FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS | NCATA MEET FORMAT VIDEO | PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETES

KUTZTOWN, Pa. -- Kutztown University president Dr. Kenneth S. Hawkinson announced Tuesday the addition of women's acrobatics and tumbling as the university's 22nd varsity intercollegiate sport. The Golden Bears will begin competition during the 2021-22 academic year.
 
The addition of acrobatics and tumbling, identified by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as an emerging sport, enhances the university's commitment to Title IX in its athletics program by adding an average of 30 women's student-athletes to its current total, while helping to boost overall university enrollment. It also grows the Golden Bears' varsity intercollegiate sports offering to 22, which includes 14 women's programs, and eight men's programs. 
 
"We are excited about the opportunity to bring more student-athletes to our campus, while enhancing our efforts to support Title IX in athletics," Dr. Hawkinson said. "We have been discussing the possibility of growing our enrollment through athletics for nearly three years. Our student-athletes persist and retain at a high level, and their grade point averages tend to be at or above that of the overall student body. Acrobatics and tumbling will certainly contribute to that trend."
 
Acrobatics and tumbling is the evolution of different disciplines of gymnastics, which includes the athletic aspects of competitive cheerleading. The format was created at the collegiate level to address the interest and abilities of young women competing in this skill set. Individuals and small groups execute acrobatic lifts, tosses, and tumbling.

NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III adopted acrobatics and tumbling as an emerging sport in January 2020, effective August 1, 2020, for the 2020-21 academic year. The vote for NCAA Division I has been delayed due to COVID-19. Kutztown will be the 32nd member to compete at the NCAA Division II level, and the third member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) to add the sport, joining East Stroudsburg University and Gannon University.
 
The university will begin its search for a full-time acrobatics and tumbling coach immediately, with the intention to have the successful candidate on board by January. The new head coach will recruit student-athletes in the spring of 2021, with competition set to begin in spring of 2022.
 
"We researched sport expansion extensively over the last three academic years and came to the conclusion that adding acrobatics and tumbling was the best strategy for Kutztown University and Golden Bear athletics at this time," Matt Santos, vice president for University Relations & Athletics said. "We are thrilled to be able to enhance our efforts with women's athletics, which will also allow us to slightly grow the rosters of our men's teams, and support overall university enrollment. We are looking forward to hiring a qualified coach to get the program off to a strong start, and carry on the strong tradition established by all of our athletic teams."
 
Acrobatics and tumbling meets include six events, all of which are competed on the floor and in varying group sizes. Competition is held in the spring and requires a total of six meets, including a minimum of two home events.
 
"We are thrilled to have Kutztown University as the 32nd member sponsoring acrobatics and tumbling at the NCAA Division II level," said Felecia Mulkey, director of expansion for the National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association and head coach of the nine-time national champion acrobatics and tumbling team at Baylor University. "Acrobatics and tumbling offers the best recruiting base of any sport in the country. Kutztown University is certain to benefit from this addition to its athletics program."
 
To learn more about collegiate acrobatics and tumbling, visit thencata.org.
 

---

NCATA MEET FORMAT OVERVIEW VIDEO


 

---

KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY ACROBATICS & TUMBLING FAQs

Q: Why is KU adding women's acrobatics and tumbling?
A: This emerging NCAA sport is expected to add 55 new students to KU's overall enrollment, including 30 new women's student-athletes by 2023. This is ultimately a commitment to Title IX by Golden Bear athletics and the university.
 
Q: Why is KU adding a sport during the pandemic?
A: A new sport takes time to establish. The initial expense will be the hiring of a new head coach, who will need much of 2021 to recruit a team to begin competing in spring 2022. It is hoped by that time, sports can be conducted as they have in the past.
 
Q: Will adding a 22nd sport impact KU's other intercollegiate athletic teams?
A: Primarily in a positive way. The overall plan to add acrobatics and tumbling includes strategies to increase some support staff in Athletics that have been lost during recent budget cuts. These staff members will support the entire department. In addition, it will give the department the flexibility to increase male student-athletes in proportion with the overall female to male ratio (56% to 44%) of the university.
 
Q: Will scholarships be available for the student-athletes recruited to participate in acrobatics and tumbling at KU?
A: Yes, scholarships will be available for new student-athletes recruited to the team from high school.

Q: How will acrobatics and tumbling student-athletes compare to the student-athletes from KU's other 21 NCAA varsity sports?
A: Acrobatics and tumbling student-athletes at NCATA member institutions are members of varsity intercollegiate programs and train year-round with their team, including sport-specific strength and conditioning. Acrobatics and tumbling student-athletes are treated like other varsity student-athletes on campus, with support for their physical and mental health, academic success, career development, and community service.

Q: Where will you find coaches for acrobatics and tumbling at KU?
A: The position will be advertised and open to candidates nationwide. We are working closely with the NCATA to promote the position to some of the best qualified candidates in the sport.
 
Q: But won't this end up costing the university and athletic department financially?
A: Providing this opportunity for 30 new women's tumblers, and up to 25 new male student-athletes, will cover the expenses of the new sport and associated expenses of the department. Additional revenue will support the main university budget.
 
Q: How did you determine that acrobatics & tumbling was the best sport to add?
A: The university and athletic administration have been reviewing the possibility of sport expansion for nearly three years, primarily in an effort to support our commitment to Title IX. KU currently offers all 12 women's varsity sports sponsored by the PSAC, plus women's bowling. An interest survey of KU students was conducted during the 2019-20 academic year. This survey indicated there was no interest among current students to add additional varsity sports. We then looked at other NCAA women's sports that are offered, particularly NCAA emerging sports, that might attract prospective students in the future. Women's acrobatics and tumbling was selected at this time due to its potential recruiting base and support at the national level through the NCATA.
 
Q: Will KU add additional sports after women's tumbling and acrobatics?
A: That has not been determined at this time, but it is a possibility. The priority for the university will be to hire a director of Athletics, who will lead the strategic effort to further evaluate sports expansion. We will also focus on adding the support system for women's acrobatics and tumbling in the coming months, while monitoring the status of intercollegiate athletics as it relates to the pandemic.  
 
Q: Does women's acrobatics and tumbling have a recruiting base of prospective student-athletes?
A: Yes, student-athletes will join the sport from a variety of platforms currently offered at the high school level. For example, in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association sponsors both gymnastics and competitive spirit as a sport. At the club level, there are more than 180 gymnastics training facilities and competitive cheer gyms. In New Jersey, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association sponsors gymnastics as a fall sport. At the club level, there are more than 170 gymnastics training facilities and competitive cheer gyms. A similar recruiting base exists in other surrounding states such as New York, Ohio and West Virginia. 
 
Q: Will women's acrobatics and tumbling impact the KU cheer team?
A: The KU cheer team will continue to exist in its current format, with a primary role of establishing a presence at Golden Bear football and basketball games. The team may also continue to pursue opportunities for cheer competitions. Women's acrobatics and tumbling will increase possibilities for prospective high school students at KU.

Q:  Could a student-athlete compete in acrobatics and tumbling and cheerleading? 
A: Students participating in acrobatics and tumbling may not also participate in traditional cheer. Students who have previously participated in sideline or traditional cheer are not prohibited from trying out for, and competing on, the acrobatics and tumbling team in subsequent years. However, they then relinquish their participation in cheerleading or cheerleading related activities. When institutions first establish an acrobatics and tumbling team, some students, who are already enrolled, may move from traditional cheer to acrobatics and tumbling; however, upon doing so, they may not continue their participation in traditional cheer.
 
Q: What type of facility is required to host acrobatics and tumbling meets? 
A: Acrobatics and tumbling teams compete in a standard basketball or volleyball arena with hardwood surface. The competition floor is made up of 13 mats of carpet-bonded foam, which are two inches thick and measure 6 x 42 feet each. 

Q: Where will KU's acrobatics and tumbling team hold its home meets and practices?
A: Home meets will be held in the spring semester in either Keystone Arena or O'Pake Fieldhouse. Those two venues will also be used as practice facilities.

Q: What is a standard uniform for acrobatics and tumbling?
A: It is a form fitting numbered jersey and shorts, much like a university volleyball team uniform. A tennis shoe is also worn by all participants (brand and style may vary from team to team). If a potential student-athlete is not used to performing in shoes, they will have ample time to adjust to wearing shoes during pre-season training once they arrive on campus.  
 
Q:  How big is a typical acrobatics and tumbling team? 
A:  Up to 28 student-athletes may be listed on the competition roster for each meet. There are opportunities for student-athletes to compete in a variety of events or to specialize in events. An ideal roster size for an acrobatics and tumbling team ranges from 24-to-45 student-athletes. The expectation for KU will be to recruit and roster 18-to-20 new student-athletes in 2021-22, and 30 for the 2022-23 season.

Q:  How are meets scored?
A:  Teams are scored on the execution of skills based on pre-determined start values in a standardized scoring system (similar to those used in gymnastics). Trained officials evaluate skill execution and apply deductions if technical errors occur. 
 
Q: What size crowds do acrobatics and tumbling draw? 
A: Acrobatics and tumbling meets draw crowds both from the campus community and the general public. Crowds often include families with girls and young women who are involved or interested in activities using these skill sets, but also include students and others who enjoy the fast pace of meets (usually under 2 hours) and demonstration of strength, agility and teamwork that the acrobatics and tumbling student-athletes demonstrate.