What They’re Doing

Football (and cheerleading) fans can catch the UCLA and USC squads in action Saturday when the schools play home games. USC will go against Penn State at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Kickoff is at 12:30 p.m. The game will be televised live by ABC (KABC, Channel 7 in Los Angeles). UCLA will challenge Stanford at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The game will begin at 3:30 p.m. and will be televised live on Prime Ticket.

Here’s a glossary of some of the moves the two squads will perform:

Basket Toss: When a cheerleader is tossed 10 to 20 feet into the air from the interlocked hands of two to four people. While in the air, the cheerleader executes a pike or a somersault and is caught by squad members.

Cradle catch: Occurs when the catcher or catchers, with palms up, catches the top cheerleader of a formation by placing one arm under that person’s back and the other arm under the thighs.

Extension: A stunt in which a cheerleader’s arms are extended above his head and another cheerleader is standing on his hands.

Pop: A controlled pushing motion used to propel a cheerleader into the air.

Pyramid: Also known as a mount, the pyramid is any type of stunt in which cheerleaders are stacked on each other’s shoulders.

Spotter: A cheerleader who assists with any tumbling stunt or in the building or dismounting of a pyramid.

Suspended split: When a top person is in split position suspended on the shoulders of two cheerleaders. Usually done on the top of a pyramid.

Swan dive: Occurs when the top cheerleader dives in a stomach-down position into a cradle catch.

Vault: A handspring over another cheerleader.