and moving close to the crowd, or directly leading the crowd into song, chant or cheer.

Awesome Is just like an elevator or extension except the bases bring their hands to the middle of the stunt so the flyer's feet are very close together. The guy's other hand is in a half high V. Also known as a Cupie.

Around the World legs come up in a pike, then circle around to a toetouch - HARD to do and land with your feet together.

Back Bend the move where a tumbler spread your legs shoulder width and put your hands straight up by your ears. Look up at your hands and bend your back, Look for the ground, and try to put your hands really close to your feet. Once they hit the ground, your there! This is a very important steppingstone skill

Back Handspring the move where a tumbler jumps backwards onto the hands, followed by a quick push from the hands to the feet. Also know as flip-flop or flick-flack.

Back Tuck Basket Toss a regular basket toss but you add a back tuck before landing in a cradle position. This takes an extra strong pop from the bases.

Backwards Load In 2 Bases face back to back, with hands behind their back in an extension ready position. Flier jumps in hands, bases toss her up, and rotate to recatch her feet then facing each other, popping the stunt to a full, half, lib, etc.

Banana (Stunt) is when you arch your back and reach upwards. You usually only do a banana when you are doing a combination jump or riding up a basket toss.

Basket toss A stunt which uses two side bases, a back base and may use at least one front base to toss the flyer from their hands. Once airborne, the flyer may hit any number of tricks, including a toe touch, a tuck and a full before returning to the cradle.

Bloomers Matching undies that are part of your Cheerleading uniform, worn under your skirt. Sometimes called briefs..

Bow-N-Arrow(Arms) One arm is placed in a "T" motion and the other is in a "T," but broken at the elbow and the fist is brought into the shoulder in buckets. (This can be done to either direction. If the right arm is in the "T," it is a right Bow-N-Arrow.)

Bow-And-Arrow (Stunt)Much like the heel-stretch, the bow-and-arrow is a fully-extended stunt where the flyer stands on one straight leg and holds the foot of her unsupported leg with her opposite hand in an extremely "stretched" position. The other arm is in half a "T" motion. The bow-and-arrow is a variation of the Liberty.

Bracer A person who assists in stabilizing a stunt by remaining in direct contact with a flyer or base. A bracer may be on the competition surface or in a stunt.

Bridge This is often used as a limbering exercise for back and shoulder flexibility. The body is in a backward arch with hands and feet flat on the floor. The better bridges will show the shoulders directly above the hands or pushing past the hands if the tumbler has very flexible shoulders.

Butt Sit (Stunt) You can sit in a straddle in a stunt. The back spot holds the butt and the bases hold the thighs and the calfs or wach leg and you do a straddle. it doesnt have to be straddled but the bases are always on upper and lower legs.

Calisthenics A series of exercises used to develop strength, power and balance.

Camper Any cheerleader (at any level) who is in attendance at a cheerleading camp.

Candle Sticks Motion where you extend your arms out in front of you with your fists facing down.

Captain a Captain of a cheerleading team is the leader of the team. They are who the other members look to for direction and inspiration.

Cartwheel the move where the tumbler turns sideways from a standing position, to a handstand, and then back to a standing position. Also said to be a lateral handspring with arms and legs extended

Chair A partner stunt where the base holds the flyer by placing one hand underneath the flyer’s seat and the other at the ankle for support. The flyer bends her right leg, with her foot resting on the base’s elbow, and keeps her left leg straight and arms in a high "V" (or a variation).

Chant A short cheer that is easy to remember and repeat and used to get the crowd excited and cheering along with the cheerleaders. Chants are repeated over and over until the crowd begins to die down. The chant is also referred to as a sideline.

Clap done mostily in a cheer is when the four fingers of each hand are held tightly together and the hands are cupped to fit around each other, separating only between the thumb and pointer finger. The action is repeated & repeated.

Cheer Cheers are usually much longer than chants and contain a group of words or phrases that generate excitement and attention. Cheers are often choreographed with motions, jumping, stunting and tumbling and are used more for performance than crowd response

Cheerleader Any person that is on a Cheerleading Team or Squad.

Choreographer the person the puts together the dance and motions to it.

Choreography The set arrangement of dance steps and movements.

Coach The person responsible for the learning, discipline and decision-making of a squad. A coach can be any age and is anyone who has taken on the responsibility of managing a team.

Co-Captain a Co-Captain of a Cheerleading team helps the Captain at all times,and if the Captain is not there for some reason steps up and does the Captain job till the Captain returns.

Conditioning are exercises and activities that are used to increase strength and performance.

Cradle A dismount where the flyer rides the toss from a stunt and is caught by her base(s) by landing in a piked position and wrapping her arms around her bases.

Cradle Catch Occurs when the catcher(s) catch a mounter/flyer by holding her around the back and under the thighs.

Cradle Reload the flyer is in a cradle position and is popped up to a sponge or she taps her foot on the ground and goes to a lib. Its fast..as soon as you cradle thats your dip to go into a sponge whatever the stunt may be Smoosh

Crowd Response Positive or negative, the behavior a crowd exhibits in response to something the cheerleaders do to in order to gain a response. Crowd response is usually a category on score sheets at competition and good crowd response is looked upon favorably.

Cupie A fully-extended stunt where the flyer is held, with her feet together, in one hand (partner stunt) or simulated to look as so (group stunt) by the base(s). The cupie is a.k.a. an "awesome."