How All Star Competitions Work

Hi Zia Cheer Families,

As we prepare for competition season, we want to ensure everyone is well-informed about how competitions work. Here’s a comprehensive overview to help you navigate this exciting time!

Performance Times

We won’t know the exact performance times until about three days before the competition. Occasionally, we may receive a rough estimate about a week in advance, but this isn’t guaranteed. Rest assured, we will inform you as soon as we have the exact time!

Competition Day Logistics

One-Day Events: For most one-day competitions, families typically stay overnight on the Friday before the event. 

Many parents will also stay Saturday night, but you might be able to come home Saturday, though it may be late. For the Lubbock competition there is no need to stay Saturday night as all teams will be done before 5pm.

Please keep in mind that novice and prep teams usually have early to mid-morning performance times, and most competitions start around 8 AM, so we always recommend staying the night on Friday before every comp.

Two-Day Events: Only prep and elite teams participate in two-day competitions. Families should plan to stay Friday night, Saturday night, and most will opt to stay Sunday as well. Depending on performance times, some families may be able to return home on Sunday, but it could be late.

Key Times to Remember

There are four critical times you need to adhere to closely:

Arrival Time: This is when we need you at the venue, completely ready to go—hair, makeup, and full uniform. Please plan for traffic and possible delays, typically arriving 1.5 hours before the performance.

Gather Time: About 30 minutes after your arrival time, the team will gather at a designated location in the venue for stretching. During this time, please ensure you take your athlete's bag, jackets, etc., as they cannot keep them backstage. After gathering, you can find a seat and leave your athlete with us until after they perform. Note that no parents are allowed backstage; only coaches with background checks can be present. We will post in Band the exact gathering location.

Performance Time: This is usually one hour after the gather time. For your awareness, novice performances last 1.5 minutes, prep teams perform for 2 minutes, and elite teams perform for 2.5 minutes. Right after the performance, please quickly pick up your child so we can prepare for the next team. We will provide pickup instructions in Band.

Awards Time: All athletes should be back in their uniforms at the venue before this time for awards. While we ask all athletes to attend, we understand if some need to leave early. The more athletes present for awards, the better! If you leave after the performance, please keep your wristbands for entry, and ensure your athlete returns in uniform.

Competition Attendance

All competitions are mandatory. Failing to show up may result in removal from the team and negatively impact the team's chances of placing.

We highly recommend booking hotels as soon as possible, as these competitions can draw large crowds and many teams. You are free to stay in any hotel of your choice; we do not organize group accommodations.

Travel arrangements are also up to you, whether by plane, car, or other means. Always allow extra travel time for unforeseen delays, such as flight issues or flat tires.

Respect and Sportsmanship

As representatives of our gym, we expect all families to be respectful to other gyms and athletes. Bullying or negative behavior is not tolerated. Please remember that competition days can be stressful for athletes, so it's essential to maintain a positive atmosphere. If your athlete makes a mistake during the performance, remind them that it’s okay; don’t bring them down. There’s always another competition!

While you’re not required to watch other teams, we encourage you to do so if possible. Having Zia families in the stands supporting our teams creates a great environment and boosts team spirit!

Enjoy the Experience

Use these trips as an opportunity to enjoy time away. However, please treat the competition day with the seriousness it deserves; the entire team depends on each other.

If your athlete is sick on competition day, we ask that they do their best to perform. We’ve had athletes push through and perform even when feeling unwell.

Competitions are significant events—think large stages, impressive productions, and bright lights! Many will have vendors selling cheer-related merchandise, food, and more.

Finally, we encourage athletes to watch other teams in their division. This can be an excellent opportunity for them to see the competition and learn.

Mindfulness Matters

As parents and athletes, please be mindful of your comments during competitions. Negative remarks about other teams can be harmful, and we want to uphold our values and represent our gym positively.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation. We’re excited for a fantastic competition season!

Go Zia Cheer!