Preparing for a regional or national cheering competition involves more than tossing a uniform into a bag—it requires careful planning, organization, and a well-thought-out packing list to ensure athletes, coaches, and families are ready for long days, travel time, and high-energy performances. Traveling teams must account for uniforms, gear, snacks, safety items, and comfort essentials, as well as backup supplies for unexpected situations. A well-packed bag can make the difference between a smooth competition weekend and a stressful one, especially when schedules are tight and events run back-to-back. With the right preparation, cheerleaders can focus on what matters most: performing their best.
Start With All The Gear
One of the most important categories when packing is performance-related gear. Uniforms, practice wear, warmups, shoes, socks, bows, and any required accessories should be organized and clearly labeled. Many teams recommend packing each uniform piece in separate zip bags to keep everything clean and wrinkle-free. Extra hair ties, bobby pins, travel-sized hairspray, makeup, and emergency sewing kits help ensure athletes look polished and competition-ready. Don’t forget essential documents such as registration papers, waivers, schedules, team rosters, and hotel confirmations. Keeping these in a single folder or binder makes check-ins and security lines much easier.
Personal Touches Help With Comfort
Comfort and personal-care supplies are equally important, especially for multi-day competitions that involve early mornings and long waits between routines. Toiletries such as deodorant, wipes, travel soap, dry shampoo, and a first-aid pouch should always be included. Teams often pack ice packs for both cooling and basic injury care—helpful for bumps, soreness, or tight muscles that may arise after intense practices or performances. Reusable ice packs are ideal, as they can be refrozen at hotels and stored in coolers until needed. Additionally, items like foam rollers, resistance bands, and small massage balls help athletes stay warmed up and mobile throughout the event.
Proper Nourishment & Hydration
Food, hydration, and energy management are critical for competition weekends, which is why many teams pack coolers with drinks, sports beverages, and healthy snacks. Portable coolers—either soft-sided or lightweight hard-shell models—are perfect for storing water, fruit, sandwiches, and yogurt. Adding the best ice packs for coolers keeps these items cold without relying on hotel ice machines or concessions. Staying hydrated and maintaining energy levels helps prevent fatigue and ensures that athletes stay focused and strong during warm-ups and performances. Coaches and parents often assign cooler duties to ensure snacks are distributed evenly and can be accessed throughout the day.
Logistics
Travel logistics also shape the packing process. Whether traveling by bus, car, or plane, cheerleaders should bring an organized carry-on with essentials such as medication, a change of clothes, chargers, headphones, and personal entertainment. Team spirit items, banners, signs, and noise-makers should be packed for supportive families in the audience. If staying in a hotel, packing swimsuits, comfortable pajamas, and downtime activities helps the team unwind between events.
Organization is key: packing cubes, labeled bags, and checklists prevent last-minute panic and ensure nothing essential is forgotten. Preparing thoroughly allows cheerleaders to concentrate on teamwork, confidence, and delivering an unforgettable performance. With a thoughtful packing list—including coolers, ice packs, gear, and comfort essentials—traveling to a cheering competition becomes a smooth and enjoyable experience for athletes and families alike.
Many cheer teams believe in wearing specific items for luck—matching socks, lucky hair ribbons, or even certain shoes that have “never dropped a stunt.” Some cheerleaders swear by wearing the same brand of makeup or reusing the same glitter from a past victory. Others carry small trinkets, like a charm or a coin, tucked discreetly in their uniform for good vibes. Uniforms themselves can be considered sacred—some teams never wash their uniforms between the final practice and competition day, believing it keeps the “winning energy” intact. Even warm-up routines can be part of the superstition: the order of stretches, the music played, or the words said before taking the floor are often performed exactly the same way every time.
Team rituals are just as important. Many squads create “good luck circles” before a competition, where everyone joins hands, closes their eyes, and shares words of encouragement. Some teams chant their name or motto in unison, believing that the sound of their voices strengthens their unity. A few programs even perform small symbolic acts—like throwing glitter over their shoulders, clapping three times before a routine, or touching their practice mat for “mat karma.” These actions might seem trivial to outsiders, but for cheerleaders, they are confidence-boosting traditions that link the team’s mindset to past successes.
Food is another major part of cheer superstition, and one of the most beloved pre-competition rituals involves sharing a special treat together. Some teams have a favorite breakfast or snack they always eat before performing—often something sweet that feels like a reward after long months of hard work. One particularly popular and meaningful treat among some cheer squads is chocolate matzah. The ritual of eating chocolate matzah before a big competition is both delicious and symbolic. The crisp matzah represents strength and endurance, while the smooth layer of chocolate adds a touch of celebration. Many teams have their own “best 
Cheerleading competitions are an exciting event for cheerleaders. They put in a lot of effort to get to the top of their game. They spend endless hours practicing in the heat and in the cold. Therefore, it is very important to ensure that when they go into a competition, they be able to perform to the best of their ability. For many cheerleaders, this means that they need to be cool. It is up to the people hosting the competition to make this happen. Keeping competitions cool is a priority for everyone there, especially because the seating arrangements are kind of tight for spectators as well.
Planning a competition takes a lot of effort on behalf of the school or other venue that is hosting it. Most cheerleaders want to bring their families along and when you have a couple family members for each cheerleader on each team with sometimes 20+ teams competing at once, things get crowded quickly. Therefore, seating is a priority because no one will want to watch the entire competition while standing up. You also have to think about the temperature ahead of time since people in the stands will not want to be hot or cold. The people on the field will not enjoy it either if it is too hot. Bottles of water can help if you make them easily available to everyone, but one thing that many cheerleading competitions have are portable air conditioners like the Luma Comfort Evaporative Cooler, since these units can be put where they are needed the most.
A successful competition can get exciting for everyone both in the stands and on the field. Most people want to have a great time while there. They want to know that the sound system is going to sound clear to the people who are there. They want to know that their music will be played when they step up to the judges and start to perform. Most are nervous about being judged, but all of them are determined to put their best effort forth. They also share a common goal of taking home the win for their teammates. They will all want to earn a trophy for their school and for their teammates and everyone in the stands can be certain that they will see the cheerleaders performing at their best.
Families are changing. Parents no longer have children close together and call it done. Often, parents will have a child or two when they are young and then later on, choose to have another one. Sometimes it is because of a separation from the older children’s parent, but it could be for numerous other reasons as well. It is a great thing, no matter what makes you choose to have a baby later in life, but at the same time, it can 
With most families having older children and younger ones, it does not come as a surprise that there are complications with all of the events that the older children may be a part of. There are soccer moms with 
At most cheer competitions and other events, you have the ability to get up and move around some. Toddlers though, may take it to the extreme and want to step on the toes of everyone nearby. For that reason, you should consider bringing a small toy for them to play with, but then you have to worry that it will make the diaper bag that much fuller. Instead, consider putting a few diapers in your purse along with a few baby wipes that are in a Ziploc. This will lessen the bulk of your diaper bag and make it possible for you to also take along a snack bag and a small toy. You may also want to consider checking out the hipseat baby carrier here since you can use it to hold your little wiggler while you keep up with the toys and have free hands to clap for your favorite athlete on the field. If you have a smaller baby, you can worry less about the snacks and toys, but an infant carrier will still give you free hands to do other things, and it will keep the pressure off your back.
Cheer season can seem like a very long, tiresome time for many cheerleaders; even those that love it. It means that there are endless hours spent practicing, working out, and performing. It is tough for them and also tough for their parents since they are the ones who have to provide transportation and encouragement. This is why many cheerleading coaches try to give the group, as a whole, a way to relax at the end of a big event. One idea that is very popular is a cheer competition pool party celebration.
Pool parties are 
One of the most obvious things you need at a pool party is the pool. For that reason, we suggest that you check out the Intex pool reviews here if you do not already have a pool set up. Beyond that, you will need tables for snacks, chairs for relaxing, pool floats for lounging, a music player and some outdoor speakers, and perhaps even a few games that everyone can play. One idea is a volleyball net and ball or a basketball hoop. In some cases, you may even choose to get nets that attach to the pool or can be set up over the pool if you have an above ground pool. You will also want to make sure that there are snacks and drinks available for everyone to enjoy. If this is not something you can do on your own, most cheerleaders and their parents are willing to bring something for the party.
Cheerleading is an enjoyable sport for many people. They are there to show their support for their school team and if they are good enough, may even be able to make it to competitions to 
Cheerleaders spend a lot of time practicing. This does not change just because they are going to travel to a cheer competition. However, they must spend their time practicing and doing everything else that is required before they can travel. This includes making sure permission slips are signed, money is paid, uniforms are ready, and packing it all up before the big day. It is a great time for them that is filled with excitement about not only the competition, but the chance to spread their wings and be away from home with their friends. What many do not realize is that by traveling outside of their home area, these kids get to 
When traveling from one town to the next, cheerleaders may not have many opportunities for exploration. However, competitions are different. In some cases, they may travel from one state to another and have the opportunity to see new things if they will be there a couple days. This provides them with a chance to see new sights and even learn about the places that they will soon be visiting. For instance, before going to the cheer comp. in Tennessee, the group may decide to get together and find some fun facts on Tennessee or the county that they will be in while there. These kids may not even really think about the fact that they are “studying” because they are simply trying to satisfy a curiosity. Perhaps they want to know the facts, or they want to find a place that they can visit while killing time between competitions and sightseeing.
Cheerleading is a very popular activity for a lot of young men and women. Often cheerleaders begin cheering in elementary or middle school and if they are good enough, they may get into the professional competitions. There is some debate over whether it is a sport or not, but if you ask anyone who is involved with it; their answer will be a unanimous, “YES”. This is because it is a very physical activity that takes skills and endurance. However, most can also tell you that it is more than a sport, it is a way of life and a way to show your support for others.
It may sound simple enough, but cheering is far from simple. It takes athletic ability, hours of practice, and a desire to constantly become better than you are. It is not something that just anyone is able to do. A lot of people who tryout for it are quick to discover that although they may get the words right or the steps somewhat right, they lack the spirt that is required to get people excited. They may not be able to hold their body firmly in the positions that make a good cheer move great. They may not be able to keep up with the beat or stay in unison with others. It is true that with enough practice, all of these things can be worked out; but not all of them. In general, you either have what it takes, or you are going to be happier cheering in the stands. The best of the best are rewarded with the chance to take part in competitions to prove that they are indeed the best at what they do.
In a competition, two teams of cheerleaders will go head to head to see who is the best. They are selected by their abilities and then they must put together a two-and-a-half-minute routine which will include music for them to dance to. Their routines must include stunts, tumbles, jumps, and more. They are judged on their abilities and the difficulty of the performance. Everything has to be executed as perfectly as they are able to do it.