All-Star Outside Of Scoring What Do Coaches Find Frustrating About Competitions?

[King]

Just curious. It seems like overall people have the rest pretty figured out except the internal components:

Warmups
Legality enforcement

But everything else seems like people have pretty well figured out?

 

[SparkleSpankies]

I find it frustrating when an organization can not get their act together and it is off time, and not by 5 minutes.

I also find it frustrating when coaches think they can dictate their other teams watching the performing team from their organization which then backs up everyone else. Organizations schedule things to accomodate your crossovers, your teams, etc so when you are sent the schedule, you can review. Changes should NOT be made that day! Ohhhhh ANNOYING!

 

[CoachMandiCF]

The best run competition I've been to this season at Battle at the Boardwalk in Atlantic City run by Epic. It was on-time, the staff was very helpful and knowledgable too. One thing that always kills me (as a coach) is when you're registering teams and the company has young kids working the registration who can't seem to answer any of questions. That just starts the day off wrong.

We have been experiencing alot of competitions who aren't [printing up schedules. Or they print up Session 1 schedules for coaches but not the rest of the day??

Also the sound systems this season have been AWFUL! We've had two occasions where the kids can't hear the music because the speakers are facing away from the stage and also having crackling music because "the system is new."

 

[lianne]

well im not a coach, but i hate the competition food. seriously, all they sell is french fries and hot dogs and things like that. i cant eat before i compete because i feel so bogged down from the food. cant they sell fruit and granola bars or things like that?

 

[cheeeeer93]

Warmups. I think a warmup that has not so knowledgeable, hectic staff with a lot going on is never good. And it always ends up that the "learning period" of the day is during tinys/minis! Hard for coaches to figure out what's going on while keeping track of a bunch of little ones.. Especially when the staff doesn't know what's happening either!
Also, the time between warmups/competing. A long wait doesn't bother me as much as having athletes RUNNING from the warmup room to backstage to be the "on deck" team.
I don't know how much can be done about this point but the convention center staff. Staff have taken hairspray, WATERBOTTLES, ect. from my gym before we have even entered the performance halls. I just wish they would be a little more understanding and polite.

 

[Hi-Phlyer21]

I find it frustrating when an organization can not get their act together and it is off time, and not by 5 minutes.

I also find it frustrating when coaches think they can dictate their other teams watching the performing team from their organization which then backs up everyone else. Organizations schedule things to accomodate your crossovers, your teams, etc so when you are sent the schedule, you can review. Changes should NOT be made that day! Ohhhhh ANNOYING!

wait, what? so say every team at my gym is required to watch every team at my gym when they perform. That then slows everything down? is that what you're saying or...?
people who request changes be made to the schedule the day of so that teams can watch each other?

well im not a coach, but i hate the competition food. seriously, all they sell is french
fries and hot dogs and things like that. i cant eat before i compete because i feel so bogged down from the food. cant they sell fruit and granola bars or things like that?

you could also bring your own. 1) it's cheaper. 2) probably the only way that's going to happen as it's not the EP's that are providing the food service it's the venue. and the venue gets all profit from food sales.

 

[SparkleSpankies]

wait, what? so say every team at my gym is required to watch every team at my gym when they perform. That then slows everything down? is that what you're saying or...?
people who request changes be made to the schedule the day of so that teams can watch each other?

BOTH! Most is at a local/regional level b/c it wouldn't fly at a nationals, but between going to comps w/ teams, judging and working, I feel like because you have 8 teams in your gym and you have 30 crossovers AND you want your teams to watch all teams performing... OMG! It causes so many backups... scheduling is hard enough to accomodate this. I love when I am running a competition and they are like I spoke w/ so and so and I said this schedule was OK, but now I decided that I think we need to move my Junior 1 here b/c I have crossovers on my Junior 2 and they may not make it... and then I want them to all watch each other and some of my coaches crossover...

When judging it's move this score sheet to here, this team is going here and in warm-ups causes confusion and back-up.

Just seems to be a trend in the past few years... some are very respectful and others think they can dictate to the EP their opinions. UGH!

 

[TinyBlondie15]

Warmups. I think a warmup that has not so knowledgeable, hectic staff with a lot going on is never good. And it always ends up that the "learning period" of the day is during tinys/minis! Hard for coaches to figure out what's going on while keeping track of a bunch of little ones.. Especially when the staff doesn't know what's happening either!
Also, the time between warmups/competing. A long wait doesn't bother me as much as having athletes RUNNING from the warmup room to backstage to be the "on deck" team.
I don't know how much can be done about this point but the convention center staff. Staff have taken hairspray, WATERBOTTLES, ect. from my gym before we have even entered the performance halls. I just wish they would be a little more understanding and polite.

Yes!! Taking away HAIRSPRAY and WATER BOTTLES at a Cheer competition seems ridiculous to me. We're athletes that need to hydrate and most teams require ALL your hair to be up and those like me with fly-aways need huge amounts of hairspray and bobbypins to hold it all in.

 

[imrichhowboutu]

Warmups. I think a warmup that has not so knowledgeable, hectic staff with a lot going on is never good. And it always ends up that the "learning period" of the day is during tinys/minis! Hard for coaches to figure out what's going on while keeping track of a bunch of little ones.. Especially when the staff doesn't know what's happening either!

I don't know how much can be done about this point but the convention center staff. Staff have taken hairspray, WATERBOTTLES, ect. from my gym before we have even entered the performance halls. I just wish they would be a little more understanding and polite.

Event producers have nothing to do with the food sold in the arena's
Also, certain places have rules regardless of what is going on at the event.

 

[Ashay]

I get frustrated when you have a crossovers and the EP wont move the second team a little later and your kids have to run off the floor and go straight back into warmups sometimes they even miss the warmup. For the most part comps are usually good with fixing the schedule but other times its annoying. I also hate when you get your score sheets and your scores are wrong and you approached the head judge about it they agree with you, but awards are over and they already gave away your 1st place to someone else and wont go back and award your kids a first place finish as well. I agree with not taking the 1st place from the other team but I also feel since it was their fault they should award the team that actually won. Now im rambling

 

[XtremeWpg]

Id have to say people not making a clear path from one side of the floor (where music is) to the other (where athletes come off). We always have one coach who is out front and one at music, but the music coach usually gets stuck there by people clogging the way. A marked path would be appreciated!

 

[Trolldance]

Clueless parents who expect the coaches to do everything for them. Do not bring your child to me for makeup and hair because you don't know how to do it. I have three kids of my own that I am responsible for getting ready. I am glad to help out, but not if you are not trying to help yourself.

Calling coaches to the judges table and freaking out all the parents...could an EP not locate a coach in a more discreet manner

 

[cupieqt]

"difficulty" scores for level 2 straight ride baskets. I think that since it is just a straight ride it should be scored as execution only.

It infuriates me when my yth L2 gets a 6.9/7 on our difficulty score in baskets when the only reason we didn't get a 7 is bc it wasn't as high as an IOC5 basket. Whaaat??? It's a straight ride basket being thrown by 10 year old girls.

 

[yojaehs]

I would like to see ALL competitions allow iPods to play the music.
I like to be as close to my team as possible when viewing.
Running ON-TIME at least with-in 10 minutes, and please, please, please as much as I want the day to be done as well, running early and answering to tiny/mini parents that missed their team (or any for that matter) isn't fun.
Releasing score sheets in a timely manner (with breakdown of the ENTIRE divisions scores...I know beating a dead horse)
Having a place to practice also having a designated place to meet your team (often times at some of our local comps there are other events taking place so meeting in the lobby isn't an option)
Please allow a quiet place for coaches with some water or snacks.

 

[imrichhowboutu]

"difficulty" scores for level 2 straight ride baskets. I think that since it is just a straight ride it should be scored as execution only.

It infuriates me when my yth L2 gets a 6.9/7 on our difficulty score in baskets when the only reason we didn't get a 7 is bc it wasn't as high as an IOC5 basket. Whaaat??? It's a straight ride basket being thrown by 10 year old girls.

height shouldn't be scored in difficulty. Difficulty scores are quantity and frequency. If you're a level 2 team with 20 people on the floor, i want to see a section of 5 baskets and I want to see at least one other basket in the routine.