All-Star Random Cheerleading Questions

[Ashley]

My team last year only competed against other teams at one competition out of 6. Our goal for those comps was grand champs, which was not an easy feat. Now our division isn't a Summit or Worlds division so we didn't have to worry about that. But while winning your division may be one of the criteria to win a bid, it's not the only thing. You must also win out over the other division winners in your level, which there is often several other teams you would need to beat out to win that bid. So "winning" your division is only one part of the competition.

This. I've been doing level 6 for a long time, and what I liked about switching to a gym that went to Worlds was that even when you're the only one in your division (which happens a lot), you're still competing against everyone else for a bid.

 

[OnceUponACheerleader]

This is a super tiny one as well. I think there were maybe 10 gyms there, if that. When I mentioned that I was paying more the women tried to tell me I was getting such a good deal. Which sure, it may not cost as much as other comps. But I'm still paying more than everyone there making it anything BUT a deal!

I mean... in fairness, if I go to USA competitions I still need to exchange my money or pay transaction fees up the wazzoo to use my CAN$ credit card on the US side. You can even do it on the Canadian side - any branch, and just exchange USD to Canadian.
Then you would be paying less than everyone else at the competition. US dollars go much... much farther with the current exchange rate.
Yes I get it is an 'inconvenience' but at the end of the day - you are visiting a different country - going to the bank and exchanging the dollar is expected when you cross any border really.

 

[catlady]

Does anyone know why most comps only accept cash for entry fees?

The answer I was given when I asked was to use their equipment and/or staff at convention centers they charge a pretty high fee. They said many of the convention centers have wifi service, but it and data services are not always strong enough to use wireless equipment. They are starting to do online ticketing, but there is a service fee by the ticketing service and you still have to stand in line to get your wristband.

 

[Ashley]

I mean... in fairness, if I go to USA competitions I still need to exchange my money or pay transaction fees up the wazzoo to use my CAN$ credit card on the US side. You can even do it on the Canadian side - any branch, and just exchange USD to Canadian.
Then you would be paying less than everyone else at the competition. US dollars go much... much farther with the current exchange rate.
Yes I get it is an 'inconvenience' but at the end of the day - you are visiting a different country - going to the bank and exchanging the dollar is expected when you cross any border really.

I've traveled out of the country for work. I have to use my card for everything, to be able to expense it. Getting reimbursed for a cash purchase would be a nightmare.

Plus I have a credit card with no foreign transaction fees. So I wouldn't pay fees up the wazoo to use it Canada (or France, or the UK where I've used it in the past)

 

[OnceUponACheerleader]

I've traveled out of the country for work. I have to use my card for everything, to be able to expense it. Getting reimbursed for a cash purchase would be a nightmare.

Plus I have a credit card with no foreign transaction fees. So I wouldn't pay fees up the wazoo to use it Canada (or France, or the UK where I've used it in the past)

What I have gathered from my friends who live in the USA is that you guys have very 'lenient' credit cards in the sense that you don't have foreign transaction fees etc. Just from shopping around I don't think we have that luxury with the majority of our bank credit cards. The only time I have seen it is with AMEX or the 'platinum' travel cards, which you need a household income of $200K to qualify for.... ETA: prepaid travel cards are now being offered at some banks, which is making foreign exchange a little easier.
Same sort of philosophy for your cell phone plans v.s. ours. (you pay a LOT less for a LOT more in terms of perks and coverage with your cell phones.)

...long winded way of me saying, for me to travel to the USA, going to the bank before is pretty much standard protocol.

 

[Ashley]

What I have gathered from my friends who live in the USA is that you guys have very 'lenient' credit cards in the sense that you don't have foreign transaction fees etc. Just from shopping around I don't think we have that luxury with the majority of our bank credit cards. The only time I have seen it is with AMEX or the 'platinum' travel cards, which you need a household income of $200K to qualify for.... ETA: prepaid travel cards are now being offered at some banks.
Same sort of philosophy for your cell phone plans v.s. ours. (you pay a LOT less for a LOT more in terms of perks and coverage with your cell phones.)

...long winded way of me saying, for me to travel to the USA, going to the bank before is pretty much standard protocol.

Most credit cards here don't have no foreign transaction fees, but it's not that hard to find one that doesn't. Sometimes you have to pay an annual fee on the card for it.

I will say that if a place is willing to take American Cash, I'm not going to complain about the exchange rate. Any money I lose out on, I'd just consider a convenience fee.

 

[cheermomforever]

Jamfest competitions used to be free. The good old days...

The comp we were at just charged $25 a day and 75% of the seating was blocked by judges or VIP area! Hope they fix it for the big March comp!

 

[FloridaFlya]

CP is at a small gym and so far we have attended small local comps. I've noticed the same thing about there being several teams at each comp that don't compete against other teams. IMO it makes the comp far less interesting and fun, even as a spectator. For example, if I know that a team doesn't have a competitor, I am more likely to get out of my seat and wander around. If you don't have another team to be compared to, then it is no longer a competition. It is a performance. I don't know if these gyms attend the bigger Summit comps later in the season and use the smaller venues as practice. But they have definitely raked in the Gold bids to Finals.

Just for sake of discussion and to play devils advocate- what would you like these gyms to do? Not go to local competitions just because they have a lot of teams? Or have some divisons go and others not just because there isn’t competition? I know my program traveled as a program to everything. NCA was the only exception but that only lasted the first few years. We’ve had our teams go against 1 other team but it wasn’t our fault there was low attendance.

 

[alpaca]

Just for sake of discussion and to play devils advocate- what would you like these gyms to do? Not go to local competitions just because they have a lot of teams? Or have some divisons go and others not just because there isn’t competition? I know my program traveled as a program to everything. NCA was the only exception but that only lasted the first few years. We’ve had our teams go against 1 other team but it wasn’t our fault there was low attendance.

If I was a gym owner, I would take my teams where they would have actual competition, not just a performance. After all, parents and athletes would have trusted me to make good decisions with their time and $. In my area, every weekend there are several comps to choose from less than 2-3 hours driving distance. I find it inefficient to send a level 4 or 5 team to a comp where I know before registering that it is highly unlikely that there will be other level 4 or 5 teams.

Maybe there is a strategy that I am missing?

 

[retiredl5cheer]

If I was a gym owner, I would take my teams where they would have actual competition, not just a performance. After all, parents and athletes would have trusted me to make good decisions with their time and $. In my area, every weekend there are several comps to choose from less than 2-3 hours driving distance. I find it inefficient to send a level 4 or 5 team to a comp where I know before registering that it is highly unlikely that there will be other level 4 or 5 teams.

Maybe there is a strategy that I am missing?

Devils advocate... competition schedules are planned out months in advance. Gym owners don’t receive a final lineup until the week before. There’s really no way of knowing who will be in attendance until it’s already too late, UNLESS it’s a competition that always has low attendance.

Some gyms also choose to build in one or two “home town” competitions so that friends and family can easily attend. Doesn’t hurt for advertising purposes either.

 

[alpaca]

Devils advocate... competition schedules are planned out months in advance. Gym owners don’t receive a final lineup until the week before. There’s really no way of knowing who will be in attendance until it’s already too late, UNLESS it’s a competition that always has low attendance.

Some gyms also choose to build in one or two “home town” competitions so that friends and family can easily attend. Doesn’t hurt for advertising purposes either.

For small local comps in my area, you can make an educated guess about what types of teams will be there. I'm talking about US Finals bid events.

Using a small comp for family and friends to see the routine is an inexpensive option. Particularly for gyms that don't put on an internal showcase. For advertising, it's great. That's something I hadn't thought about.

I was mainly saying that as a spectator, if I come to see a competition, I don't want to see a performance. The feel at the comp/ the energy is different. As a parent, I would find it to be a waste of my time and money. If it happened repeatedly, I would question the gym management. It also seems a silly to me to watch awards and see multiple teams "win" first place when they didn't have any competition.

I didn't notice this last year.

 

[mamabear]

If I was a gym owner, I would take my teams where they would have actual competition, not just a performance. After all, parents and athletes would have trusted me to make good decisions with their time and $. In my area, every weekend there are several comps to choose from less than 2-3 hours driving distance. I find it inefficient to send a level 4 or 5 team to a comp where I know before registering that it is highly unlikely that there will be other level 4 or 5 teams.

Maybe there is a strategy that I am missing?

The smaller comps also provide feedback from qualified judges for your routine. This is especially vital when your gym keeps upgrading the routine as the season progresses. I would rather find out a potential deduction at a small comp than at a large National or bid event.

 

[FamousxMindset]

My gym used to have a handful of smaller scaled local comps on the competition schedule because it was cheap, usually good to see how your kids handle comp day, get 'non biased' critiques for bigger national events a lot of family and friends who don't typically travel with the team for away comps get to see them in action, and of course for local branding/marketing purposes.

 

[Cheer Dad]

If I was a gym owner, I would take my teams where they would have actual competition, not just a performance. After all, parents and athletes would have trusted me to make good decisions with their time and $. In my area, every weekend there are several comps to choose from less than 2-3 hours driving distance. I find it inefficient to send a level 4 or 5 team to a comp where I know before registering that it is highly unlikely that there will be other level 4 or 5 teams.

Maybe there is a strategy that I am missing?

You are lucky to have several drivable comps to choose from every weekend. Not everyone has that option


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[alpaca]

You are lucky to have several drivable comps to choose from every weekend. Not everyone has that option


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Yes, absolutely. We are super lucky to have so many choices. There are a few gyms within 15 minutes of ours that we will rarely see at any comps over the course of the season. I suspect that regional differences are affecting the way my post is being interpreted.

Thank you for pointing out that other area's do not have the same luxury.