What Is Non-Tumble Cheer?

Quick answer: Non-Tumble is a division for teams that compete without tumbling passes, still including stunts, jumps, motions and dance - used both for teams still developing tumbling skills and for some mixed-ability or adaptive programs.

What Does This Division Mean?

A Non-Tumble team performs a full routine - stunts, jumps, motions, dance and formation work - but leaves out tumbling passes entirely. This lets teams compete meaningfully while tumbling skills are still developing, or where tumbling isn't part of the program's focus.

Why Non-Tumble Divisions Exist

Tumbling generally carries a higher physical-skill barrier than other parts of a cheer routine, and not every team or athlete progresses at the same pace. A Non-Tumble division allows fair competition against teams facing the same constraint, rather than scoring them against routines that include tumbling difficulty.

Typical Stunt, Jump and Motion Expectations

Non-Tumble teams are typically judged on the same stunt, jump and motion criteria as tumbling divisions at a similar level - the routine structure and judging generally differ only in that no tumbling difficulty or execution is scored.

Division / Governing Body Differences

Whether Non-Tumble is offered, and at which levels, varies between governing bodies and competition providers. Some organisations offer Non-Tumble across multiple numbered levels; others use it primarily at entry levels.

Parent Questions

Parents sometimes ask if Non-Tumble teams are "less competitive" - they aren't; it's a different, equally legitimate competitive track, not a lesser one.

Related Levels

See Level 1, the tumbling overview, or the levels hub for the full system.