NJCDCA State Cheer & Dance Competition

NJCDCA State Championship Reminders:

Competition Day:

• Doors will open 

  • Day 1- 7AM for cheerleaders and 7:30AM for spectators. 

  • Day 2- 8:30 AM for cheerleaders/dancers and 9AM for spectators. 

• The times listed on the schedule are APPROXIMATE and could change due to team drops.  Please allow for travel, parking and entry into the event.  

• There will be NO REFUNDS given for missed performances by spectators.  

• Any and all spectator questions must be directed to your coach and not the competition director.

 

Admission:

• Entrances will be marked for TEAMS (Athletes and Coaches with wristbands only) and for SPECTATORS - Please enter accordingly.

• Only team members and coaches with wristbands will be free and must enter through the TEAM entrance.  

  • No one with a wristband will be permitted through the spectator entrance

• Admissions are $20 per person per day.

• CASH ONLY at the door

• $10 for students with School ID ONLY on EVENT DAYS only (No other forms of ID will be accepted)

• Pre-Admission can be purchased through EVENTBRITE (no student discount pre-order).

• 5 and under free!

 

Cheerleader/Dancer/Coach Wristbands:  NO wristbands will be issued the day of the event.  ANY ATHLETE or coach attending BOTH DAYS of competition will be required to keep their wristbands on for both days.  DAMAGED or MISSING wristbands will require entrance and payment through spectator entrance.

 

Other Information:

• Multiple sessions have been planned to allow for social distancing.

• Concessions will be available. 

• No outside food or drink is to be brought into Brookdale Community College.

• The NJCDCA or Brookdale Community College is not responsible for lost or stolen items

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General Competition Information:

School Cheer, Dance and Recreation Specific Pages Below

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The Competition:

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1. Performance Surface:

• Day 1: All Music teams will perform on a SPRING FLOOR (54 x42)

• Day 1: Cheer/Dance and Non-Tumble teams will perform on a FLAT MAT (54x42)

• Day 2: Game Day teams will perform on a FLAT MAT (54x42)

• Day 2: Dance teams will perform on a basketball court wood floor surface

2. Due to liability issues the use of designated spotters for cheer teams is not an option.

3. Alternate judging will be used for all divisions.

4. The warm-up time will be 4 minutes for both the tumbling mat and performance mat.

5. Performance times will be posted online after the mandatory coaches’ meetings.

6. NJCDCA will be selling t-shirts online and at the event.

7. Updates will be posted in our NJCDCA Coaches BAND forum.

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Registration Check-List:

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• ONLINE Registration Form requires

  • General Registration and Contact Information

  • Floor Acknowledgement Form (Cheer Teams only)

  • Music Copyright Form

  • NJCDCA Official Team Roster *Click Here*

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• Required Items to be Mailed:

  • Certificate of Insurance

  • Participant Release Waiver *Click Here*

  • Competition Invoice for Entry fee(s) or purchase order form *Click Here*

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Deadlines & Late Fees: (Please see specific page for pricing and mailing information)

 

• On Time Registration: Must be time stamped on or before 11:59PM on January 15, 2024.

  • Any application postmarked after January 15, 2024 will be charged a late fee of $100 per team.

• "Last Chance": Must be time stamped on or before the timestamp date of 11:59PM on January 29, 2024.

  • No exceptions. Your $100 late fee (per team) must be applied to your payment.

• APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER JANUARY 29, 2024. NO EXCEPTIONS.

• NO CERTIFIED MAIL. IF OVERNIGHTING YOUR WAIVERS, PO/PAYMENTS OR CERTIFICATES OF INSURANCE, PLEASE WAIVE THE SIGNATURE.

• WHEN SENDING PO'S, PLEASE SEND A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE.

• All fees are non refundable. No fees or forms will be collected the day of the competition. All coaches are responsible for completing all forms. No phone calls will be made to inform you of missing items.

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Insurance Certificates:

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• The following addresses are for the additional insureds- give to your insurance agent:

  • NJCDCA: 47 Highfield Road, Colonia, NJ 07067

    • AND

  • Brookdale Community College, 765 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, NJ

• Each team must email/mail with their payment a certificate of insurance naming BOTH the NJCDCA and Brookdale Community College as the additional insured. If you fail to do so, you will not be able to participate.

• NO CERTIFICATES WILL BE ACCEPTED the day of competition and verbal authorization is not acceptable.

 

Team Roster & Liability Release Forms: (see links above under Registration)

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• Please submit an NJCDCA Official Team Roster for each team competing in your ONLINE Registration Form

• Coaches must MAIL each participants' liability release form before they are permitted to compete. It is the responsibility of the coach to copy one for each participant and submit them along with the entry packet.

• PLEASE DO NOT FAX OR EMAIL LIABILITY FORMS. THEY SHOULD BE MAILED OR BROUGHT TO ONE OFTHE MANDATORY COACHES MEETINGS. THEY WILLNOT BE ACCEPTED THE DAY OF THE EVENT.

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Time Limits:

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• CHEER/DANCE: 2:30 minutes max

• ALL MUSIC: 2:30 minutes max

• RECREATION: 2:30 minutes max

• GAME DAY (School and Rec): 3:00 minutes max

• Dance: 3:00 minutes max

 

Rules & Penalties:

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• Coaches will not be permitted to speak to the safety judges before their performance time

• All safety questions must be sent to the Safety Committee via THIS LINK *Click Here* by February 21

• 36 member maximum per team except for where noted

• National Federation Interscholastic Spirit Association rules and regulations, including current revisions, with the exception of the use of a spring floor, will be strictly enforced.

• A 2.5 point deduction will be deducted for minor infractions (NFHS Rule 2-General Info and Rule 3 &4 Apparel/Accessories) and a 5 point penalty will be deducted for each infraction ( all other sections) including stepping off the mat and exceeding the time limit. www.nfhs.org

• Alternate team members and coaches sitting on the competition floor may not say the words with the team

• A warm up area with tumbling strips will be available.

• Timing will begin with the first word, movement or note of music and end with the last.

 

Awards:

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• Team trophies will be awarded to the top 3 places in each division.

• Banners & Medals will be awarded to division champions in all divisions as well as group champions in the varsity cheer/dance and all music divisions only.

• The entire varsity cheer/dance and all music divisions will be ranked according to their respective state group according to the NJSIAA General Classification. *Click Here*

• The top ranked squads in the Varsity cheer/dance AND the Varsity all music division will compete for a State Group Title in the respective division/group. Group Info can be found on the High School Cheer Page.

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Mandatory Coaches Meeting:

 

• Two mandatory coaches meeting will take place. YOU ONLY NEED TO ATTEND ONE.

• Each team must have at least one coach or team representative attend either of the meetings.

  • Date: February 5, 2024 at 7:00 PM at Howell High School, 405 Squankum-Yellowbrook Road, Farmingdale, NJ

    • OR

  • Date: February 15, 2024 at 7:00 PM at David Brearley High School, Kenilworth, NJ.

• Coaches will receive their packets of information including their warm-up and performance times.

• DIVISIONS CANNOT BE CHANGED ONCE THE FIRST MEETING TAKES PLACE.

• We suggest that you have a backup/ contingency plan because if any team does not have a coach or a representative for the team present (no students allowed) you will not be permitted to compete.

• No Exceptions! If you have another coach/ representative pick up your packet you are still responsible for all information presented at this meeting.

• We request that you hold your questions until the meeting so that everyone receives the same information or e-mail your questions in advance to njcdcastatechampionships@gmail.com so we can have that information ready for all coaches at the meetings.

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Scheduled Start Times:

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• Doors will open at 1 1/2 hours before the scheduled start times for team and 1 hour ahead for the spectators.

• Day 1: Middle School and HS JV Divisions will be in the morning followed by Varsity Cheer Divisions followed by the Recreation Divisions.

• Day 2: Game Day Divisions will be in the morning and Dance will be in the afternoon.

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Team Eligibility:

• All team members must be a full-time student within the school district where they currently cheer/dance and compete or attend a magnet/technical/ choice school with the permission of that school district.

• The district Athletic Director must certify that all competitors participating and competing in the state competition through NJCDCA are active students and covered under the district Board of Education’s (or like governing body’s) liability insurance.

• Coaches must be able to certify that every student participating is a student in good academic standing.

• Seniors are permitted to participate on JV teams at the discretion of the coach.

• 8th grade students are not permitted to cheer in any High School divisions.

 

Please Note:

• Eligible for “group” state championship: All-Girl Cheer/Dance small, med., large, mega, super, and co-ed varsity and All-Girl All Music small, med., large, mega, super, and co-ed varsity

• All Music teams in the Group Cheer Championships will compete against other All music teams in their respective groups and Cheer/Dance teams will compete against other Cheer/Dance teams in their respective groups.

• IMPORTANT! There must be at least three (3) teams in each division, or divisions MAY be combined (except Group Cheer Championships which may have 2 teams)

• Although we do not encourage crossovers, we understand injuries do occur. Up to 2 substitutions to cover potential illness or injury are permitted. Your rosters should reflect the names of the substitutes.

• Please note Rubrics for all Varsity, Co-ed, Non-tumbling, Game Day and Intermediate divisions are located on the FORMS page.

• A Penalty for performing skills out of category will be 2.5 points per occurrence in the Intermediate, Game Day and Non-Tumbling Divisions.

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Admission:

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• Wristbands will be distributed to participants and coaches only.

• Only team members and coaches with wristbands will be free.

• Only 2 coaches and the maximum number of team members allowed in each division will be admitted free with wristbands.

• Admissions are $20 per person.

• $10 for students with School ID ONLY (No other forms of ID will be accepted)

• Pre-Admission can be purchased through EVENTBRITE.

• 5 and under free!

 

Other Information:

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• Multiple sessions will be planned to allow for social distancing.

• Score sheets will be available immediately after the competition.

• No outside food or drink is to be brought into Brookdale Community College.

• The NJCDCA or Brookdale Community College is not responsible for lost or stolen items.