It's me again. You are all so incredibly awesome. What great ideas I hadn't even thought about!!! I will tell you this..... I do photography. To print them at Costco costs 17 cents each 4X6. If you do it on your own printer, it costs approx 20 to 37 cents per print depending on your printer. If you charged 2 to 5 dollars each, you have a huge profit there. Could you imagine if you charged 10 to 12 dollars per sheet???? ( one sheet equals 9 wallets, 4 4X6's, 2 5X7's or 1 8X10) Boy I tell ya, there's just no excuse for 15 dollars for 2 5X7s. We are being reamed.

As for the having things to do... oh boy. I have a Mini Level 1 child and a Senior Advanced Level 5 child. Do you KNOW what my day is like?????? I'm sweating just thinking about it.... Up at 4 am.... sometimes 5 if I plan correctly. Home by 9:30 or 10 pm. Pack stuff and food??? I think I bring Albertsons and Toys R Us with me. But sitting in one spot, and playng the whole time just doesn't cut it. 5 year olds don't play video games. If they do, that's another topic and well, I won't tell you what I think about that... I don't need to.

Also, a chair pad???? With 5 kids, a chair pad isn't doing ANYTHING for this rear. I need to bring a bean bag chair!!! (hey... i just had another idea just then) Anyway, Sorry but a chair pad will help for a half hour. But still, I will do just about anything at this point.

I think we are all in agreeance (did I spell that correctly?) here. We really are. Everyone has a different situation and life, but we are all in that room together for HOURS. Let's be a little kinder and patient to each other. I will if you will.....

Great idea Cheer Mom. I'm also not thrilled when there are bags of stuff on seats with nobody in them that my family could be sitting in.

And here's an idea (hopefully a good one) regarding the cost of pics and DVD's. At your next competition, go up to the booths and/or the folks who take the orders and tell them if you think their prices are too high. I even offer suggestions. They always come back with how much the cameras cost, but aren't they losing money if pictures are sitting on the web and nobody is buying them? I think they will get the message if more folks let them know how we feel. Let's all be pro-active and try to change some of these pet peeves of ours. We could make a difference! (well, we can try anyway)

Hip Hip Horray!!! to all of you. I agree the chaos at these cheer comps has to end. There is no excuse to neglect us parents the way they do. Do they realize who's paying the bills here? Just make us a bit more comfortable. More seats, better food and an accurate schedule. Hello how much effort does it take to print a piece of paper with the schedule on it??? 90% of the time the one I get off the internet is wrong. I have a daughter who races dirt go karts talk about miserable conditions but I gotta tell you they know how to cook up the food: pasta and salad, tri-tip sandwiches, chicken sandwiches, etc. Plus we're free to videotape and take pictures plus there are professionals there that sell us videotapes for $25 and pictures are reasonably priced too. I know they're not hurting for cash cuz every parent wants pictures of their kids doing the things they love. I personally would love to leave my cameras at home and enjoy the performance but I can't afford the price these photographers are charging. I would buy pictures at every comp at a reasonable price but have decided to not buy any because the cost is ridiculous. And, waiting 6 weeks for a DVD hello the moment is gone. My daughter likes to watch her performance immediately to see how they performed. Well lets hope someone gets a clue....

Go "Hey Comp Organizers!"

As an athlete, I also HATE having to pay the $10.00 for parking, and not being allowed to bring in my video camera for me to film my favorite teams, and for Mom to film ME!

The seating arangements... need to be better! And there needs to be more GARBAGE CANS around so that people dont feel obligated to leave in in their seats! (UC Davis was DIGUSTING!)

Does having people sit down in front on the EDGE of the FLOOR bother you? It bothers me! I can't see very well when people are in my way, AND when I perform, it is very distracting!!!


Very Intersting topic. I like it.

=)

-Bryan
Motions Coed

About the food thing...at the venue that the POWER competition was in sacramento, we weren't even allowed to bring water bottles. I thought that was pretty ridiculous, especially since there wasn't any water offered backstage. So what are you supposed to do right after you get off the floor after a difficult routine and want some water? Well...guess you have to climb up the stairs stand in line at the vendors and buy water for 3 times what it would normally cost.
I just thought it was ridiculous to not allow water at an "athletic event". I think this was the venue's fault, not the company but it was pretty irritating.

But the one thing I don't agree with is the music thing...I think most competitions have the music on at a good volume, maybe I'm deaf or something but I definately like the loud music while competiting and watching other teams. I've been to a few competitions where the music was waaay to quiet and I hated it. It felt strange and we all had to strain to hear the music instead of just focusing on the routine.

And I definately agree with everyone else about the seating, parking, food, pictures and videotaping...

ok, i have to put in my two cents also. It will be out of order and all over the board. Foot Traffic, in Sacramento AB comps, they have gates and guards posted at the end of the bleachers..when a team hits the floor to do their routine, the gates close, you cannot walk accross the floor in front of the seating area, in respect to the competitors who may be distracted, and the seated audience for visibility sake. It is also a matter of courtesy. I`m not suggesting that all venues put up gates, ropes, whatever to accoplish this, but if the complaint or suggestion is not being able to see the competitors, then this could be an answer at any and all competitions. and at AB they sell a great terriyaki chicken rice bowl, reasonable.

Food. I do not know how this works, but here is my story.A few weeks ago we attended a 2 day comp in San Mateo...that is south of San Francisco and west of San Jose for those that are reading this from out of the Bay Area. 1st day coffee, 2nd day coffee..about 2:30 I went for some fries, i don`t buy food there due to cost and poor selections. they were closing the ''kitchen gates'' i got a half order what was left $3.00. i asked why they were closing so early, since there was probably a good 11/2 to 2 hours to the end of the day. The lady in charge told me the competiton venue asked them to open at 6:30am, so the kitchen employees were there, union scale..even though the competitions didn`t start till later..she told me, that they had their eight hours, and that they were running into overtime, and at union scale...it was too costly to stay open. so there was no more food for the rest of the day.
Most cheer competitions venues don`t control the food or the menu. that is part of the arenas or buildings that are leased to the cheer companies..it is like going to the pro football games or baseball games..they have their menu of stadium or ballpark food. always the same, never changing. hungry, buy it , or buy it not. hence, tailgate food parties. I would like some healthier food also, pizza and pretzels and nacho chips gets old. Sometimes food services have to lease the space in order to provide the food. Those that do this often pay up to 52% to the city or whom ever owns the building. taking their pay and food costs out of the remaining possible 48%..hence the cost of food

It is the same with seating..the bleachers, chairs, whatever may be there at the convention centers. the center provides the seating and put them into place and take them down. Sometimes you get lucky with padded chairs, sometimes and most times not. Investment in a seat pad is not a bad idea, since i have some from a lot of bleacher sitting. make mental or written not of every place you go to, and note down whether you need to bring the pads or not. or just keep them in the trunk of your vehicle.

I would say that 5.00 to 8.00 for parking is enough, but would prefer 5.00. thats fair for a space that sits empty most of the week anyway. But is usually controlled by the buildings owners or city. And we finally got to enjoy a choice for once upon entry to the buiding to watch the cheer program 15.00 for a day, or 25.00 for 2 days, saved 5.00 each, however a fair price would be 10.00 a head, knowing what cost the cheer venue has to endure also.

Pet Peeve...pics and videos of our own cheerleader and her team. The Professionals, (and i say that loosely and half heartedly) Their pictures for having two or three photgraphers taking them, leave much to be desired. The Videographer at times should have zoomed out instead of in, or just left it alone and just aimed it at the cheer floor , corner to corner..the videos leave much to be desired also from the ones that i`ve seen..i`m sure there are good photgraphers out there, but none at the competitions i`ve been at for the past 4 years. and yes the cost is redundant for the pics and the videos/dvds. a little profit is better than none...eventually all the equipment will get paid for, without gouging the geneal audience. It is possible to print the pictures and the dvds the same day somewhat, but they would have to bring in one of those big machines that you see at wally world mart, and that is not cost effective. dvds are harder.
Even though you can buy a stack of 100 dvds retail at the above mentioned store wally world for 39.95 which makes it about 2.51 cents each plus a case for 5 cents, it takes time. take a six hour tape and set the dvd burner to six hours, and that is how long the transfer takes, then the dvd has to be put into the memory so that it can be burned off multiple times, even at 8x speed, and that takes time. so it really is not reasonable to expect the companies to give you your dvd the same or next day. i do it at home as a hobby, and it takes time. it even takes time to take my phots and load them into my pc..electronics for these things are wonderful nowdays, but you cannot expect instant miracles. even printing out your own photos..photo paper , ink, etc costs, and also takes time. why it takes them 4 to 6 weeks to process, is a good question. they probably shoot pictures at a lot of events and it takes time to sort out. Last but not least, I feel videos should be allowed. those are our kids out there. just for those that are tapeing, be mindful of those around you, and behind you. don`t block the view of others just so you can get a good view while you are taping. if some courtesy rules were implimented, then i do not see where taping would be wrong, or a loss to the companies that are there ''professionally''

I take a lot of photos, and i like to share with the team and teams parents, but it gets costly doing it the way i mentioned above. I`m just a parent, and its just a hobby, so with many avenues available on the computer i went to the people with the name that has no meaning in the english language or any other for that matter, k---k and set up a website with them, learned and put my pictures there for a reasonable annual fee. when they are up , i post notice. if someone wants a print, i will oblige them. have i charged our team, no. will i, no. I have been paid in nice compliments, and even one of the owners has complimented my pictures and has used them on their site. For me, its fun, and about smiles. Also if you don`t have all the pc equipment, and you want to share, you can take your camera media to wally world, they will put it on a cd for about 8.00 per hundred pics i believe , and you can have it in about an hour+

CCCHEER FAN; you are right, the ones in the back, bases, etc are unsung in the pro videos, sad. and can be easily corrected.

I think Cheerleaders should be allowed to bring their own water at any venue..they do not have the time to run around and stand in line just for water.

Reasonable, i agree with you...the fluff can go, i have enough bags and packs, however trophys and medals and ribbons are the kids memories and their display for their rooms, those should stay.

Original Poster..thanks for opening the door on these much needed to be discussed topics

I agree with you all that most of the items mentioned are a bit of a problem, and somewhere in all this there is a resolve. Uncle Sam, keep taping, that niece will thank you for it, just step to the left a bit, so i can see. I have more to say, but i think this is enough for now. I just wanted to put my two cents in with four bits for laughs, that comes to 52 cents .

Thanks Danny for allowing these posts

Well agreed, the ribbons and little trophies, okay -- but the rest of the stuff? Guess what, you can purchase them right there at the competition. I'd rather my sisters and in-laws come and watch (low admission fee), and if I want to buy the other, it's right there. And this thread is about things we feel can make the competitions better, stuff vendors can do to make our lives a little easier/cheaper. It has nothing to do with the sport itself, so let's not get off-track.

This argument of "you knew what you were getting into when you signed up" is pretty lame, and doesn't give others (vendors, etc...) the excuse to take advantage. It does no harm at all to put in requests (our 2 cents) and it might do some good!

I'd like to know if this awards ceremony complaint is the same nation wide. It seems as if the west coast would be more competitive if the athletes were more passionate. I would think the kids would want to stay and watch every last team. Maybe they do and they're just being dragged away by their parents as soon as their awards are over.

I have to admit. This complaint bugs me. It's not as if cheerleading competitions are 3 times a week. They're basically once a month. Pyramids used to require every cheerleader to be their from the first performance to the last. After a while Danny & Morton just couldn't withstand the parent complaints any longer. It was just nice when all of the kids were there to support each other and see the progress of everyone's team.

HEY!!! Maybe the competition companies should post the results on the doors so you can see where you placed as you exit. Better yet you could just leave your cell number and the company could call you when you're on the road.

Yes it's OUR choice. Yes we have been around for a long time. Yes we know the costs. Doesn't mean it's OK. Maybe you can afford to write that check but most of us can't. Most of us do this for our kids love of cheer and endure it over and over. But that doesn't make the gouging by the companies OK. When you've been in it for a while, maybe you will understand. But hopefully us "veteran" parents will change it for you so you will get to enjoy it more later on.