Here at Electric Athletics (EA), we believe that in order for our teams to succeed, good attendance and punctuality is key. We strongly advocate perfect attendance amongst all our competitive teams to ensure their best possible chance at competition. Cheerleading is a team sport, and with one link in the team missing, the entire team suffers. This policy exists to allow clarity for team members and their families, and to ensure fairness and equality for all team members alike with regards to this issue.
Authorised Absences
Authorised absences from training can take any of the following forms:
Each instance of authorised absence must be provided to the coaches with as much notice as possible. This should be submitted as an absence form (https://forms.gle/2dooKBWL2uBCE4Su8) with the reason for the absence and the name of the appropriate, pre-arranged fill in for the missed training session. No athlete under the age of 16 can authorise their own absence. Any absences that are sent through to a coach’s personal phone or social media account will not be authorised. It would be useful to also put a brief message in the athlete’s team group, so all members of the coaching staff are aware of the absence. No sensitive information needs to be shared in a public group of this nature.
We will deal with each authorised absence on a case-by-case basis and for the vast majority there will be no repercussions.
Unauthorised Absences
Unauthorised absences from training can take any of the following forms, but are not limited to:
In order to minimise disruption to the team’s training, coaches must be provided with as much notice as possible for unauthorised absence. This should be in the form of an email to electricathleticsuk@gmail.com No athlete under the age of 16 can authorise their own absence. No absences that are sent through to a coach’s personal phone or social media account will be authorised.
In the event of a coach deeming an absence to be unauthorised, the cheerleader will be issued with a strike. If three strikes are obtained, the athlete and / or parent will be called in for a meeting / discussion. Outcomes of this meeting could mean removal from the team, a particular competition, or other actions. If this action is taken, no competition or training fees will be refunded. If no notice is given of a cheerleader missing practice, for whatever reason, it will be deemed an unauthorised absence, and a strike will be issued. The 3 strike rule will not apply in red zone. During red zone 1 Strike will involve a meeting / discussion.
Punctuality
Good punctuality is essential if your cheerleader wishes to play a part in a successful team. If a cheerleader arrives late to practice, even by 5-10 minutes, it can have a detrimental effect both on the cheerleader who is late, and the rest of the team. We advise that all cheerleaders arrive to practice 5-10 minutes EARLY, to ensure they have the correct footwear on, ensure they have removed all jewellery – and caught up with their friends before practice begins!
Red Zone
We run a “Red Zone” period for all teams in our program, for the 3 weeks leading up to any competition. Absolutely no absences will be authorised, regardless of the reason. Athletes who miss practice during red zone may be removed from the competition routine, with no refunds given on fees or competition entry / spectator tickets. This is NOT to punish the athlete, as we are aware that illness and emergencies can happen. This is to HELP the remainder of the team, who must always come first, and allow them to practice fully without that member present. Chances are if an athlete is ill the week or so before competition, they will still be poorly on competition day. We know you will understand our reasons behind this action – the team is ALWAYS bigger than the athlete.
Attendance and Punctuality at Competitions
As with training, we expect perfect attendance and punctuality at competitions. Notice for competitions and their venues are provided months in advance and all athletes/parents have committed to the dates in their Interest Form. Please plan to be there the whole day, as times for competing for each team are not released to us until about 1-2 weeks before the event and regularly change during the lead up to the event.
Athletes aged 16 and under. Your child does not have to attend competitions with their parent, but they must be supervised by a responsible adult. Another adult can transport your child and be responsible for them for the day – this is a decision made by yourselves as parents / guardians.
All competitions are mandatory for all athletes on that particular team. Athletes are not expected to be in attendance at events they are not competing at.
It is absolutely unacceptable to miss competition with no notice given to the coaches. This wastes an unprecedented amount of time for both the coaches and the rest of the team, and as the routine will then be seriously compromised, and potentially thousands of pounds will have been wasted in attending the event. Even in case of illness or emergency, please make every effort to ensure the athlete is at the event. Unless in exceptional circumstances (at the coaches' discretion), any cheerleader missing an official competition with no warning given on the day will involve a meeting with the Programme Director and maybe removed from Electric Athletics with no refunds given.
We will always provide a “meet time” for competitions. This time will be stated at practise, sent out in emails and posted on social media pages. This is the time we expect you / your cheerleader to be at the agreed meeting point, competition ready. Punctuality is key for this meet time, as not only do we designate time to ensure the coaches are available to meet the team and give them access to the competition, arriving late may result in no coach availability to provide wristbands / tickets, and potentially miss important warm up slots. Please plan in advance when making your way to competitions and ensure to plan for parking availability and in some cases, bag check at the arena. These times can be very early in the morning in some cases, and it is your / your family’s decision if you wish to organise accommodation local to the event.
The benefits of good attendance are numerous. Whilst we want all cheerleaders to have fun and enjoy their training, each athlete is a competitive athlete, and this high level of commitment is required if our teams and program are going to keep up a stellar competitive record.
If you are unsure about any areas of this policy, we invite you to email us at: electricathleticsuk@gmail.com where we will be happy to answer your questions.
Date Updated: April 2025
