Cheer Competition Hair: Rules, the Competition Ponytail, and Team Orders

Cheer competition hair has one job: stay secured off the face for every stunt, toss, and tumbling pass without breaking the rules on jewelry and bows. The winning setup is a high ponytail anchored by a smooth hair tie, the bow secured on top, and nothing on the head that counts as jewelry. Here is what the rulebooks say, the step by step competition ponytail, and how to outfit a whole team.

The part nobody talks about is awards. Ten hours of hairspray, a bow, and a ponytail tied as tight as it goes. Then you try to get it out.

What the rules say about cheer hair and accessories

Rules depend on where your team competes. All star, high school, college, and international teams each follow a different book. Here is what the current documents actually say.

All star (USASF Cheer Rules, 2025 to 2026)

• Hair: "Hair must be secured off of the face with a simple and unexaggerated style that is adaptable to all diversities."
• Bows: Bows "should not be excessive in size," should be "adequately secured," and should not fall over the forehead into the athlete's eyes or block her view while performing.
• Jewelry: Jewelry of any kind is not allowed, including clear plastic jewelry, bracelets, and necklaces. It must be removed and may not be taped over. Medical ID tags and bracelets are the exception.
• Rhinestones: Legal when adhered to the uniform, illegal when adhered to the skin or hair.
• Presentation: Judges can issue warnings or deductions when overall presentation, which includes hair and bows, does not meet the standard of "appropriate."

High school (NFHS Spirit Rules)

Starting with the 2022 to 2023 season, NFHS Spirit Rule 2, Section 1, Article 5 allows hair devices, accessories, and adornments, including beads, as long as they are securely affixed so they do not increase the risk of injury. USA Cheer's summary of that change adds that beads are legal when worn in a way that does not interfere with the safe execution of stunting or tumbling. State associations can add their own requirements, so check your state handbook too.

College (USA Cheer College Rules, 2026 to 2027)

Jewelry of any kind is prohibited, including earrings and necklaces. Medical bracelets are allowed if they are taped to the body.

International (ICU 2026 Rules)

The International Cheer Union's general safety rules match the all star approach: no jewelry of any kind, no taping it over, and rhinestones only when adhered to the uniform.

The takeaway for hair ties: every book wants hair secured and off the face, and none of them want jewelry. A plain hair tie that holds the pony and sits under the bow keeps you on the right side of both. If your event producer has its own image or presentation policy, that wins, so read the event packet.

Team colors without breaking the presentation rules

The bow carries the team colors. The pony underneath should stay quiet. For practice, though, and for team photos and spirit days, a scrunchie in your team color is the move. Buckle Scrunchies come in satin solids like Firecracker Red, Midnight Navy, Emerald Green, Ultraviolet Purple, and Baby Blue, so most teams can match.

The step by step competition ponytail

This is the high pony most all star and school teams wear under a bow. Do it the night before as a test run, then again on competition morning.

1. Start with dry, brushed hair. Remove every tangle first. A knot under a tight pony only gets worse by awards.
2. Find the spot. Most teams place the pony high on the crown so the bow sits centered on top. Match your teammates; uniform placement reads clean from the judges' table.
3. Gather and smooth. Brush everything up to that spot. Smooth the hairline and the nape so no flyaways fall toward the face.
4. Wrap the Buckle Hair Tie. Hold the buckle, wrap the elastic around the pony, and loop the buckle in last so it sits on the outside. Thick hair usually needs about 2 wraps. Fine or thin hair needs 4 or more.
5. Click and test. Click the buckle closed. If it feels loose, click it open, add one more wrap, and click it closed again. Shake your head hard. Nothing should move.
6. Add a second tie for heavy hair. For extra thick or long hair, link a second Buckle Hair Tie for a firmer hold.
7. Curl the pony if your team does. Curl after the pony is secured so the base stays tight.
8. Attach the bow. Secure the bow over the base of the pony per your gym's method. Check that it does not tip forward toward the forehead, since that is the exact thing the USASF bow guideline calls out.
9. Set it. Hairspray the hairline and pony last.

Getting it down after awards

A regular elastic has to be dragged back over a sprayed, curled, teased pony to come off. That is where the snapping, the pulling, and the "Mom, it hurts" come from. The Buckle Hair Tie unbuckles instead. Pinch both sides of the buckle, hear the click, and the elastic unwraps. For thick or curly hair, hold both ends as it unwraps so nothing gets lost.

The American Academy of Dermatology lists tightly pulled buns and ponytails as styles that can lead to hair loss over time, and recommends rotating to styles that do not pull. Competition day needs a tight pony. Practice days and the drive home do not. Take it down as soon as the bow comes off.

For coaches and team moms: ordering for the whole team

Someone always forgets a hair tie. Usually it is the flyer, usually it is ten minutes before warmups, and usually the team mom is the one digging through her bag.

Three ways to handle it:

• Stock the team bag. A Variety 20 pack gives you four each of Industrial Black, Chocolate Brown, Champagne Blonde, Baby Pink, and Hot Pink, so every athlete can grab a tie that blends with her hair.
• Go bulk. The Buckle Hair Tie 100 pack is the team pack: 100 ties in one box at a dollar each, built for coaches, gyms, and studios.
• Go custom. Teams, gyms, and team stores can ask about custom colors or personalization on our team and custom orders page. Gym owners who want to stock a retail shelf can see wholesale.

Every Buckle Scrunchies product carries a 100 year warranty, which matters when a tie lives in a competition bag all season. Orders over $50 ship free in the US.

Competition day hair checklist

• Extra hair ties in two colors that match your hair
• Bow plus a backup bow
• Bobby pins for flyaways at the hairline
• Hairspray and a brush
• All jewelry out before you leave the hotel, except medical ID
• Your event's image or presentation policy, read the night before
• A snack and water, because hair is not the only thing that falls apart by awards

More on picking ties for cheer in our best hair ties for cheerleaders collection.

FAQ

Can cheerleaders wear hair ties in competition?

Yes. USASF requires hair secured off the face, and NFHS allows hair devices that are securely affixed. A hair tie holding the pony is the standard way to do it. Bracelets are not allowed under USASF, ICU, and college rules, so to be safe, keep the spare hair tie in your bag, not on your wrist, when you take the mat.

Are rhinestones allowed in cheer hair?

Not in all star. The 2025 to 2026 USASF Cheer Rules say rhinestones are illegal when adhered to the skin or hair. They are legal on the uniform.

How do I keep a cheer bow from falling forward?

Build the pony high and tight first, then secure the bow to the base of the pony, not to loose hair. USASF specifically says bows should not fall over the forehead or block the athlete's view.

Do Buckle Hair Ties work on sweaty or sprayed hair?

Yes. They are made to be used on wet or sweaty hair, and the buckle still releases cleanly. Hand wash in cold water and air dry when the season ends.

Not sure which color? Start with a single tie for $4.99 and test it at practice.

Sources

• USASF Cheer Rules 2025 to 2026
• NFHS: Hair adornments among rules changes for high school spirit in 2022 to 2023
• USA Cheer: 2022 to 2023 high school rules changes
• USA Cheer College Rules 2026 to 2027
• International Cheer Union 2026 Cheerleading Rules
• American Academy of Dermatology: Hairstyles that pull can lead to hair loss