Maine’s high school cheerleading teams will be allowed two more athletes on the floor in their routines next year.

The Maine Principals’ Association voted last Thursday in its general membership meeting to increase the maximum per routine from 18 to 20 with two alternates, MPA assistant executive director Larry Labrie said.

Two alternates were also allowed previously.

Labrie, who is the staff liaison to the MPA cheerleading committee, said the state’s coaches were behind the push for more cheerleaders on the floor.

Brewer’s Kristie Reed, who guided the Witches to the Class A state title this year, said adding two more cheerleaders is a safety issue.

“With all of the different rules changes from the [National Federation of State High School Associations], you’re allowed to do more things [with 20 on the floor], especially with pyramids, because you will have more spotters,” said Reed, who serves as the Maine Cheerleading Coaches Association vice president and is a liaison to the MPA cheerleading committee.

But will coaches feel pushed to add two more cheerleaders to routines, even if the 19th and 20th members of the team aren’t of the same caliber or don’t have as much varsity experience as the rest of the group?

Reed doesn’t think so.

“As a coach I’m not going to put 20 kids out there because I’m allowed to,” she said. “I think coaches are pretty aware of not putting kids out there who can’t handle the routine.”

The change was proposed for other reasons, too. It also allows more student-athletes to be included, helps cheerleaders gain varsity experience, and helps Maine catch up with other states in the region that allow 20.

The change should affect more than just a few of the bigger Class A teams, said Reed, who put just 17 on the floor this season.

“Two years ago we went to 18 and we were wondering about that,” she said. “But in the coaches meetings I’ve been to, there were a lot of teams that had 18, even B teams.”

It could also lend more of a thrill factor to routines if teams can handle five stunt groups of four girls apiece.

“We could see five girls up in the air next year, and that’s exciting,” Reed said.

FA seek s new girls hoop coach

Foxcroft will begin advertising an opening for its varsity girls basketball coaching position this week after receiving a resignation from Bob Hartford last month.

Hartford had coached the Ponies for four years.

“It was time, pretty much,” he said. “I don’t need to elaborate.”

Athletic director Tim Smith also declined to give a specific reason for Hartford’s departure but emphasized that the coach resigned and wasn’t fired.

“It was amicable,” Smith said.

Hartford, who is an education technician at the Morton Avenue Elementary School in Dover-Foxcroft and the owner of several businesses in town, said he would likely not be back as an assistant football coach.

The Ponies struggled to a 4-14 record this season but pulled off a huge road win on Jan. 15, beating defending Class B state champion Presque Isle 73-72. The victory ended the Wildcats’ 37-game home winning streak.

Overall, Foxcroft went 10-62 in Hartford’s four years.

Jessica Bloch can be reached at 990-8193, 1-800-310-8600 or jbloch@bangordailynews.net.