Dear Gym Owners, Coaches, Competitors, and Spectators;
Imagine this … it’s your child’s wedding day and your friends and family have gathered to celebrate the union of two people who are committing to spend the rest of their lives together. The ceremony was beautiful. When the guests arrive at the reception hall they find that the doors are locked. The person who can unlock the doors of the reception hall is unreachable. The band has arrived on time, but the food has not been prepared. Although the guests are initially patient, as time passes they begin to lose their patience and ask how you are going to resolve this disastrous situation. What do you do? There isn't a manual you can read or any quick fix. All you can do is improvise. You do whatever it takes to contact the person who has the key to unlock the reception hall doors; you also go to a local grocery store to purchase appetizers to tide the guests over while the main course is prepared. In addition, you entertain your guests to the best of your ability and put the focus back on the two people this day is all about.
On Sunday, March 12, 2006 at the Mohegan Sun we weren't hosting a wedding, we were hosting a national cheerleading and dance competition. Although our reception hall was not locked, the tractor trailer containing our equipment, organizational materials, store merchandise, programs, credentials for athletes and coaches, banners and other items was missing and could not be located. We had contracted for the tractor trailer to arrive at the Mohegan Sun Arena at 4:30 a.m. so that the championships could begin as 8:30 a.m. When the tractor trailer did not arrive at 4:30 a.m. as contracted every step was taken to locate the truck including getting both the local and state police involved. We were cognizant that many people had booked hotel rooms, invested money and had traveled long distances to attend this event. Most importantly, we were aware of the time, energy and hard work each team registered for the Festival had exhibited. Canceling the competition was not an option. Presented with this set of circumstances, we did the only thing we could, we took every step necessary to entertain our guests and put the focus on your teams and your children. We were fortunate enough to be able to rent a spring floor at 8:00 a.m. that morning from our gymnastics supplier and retain mats from the University of Connecticut so that your teams would be able to warm up and begin performing. Unfortunately the circumstances forced us to delay the event; however, when the tractor trailer finally arrived at 11:30 a.m. our staff unloaded the equipment and set it up in twenty minutes allowing Spirit Fest to get into full gear.
For those of you who have been to any of our events in the past, you know that this was uncharacteristic of the Spirit Fest. During the past twelve years of the Spirit Festival, the program has consistently run plus or minus five to ten minutes of the scheduled times. We address every detail to make sure that you all have a positive experience. On March 12, 2006 we did the best we could do under the circumstances. Considering the fact that the tractor trailer containing our equipment was seven hours late, it was amazing that the program only ran two hours and forty five minutes beyond the schedule. Despite the difficulties we experienced, it was wonderful to see the athleticism and sportsmanship that was demonstrated on and off the floor by all of your teams. Your competitors showed heart on the mat and performed to the best of their ability from the start of the championship to the very end. The physical and mental work that was put into constructing the routines and preparing your competitors to perform was beautifully displayed on a spectacular stage.
Again we would like to extend our thanks to the coaches, gym owners, and all of your family and friends who participated in this large event. We would also like to apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced due to the delay in the schedule. We can assure you that in the future, extra precaution will be taken so that we never have to experience these difficulties again. We look forward to seeing you next year!
Sincerely,
Robin Norko Idris Boyer
Director Assistant Director