When and where is your 1st competition?

Date: Thu Sep 14 4:35 PM, 2006

RE: When and where is your 1st competition?

Date: Thu Sep 14 5:21 PM, 2006

I remember attending both jamfest and jamz last year. I also remember the costs. The difference between the two was about $20 with jamfest being the more expensive company. Free admission yes, but its stacked into your registration fees.

I guess its just the way that you look at it. I know I'm excited to get money back on taxes, but in reality its just the government holding onto money that is rightfully mine throughout the year. Perception is reality.

Date: Thu Sep 14 8:58 PM, 2006

Hmm, I'm agreeing with I Remember because cheergyms had a level 4 team; don't you remember Focus? How quickly you forget.

They were level 4 at Jamz Stockton.

I think you need to stop complaining and support your gym a little more, Cheer mom. They're not going to choose competitions you like, they're going to choose what is best for the gyms. Let's just say for the sake of argument your gym decided to go ahead and do Jamfest to please parents like yourself, but the teams aren't ready (which might be why they're not going)?? Yes, your relatives would be there, but it might not be a good experience all around. I'm thinking there are probably very good reasons why they chose the competitions they did, have a little faith in their decisions.

Date: Fri Sep 15 8:17 AM, 2006

So, is anyone going to Great America?

Date: Fri Sep 15 9:04 AM, 2006

I agree with you that the gym owners have to do what is best for the gym and I do support them in that. I understand why they had to change venues if it is because the teams will not be ready that early in October and they needed to find something later in the month. I am just disappointed more with the comp companies that don't make their competitions more easily accessible to large families like Jamfest does.

In response to "Director", if Jamfest is only $20 more in registration fees per cheerleader and I can have 10 family members at the competition to watch without paying admission for them as opposed to paying $20 less for my cheerleader's fee and paying $200 for those same 10 family members to get in then where is my perception not being reality? This is my point and it is more to competition companies than gym owners as the gyms have to go to the comps that work with their schedule. I do get that. But unfortunately some of the competition companies out there take advantage of us families as it seems Jamz does in my opinion, and let's remember, this is only my opinion.

I love watching my daughter cheer, and will pay what I have to to do it. But knowing there are companies out there that are trying to make it easier for us to attend and enjoy the experience without making it cost so much and we are not able to go to them to support them is disappointing, whatever the reason. I like the idea from another poster that said she was going to email Jamfest and ask them if they can make their Nor Cal regional later in the month so more of us can come is a great idea and one I will do also. Maybe if they do we will be able to go next year. Their Nationals last year was the best I have been to in a while as far as how it was run and the venue it was at and I would like to support their efforts as much as possible as I think they have the right idea. Good luck to everyone this competition season!

Date: Fri Sep 15 10:34 AM, 2006

On average most cheerleaders only have their mom and dad with them at competitions. Sometimes it's just the mom. Some people bring alot of supporters, but I rarely see people bringing in 10 family members. I would love to see that from every member who cheers.

Date: Fri Sep 15 10:46 AM, 2006

I know that alot of folks really liked Jamfest. I have to admit I loved the free admission and especially like being able to video tape. I have to say that the competition was ok. I did not like the awards ceromony. Also I found that we didn't get to watch alot of the other teams not in our division.

Date: Fri Sep 15 11:01 AM, 2006

I agree with the last post; on a good day most of the cheerleaders have at least one parent there, but that is not usually the case. To be fair, many families have more than one event they have to attend on weekends (siblings who have soccer, football, etc...). So for Jamfest, this works out rather nicely if you think about it. Charge $20 more per cheerleader, but charge no admission. To us parents it looks like a great deal to be able to get in for free. Meanwhile Jamfest makes their money whether parents and relatives come or not.

It'll be interesting to see how many go to their competitions this season, and how many pass because of the cost.

Date: Fri Sep 15 11:18 AM, 2006

So..........

Who's going to Jamfest on Oct 7th?

Who's going to Great America on Oct 7th?

Date: Wed Sep 20 8:08 AM, 2006

hey...there is a Sacramento competition on October 7th hosted by Cheer POWER! They are a great host out of Texas! Yeah...for outside judges.

Date: Wed Sep 20 8:34 AM, 2006

nor*cal elite's coed is going to jamfest who else is going?

Date: Wed Sep 20 8:34 AM, 2006

I think the problem with any competition that early in October is many teams are just not ready yet. I remember last year one organization didn't even have their uniforms (that was an extreme case, but you get the point). I think companies would have a much better turnout if they scheduled them towards the end of October instead. Just a suggestion, I'm sure these are fun competitions.

Date: Wed Sep 20 9:33 AM, 2006

too early wrote:

I think the problem with any competition that early in October is many teams are just not ready yet. I remember last year one organization didn't even have their uniforms (that was an extreme case, but you get the point). I think companies would have a much better turnout if they scheduled them towards the end of October instead. Just a suggestion, I'm sure these are fun competitions.

I agree. I'll be curious to see how many of these teams attending the early October competitions actually look like they're ready and belong there. I certainly be attending the ones near me to see how they go and how our competition looks.

Date: Wed Sep 20 10:37 AM, 2006

California Coach wrote:

too early wrote:

I think the problem with any competition that early in October is many teams are just not ready yet. I remember last year one organization didn't even have their uniforms (that was an extreme case, but you get the point). I think companies would have a much better turnout if they scheduled them towards the end of October instead. Just a suggestion, I'm sure these are fun competitions.

I agree. I'll be curious to see how many of these teams attending the early October competitions actually look like they're ready and belong there. I certainly be attending the ones near me to see how they go and how our competition looks.

And I will be anxiously awaiting your review. I am totally serious PLEASE let the rest of us who live to far away to attend know the results and what your thoughts are !
Thanks
from a major cheer junkie

Date: Wed Sep 20 11:45 AM, 2006

I remember when we moved to So Cal we thought it odd to NOT compete early! We were so used to it!!! But we don't begin until December except for this year we have one in Nov and everyone here is thinking THATS strange!!! But the parents like it cause our weekends are free thru Thanksgiving. So it's a blessing also.

Date: Wed Sep 20 11:59 AM, 2006

I know what you mean, it seems like years ago most teams did start earlier. I wonder why teams start later now. Could be because the bar has been raised as we see skills advance; gyms really want to feel comfortable with their routine before putting it on the floor, and it takes more time to do it correctly and safely. What we were amazed by (skills-wise) years ago is the standard now, it seems.

Date: Wed Sep 20 12:55 PM, 2006

My coach talked to someone at the great america competition and Cheerforce is going is this true.

Date: Wed Sep 20 3:03 PM, 2006

Someone needs to read the posts before they post a question....

Date: Wed Sep 20 9:48 PM, 2006

I think waiting until December is a little long for me. You are almost training 7 months before performing. I think the So Cal Teams cram alot of competitions from December-March. I like to spread it out so you can have weekends all year along. 7-9 events is a good amount.

Date: Thu Sep 21 12:49 PM, 2006

I used to like it spread out, but we actually get MORE time off "cramming" it into a few months. Our comp season is 4 months long, not 6. This gives us the important holidays available without worrying about competitions too. (and you know what I mean by important... don't start a war)

We have more time to prepare, less stress but trying to FIX things in between comps, more time to begin NEW things when something doesn't work out in the routine, more time in the gym without having to go someone for comp. More time to work on choreography, etc.....

Plainly, we have more time. So it's definately a better system all the way around for US. Maybe you like it spread out, but we like having more preperation for competitions.