Stealing this topic from the Pro X board. There are several companies out there hosting competitions now, but if a new one came along, what would you like to see, what would you change. what would you keep the same. As i have seen reviewing a few posts, it seems Jamfest is the best in most eyes, why is that?
Free admission? I don't think so. The entry fee for each cheerleader has the admission price built into the fees. They figure on the average someone would bring in 2 guests/spectators and JAMFEST has raise their cheerleading participant fees with that guess-a-mating built in. Don't let them fool you at the door. They have charged you well in advance.
My favorite competition is Athletic and MadiGras. They do it up! No hidden fees. They treat everyone so special. Love their competitions!
Fair judging..comments that actually are constructive so a team can better themselves. While style is usually subjective, skills and technique are not. It is hard for me to sometimes deal with a team that hits their routines but loses because the judges did not like their style, or favored another style over theirs and that routine did not hit.
While this may be an impossibility...the elimination of conflict of interests between the teams, competition company and judges. As a former gymnastic judge i refused to accept assignments to judge where my gym was competing so that I/we could avoid even the appearance of impropriety. too often you find out after something "goofy" happens, the connections between the competition companies and teams, or coaches and judges. The best team that day should win...even if it is not the favored team.
While it is understood that having the bigger name gyms brings in more gyms and fans (and money of course) to a competition company, just because they are there, does not mean they should win automatically. No team should win simply because of their reputation. Any team can have an off day, and any other gym can have the performance of their lives...if so the team that truly won she be announced as the winner.
Stick to the rules posted before the competition. Do not change them midstream or without fair notice. Especially if you know that if the change had been known ahead of time, some teams would not have come.
Big One here. Own up to your scoring. I would rather you take the time and get the scoring right the first time. If you make a mistake...admit it and fix it. Publicly. Time out for little private meetings to soothe the feelings of the kids , parents, coaches who should have won, but never publicly saying you messed up. Stop hiding behind not posting scores because it allows anybody to say anything about what the results were. If they are going to question your judging regardless...let everyone see what the results are.
Affordable concessions....shouldn't have to go broke eating bad hot dogs, pretzels and flat soda.
Reduced admission rates for multiple siblings or a group rate for families.
