CHEER COLLECTIVE · INDUSTRY GUIDE
Cheer Event Brands & Producers Guide
A neutral reference guide to the major cheer and dance event producers, organizations, and scoring systems. Covers both Varsity-family events and independent alternatives.
Disclaimer: KC Exclusives is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Varsity Brands, Varsity Spirit, USASF, IASF, Open Championship Series, or any of the organizations or events referenced on this page. All trademarks, brand names, and event names are the property of their respective owners. References here are for informational and educational purposes only.
VARSITY SPIRIT — EVENT BRANDS
Varsity Spirit® is an event production company that operates multiple cheer and dance brands. These brands run camps, competitions, and national championships. Varsity Spirit is owned by Bain Capital and is not affiliated with KC Exclusives.
Universal Cheerleaders Association
School, college & all-star
One of the oldest and largest cheer organizations in the world. Runs school cheer camps and hosts UCA/NCA High School Nationals at Dallas.
National Cheerleaders Association
School, college & all-star
Sister organization to UCA. Operates school and college cheer camps and co-hosts nationals in Dallas with UCA.
Universal Dance Association
School & college dance teams
Dance team camps and nationals at Walt Disney World. Serves high school and college dance squads.
National Dance Alliance
School & college dance teams
Sister organization to NCA for dance. NDA Nationals held in Dallas alongside NCA.
JAMfest Cheer Super Nationals
All-star & rec cheer
Premier all-star event producer. JAMfest Super Nationals (Cincinnati, OH) is a top early-season event with Worlds and Summit bids.
Cheersport Nationals
All-star cheer
One of the most competitive all-star events annually, held in Atlanta, GA each February. Paid bids to The Summit and The Worlds.
MAJOR VARSITY-PRODUCED CHAMPIONSHIPS
Listed in chronological order by season. 2025-26 dates shown. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.
The Cheerleading Worlds®
The most prestigious all-star championship in the world. Bid required (paid or at-large). Hosted at ESPN Wide World of Sports.
The Summit®
National end-of-season championship for Youth, Junior, and Senior all-star divisions. Bid required.
D2 Summit®
The Summit for smaller-gym programs. Runs the same week at Disney.
NCA All-Star Nationals®
Major early-season all-star championship broadcast on CBS Sports Network. Worlds bids awarded.
Cheersport Nationals®
One of the largest and toughest bid events on the calendar. Deep competitive fields across all levels.
UCA/NCA High School Nationals®
Flagship school cheer & dance championship. Thousands of squads across game day, performance cheer, and dance.
JAMfest Super Nationals®
Major early-season all-star event. Worlds and Summit bids available. Strong Midwest/Southeast attendance.
INDEPENDENT & NON-VARSITY EVENTS
Not all cheer families choose to compete in the Varsity ecosystem. These independent event producers offer alternatives at lower costs and with different scoring systems.
AllStar World Championship
The flagship end-of-season championship for OCS-competing gyms. Independent from Varsity — teams earn bids through the OCS weighted national rankings.
AmeriCheer Championships
Long-running independent cheer and dance championships. Welcomes all-star, school, and youth teams.
JAMZ NA Nationals
Non-affiliated rec/youth cheer championships using YCADA-NA scoring. Popular in the Western US.
Pop Warner National Championships
The end-of-season championship for Pop Warner-affiliated rec/youth cheer teams. Age determined by oldest team member on July 31.
AAU Cheer Nationals
AAU-sanctioned cheer championships using AAU handbook rules. Routines must include cheer, dance, tumbling, and min. 3 jumps.
SCORING SYSTEMS AT A GLANCE
Which scoring system applies depends entirely on which event producer you compete with. Check with your gym before your first competition.
United Scoring (Varsity Events)
Used at all Varsity-family events (NCA, UCA, Cheersport, JAMfest, etc.). Level Appropriate documents published each season at unitedscoringpartners.com.
Official scoring resources ↗OCS Scoring (Independent Events)
Used at all Open Championship Series events. Weighted national rankings updated weekly. Accessible qualifier model.
Official scoring resources ↗USASF Rules (All Governing Body)
USASF publishes the rules and age grid that all sanctioned all-star events use for legality and eligibility, regardless of scoring system.
Official scoring resources ↗YCADA Scoring (Rec/Youth)
Used at Pop Warner-affiliated and non-affiliated rec/youth events. New packets effective June 1 each year.
Official scoring resources ↗KC Exclusives is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Varsity Brands, Varsity Spirit, USASF, IASF, Open Championship Series, or any of the organizations or events referenced on this page. All trademarks, brand names, and event names are the property of their respective owners. References here are for informational and educational purposes only.