So I was looking at the results for this competition from last April. This is a very small competition, only 11 divisons and 6 of them only had one team.
I know that CF is advertising that they are attending this comp next year, but I'm not sure that is where I would want to spend my travel $$. I would rather travel to Texas for NCA and try for a prestigious title.
Curious to hear your opinions, would you want to spend that kind of money to go to such a small competition?
-- Edited by Bladezmom on Friday 21st of May 2010 11:22:06 AM
I talked to my daughter about this. She said after going to Nationals in Dallas three times and Disney World seven times, twice for Worlds, it would just be fun to go to a different location and have a good time as well as compete. She said if you're on a good team, you'll be at Worlds for the most important title anyways. She thought about cheering this season for CheerForce Int'l Open, but decided not to when she found out this team would not be going to Hawaii.
In our nine years of cheer, our very favorite competition was years ago in New Orleans with California All Stars. It was not a big competition and most of the better teams decided not to attend because it was too close to some other competition. Cali was obviously the best gym there and the kids were treated like rock stars! It just didn't matter if there were few teams. The kids and us parents had time for fun in the city along with the competition.
Hi Bladezmom, To answer your question, quite a few of our families have been asking to attend this event in Hawaii for a number of years. We've actually shyed away from it previously, as it is historically a small event. However, we've received many splendid reviews from this event from athletes that have attended it in the past with other programs.
As you know, cheerleading is a costly sport, and when we travel out of state, many parents couple the competition with a family vacation. Many people can't afford to do both anymore, so this kills two birds with one stone. After listening to the feedback of our fantastic customers, we did some research and decided to take our program to the Aloha event. It will be a special trip, as we celebrate our 10th Anniversary season, and especially, since our entire program has not travelled together further than Las Vegas in quite a number of years. Our gyms are extremely excited to reach out and experience a new event, even if its small. Life is about experiences and what you make of them, and if we all want to partake in it together, so be it!
If you have any other questions pertaining to our business practice or choices of competitions, please feel free to contact us directly at www.cheerforce.com :)
Best wishes to everyone as they head into this new season!
I've been to it and usually there is only one or two teams in every division. It's been that way for many years and it's outdoors so it can get hot.
It was fun, but that's because it's Hawaii. I'd love to go back but not for a competition. There's too much to do to be at a comp with no one to compete against.
I totally get that going to the same competitions can get old! I've had this conversation with many cheer moms over the years. This was not a post to attack you CF at all! It's a common topic and with this economy, I thought it would be a great item to discuss.
So, please chime in. I'm curious to know where you would like your cheer bucks to be spent!
-- Edited by Bladezmom on Friday 21st of May 2010 08:09:59 AM
I have attended the Hawaii comp many times. It's fun. Not very competitive. If it is the only travel comp along with worlds, cool. It's SUPER expensive. Not too much spare time to "vacation" We once took my family and went on a cruise after for a week. THAT was fun! It is VERY hot. Plus the sun tends to be in your eyes as you compete. All in all I loved it at the time. We were with a very small club (Twisters) and weren't major players in the cheer world. I would LOVE to go again if my girl cheers again, but the economy makes more than 1 trip impossible and frivolous for us. I would LOVE to go to Hawaii, but not for cheer.
My best friend and her daughter went a few years back. Loved it cause it's Hawaii and they had never been. But she did say it was very expensive not enough competition and NO SPRING FLOOR! At the time they advertised it as spring floor but when they got there they found out there wasn't one. Yes it was outdoor's but hey everyone goes to Florida. Wish I could afford to go to Hawaii.
. It's SUPER expensive. Not too much spare time to "vacation"
This was our experience as well you really only have Sunday as a free day. It's hard to concentrate on cheer when you have the beach calling you. We stayed extra days as well, but that one trip could've paid for cheer for the entire year. I'd rather just go to Hawaii on a package deal with my team and just enjoy every minute if I was looking to to travel with my team just for fun. Maybe I'll go watch =).......never mind I'd never make it to the comp=) I wish I was there right now!!!!!
I too have spoke to several people who have been there and they all say the same thing: small competition, non-spring floor, and yes, EXPENSIVE. It's not the comp itself that is expensive, its the food and the peripherals that are. And who wants to go all that way unless you can stay longer? What if you're the parent whose child loves to cheer and you have no choice but to go, but can't stay longer to make it a vacation? But don't want to speak up because you're in the minority... Some of us do just barely get by and make lots of sacrifices just so they can cheer.
Dallas is a pain, nothing to eat, nowhere to go, see hotel and comp and that's about it. But what makes it worth it is the whole production, the fact that so many teams go there, and many of the best. All in all a worthwhile experience. If I'm gonna spend that much money I'd personally rather go to Dallas and/or Florida.
Agree, when you go to Dallas for NCA, you are going to be part of an amazing competition. This competition in Hawaii sounds more like a good one for team and family bonding in a beautiful location, and the competition part of it might be more of an inconvenience than anything. If its too expensive for families I would think gyms would allow them to opt out; since the competition is small you would think it wouldnt be too difficult to adjust the routines if there are missing members. Now if our gym were going we would do whatever we could to go, its hard to pass up on an opportunity to share paradise with members of your cheer family.
I had the honor of judging this competition last year. It was very well run of course. There were activities planned for the athletes and families. The overall feel of the competition was amazing, there were teams from all over the world which was really exciting to see. I would love to be able to bring my athletes to the event for the experience.
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"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." -Walt Disney
We went to Hawaii several years ago. I must say it was a great time, the competition was fun, aloha spirit put on a good show. We even had time for extra activities. I was shocked to see the team got a ribbon and 1 boogie board for the whole team for taking 1st place. However, every person on the package got a beach bag, towel and was greeted at the airport with lays. This is an experience I won't forget, in the future, I personally prefer to go to a big competition like UCA in Florida. I thrive on having alot of teams in our division. If you prefer small comps, this is the one for you.
when we used to go we were on a team that wasn't in the big leagues. So I think the owners really liked the oppertunity to boast of the win and grand champion or whatever. Looking back I see it for what it was but I sure did LOVE Hawaii! I strongly reccomend the cruise.
Our daughter had the opportunity to attend this competition with Cheergyms in 2007. At the time she was a level 3 cherleader and 14. We were not sure that she would ever have the opportunity to travel to a "worlds" competition and wanted to give her the opportunity to "travel" to an "exotic location. Morton put together a team of combined ages and off they went. She had a blast!! I feel the best aspect of this competition was the fact that many ages competed together as one team. Her senior year of high school there were many younger girls that still came up to her and hugged and and talked about that trip. Cheerleading isn't always about the competition sometimes it's about the experience. She's in college now and she doesn't talk about this or that comp-she talks about cheering in the shell bowl on Waikiki. And the college coach doesn't care about how many teams competed she just sees on our daughters resume a National title. The is a great experience for those teams that are lower level and special needs. Teams that will never get to Florida or Texas.
I like the idea of creating a team or two to go. That way those who can afford to go can and those that can't afford to go don't feel the pressure of trying to pull money out of thin air. I think it would be a great experience to go.
I like the idea of creating a team or teams specifically for this comp also. That way it's not a mandatory expense that some people just can't afford. Some people like to go to comps for the experience, some only want to go for the competition aspect. Some just want to have a vacation with their team. This is a very small comp and it's nice to give people the choice.
