Comp Day Chaos: What to Pack, Expect, and Laugh About

Ah, competition day. The holy grail of the all star cheer season — where the stress is high, the glitter is everywhere, and someone is guaranteed to cry in the bathroom (sometimes it’s you, sometimes it’s your athlete).

Whether you’re a first-time cheer mom or still recovering from last season, here’s how to survive comp day like a pro — and maybe even enjoy it.

1. Time Moves Differently on Comp Day

You’ll need to arrive early. Like, hours early.
You’ll wait a long time. You’ll stand in lines for coffee, wristbands, and the bathroom. Then you’ll wait some more.

And just when you're convinced your athlete’s team has been forgotten entirely... it's go time. Two and a half minutes of adrenaline, screaming, cowbells, crying — and then it’s over.

Then? You wait again. For awards. For team photos. For someone to find the makeup bag they left behind.

2. Things Will Go Wrong (And That’s Okay)

At some point:

• Someone will forget something important.
• Someone will panic over hair or makeup.
• Someone will spill something on a white uniform.
• Someone will scream “WHERE’S THE BOW?!” like it’s a national emergency.

It’s fine. It’s part of the ritual. Keep your cool. Smile knowingly. Offer a Tide pen and keep it moving.

3. Be Ready for the Emotional Whiplash

You might feel exhausted, nervous, proud, annoyed, hungry, dehydrated, and wildly emotional all in the span of 20 minutes. That’s comp day, baby 💫

There’s something about seeing your kid take the mat — all sparkly and focused — that makes everything else fade away for a second.

Then it’s back to hunting down the team for a group photo and Googling the nearest Chick-fil-A.

4. Laugh About It or Cry About It (Or Both)

Comp day is chaos, and you can either try to control it (you can’t), or embrace it.

Final Thoughts:

Pack the snacks. Wear comfy shoes. And don’t forget to put down your phone so can clap like there's no tomorrow and scream for your athlete and their team.