The Competition

Competition Entries, Payments & Key Dates:

All athletes intending to take part in a Starz Scotland competition must be accurately listed on the official event entry. Submission of an entry confirms that the club or programme agrees to comply with all published competition rules, procedures, and conditions.

To secure the relevant entry rate, entries must be fully completed and paid for in full by the stated deadline.

Entries that do not meet the payment deadline may be charged at a higher rate or declined. Late entries submitted after the final closing date will only be accepted with approval from a Starz Scotland Official.

All competition fees are payable by the registered club or programme. Starz Scotland does not accept payments directly from individual athletes or parents.

Starz Scotland reserves the right to close event entries early if venue capacity limits are reached.

Athlete Crossovers:

Athletes competing in more than one routine or team within the same programme will be charged a reduced crossover fee rather than a full additional entry fee.

Athletes may represent more than one programme at the same competition; however, this does not qualify as a crossover. In these circumstances, separate entry fees must be paid by each programme, and athletes are not permitted to compete for multiple programmes in the same division.

While scheduling aims to allow a minimum of 20 minutes between performances for crossover athletes, this timing cannot be guaranteed. The buffer exists solely for athlete safety and may not accommodate uniform changes, travel between venues, or coach availability. Programmes should ensure adequate staffing to manage these situations.

For athlete wellbeing, coaches should carefully consider the total number of routines assigned to each athlete. In line with SCUK guidance, athletes may:

Compete on a maximum of three cheer teams
Perform no more than six routines in total per event, across all disciplines

Athletes may only enter one Solo, Duo, or Trio division per event at Starz Scotland competitions.

Substitutions:

Substitutions may be made without charge provided that:

The replacement does not alter the division eligibility
The incoming athlete is already registered with the programme and has completed age verification

Any other roster changes must be approved by a Starz Scotland Director and may incur a £100 administrative charge.

All substitution requests must be submitted for approval and reflected on the official entry before the team performs. Teams found to be competing with unlisted athletes may receive a two-point penalty or be disqualified.

Division Amendments:

Division changes can be made at no cost if Starz Scotland is notified before the competition schedule is published. Clubs will be asked to confirm division details prior to the release of the first draft schedule.

Requests made after this stage will require Official approval. If the change can be accommodated within the event schedule, a £100 admin fee will apply.

Withdrawals & Refunds:

Teams or individual athletes may withdraw from an event at any time. However, only withdrawal requests submitted by the coach or nominated club contact via email will be considered.

Withdrawals received before the on-time deadline may be refunded or transferred to another Starz Scotland event (subject to admin costs).
Withdrawals received after the on-time deadline are not eligible for a refund, though transfers may be considered in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of Starz Scotland Directors.

Athlete Verification & Wristbands:

Starz Scotland places athlete safety and fair competition at the forefront of all events. All athletes must complete age verification prior to competing.

Verified athletes will appear as approved on the coach dashboard and will be issued an event wristband, which must be worn throughout the competition.

Athletes who have not completed verification prior to arrival may do so on-site for a £20 administrative fee. Athletes unable to provide valid documentation will not be permitted to compete.

Lost wristbands can be replaced for a £10 replacement fee.

Any athlete found competing under a false identity will result in immediate disqualification, with possible further disciplinary action against the individual and/or programme. Relevant information may be shared with other UK competition providers.

Coach Wristbands & Access:

Complimentary coach wristbands are allocated per programme based on the number of registered teams, excluding speciality divisions:

One team: one wristband
Two teams: two wristbands
Three teams: three wristbands
Additional teams follow the same pattern

Additional coach wristbands may be purchased during registration at the following rates:

£45 for a two-day event
£25 for a one-day event

Single-day wristbands for multi-day events must be purchased on arrival.

Only coaches registered within the system are eligible to receive wristbands. Junior coaches aged 11–15 must be supervised by an adult coach while in Warm-Up.

At no time may more than three coaches per team be present in Warm-Up, regardless of wristband allocation.

Disciplinary Action & Disqualification:

Teams may be disqualified for knowingly breaching age eligibility requirements, submitting inaccurate rosters, or violating crossover regulations. Disqualified teams will also forfeit eligibility for end-of-season bids.

Investigations may be concluded after the event, and outcomes may be shared with other UK event providers.

Any behaviour by athletes, coaches, or supporters that is deemed inappropriate or damaging to the reputation of the sport may result in penalties or disqualification of the entire programme.

Routine Interruptions & Injury Procedures:

If a routine is interrupted due to organiser equipment failure, the team will be permitted to restart their routine.

Interruptions caused by team equipment, supplies, or personnel will result in the team choosing whether to continue or withdraw.

A routine may only be stopped due to injury by:

Competition officials
The team coach
The injured athlete
The Safety or Head Judge

A routine may be halted if:

An athlete is visibly injured
An athlete does not resume their role within five seconds of a suspected injury
An athlete leaves the floor due to injury

An injured athlete may only return to performance once clearance has been received from event medical staff and the team coach. Suspected head injuries require clearance from a qualified medical professional.

If a re-performance is permitted, the routine must be performed in full. Judging will resume from the point of interruption, and any deductions already applied will remain.

Choreography, Music & Presentation:

All routines must be appropriate for a family audience. Content considered offensive, suggestive, or unsuitable may negatively affect scoring.

Music submission instructions will be provided following the entry closing date. Teams must also bring music on two separate devices as a backup. CDs and tapes are not accepted.

Uniforms, Performance Surface & Flooring:

Uniforms must be suitable for athletic performance and prioritise athlete safety.

Cheer teams will compete on a 54’ x 42’ sprung or foam-bonded safety floor.

Performance Order, Scoring & Reviews:

The running order is determined at random. Coaches will have access to a live, dynamic running order and should check it regularly, particularly when managing crossover athletes.

Scores, difficulty ratings, and deductions will be released via email and coach dashboards. Any score queries must be raised within 15 minutes of performance. All judging decisions are final once awards have concluded.

Photography, Filming & Media:

Starz Scotland reserves the right to restrict photography or filming at events to safeguard athlete privacy.

Parents and coaches may record their own teams only, using personal devices such as phones or tablets. Flash photography and professional camera equipment are not permitted without prior approval.

All media and press activity must receive advance authorisation, and interviews involving athletes must be supervised by a coach or designated programme representative.