Spirit Items at Competitions

[sanddrag]

Not sure, but please be respectful to those around you when cheering for your team. I have seen several problems with this in years past. Being excited for your team (or another) is fine, but I've seen several instances where it just becomes obnoxious. Sending your whole team in a parade through the pit area each time you win I think is overboard. Here are the spirit items and actions I personally look down upon, and become very frustrated about:

Loud noises - The competition is loud enough. I don't want your teenage girl screams, your air horns, your thunder sticks, or your whistles right behind my ears. If you must do this, please be all the way in the front, or all the way in the back/top of the arena.

Large things - If your sign, banner, flag, etc is larger than yourself, you are blocking the view of the people behind you. Please be respectful. You are not the only ones trying to watch the game and have a good time.

Standing up - It starts in the front. You stand up to cheer, then everyone behind you has to stand up to see. It's ridiculous. If it's your own team on the field, and it's an exciting pivotal moment, fine, I'd stand too. But to stand up and block the view of those behind you every time you score a point I think is rude.

That being said, small and quiet spirit items are a good. You an decorate your team members. You can hand out giveaways to other teams and judges. You can cheer for your team, on the field side of the arena.

Especially with respect to the Spirit Award, I always like to see teams awarded for the spirit they already have, rather than teams spending loads of money and time on products and routines just to get the award. I come from a team that won a spirit award with 9 members....