Level 5 & 6 Cheer: Skills, Costs & What Dads Need to Know

Level 5 and 6 is where competitive cheer stops being a hobby and starts feeling like a second mortgage. These are the elite divisions—the ones you see at Worlds, the ones with full-twisting baskets and standing fulls, the ones where the gym's Instagram is 90% videos of your kid's team. If your athlete just made a Level 5 or 6 team, congratulations: you've officially entered the financial stratosphere of all-star cheer. Your wallet will never recover, but watching them hit zero on that mat makes every overdraft fee worth it.

Level 5 is the highest level in the USASF pyramid before the elite Level 6 and 7 divisions, and it's where most gyms put their most competitive senior teams. Level 6 sits between Level 5 and the International Open Level 7 divisions, reserved for teams competing for bids to The Cheerleading Worlds. Both levels require advanced tumbling, elite stunts, and the kind of precision that only comes from year-round training and a dad who's memorized the route to every major competition venue in the region. For the complete context on how these levels fit into the full progression, check out our complete guide to competitive cheer levels.

What Makes Level 5 Elite

Level 5 allows full-twisting stunts, full-twisting baskets, and standing full layouts on tumbling passes. This is the level where athletes throw standing fulls (a backflip with a 360-degree twist from a standing start), run connected tumbling passes like round-off back handspring full, and execute intricate pyramid sequences that look like controlled chaos to anyone not fluent in cheer.

The skill requirements are no joke. For tumbling, Level 5 athletes typically need a standing back tuck at minimum, with most competitive teams requiring a standing full or layout. Running tumbling often includes a full twisting layout or a double full (two complete rotations in the air). Stunts involve full-ups (a twist during the load), tick-tocks (switching positions mid-stunt), and one-legged extended stunts. Baskets—the iconic toss where bases throw a flyer into the air—now include full twists and aggressive layouts.

If your kid is on a Level 5 team, they're spending 10-15 hours per week in the gym, split between team practice, tumbling classes, and conditioning. Some gyms—like Cheer Athletics in Dallas or Maryland Twisters—run their Level 5 programs almost year-round, with only a short summer break before the next season ramps up.

Level 6: The Bid-Chasing Division

Level 6 is the step just below International Open (Level 7). It's often where gyms place their most talented senior small teams or their second-tier Worlds hopefuls. Level 6 allows everything Level 5 does, but with no Division restrictions and a slightly expanded tumbling rulebook. The big difference: Level 6 teams are typically competing for paid or at-large bids to The Cheerleading Worlds, which means they're traveling to major nationals nearly every weekend from January through April.

Skill-wise, Level 6 athletes are performing double fulls on running passes, standing fulls or layouts on standing passes, and executing elite stunts like full-around double-downs (a release move where the flyer rotates twice while descending). Pyramid sequences are faster and more intricate, and synchronization is expected to be near-flawless. The teams competing at Level 6 are hunting for those Worlds bids—which is where the real expenses begin.

The training commitment is similar to Level 5 but intensifies during competition season. Expect choreography camps, private tumbling sessions, and weekend practices as major competitions approach. If your athlete is on a Level 6 team, you're not just a cheer dad anymore—you're a logistics coordinator with a Costco-sized budget for travel and competition fees.

The Real Cost of Level 5 and 6

Let's talk numbers, because this is where the MatDad financial trauma is most acute. Level 5 and 6 are the most expensive levels in competitive cheer, bar none. Monthly tuition at a competitive gym typically runs $250-$400 per month, which covers team practice, choreography, and coaching. Tumbling classes add another $100-$200 per month, and if your athlete needs privates to master that standing full or double, you're looking at $50-$100 per session.

Uniform and gear costs are front-loaded in the season. A full Level 5 or 6 uniform package—including the team uniform, warmups, practice wear, bow, and shoes—costs $800-$1,500. Competition fees for Level 5 and 6 teams range from $150-$300 per athlete per competition, and these teams attend an average of 8-12 competitions per season. Do the math: that's $1,200-$3,600 in competition fees alone before you've paid for a single hotel room or tank of gas.

Travel is the silent budget killer. Level 5 and 6 teams compete at regionals, nationals, and bid events across the country. A single out-of-state competition weekend can easily cost $800-$1,500 when you factor in flights or driving, hotel (usually 2-3 nights), meals, parking, and spectator fees. Multiply that by 6-8 major travel competitions per season, and you're staring down $5,000-$12,000 in travel costs for the year.

If your Level 6 team earns a Worlds bid, add another $3,000-$5,000 for the Worlds trip itself: registration fees, travel to Orlando, hotel for 4-5 nights, park tickets (because you're already there), and every meal your athlete eats at ESPN Wide World of Sports. The total all-in cost for a Level 5 season typically runs $8,000-$12,000. For Level 6 with a Worlds bid, you're looking at $12,000-$18,000.

At this level, the line between "financially responsible" and "supportive cheer dad" has long since blurred. You're not budgeting anymore—you're just keeping the credit card warm and hoping the routine hits clean.

Competition Season: January Through April (And Then Some)

Level 5 and 6 teams run on a competition calendar that begins in earnest in January and peaks in April with Worlds or major end-of-season nationals. The season technically kicks off in November or December with choreography reveals and early local competitions, but the real grind—the weekends spent at Summit, NCA, Varsity regionals, and bid events—happens between January and April.

For Level 6 teams chasing bids, the schedule is relentless. They'll attend 3-4 major bid events (like Cheersport Nationals, NCA All-Star Nationals, or JAMfest) where they're competing not just for titles but for paid or at-large bids to Worlds. Each bid event is a full weekend, often out of state, and the pressure to hit clean is intense. Miss a stunt, bobble a basket, or step out of bounds on tumbling, and that bid slips away.

Level 5 teams compete at a similarly aggressive pace, though not always chasing bids. They'll attend regional competitions, state championships, and 1-2 major national events like The Summit or NCA. The routines are 2 minutes and 30 seconds of choreographed chaos, and every detail—from synchronized facials to the timing on the final pyramid—is scrutinized by judges.

As a dad, your job during competition season is simple: show up, carry the bag, know where the nearest ATM is, and cheer like your kid can hear you over 10,000 screaming parents. And if the team hits zero? You're buying everyone celebratory Chick-fil-A, no questions asked.

Skills Required: What Your Athlete Needs to Compete

To make a Level 5 team, your athlete needs solid advanced tumbling and stunting skills. The baseline is typically a standing back tuck and a round-off back handspring layout or full on running passes. Competitive Level 5 teams often require a standing full just to make the roster. Stunting requires confidence in one-legged extended stunts, full-ups, and tick-tocks, and flyers need strong air awareness for full-twisting baskets and layouts.

Level 6 raises the bar further. Athletes are expected to have a standing full or layout and a running double full or connected tumbling sequence like round-off back handspring full layout. Stunting at Level 6 includes advanced release moves, full-around double-downs, and rapid pyramid transitions. These athletes train year-round—often 12+ hours per week—just to maintain the skill level required to stay on the team.

If your kid is working toward Level 5 or 6, expect to invest heavily in tumbling privates, open gym time, and conditioning. For more on how athletes progress through the levels, see our guide on moving up in competitive cheer.

What Dads Need to Know

Level 5 and 6 is not a casual commitment. This is the tier where competitive cheer consumes your family's calendar, your savings account, and every weekend from January to April. Your athlete will miss school dances, family vacations, and Saturday morning sleep-ins. You will become fluent in comp hotel booking strategies, learn which rest stops have the cleanest bathrooms on I-95, and develop strong opinions about which competition companies run on time.

But here's the thing: you'll also watch your kid perform a routine so clean it gives you chills. You'll see them hit a standing full they've been chasing for two years. You'll stand in a packed arena and realize that every overdraft fee, every hotel breakfast, every 4 a.m. airport run was worth it. That's the Level 5 and 6 experience. Empty wallet, full heart—and zero regrets when they stick the landing.

Frequently Asked Questions