Although I have many points to make about spotting and safety, I will begin with a pet peeve of mine and what I consider the most irritating and scary situation I have seen as a coach. On many occasions as I have watched a tryout or practice I have noticed that when a group or couple begins to stunt a coach or cheerleader will say to a new person "spot that stunt". It makes me want to scream. These words to an inexperienced cheerleader or coach are like a foreign language.

First of all, asking someone with no experience to spot is like asking a five year old to perform surgery. It is dangerous for everyone involved. The simple word 'spot' means so much. It amazes me that a flyer would put their safety in the hands of someone who has no idea what they are doing. And there are times when coaches encourage this!

Spotting is the hardest and most important job a cheerleader can do. It requires physical strength, quickness, coordination and most important of all, experience. Also, a certain amount of preparation and planning are required.

What do I mean by planning? Let me tell you the steps that should be taken before the group even sets up for the stunt. A good spotter should know the skill level and experience of all members of the stunt group, both individually and as a group. Also, the spotter should know what stunt is being performed and be familiar with that stunt. It is also important to know how much the group has been working on the stunt and if they have performed it successfully in the past. This information allows a spotter to determine the most likely mistakes, weakest points and best positioning. While a good spotter is always ready for anything I say the more information the better.

The number of spotters and their positions is also very important. Enough spotters should be used so that every angle is covered. While bases musty also spot you should remember that a falling flyer can knock down (or even knock out) a base. For stunts or pyramids with multiple flyers (or levels) always make sure that every upper and mid level flyer is spotted from all angles. It is possible for every flyer to fall so each spotter should know which flyer they are responsible for.

Where should spotters be positioned? That depends on the number of spotters and the stunt. The most important thing is that the spotters can reach or move to all sides of the stunt. A common mistake made by new cheerleaders is to spot all stunts in the front. They do this because they notice that flyers usually come down in front. What they don't realize is that the bases can easily spot the front. A fall to the back, while less common, can be far more dangerous because the bases may not be able to do anything at all. The spotters must be ready and able to catch a falling flyer behind a stunt with no help from a base. Of course, a spotter should always help a flyer down in the front even if it is a controlled fall where the base is guiding the flyer gently to the ground. There are two reasons for this: 1) It is possible for forward motion to force a flyer forward and out of the hands of the base, and 2) Repetitive landing (even on a mat) can cause stress fractures and knee injuries.

There are a few other basic rules that should always be followed:

1. Hands Up! Reaction time can be wasted moving your hands. Keep your hands at an appropriate level, at least chest high.
2. Keep your eyes on the flyer. A spotter must not be distracted by anything. However, use peripheral vision to make sure that nothing (like a ball or a mascot) will interfere with a stunt.
3. If you are not familiar with a stunt or don't feel you can adequately spot a stunt, just say no!
4. Use hands-on spotting for inexperienced stunters or groups trying new stunts.

I've learned that the best way to learn how to spot is by dong it. This is a catch 22 because only a skilled spotter should be doing it so how do you get experience if you don't know how to do it already? There are some ways to learn quickly and make the most of the experience that you do get. Whenever possible, observe experienced spotters. One way to tell who the best spotters are is to see who the flyers trust the most. Another way to learn is to watch stunts over and over and noticing where and how flyers fall. Over time you will see patterns and the mistakes made by spotters.

This may seem like a lot to remember but it is well worth the time in order to ensure the safety of the people you stunt with. There is always more to learn especially as new stunts and pyramids are developed, new rules are introduced and new cheerleaders join your squad!

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