Things to remember before competition & what to pack:

     Yay! You're going to competition!
That's awesome, and I wish you the best of luck throughout the entire process. Here are some things I've learned and just some overall advice I want to give you (:

     Remember that you have already practiced over and over to perfect your routine so just relax and perform exactly how you practice. But at the same time be sure to give that extra bit of sass and facials and sharpness for the judges!

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SAve your energy

     Know that difficult pass/trick/dance portion that takes up a lot of your energy and save your energy for that part so that you stay energized afterwards! For example whenever I had a junior hip hop team, there was a specific part of the dance where I did a flipflop twist and then a kip up and then I had to lift a girl up in a group trick.
     During practice I would notice that this part of the routine always left me worn out and tired, so because of that I always tried to remember to take deep breaths and save my energy right before that performance.

     Performance nerves are a totally normal and human thing to experience! I honestly can't even count how many times I've performed and competed, and I still to this day get nervous right before performing. There are a few rituals that I do with my team before competing that always get me in a good and relaxed mindset. The first thing we all do is a group prayer. We touch feet in a circle and hold hands (right over left) and our head coach or captain will lead us in a big prayer. Then we usually still have 1-2 minutes of waiting to perform so what I will do is pray by myself in a whisper. These steps are crucial for me since I am religious, but if you are not; then you do not have to do them. Any time I would be in line behind the curtains waiting to perform and a teammate told me they were nervous, I always say "Me too, I get nervous every competition, but it always goes away once my feet touch the matt or when the music starts." And it is completely true! You are going to do just fine (:

Know that competitions are a fun and happy thing, remember this when you are scoping out the competition and possibly getting nervous. Remember this great quote that I love:

"She was never in competition with anyone and that's what made her competition to everyone."

have fun

       Enjoy the experience of competition, because you learn so much about yourself and your teammates!

      Make sure that you keep up the smiles, facials, spirit once you finish your performance! You are still on stage and the judges are still looking at you!
Make sure you take off any of that chipped neon polish, you need clean and short fingernails for competition!

      Even though it might be incredibly tempting, DO NOT go swimming the night before or day of competition! Save this for afterwards. Swimming counts as a workout and when you swim, you use all sorts of muscles that you have never even used before. Trust me when I say that this can leave you sore and worn out and that is the last thing you want before a competition
     In every single one of my experiences, it is always FREEZING so be sure to at least bring a light jacket! I even would pack a pillow and fleece blanket for the early morning hair and makeup

     Make sure you have EVERYTHING that you need plus more, chances are that your coaches have left you with a checklist and packing list, but if not; here are a couple of items you may want to pack! Keep in mind that every team varies, so some might require you to bring false lashes, makeup, etc. And some other teams will be providing those items for you. Also the items will vary if it is a one or two day competition! Regardless, it's better to be safe than sorry. Enjoy!

• Makeup wipes (This goes by quickly so it is impossible to bring too many!)
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, floss, Q-tips
• Facewash, toner, exfoliator, moisturizer
• If you're like me you bring contacts, contact case, solution, glasses
• Make up and false lashes (this depends on your teams preference) My cheer teams signature is ALWAYS fiery red lips for example
• Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, shavers, shaving cream, deodorant
• Hairbrushes! (teasing, detangle brush, smoothing comb)
• Hot tools (depending on the hairstyle; flat iron, curling iron/wand, crimper, etc.)
• Or rollers/sleep in heatless tools for overnight curls
• If you are of age, be sure to bring pads or tampons (you never know...)
• Hair ties, bobby pins, hairspray, gel
• Lots of socks and underwear (it's best to keep them nude or white)
• Of course, your cheer/dance shoes, uniform, dance gloves, cheer bow, etc.
• Your team wind suit or other coordinating team outfits!
• Athletic tape, Band-Aids, headache and other pain medication, heat rub medicine
• Cough drops (a morning sore throat the day of comp. Is more common than you’d imagine and is incredibly annoying so be prepared just in case)
• Chargers, portable charger, headphones (Sometimes I'll even bring a small DVD player and movies for those long drives)
• Extra Cash for all the cute cheer/dance merch being sold!
• Pajamas (Although we spend all of our time making sure we bring our competition outfit, PJ's are something you do not want to forget.
• Extra cute and comfy clothing to wear after your competition is over
• Snacks (I always have a bite of snickers or other chocolate to give me that small bit of energy before performing)
• Sunscreen (this is especially important if your competition is right by a theme park! Also totally necessary if you will be warming up and stretching before your performance!
• Noisemakers (these are a great and simple way to have the parents be the cheerleaders of the cheerleaders haha. Parent participation is actually a really crucial and helpful thing for those of us that are performing)

       These are some of my top things to remember before your competition as well as my complete guide on what to pack, I hope you enjoy. Good luck on your competition and I hope you kick butt!
                                                                                                     Much love,
                                                                                                        Maya XOXO