These days, it never fails.
Months and months of preparation are put into each and every performance that an athlete delivers at competition.
Competitions themselves are held in a wide variety of places, most often in sports arenas and convention centers.
Almost everywhere a competition is held, there is a place in front of the stage which the athletes perform on, that is reserved for parents, family members, and eager observers and supporters.
As the athletes take the stage and many times continuing throughout the athletes’ performance, there invariably is a phenomenon that occurs which includes the ranging of a scattering of held devices and cameras to a literal sea of them all raised in the hopes of capturing this moment in time.
Although the sentiment is certainly understood, there are few things more annoying to the judging panel than seeing this.
Not only does it quite possibly obstruct the judges’ physical view, but in their eyes it also takes away from the person recording really enjoying each moment of their athlete’s performance, after all, it is hard to fully concentrate on something when you have your phone in the air and you are keeping tabs on it to make sure that it is properly recording everything you are attempting to record.
Recording in this fashion is also a bad idea because it potentially blocks the view of others in general (beyond just the judges), it creates distractions and can even be unsafe.
While it is certainly exciting to see your athlete perform, standing in front of the stage to record can cause more problems than you might realize.
Everyone in the audience wants to see the routine clearly.
Furthermore, if someone is blocking the judges’ line of sight, it might even affect the score—and that wouldn’t be fair to the athletes who have worked so hard.
There will quite often even be announcements at competition pointing to this fact and asking people to lower their devices/recording instruments.
Standing in front with phones or cameras can also distract the athletes themselves.
Again, these athletes train for months to perform at a high level. When someone is waving a phone or moving around at the front of the stage, it may pull their attention away from the routine. Cheerleading requires focus, timing, and teamwork. One small distraction could cause a mistake or even an injury.
Perhaps best practice is to have one individual record a video of the routine and then share with those from the program who may want it.
Everyone does not need to video the entire performance.
Still shots can be taken during the performance if done discreetly, but this may still take away from truly enjoying the moment.
It’s understandable that parents want to capture special moments. But the best way to support our athletes is by cheering loudly and helping to create an environment that is truly energetic as well as one that the athletes performing on stage can get excited about and motivate them to put forth the best performance possible.
Approaching things from this angle keeps the event safe, fair, and enjoyable for everyone.
The next time you’re at a cheer comp, please be mindful to do whatever possible to support the athletes without any distractions in front of the stage. Everyone—including your athlete, their teammates, and coaches—will appreciate it.
