Whew... ROLLER COASTER. This is a super late post, but I wanted to share it since I had such a memorable experience!

Pole Sports Southwest Pole Competition 2017 Contestants

My first Pole Competition was everything and nothing that I expected. It was an amazing learning opportunity and I can’t wait to go back next year. My biggest takeaway from the competition, aside from “Point Your Toes” 😒 is to trust your planning and don’t overthink. Focus on your craft and your performance and let the other chips fall where they fall.

Going in to the competition, I was calm all the way to the night before, then my anxiety quadrupled and made me stress about every little thing. “Was my routine level appropriate?” “Does my music still have the curse words in it?” “Will my hair hold up during my routine?” “Will I be able to grip the pole?” All of these things ran through my head at once and made me second guess everything I had worked up to for the past three months. About an hour before I was scheduled to perform, I decided to take out a part of my routine because I was concerned that it would be against the rules for the level that I was in. If I had a regret about that day, that would have been it, because by me taking out that part, I ended up having to freestyle on stage a bit when I did perform because I forgot the adjustment I was supposed to make. Smh.

The things to consider about pole competitions is that everything is subjective AND that technique is everything. Everyone that performs is amazing, this the only way to separate people is their attention to the details like... pointed toes. Also, feeling really good and solid in your routine helps you to be able to focus on the performance aspect so that you can really engage with the crowd.

As far as the actual competition, there is ALOT of waiting that happens. The most challenging thing for me was trying to stay warm enough so that I was ready when they called my name. Once the bright (and I do mean BRIGHT) lights are up and it’s your turn, for me, everything was a blur, and the next thing I know I was walking off stage, faking a smile until I could find a spot to catch my breath (because breathing is HARD) lol. After I was done, I sat back out in the crowd and was treated to some of the most inspiring performances. I love watching other people’s artistry and it never fails to amaze me the limits the human body can go to for things like Pole. Even if competing is not something you are ready to do, I absolutely recommend going to just watch. It is an AMAZING experience.

For my first competition, I ended up placing 2nd in my category- and I’m not gonna lie, I was a bit disappointed at first. But then, I thought about it, and I realized that I was happy with my performance and I can’t be upset if I gave it my best shot. Once the judges gave me my feedback, I felt even better, because now I know where to improve and focus for next year.

Overall I had a BLAST, like I said... and I can’t give enough thanks to all the people who gave me feedback as I was training for the competition, for the people who put up with my anxiety, and most of all, to my friend who came with me and help me keep my head on straight while I had a million things to remember. You da real MVP! 😂

I’m already plotting my routine for next year and I can’t wait!

xoxo, Vicky O.