Regional competitions are a very exciting event for twirlers. The events can also be a little bit stressful. The best way to reduce stress is to be prepared.
You may find that dressing areas can be a bit crowded and have difficulty finding a place to hang dresses and suits. Since we now have two twirlers competing, we have started to bring a cloths rack. It is a bit flimsy, but cheap. The rack helps because all their cloths can be hung up without worry of lockers snagging them. We also found it a good place to put jackets and cloths worn to the event. Nothing is worse than going home in cloths with footprints, spilled liquids or other nasty dirt on them. Other necessary items can be placed at the foot of the rack to save space.
You may also want to consider a hotel if the event is more than an hours drive from your home. Some events start early and your twirler could benefit from a good nights sleep and reduced drive prior to the event. Many regional run late and you may not be able to leave until close to nine o'clock at night. By that time, both you and your twirler may be exhausted...too exhausted to drive home.
Placing snacks and bottled water in competition bags can come in handy. You do not have to worry about what you can find at the location or standing in line. Seems like sweets and greasy food are norm at competition snack areas. Try bringing a small vegetable tray, crackers and water. The veggies are easy to munch on real quick.
Lipstick seems to pose a problem at competitions. You may want to bring a small pouch with room for essentials, such as money, phones and lipstick. That last second dab of lipstick can make a difference. By the way, lipstick does not do well in your pocket.
Proper preparation prior to the competition can make your event less stressful. So go out there and have some fun.
