How to Do a Cheerleading Basket Toss Safely

A basket toss is an advanced stunt that is performed in cheerleading. This stunt should be well "spotted," or watched, in order to be completed safely. The basic basket toss is for more experienced cheerleaders; it involves two or three people called "bases," two spotters, and one person, called a "flyer," who gets tossed into the air. The two bases toss the flyer upward and then catch her in a position called the cradle. Below are the steps for doing a cheerleading basket toss safely.

Instructions

    • 1

      Find the right amount of people for the basket toss. Depending on the experience and strength of the cheerleaders, pick two or three people to be the bases and spotters. Then pick one of the cheerleaders to be the flyer, who will be tossed into the air. The bases should be strong enough to propel the flyer into the air using their legs and shoulders. The flyer should be light enough to be propelled upwards. One or two people should be used as spotters, especially if this is your first time attempting a basket toss.

    • 2

      Position your team members for the load. The bases should face each other and lock their hands in a basket toss grip, using both hands. Each of the members of the base starts by gripping the top of his right wrist with his left hand and then holding the wrist of the other base. This will be your loading position while you wait for the flyer to step into the basket.

    • 3

      Load the flyer in preparation for the basket toss. When the bases are situated, the flyer will step or jump into the basket while holding onto the shoulders of the bases. The back spotter should assist the flyer into the load by placing her hands on the flyer's waist, then step back and await the catch.

    • 4

      Execute the basket toss. The bases should bend their knees slightly before releasing the flyer into the air. The back spotter can assist in the takeoff by adding momentum to the bottom of the basket. All of the cheerleaders involved in the toss should keep their arms extended in the air until the landing.

    • 5

      Catch the flyer in the cradle at the end of the basket toss. At the height of the toss, the flyer should go into a pike position, tuck her arms at her side tightly and prepare for the cradle. The bases and the spotter will be waiting with their arms extended, ready to catch her as high as possible while absorbing the weight of the flyer with their legs. Bases should catch the flyer with an arm under the lower back and another arm just at the thighs, like holding a baby. The spotter will use his forearms to safely assist in catching the flyer under her shoulders.