OT Dear Cheersport...

[KikiD22]

Okay, have to vent a little after yesterday.

To the fine folks at Cheersport,

When you book a venue for an allstar cheerleading competition, please make sure that the rules for the venue are compatible with the sport! When you book a competition in a venue that doesn't allow aerosol hairspray, you have a lot of unhappy cheerleaders with flat hair. When said venue actually sends female security guards into the restrooms to confiscate said aerosol hairspray hairspray, it's a little ridiculous. And, when the venue not only doesn't allow in any outside food or drink not only into the actual arena (pretty much the norm) but not even into the building, you have a lot of unhappy little mini cheerleaders who don't get their competition goodie bags to take home. Lastly, when you say parking is free, have it be free and not $5.00, because then you get some somewhat unhappy parents too. So, please, Cheersport, make sure that someone thoroughly checks out these venues before booking your next competition.

Thank you

 

[ACEDAD]

Did you actually send this to someone at Cheersport? Or just wanted to vent?

 

[cheerislove8]

That's ridiculous! No hairspray for a cheerleading competition?!

 

[glittergirl]

That's ridiculous! No hairspray for a cheerleading competition?!

I agree! And I despise when they check your bags for water. I have no time to buy it before I compete, and I die without water. It stinks.

 

[fierceBOWlove]

I agree! And I despise when they check your bags for water. I have no time to buy it before I compete, and I die without water. It stinks.

Yeah, same! Try hiding food and stuff in your shoes, or inside jacket pockets inside your bag lol.

 

[glittergirl]

Yeah, same! Try hiding food and stuff in your shoes, or inside jacket pockets inside your bag lol.

At a competition last week I just left a water in my bag, and a lady checked it then let me go without throwing it away...? I'm wondering if she just didn't notice. Maybe I'll hide it in a jacket.

 

[KikiD22]

Did you actually send this to someone at Cheersport? Or just wanted to vent?

I didn't send this version, this is just me venting. However, I do have a more professional version addressing the same concerns to send to Cheersport. There was just very poor communication at this competition, and I think things could have been handled in a much better manner by security. I literally had a very large female security guard stand over me as I sat on the floor curling the hair of one of the girls on my CP's mini team (her mom was on a trip for work) and demanded that I hand over my hairspray or that both me and this little girl would be forced to go outside in the cold. Now, they searched everyone's bags as we walked in, and the hairspray was there, right on top. So, I asked why this wasn't addressed at the door because then I could have planned differently, and the guard said; "I don't know and don't care what happened at the door."

 

[fierceBOWlove]

At a competition last week I just left a water in my bag, and a lady checked it then let me go without throwing it away...? I'm wondering if she just didn't notice. Maybe I'll hide it in a jacket.

Lol yeah usually if there are long lines a the door they don't search your bag that much. I'll do whatever to get food/drinks in, especially when they charge 3.50 for a water.

 

[Just-a-Mom]

Oh not allowing water in just makes me insane. It's an athletic event for God's sake. If we can't bring in water for our cp's then the EP should provide it for free--just for the athletes. The venue will still make money on the spectators, but come on. How can you in good conscience tell someone who is COMPETING that they have to spend sometimes 12+ hours in your venue and pay $4 every time they are thirsty. I'm not usually a dishonest person, but I've become the "water lady" because I fill the bag with bottles of water, then put that hard thing that's supposed to be the bottom of the bag on top of it just so these poor kids don't pass out.

As for hairspray...I can't imagine a venue thinking that a couple hundred cheerleaders weren't going to be bringing hairspray with them.

That's just ridiculous.

 

[Mrs.CheerExtreme]

usually if you say you have low blood sugar then they can't confiscate your food...you just might want to make sure than its not sugar free or anything else of that nature.

 

[cheeeeer93]

Oh not allowing water in just makes me insane. It's an athletic event for God's sake. If we can't bring in water for our cp's then the EP should provide it for free--just for the athletes. The venue will still make money on the spectators, but come on. How can you in good conscience tell someone who is COMPETING that they have to spend sometimes 12+ hours in your venue and pay $4 every time they are thirsty. I'm not usually a dishonest person, but I've become the "water lady" because I fill the bag with bottles of water, then put that hard thing that's supposed to be the bottom of the bag on top of it just so these poor kids don't pass out.

As for hairspray...I can't imagine a venue thinking that a couple hundred cheerleaders weren't going to be bringing hairspray with them. That's just ridiculous.

As for the water, they do have small water coolers so the can always just defend themselves by that. I never use them in warmups because the are always so crowded or they run out without the EP noticing. And there is never any way to get to them after you perform.

 

[yougottabelieve]

i know i get checked my bag at concerts, but really why cheerleading competitions... 1) we are not bringing anything suspicious 2) if I dont have a water i'll pass out after performing.. and I'm not going to be stupid and pay $6 for 4 greasy chicken tenders or pay $4 for a drink.

 

[CSwebmaster]

Hopefully you do send your concerns to CHEERSPORT as it sounds like there were some issues they probably wouldn't have approved of had they known and they are typically pretty responsive to customer concerns.

Regarding the parking, not sure where your expectation for free parking came from but this is from the page for the Chicago event (assumed this was the venue you are talking about since your location is Illinois):
http://www.cheersport.net/eventdetail.asp?e=482
Parking:
CHEERSPORT hosts all of our events in large venues, typically convention halls or stadiums or arenas. As such, plenty of parking is typically available either on-site or immediately adjacent to the venue. However, this also means that there is frequently a parking fee. Any parking fees are charged, and retained, by the venue or parking lot owners - CHEERSPORT does not receive any proceeds from parking fees.

 

[KikiD22]

Hopefully you do send your concerns to CHEERSPORT as it sounds like there were some issues they probably wouldn't have approved of had they known and they are typically pretty responsive to customer concerns.

Regarding the parking, not sure where your expectation for free parking came from but this is from the page for the Chicago event (assumed this was the venue you are talking about since your location is Illinois):
http://www.cheersport.net/eventdetail.asp?e=482
Parking:
CHEERSPORT hosts all of our events in large venues, typically convention halls or stadiums or arenas. As such, plenty of parking is typically available either on-site or immediately adjacent to the venue. However, this also means that there is frequently a parking fee. Any parking fees are charged, and retained, by the venue or parking lot owners - CHEERSPORT does not receive any proceeds from parking fees.

The expectation for free parking came from the email sent to the program manager at our gym by Cheersport, which was used to forward information to all of the parents at our gym.

It's funny you mention the "had they known" part because the security supervisor there specifically said to me that the event promoters were made aware of all the rules of the venue and agreed to all of those rules. That was specifically what was said to me as I handed over our hairspray.

I most definitely plan on sending an email to Cheersport. Although, honestly, I think that people may have been a little less upset had the security at the venue not been so hostile about things. I know there have been a few incidents at this university in the past few years, including a fatal shooting, so security has to be tight, but they'd probably have less angry people and less concerns if they were a little less confrontational about it.

 

[iCheer4G]

I really want to know what some people we're doing to make them have a rule about hairspray... But I'm the expert at getting into comps and concerts with food and drinks in my bag... I either promise I'll throw it away once I get inside or I tell them I only recycle or I tell them Im dehydrated and to broke to buy anything to drink