Well, I can give you estimates of the pieces I think are necessary. You would need servers sitting in a database warehouse somewhere (varsity / usasf would not want anything onsite.. its not smart). In Atlanta, for example, there is a 1,000,000 square foot warehouse completely dedicated to being THE central nervous system for internet connections in the south (google is there as well as a lot of major banks). Varsity / USASF would rent a server that is quadruple backed up and maintained. Even 20,000 records of athletes is not a large amount, so the hardware requirements to run the database are not a big deal. It is more the location and WHO should run it. I estimate (on the HIGH side) that they could get those servers for $500 a month (with support contracts). These servers could handle all competitions across the country simultaneously no problem (with room to grow).
Each competition would require a solid internet connection. I cannot tell you the cost per event, but honestly a 4G router could handle all the data we would pass back and forth... and that is 60 a month.
The two checkin points ( I envision two at most, one before warmups and one before walking on the floor) would be a combo of an RFID reader (just looking online I found cheap ones for 40 bucks... so lets assume a durable unit is $200 for my kickstand idea), a computer for interface (a scaled down model could be 300 bucks) a large LCD screen to see the picture of the athlete who was just scanned (500 ish) and a web cam to take a picture of the person just scanned (50 bucks). Including stand I think this 'unit' would be around 1200.
RFID tags are around 25 to 50 cents. That cost would be made up in registration by the athletes. these would be worn like normal shoe tags so to the athlete there is no difference. i used the exact same technology when i ran my marathon this past thanksgiving. this technique is already being done easily. in fact... when i ran my marathon i didnt have to try anything special to get it to notice my rfid tag, it was a 'speed bump' in the road 1000 of people a minute ran over and it registered us no problem.
the most challenging part would be the regstration of athletes and how to handle it. an RFID tag reader/writer and a laptop combo with some way to label what kid gets what tag (unique ID number on each tag maybe?) you could have multiple sign in stations.
then just pay the people to implement it. if done right and correctly I think they will find the cost will not be out of reach. the problem is anyone looking to do this system will talk to either a computer nerd who doesnt understand cheerleading or a cheerleading nerd who doesnt know enough about databases and systems in general (both of which i find happening in almost all marriages of technology and cheerleading). the HAVE to get the right consultant who knows what is going on.
just as another thought, the invention of the ipad could also allow easily used checklists for people who run events. if the person at the beginning of warmups checkign scratches a team that information could be passed wirelessly to the ipad for the person running the 'in the hole' check point'.
