Here we go again, another Phantom cheer competition! In the peak of Kaitlynn's cheer season, our next stop was none other than Atlanta for the huge annual Cheersport event. But first, it was time for Cheersport spirit gifts, probably our favorite of the season. Love those personalized, cozy blankets and makeup containers!
With our extended weekend trip to Atlanta, Kaitlynn was missing quite a few days of school at this point in the season. She didn't let that stop her hard work; she was completing assignments on the flight to make sure she didn't fall behind. When we finally arrived in Atlanta late at night, we were so excited to arrive at our hotel and see the beautiful suite where we would be staying. It was our favorite stay of the season by far!
The next morning, we were full of excitement to see the beautiful view of downtown Atlanta. It was super chilly outside, but that didn't stop our sense of adventure to hit the streets and explore the area and event venue. We were so excited to be a part of Cheersport for the first time and couldn't wait to see what it was all about. We set out on foot to explore the downtown area, walk to the convention center, check out the Cheersport venue, and find our meeting/performance location for the following day's competition. We had so much fun taking in the sights and gearing up for the big weekend ahead. By the time we arrived back at our hotel room after a full day of exploration, we were beyond exhausted! I stepped away for a few minutes and found Kaitlynn passed out in the bed. What a day!
The next morning, we were up super early to arrive at the convention center for Team Phantom's performance. We were all dragging a little from the 6:30 a.m. meet time, but it didn't take long for the girls to get warmed up and excited for the competition. This was the team's biggest competition of the year so far, and there was a buzz in the air from the excitement. Kaitlynn and I were blown away by the venue, the Georgia World Congress Center, and the professionalism of the event. As massive as the complex was, it was easy to navigate and incredibly organized in the performance arenas. When it was time to see Phantom perform, the families and spectators cheered loudly to see our girls in action.
I'm no cheer expert and I still have a lot to learn, but after Phantom's Day 1 performance, I was convinced that it was their greatest performance of the season. Looking back, I still believe this is true, because the girls brought the energy and hit zero like they'd never done before. It was so exciting to see them turn out such a spectacular performance! Afterwards, we were so proud of these athletes and there were smiles all around!
Still riding high from their great showing, we then had the remainder of the day to continue our fun in downtown Atlanta. We enjoyed some great food, shopping, and even some cheer-lebrity spotting at some of the local cheer pop-up shops. This was a completely new experience for us, and Kaitlynn and I had so much fun figuring it all out together. There were tens of thousands of cheer athletes and family members that had descended upon downtown Atlanta, but we soaked in our time together and had a blast despite the insane lines and crowds.
By evening, we made it back to our hotel for an early bedtime before our early performance the following morning. The coaches led the girls in pep talks and the photo-taking never stopped as these cheerleaders prepped for their final show. And oh, what a show it was! These girls nailed their routine, hitting zero for the 2nd day in a row and really wow-ing from the big stage. Their energy shined through in the professional photos we received a few days later. Team Phantom did such a great job!
Unfortunately, the competition was fierce and Phantom didn't place at the event. The girls were disappointed in their low scores, but the families all felt so proud of their hard work and zero-deduction performances on both days. With another full day ahead in downtown Atlanta before returning home, Kaitlynn and I shook off our disappointment and continued our fun weekend together by soaking in more of the full cheer experience. We watched hours worth of team competitions, supported fellow cheer friends when they took the stage, marveled at the skills of the higher level teams, explored more of downtown Atlanta, enjoyed lunch and milkshakes with some fellow teammates, and even introduced some of the other Moms to our new favorite pastime, Wordle. It was another amazing day with my girl, soaking in this crazy world of cheer and enjoying every second of it together.
Cheersport Atlanta would turn out to be our favorite trip of the entire competition season, and we will always cherish the wonderful memories we made together. LOVE this cheerleader of ours and SO PROUD of her hard work!
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