01Our shared standards

Magic should be a welcoming place to learn, train and enjoy cheerleading. These standards apply to athletes, parents, guardians, spectators, coaches and volunteers at training, competitions, events, journeys organised by the programme and in programme-related online communications.

Treat everyone with dignity and respect. Bullying, deliberate exclusion, discrimination, harassment, intimidation, threats, violence and sexualised or degrading comments are not acceptable. Respect differences in age, ability, disability, background and identity. Do not make hurtful comments about another person's body, appearance or performance.

Coaches and volunteers must model these standards, explain instructions clearly, listen to concerns and put athlete welfare first. Physical punishment, humiliating treatment and exercise used as punishment are not acceptable. Athletes may ask questions, say that they feel unsafe and request a break.

02Parent & guardian code of conduct

Please help your athlete enjoy their sport and support a positive environment for every family.

• Encourage effort, learning, teamwork and enjoyment. Celebrate progress; do not pressure an athlete to win, achieve a skill or continue when they are distressed or unwell.
• Treat athletes, coaches, volunteers, other families, officials and opposing teams respectfully. Avoid shouting, abusive language, arguments, gossip and negative comparisons between athletes.
• Let coaches lead training. Do not coach from the sidelines, enter the training floor or interfere with a stunt. Raise an immediate safety concern straight away; arrange a suitable time for other discussions.
• Follow the agreed arrival, sign-in, collection and spectator arrangements. Collect children on time and tell the programme about any change to the authorised collecting adult. Children must not be left before the agreed handover.
• Keep emergency contacts and relevant medical, injury and support information up to date. Explain any additional needs or adjustments that may help your athlete participate safely.
• Help your athlete arrive prepared, with suitable kit, footwear, water and any agreed medication arrangements. Notify the programme promptly about lateness, absence or illness.
• Respect coaching and team-placement decisions while using the proper discussion or complaint route if you disagree. Do not confront another athlete or try to discipline someone else's child.
• Keep spectators and accompanying children in the designated areas. Keep noise low during instruction, silence devices and take calls away from training.
• Respect privacy and photography choices. Do not publish images, personal details or private messages involving other children without the appropriate permission.
• Use programme communication channels appropriately. Discuss individual concerns privately rather than naming or criticising children in group chats or on social media.
• Report bullying, unsafe practice or safeguarding concerns promptly. A genuine concern or complaint will not be treated as misconduct merely because it is critical.
• Help your athlete understand the athlete code in language suitable for their age and needs.

03Disagreements between parents

Parents and guardians may disagree, but disagreements must be managed calmly and kept away from athletes. Shouting, abusive arguments, threats, intimidation, aggressive confrontation and attempts to involve children in an adult dispute are not acceptable at training, competitions, events or in programme-related messages and group chats.

Do not approach another parent in anger, confront their child, encourage others to take sides or continue a dispute in front of athletes. Step away from the situation and ask a coach for help if necessary. Do not disrupt a session or distract coaches while they are supervising skills.

How to report a disagreement

If an issue cannot be resolved calmly, report it privately to the programme directors using the contact details below. Explain what happened, when and where it happened, who was involved and any immediate safety concern. Keep relevant messages or other evidence and share them privately with the person handling the concern, rather than circulating them among families.

How Magic will respond

A coach may separate those involved, pause a discussion or ask a person to leave the immediate area where necessary for safety or to allow training to continue. Where a child is affected, safe supervision and collection arrangements must be maintained. Serious threats, violence or safeguarding concerns may require immediate protective action and referral to the appropriate external service.

The programme will normally hear each person's account, separately where appropriate, consider relevant information and explain the next steps. A joint discussion may be offered where safe and suitable, but no one will be required to confront a person they feel threatened by. Support, reminders, an agreed way forward, warnings or proportionate attendance or spectator restrictions may be appropriate; serious or repeated behaviour may lead to further action under the conduct process below.

Children must not be drawn into the dispute, blamed for it or automatically lose their place because of a parent's behaviour. Where practical, consider alternatives such as a different collecting adult or separate spectator arrangements. Genuine complaints, safeguarding reports and reports to external authorities remain permitted.

04Athlete code of conduct

Every athlete has the right to be safe, listened to, treated fairly and supported to enjoy their sport.

• Be kind, include others and encourage your teammates. Do not bully, threaten, hurt, mock or deliberately leave someone out.
• Listen while coaches explain and follow reasonable safety instructions. Address coaches politely, using Coach and their name.
• Try your best, be willing to learn and support the team. Mistakes are part of learning; do not blame or embarrass another athlete.
• Practise only skills and equipment use approved by your coach. Do not attempt unsupervised stunts, lifts or tumbling, or coach or physically assist others unless authorised and supervised.
• Tell a coach if you are hurt, unwell, worried, tired or do not feel ready for a skill. Stop and ask for help if something feels unsafe.
• Respect personal space and boundaries. Appropriate spotting and physical support must be explained and used for safe coaching; tell a trusted adult if contact makes you uncomfortable.
• Arrive ready for your session, sign in as instructed and tell a coach if you are late. Join activities only when the coach confirms it is safe.
• Look after the venue, equipment, kit and other people's belongings. Do not use training equipment as play equipment.
• Use respectful language in person, in messages and online. Do not share another person's private information, photos or videos without permission.
• Show good sportsmanship at competitions and events. Respect officials, other programmes, venues and the public, whatever the result.
• Stay in the agreed supervised areas and follow the collection arrangements. Tell a coach before leaving a session.
• Speak to a trusted adult if you see or experience bullying, inappropriate behaviour or anything that worries you. You will not be in trouble for asking for help.

Adults should explain and apply these expectations in a way that suits each athlete's age, understanding, disability and support needs.

05Training & venue rules

Arriving, training and leaving

Aim to arrive 5–10 minutes before your session, subject to the venue's access and supervision arrangements. Enter quietly, sign in and prepare without distracting another class. Wait in the designated area; warm-ups and equipment use must follow coaching instructions. A late arrival may need to wait for a safe warm-up before joining.

Attend your allocated sessions. Keep the floor clear, do not chew gum or eat during physical training, and use designated breaks and areas for food and drinks. Respectful questions and teamwork are welcome; avoid conversations or behaviour that distracts athletes performing skills. Take needed rest, water and medical breaks.

After training, leave the floor promptly and follow the agreed handover or next-session arrangements. Be considerate to people arriving. Take your belongings and personal equipment home.

Clothing, footwear, hair and jewellery

Wear clean, suitable sports clothing and the kit specified for your session or team. Recreational participants may use suitable plain black sportswear where Magic kit is not available; purchasing branded kit is not generally compulsory for recreational training. Competition uniform and footwear requirements will be explained for the team and event.

Wear clean, secure, undamaged indoor footwear appropriate to cheerleading. Competition athletes must use the required cheer shoes in the team colour specified for the season. Ask a coach before using alternative footwear. Do not train in outdoor-dirty shoes, Crocs, loose shoes, socks alone or bare feet unless a specific activity is expressly approved and risk-assessed by the coach.

Remove jewellery before physical training; tape is not a substitute for removal. Keep nails short and safe, without artificial nails that could injure another athlete. Tie long hair securely away from the face, using soft ties rather than sharp clips or pins. Use designated changing areas rather than the training floor.

Equipment, branding and additional activities

Use equipment only as instructed and with suitable kit. Report damaged equipment promptly. Look after your own possessions and do not take or use someone else's belongings without permission.

Magic kit can be purchased through the programme or its shop. Permission from the programme directors is required before using Magic Allstars logos or team names on clothing, merchandise or other products.

Book additional training, testing, seminars and events in advance where required. Eligibility, payment, membership and cancellation arrangements are governed by your accepted booking or offer and the terms and conditions.

06Competition team commitment

Competition cheerleading relies on the whole team. Attend the training, choreography, rehearsals and competitions agreed for your team. The programme will communicate the relevant season dates and choreography requirements; use the current schedule rather than a previous season's dates.

Tell the programme about known clashes when accepting a place and notify any new absence as soon as possible. Attendance is especially important in the three weeks before a competition. Discuss unavoidable absence, exams, family emergencies and other exceptional circumstances with the head coach; do not simply miss a session without communication.

Report sickness or injury before training where possible. Health, medical advice and safeguarding take priority over attendance. Do not attend when infectious or train through an injury. Supporting the team from the sidelines or modified participation should happen only where safe, suitable and agreed; an injured athlete is not automatically required to attend.

Coaches may need to adapt a routine, role or team placement if safe preparation is affected. They should explain the concern and discuss reasonable options with the athlete and, where appropriate, their parent or guardian. Training fees, withdrawal and any evidenced costs are dealt with under the accepted agreement and current terms, rather than automatic penalties under this code.

07Photography, messages & social media

Keep programme-related communications respectful. Do not post bullying content, abusive comments, private disputes, identifying information about children or confidential team material. A genuine complaint or safeguarding report may still be made through the appropriate routes.

Training footage may be useful for coaching and routine development. Before filming or sharing it, the programme should explain the purpose, intended audience and applicable privacy arrangements. Keep private training material within its authorised audience and do not repost it publicly without permission.

Marketing and publicity permissions must be handled separately from participation. Do not pressure a family to agree to publicity images. Respect an athlete's wishes and discuss practical arrangements with the programme when a person should not be photographed or filmed.

Never photograph or film in changing areas or toilets. Parents, spectators and athletes must follow venue and event photography rules and obtain the appropriate permission before photographing or sharing images of other children. Adults must use appropriate programme channels when communicating with children; parents should be included where appropriate.

08Raise a concern or ask for help

For an immediate training concern, tell the coach straight away. For a private discussion, contact Magic Allstars at magic.allstars.cheerleading@gmail.com or 07591 198508 and ask to speak with the appropriate coach or programme director.

If the concern is about a coach or the person you would normally contact, speak to another coach or the other programme director. Children can speak to a trusted adult and ask that adult to help report a concern. Safeguarding concerns should be handled under the safeguarding policy, rather than treated only as a conduct disagreement.

You may report a safeguarding concern directly to the police or local authority children's services; you do not need the programme's permission. If someone is in immediate danger, call 999. Nothing in this code restricts making a genuine complaint, reporting concerns externally or exercising legal rights.

09How conduct concerns are handled

We will consider the facts, the seriousness of the concern, the athlete's age and understanding, and any disability or support needs. An athlete or parent should normally have the issue explained and a fair opportunity to give their account. Where appropriate, parents or guardians will be involved when a child is concerned.

Depending on the circumstances, responses may include a reminder, a discussion, support or reasonable adjustments, an agreed behaviour plan, a warning or a proportionate restriction or suspension. Serious or repeated concerns may result in ending participation, consistently with the terms and conditions. Immediate temporary action may be needed to protect someone from a serious safety or safeguarding risk while a concern is considered.

We will explain decisions and how to request a review by the programme directors, involving a director who was not part of the original decision where practicable. Concerns will be shared only with people who need the information for appropriate handling, support or safeguarding.

A child should not automatically lose their place because of a parent's behaviour; consider safe alternatives such as a different collecting adult or spectator arrangements where practical. Physical punishment, humiliating sanctions and exercise as punishment are not part of this process. Financial consequences are handled fairly under the terms, not by automatic forfeiture under this code.

This code supports the terms and conditions and safeguarding arrangements. It does not change the fees or commitment in an accepted agreement or remove anyone's legal rights.