5 REASONS TO JOIN AN ONLINE CHEER COMPETITION
Photography by Emanuel Berthe
The COVID pandemic has led to uncertainty and shutdown of many cheer gyms and competitions. But while “Cheer life” as we’ve known it is on hold, there are still plenty of ways we can still keep our athletes and teams competitive.
More and more virtual competitions are beginning to spring up, with event producers making the most of the latest technology to bring the competition experience online. Cheer Conditioning Academy spoke to virtual competition event producer and gym owner Patrick Cowherd, to find out more about why we should make the move to online events.
Here are Patrick’s 5 Reasons to consider participating in a virtual cheerleading competition:
1. FLEXIBLE FORMAT: COMPETE INTERNATIONALLY!
Virtual competitions mean you can compete with teams not just outside your state, but across the world! While in many ways Covid has shut the world down, virtual comps are throwing wide open the opportunity for international competition! They also have more flexibility on what divisions they can offer, which means teams can have multiple opportunities to compete, without a long day sitting in an arena, or hundreds of costume changes!
2. WORK TOWARDS YOUR GOALS
As we know, working toward a goal keeps our athletes motivated. You can work toward perfecting a routine to use as an entry to a virtual competition. Prizes and recognition are always motivators, and with a virtual competition, there’s plenty of room for recognition, and a wider audience beyond the traditional competition site.
Prizes are becoming more innovative too. No longer is it just trophies and medals on offer. Amongst the prizes in the Paragon XL Virtual Competition is a role in a new online Cheer series, the “Power of Rah!”!
3. STAY SHARP
Whether we’re still at home, or gathering in small groups, no matter the format, we want our athletes to keep their skills honed, and maintain their fitness levels. Practicing and preparing a routine for a virtual competition means athletes have a clear goal and motivation to practice and work out.
With competitions no longer limited to local judges, teams at virtual events can benefit from feedback from the best judges from all over the world, giving an extra dimension to the athlete learning experience.
4. BUILD FOR YOUR FUTURE
Competing in a virtual competition means no large gatherings in a gym or arena.
Choosing to attend virtual competitions rather than in-person events demonstrates to your parents and athletes that you are client-oriented, and conscientious about their health and safety. Providing virtual competitions as an option for your athletes also markets you as a business innovator!
5. AN AFFORDABLE WAY TO COMPETE
Skip the travel expenses of plane or train tickets, hotel accommodations and meals, plus high entry fees! Virtual competitions have lower entry fees and zero travel required! A virtual competition can also give you more bang for your buck, often offering more opportunities to compete in solo, duo and trio divisions not offered at traditional events. Running on platforms and apps, athletes and coaches can watch themselves compete against an international team, from the comfort of their own home!
For more information on how to take part in the events being run by Patrick at ParagonXL, you can go to https://www.paragonxl.net/virtual-competition.html or follow them social IG: @paragonXL @cheerweek1 FB: fb.com/paragonXL fb.com/cheerweek Twitter: @paragon_xl @CheerWeek
