Memphis, Tenn., March 1, 2011 – Varsity, the leading organization in cheerleading camps and education, today announced that it will provide free safety certification courses to the first 200 coaches to log on to the National Federation of State High School Association’s website to take the course in March. This initiative is part of National Cheerleading Safety Month and Varsity’s ongoing mission to raise awareness about the importance of coaches’ education in keeping cheerleading safe for all participants.

“Athlete safety is of paramount importance to us,” said Founder and CEO Jeff Webb. “We want every school’s cheer program to take advantage of the best resources available, and are excited to provide this opportunity to coaches nationwide.”

More than 22,000 coaches have already completed the comprehensive risk management course on site and online.  For school employees at least 21 years of age serving as the cheer coach, AACCA certification includes $1,000,000 of additional liability coverage.  

The course was created by the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA), the leading safety certification and risk management organization, founded in 1987.  Varsity, which includes the Universal Cheerleaders Association, National Cheerleaders Association and United Spirit Association, has worked with AACCA for more than 20 years, providing a comprehensive safety training curriculum for coaches, advisors and students of school-based programs. Last summer alone, more than 300,000 cheerleaders completed a Safety Awareness Program at camps across the country.

AACCA has been endorsed by the NFHS and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and is seen as the standard of care in cheerleading safety nationwide.   “As a parent and a coach, I am keenly aware of the importance of safety education and certification,” says Paige Johnson, coach of the Mount Paran Christian School in Kennesaw, Georgia. “For me, I like to start my school year at camp by making sure my AACCA certification is up to date so that I stay on the cutting edge of safety.  I know coaches will appreciate a chance to get certified for National Cheerleading Safety Month.”

Coaches can complete the AACCA Cheerleading Safety Course online by following the steps at aacca.org/safetycourse.

For more information about Varsity, please contact Sheila Noone at (901) 251-5959 or snoone@varsityspirit.com.