A day in the life at Cheersport
We got our schedules a few weeks ago for the upcoming season. For those of you reading who don't know much about competitive cheerleading - lucky you - but here's a bit of insight into what I do. I am the 'voice' of the office. When the phone rings it comes to me.
Today I have had several calls asking me about yellow wristbands for our six flags competition.
They are free, and all you have to do is pick one up at the Cheersport booth at the entrance to six flags when you get there. However, this is how the conversation goes:
Me - Cheersport, This is Ginny
cheer person on the other line - Hi, I have a question about Six Flags
Me - Yes, how can I help you?
them - Well, I was wanting to buy regular admittance tickets for six flags but then I read that I need a wristband.
Me - Yes, you will need to pick up a wristband at the entrance to Six Flags, they are free.
them - are you sure they are free? because I don't want to get up there with my sister and then get jipped.
Me - Yes, they are free. You just need to go to the booth and they will give you one so you can watch your child compete.
them - Ok, because I don't want to get there and have to pay, what is your name?
Me - Ginny Alley.
them - Ok, if you're sure. Thank you.
It gets worse as the season goes on. This is just one example for the day. I also am in charge of set-up for three of our events, which means I coordinate with the facility what needs to be done with lights, staging, concessions, parking, signage, tables etc. Richmond, Denver, and Chicago I think are the ones I have set up for. I help make the schedule every week for our grand championships. I was also appointed today to be the go to person for the IALC which is the International All Levels Championship and our company gives bids to it at some of our events. I am the midwest representative for Cheersport, which means I visit cheerleading and gymnastics facilities in Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, etc. That's in the springtime and it's pretty much just plain nuts.
This weekend is our first competition for the season. Cheerleading season runs similar to the school year. September through April. Our first event is a scrimmage at six flags where the kids don't wear uniforms, but they get to practice their routine and learn our scoresheets.
The rest of my schedule for the year goes like this...
September 27-28 - Atlanta, Georgia
October 4-5 - Columbus, Ohio
October 17-18 - Nashville, Tennessee
November 15-16 - Indianapolis, Indiana
Thanksgiving - I get a week off
December 6-7 - Richmond, Virginia
December 12-13 - Orlando, Florida
Christmas - I get time off
January 17 - 18 - Mobile, Alabama
February - Pretty much a crazy month. I work long hours and Nationals is Feb 13-15 so I go down on the 12th and leave on the 16th.
February 28 - Chicago, IL
March 6-7 - Denver, Colorado
April 4-5 - Ft. Lauderdale
Pretty much a busy schedule and in the spring I am supposed to start visiting gyms again in March through May, and usually I'm gone for at least 5 days at a time. And people wonder why I'm still single :/....
Nationals is the largest cheerleading and dance competition in the world. We had over 825 teams last year, which equals 19,000 cheerleaders and over 35,000 spectators. Basically, we take up the entire Georgia World Congress Center and run 8 cheer arenas (one of which I am a director of) 1 dance arena, 1 awards arena, an expo arena, a "So you think you can tumble" competition, a coaches room, a store, a judges room, and that's not all. We start the day off at 9:00am, and every 2 1/2 minutes a team takes the floor until 9:15 at night. It's pretty much amazing.
The competitions are fun, and the office is actually not a bad work environment, I mean - where else can you wear your pajamas to work if you want to? There's a season for everything, and I know this will not last forever, so....that's my day in the life at Cheersport.
Today I have had several calls asking me about yellow wristbands for our six flags competition.
They are free, and all you have to do is pick one up at the Cheersport booth at the entrance to six flags when you get there. However, this is how the conversation goes:
Me - Cheersport, This is Ginny
cheer person on the other line - Hi, I have a question about Six Flags
Me - Yes, how can I help you?
them - Well, I was wanting to buy regular admittance tickets for six flags but then I read that I need a wristband.
Me - Yes, you will need to pick up a wristband at the entrance to Six Flags, they are free.
them - are you sure they are free? because I don't want to get up there with my sister and then get jipped.
Me - Yes, they are free. You just need to go to the booth and they will give you one so you can watch your child compete.
them - Ok, because I don't want to get there and have to pay, what is your name?
Me - Ginny Alley.
them - Ok, if you're sure. Thank you.
It gets worse as the season goes on. This is just one example for the day. I also am in charge of set-up for three of our events, which means I coordinate with the facility what needs to be done with lights, staging, concessions, parking, signage, tables etc. Richmond, Denver, and Chicago I think are the ones I have set up for. I help make the schedule every week for our grand championships. I was also appointed today to be the go to person for the IALC which is the International All Levels Championship and our company gives bids to it at some of our events. I am the midwest representative for Cheersport, which means I visit cheerleading and gymnastics facilities in Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, etc. That's in the springtime and it's pretty much just plain nuts.
This weekend is our first competition for the season. Cheerleading season runs similar to the school year. September through April. Our first event is a scrimmage at six flags where the kids don't wear uniforms, but they get to practice their routine and learn our scoresheets.
The rest of my schedule for the year goes like this...
September 27-28 - Atlanta, Georgia
October 4-5 - Columbus, Ohio
October 17-18 - Nashville, Tennessee
November 15-16 - Indianapolis, Indiana
Thanksgiving - I get a week off
December 6-7 - Richmond, Virginia
December 12-13 - Orlando, Florida
Christmas - I get time off
January 17 - 18 - Mobile, Alabama
February - Pretty much a crazy month. I work long hours and Nationals is Feb 13-15 so I go down on the 12th and leave on the 16th.
February 28 - Chicago, IL
March 6-7 - Denver, Colorado
April 4-5 - Ft. Lauderdale
Pretty much a busy schedule and in the spring I am supposed to start visiting gyms again in March through May, and usually I'm gone for at least 5 days at a time. And people wonder why I'm still single :/....
Nationals is the largest cheerleading and dance competition in the world. We had over 825 teams last year, which equals 19,000 cheerleaders and over 35,000 spectators. Basically, we take up the entire Georgia World Congress Center and run 8 cheer arenas (one of which I am a director of) 1 dance arena, 1 awards arena, an expo arena, a "So you think you can tumble" competition, a coaches room, a store, a judges room, and that's not all. We start the day off at 9:00am, and every 2 1/2 minutes a team takes the floor until 9:15 at night. It's pretty much amazing.
The competitions are fun, and the office is actually not a bad work environment, I mean - where else can you wear your pajamas to work if you want to? There's a season for everything, and I know this will not last forever, so....that's my day in the life at Cheersport.
Comments
good luck with all that planning:-)