Cheerleading Safety Leaders Merge to Strengthen Safety Message and Expand Reach

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The leading organizations for cheerleading safety education and training have merged. The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA) and the National Council for Spirit Safety Education (NCSSE) are pleased to announce the merger effective Jan. 12.

There are more than 70,000 cheerleading coaches across the United States working with youth, junior high, high school, all star and college cheerleaders. The shared mission of these two nonprofits is to provide educational resources and training opportunities to these coaches, as well as school administrators, coaches and the cheerleaders themselves.

AACCA, founded in 1988, has had successful safety partnerships with the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the National Federation of State High School Associations and is widely recognized as a safety education and rule making body. AACCA has developed safety rules for all levels of cheerleading, developed the AACCA Safety Certification Course and has recently made the course available online.

"We've made great strides in addressing safety issues, and this merger puts us in a better position to continue addressing those concerns," says Jim Lord, Executive Director of AACCA. "It's very exciting to think of the effect we can have on safety by combining our expertise and resources. Together, we will be able to continue development of safety initiatives and educational programs that will directly benefit cheerleaders and their parents, coaches and administrators at every level, from youth to college, school to all star."

The NCSSE has successfully developed a comprehensive coaches' educational series incorporating teaching principles, strategies and techniques. Internationally, the NCSSE has established a strong foothold in the United Kingdom and has developed partnerships with established organizations in nine other countries.

Debbie Bracewell, Executive Director of NCSSE, is enthusiastic about the potential impact of the merger, both domestically and abroad. "This move strengthens and enhances our mission of providing comprehensive safety training and certification programs for the continued development of cheer and dance team coaches. We can better serve the cheerleading community here in the United States as well as globally, where cheerleading is growing steadily."

About AACCA

The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators represents more than 20,000 cheerleading coaches and is recognized as the leading advocate of cheerleading safety in the U.S. AACCA is the most recognized source for cheerleading safety education. The AACCA manual, composed by a team of doctors, lawyers, cheerleading industry professionals and Gerald S. George, PhD, has been endorsed by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the University Risk Management and Insurance Association, the Women's Sports Foundation and the National Athletic Trainers' Association, as well as the NCAA and NFHS. For more information about AACCA, contact Sheila Noone at 901-251-5959.

About NCSSE

The National Council for Spirit Safety and Education is an association of companies serving the cheerleading community who share a primary mission: to provide comprehensive safety training and certification programs for the educational development of spirit coaches and advisors through an international council of unified industry leaders. For more information about NCSSE, contact Debbie Bracewell at 866-456-2773.

SOURCE The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators