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Many parents don’t realize how important it is to support their athlete at a competition. Parents are part of the foundation for the success of a cheerleading squad. From priority seating to energetic excitement, parents can make all the difference in the world.
Priority seating is that special section of rows set aside up front at competitions for friends and family of those who are on the competition floor. Many times we see rows of empty seats in the priority seating area or sometimes even if the rows are full of fans the energy is low to non-existent. Other than the coaches, the faces in priority seating are usually the only ones that the athletes can see clearly. They look to you before starting their routine for positive reinforcement that they will do well. These kids want to make sure their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends are proud of them. Therefore, it is so very important to don those bright smiles even if you fear a mistake may happen. Wipe those possibilities from your mind and let that team know by your smile and your cheers that they will own the floor for their two and a half minutes!
Another benefit to priority seating is that you are usually between the judges and the athletes. Judges are human and enthusiasm is contagious. Not only can you raise the level of energy among the athletes on the competition floor by cheering for your child and the team, you can also send a message to the judge that says, “Hey! This team is PHENOMENAL!” The job of a cheerleader is to get the crowd excited and that starts with those who are right up front. It really doesn’t matter if you have already seen an elite skill in practice 100 times. You must still yell and clap like it’s never been done before in the history of cheerleading!
On the other hand, not all competitions have the judges located at nosebleed heights and the athletes are not always on an elevated floor. If your activities are preventing the judges from seeing the routine, they will be unable to properly judge the routine and the performance. Signs are a great way to show your support as are standing, jumping, and throwing your hands in the air. However, you should always make sure that you are NOT doing those things when it may impair the judge’s sight. We want to make sure every skill our cheerleaders complete is seen and scored properly. Unlike your athletes, you have a 3 minute job. Take the first 30 seconds that you’re in the priority viewing area for your BIG displays of support but make sure that while they’re actually performing, you’re not blocking the view of the judges or the other parents behind you.
One last way to support your athlete and the team is learning how to keep that look of disappointment from your face when something goes wrong on the floor. We’ve all done it so don’t be ashamed but do everything in your power to not let it creep up on your face anymore! What you might consider to be an expression of concern or sympathy may be interpreted to mean the team just lost the competition. This can deflate a routine much quicker and more effectively than any stunt gone bad, omitted tumbling, or whatever caused you to look that way. No competition is lost until it’s over and the last thing the team needs is to give up because of a parent’s negative reaction. No parent is ever perfect all the time but acting skills can certainly come in handy when you’re watching your child compete.
In all our years of All Star cheer, I’ve seen some crazy things in the name of “Program Support”. However the important things to remember are staying positive while heading down to priority seating, grinning like a fool for the whole 3 minutes, and giving your child’s team that extra bit of confidence and energy to perform at their very best. This includes letting the judges know that this is the best team in the division by showing your support!
Many parents don’t realize how important it is to support their athlete at a competition. Parents are part of the foundation for the success of a cheerleading squad. From priority seating to energetic excitement, parents can make all the difference in the world.
Priority seating is that special section of rows set aside up front at competitions for friends and family of those who are on the competition floor. Many times we see rows of empty seats in the priority seating area or sometimes even if the rows are full of fans the energy is low to non-existent. Other than the coaches, the faces in priority seating are usually the only ones that the athletes can see clearly. They look to you before starting their routine for positive reinforcement that they will do well. These kids want to make sure their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends are proud of them. Therefore, it is so very important to don those bright smiles even if you fear a mistake may happen. Wipe those possibilities from your mind and let that team know by your smile and your cheers that they will own the floor for their two and a half minutes!
Another benefit to priority seating is that you are usually between the judges and the athletes. Judges are human and enthusiasm is contagious. Not only can you raise the level of energy among the athletes on the competition floor by cheering for your child and the team, you can also send a message to the judge that says, “Hey! This team is PHENOMENAL!” The job of a cheerleader is to get the crowd excited and that starts with those who are right up front. It really doesn’t matter if you have already seen an elite skill in practice 100 times. You must still yell and clap like it’s never been done before in the history of cheerleading!
On the other hand, not all competitions have the judges located at nosebleed heights and the athletes are not always on an elevated floor. If your activities are preventing the judges from seeing the routine, they will be unable to properly judge the routine and the performance. Signs are a great way to show your support as are standing, jumping, and throwing your hands in the air. However, you should always make sure that you are NOT doing those things when it may impair the judge’s sight. We want to make sure every skill our cheerleaders complete is seen and scored properly. Unlike your athletes, you have a 3 minute job. Take the first 30 seconds that you’re in the priority viewing area for your BIG displays of support but make sure that while they’re actually performing, you’re not blocking the view of the judges or the other parents behind you.
One last way to support your athlete and the team is learning how to keep that look of disappointment from your face when something goes wrong on the floor. We’ve all done it so don’t be ashamed but do everything in your power to not let it creep up on your face anymore! What you might consider to be an expression of concern or sympathy may be interpreted to mean the team just lost the competition. This can deflate a routine much quicker and more effectively than any stunt gone bad, omitted tumbling, or whatever caused you to look that way. No competition is lost until it’s over and the last thing the team needs is to give up because of a parent’s negative reaction. No parent is ever perfect all the time but acting skills can certainly come in handy when you’re watching your child compete.
In all our years of All Star cheer, I’ve seen some crazy things in the name of “Program Support”. However the important things to remember are staying positive while heading down to priority seating, grinning like a fool for the whole 3 minutes, and giving your child’s team that extra bit of confidence and energy to perform at their very best. This includes letting the judges know that this is the best team in the division by showing your support!
