All-Star Do All Your Teams/parents Sit Together At Competitions?

[crazycheermom]

Now, I know this isn't possible when you have 452 teams from the same gym all performaing at different halls, etc, but I just got to thinking that it would be nice if all our parents would sit in the same general area. How do you coordinate that? I don't necessarily want to have to save seats, because that is just not fair to the people who need a seat for their team, but, again, just thinking it would be nice to all be in the same general area. One problem is that some people (ME) like to sit up higher (you know, so I can see to properly score other teams in our divisions) and others like to sit in the chairs on the floor.
Ideas?? Suggestions??

 

[AllHeartxo3]

Well, my team just always sat together. There was always a few parents that were somewhere else but it worked for us. When we all get to the competition they just asked where everyone wanted to sit and gave 2 options. Everyone was nice about it and didn't really moan and complain too much. Oh, and get there EARLY. We always saved seats, people understand if you have a whole team of parents coming. That's just my experience though.

 

[aggie1983]

Gotta disagree on the saving of seats. Saving 2 or 3 around you is one thing. Putting one coat over 3 seats here, a purse on the next one, another coat over 3 seats in front of you and spacing out the five of you who are there to cover 12 more seats is wrong. And this happens a lot. And there was a gentleman (and I use the word very loosely) who was very rude at NCA who was doing just that. He and maybe 7 other people managed to co-op almost three entire rows. Why should people who don't show up for an hour or more get the good seats that people who were there early were denied?
And yes, it is a lot more fun to sit with a big group of parents, and we do try, but logistically it is virtually impossible - unless you do the above. Which every comp we go to asks people NOT to do.

 

[cheer101]

be there when the doors open... lol

 

[RockstarCheer]

Well almost all of our events have Priority Seating, so I feel like our parents are constantly on the move! They are either dropping their kids off or picking them up or running in and out of Priority Seating. I dont think they have time to sit, lol

 

[cheerislove8]

Section 13 at NCA

 

[emmabug95]

Usually at smaller competitions, the whole gym will sit in one "section" of the stands, but at bigger competitions it's much more difficult to coordinate that. Especially with what you said about teams competing in all different arenas at different times, it's nearly impossible to get everyone to be in the same exact place at the same time. But at my gym, the coaches of each team give us a list of which teams from our gym we have to watch, and that way most of the girls just end up meeting up with each other a bit before that team goes on

I like it when a whoooole big crowd from your gym is together, because the "mob" gets so pumped up and loud and it gets me excited when I'm on the floor! <3

 

[coach12]

I dont think they all need to sit together. just as long as they are all there in priority seating when our teams are performing.

 

[SheCheers]

We all sit together. We all cheer EVERY team on (with the exception of big spread out comps that make it impossible). We usually all meet at a designated time and find the largest section available, usually up high and slightly off center.

 

[5-6-7-8]

The worst is showing up early to watch the tiny / minis and having to sit 10+ rows or more behind rows of jackets and bags (people ssinf blocks of seats.)

 

[cupieqt]

Gotta disagree on the saving of seats. Saving 2 or 3 around you is one thing. Putting one coat over 3 seats here, a purse on the next one, another coat over 3 seats in front of you and spacing out the five of you who are there to cover 12 more seats is wrong. And this happens a lot. And there was a gentleman (and I use the word very loosely) who was very rude at NCA who was doing just that. He and maybe 7 other people managed to co-op almost three entire rows. Why should people who don't show up for an hour or more get the good seats that people who were there early were denied?
And yes, it is a lot more fun to sit with a big group of parents, and we do try, but logistically it is virtually impossible - unless you do the above. Which every comp we go to asks people NOT to do.

If a person wearing a staff shirt arrived to ask them to not do that I would think they would comply very quickly! Why isn't it enforced? Penalties of some sort can be assessed easily.

 

[garretttt]

a lot of the competitions ive gone to weve been able to rent rooms for our gym. so usually the parents and little kids stay in there and when its time for one of our teams to go we all make our way down to priority.

 

[Rudags]

Unless someone momentarily goes away from their seats (bathroom, food, priority seating to watch their team, etc) I think its ridiculous. Ive seen like 10 seats saved before where no one ends up coming.

To stay on topic. Parents and teams normally try to stay in a general area, but its hard. For the most part, everyone at my gym knows that when there is priority seating available, EVERYONE is to be there during ALL of our teams!

 

[cheermommaRN]

We try to all sit together...at the big comps (like NCA) it's impossible in the arena but we were able to all sit in the bleachers in Hall B when our girls competed.
At SC Nationals a lady got on me because she was trying to save 6 rows for her gym by herself! We went to sit down and she threw herself across the seats screaming "THESE ARE ALL SAVED!!!" I said "Yeah right, let me know how that works out for you...." She did this to every gym that tried to sit down but most of them ignored her and she got more and more mad. I think she held 3 rows by the time her gym showed up...lol
Nothing beats the all out brawls that break out at comps over seating! I've seen people "escorted" out of the comp because they actually got physical...over seats.....

 

[Just-a-Mom]

Well, my team just always sat together. There was always a few parents that were somewhere else but it worked for us. When we all get to the competition they just asked where everyone wanted to sit and gave 2 options. Everyone was nice about it and didn't really moan and complain too much. Oh, and get there EARLY. We always saved seats, people understand if you have a whole team of parents coming. That's just my experience though.

I think you've pretty much been answered on this, but I'll chime in too. You should go read the competition pet peeves thread in the Newbie section--"saving seats" is posted at least a dozen times. Trust me, people don't "understand".

Back to topic--we always sit together at smaller comps where everyone is competing at roughly the same time (morning, afternoon etc.) but at bigger comps it's too difficult. And like everyone said at comps where there is priority seating, that's really when we get together. I'm usually too busy running around because my kids are such different ages, one of them is always coming or going.

And I totally agree about sitting up higher--those people in the seats on the floor are on their own!