Enterprise, AL-Celebrating its fifth year as a leader in cheer safety certification, the National Council for Spirit Safety and Education (NCSSE) has become the international source for quality education and certification for cheerleading coaches. This recognition has prompted a continuous growth and outreach crossing all borders by certifying over 10,000 coaches in cheerleading safety. As a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching coaches of all levels the basics of safety as it relates to the athletic activity of cheerleading, the NCSSE continues to expand its influence internationally by offering safety certification to coaches in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe.
Courses are not offered online; due to the serious nature of the material covered, coaches participate in a face-to-face setting with hands-on demonstrations. Coaches cannot take the certification tests without physically attending classes. Debbie Bracewell, Executive Director of the NCSSE, says, “We believe that testing without classroom coursework and coach participation is not effective and it weakens the validity of a certification. That is why we require face-to-face education and testing. We want coaches to successfully complete the courses by passing a test; however, our major focus is education-not certification.”
The NCSSE provides coaches with detailed information about all aspects of cheer coaching. Each of the four core courses focuses on a specific portion of a cheer coach’s job, giving thorough explanations and illustrations of the points being discussed.
Bob Kiralfy, chairman of the British Cheerleading Association (BCA) and board member, is strongly supportive of the efforts of the NCSSE, “In hosting more than 3,000 NCSSE courses across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the British Cheerleading Association is pleased to underline the significant impact that NCSSE has made in effective safety education contributing to impressively reduced levels of injuries in the sport. Our national safety figures show an 80% reduction in injuries, despite a five-fold increase in participation over the multi-year data period. When even the newest coaches have the benefit of solid safety education then injuries can be kept low, as our experiences in the UK prove.”
Board member Steven G. Wedge, President and CEO of COA Cheer & Dance, says, “With the increase in cheerleading participation and the focus by the media on cheerleading injuries, coaches, gym owners and administrators must protect themselves and their athletes through education and prudent implementation of safe practices. The best remedy to prepare cheerleading coaches is through NCSSE coursework and certification.
This view is echoed by Gwen Holtsclaw, board member and president of Cheer Ltd., Inc., who says “NCSSE is creating a strong safety awareness for cheerleading coaches across the world. Every coach who attends NCSSE safety courses goes on to create a safer environment for the cheerleaders under her supervision. That is how we make cheerleading safer . . . one NCSSE-trained coach at a time.”
NCSSE is funded and supported by these companies in the cheerleading industry: AmeriCheer, British Cheerleading Association, Cheer Ltd. Inc., COA Cheer & Dance, Inc., Spirit Unlimited, and United Performing Association, Inc.
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