CWEA Registration Guide
Registration Information
Membership & Registration Fees
CWEA Standard Membership Fee: $849
Groups regularly participating with CWEA are required to pay an annual membership fee. CWEA members are able to attend an unlimited number of events during the competitive season, including CWEA Championships. Your membership fee entitles you to receive copies of our scoring systems, handbooks, policies & procedures and more. It also entitles you to submit rule proposals and vote in general membership meetings.
Single-Entry (Non-Member) Fee: $300
Groups wishing to participate in events as a non-member organization may do so at the per-event rate. Non-member groups will have access to CWEA scoring systems, handbooks, policies & procedures and more. Non-member organizations are ineligible to submit rule proposals or vote in general membership meetings. Additionally, non-member organizations are ineligible to participate in CWEA Circuit Championships events.
Refund Policy
Should you need to request a refund for your membership fees, you must send your request in writing to the CWEA Treasurer ([email protected]). All refund requests are at the discretion of CWEA, and require the approval of the President. Please note, if a refund request is approved, only the membership fee portion of the transaction will be refunded. All fees (late fees, convenience fees, processing fees, etc.) are non-refundable.
All requests for refunds received prior to December 31 of the current competitive season will be issued in the same manner in which they were received. Refund requests received on or after January 1 of the current competitive season will be issued as an account credit. Account credits will expire after one year from the date of issue. Refund requests received after the first event closing date of the current competitive season will be denied.
Classification Selection
Member groups who competed in the circuit the previous season will automatically be placed in the classification in which they ended the previous season, with the exception of groups being promoted by policy 3.5.8.
Groups will be re-classified if needed after their first show of the season (Premiere). Any subsequent promotions throughout the season will be considered as such. A group can request to be reclassified by communicating such request to the Chair of the CWEA Classifications Committee.
Non-Member Groups: Per CWEA Policy, all non-member color guard groups must compete in Scholastic Regional A or above.
Registration Instructions
CWEA members are able to attend an unlimited number of events during the competitive season. Your membership fee entitles you to receive copies of our scoring systems, handbooks, policies & procedures and more. It also entitles you to submit rule proposals and vote in general membership meetings.
Please Note: Participation in Circuit Championships is available only to Member groups. Non-member groups are not permitted to participate in Circuit Championships. Member groups must be in good standing with the circuit and must have satisfied all financial obligations to CWEA.
In order to qualify for Circuit Championships, groups must meet the following criteria:
Color Guard groups:
- Perform in at least one of the designated CWEA Premiere Events
- Perform in at least two additional circuit events
- Groups may use a WGI Regional performance to substitute for one of their additional circuit event requirements.
- Groups must perform at least one half of the minimum performance time required for their classification at all of their scheduled performances.
- The performance time must have adequate choreography and staging in order to be considered towards the performance time requirement. Excessive un-staged and/or un-choreographed performance time will not be counted towards this requirement.
Percussion and Winds groups:
- Perform in at least three circuit events (no Premiere requirement)
- Groups may use a WGI Regional performance to substitute for one of their circuit event requirements.
Membership Registration opens on the second Tuesday in September of each year.
- To begin the registration process, use the following link and log in to Competition Suite: CWEA Membership Registration.
- Search for your group in the "Find Existing Group" box under the Membership you want: Standard, Deluxe, or Premium. If the group is new, check the "New Group" field and provide a classification and name for the group. PLEASE check under Existing Group BEFORE submitting as a new group. It does not matter if the group is in an incorrect division, has a slightly different name, or is under the name of an old instructor; this can be fixed.
- Provide contact information for the Group Director responsible for the group on a day-to-day basis.
- Scholastic Groups Only: Provide contact information for the Band Director or officially credentialed school official responsible for the group.
- If you're registering multiple groups under the same organization, click "Add Additional Group" and repeat steps 2-4. Otherwise click "Complete Membership". NOTE: these groups must be hosted under the same program.
- Complete the "Bill To" information for your invoice or credit card payment. If using a credit card, this information must match the address on file for the card, or payment will be declined.
- Click "Save Payment Information". If you selected to pay by invoice, it will be sent to the email address provided.
- For any issues with the payment process, contact [email protected].
Membership Registration opens on the second Tuesday in September of each year.
- To begin the registration process, use the following link and then log in to CompetitionSuite CWEA Membership Registration.
- Search for your group in the "Find Existing Group" box under "General Membership". If the group is a new group, check the "New Group" field and provide a classification and name for the group.
- Provide contact information for the Group Director responsible for the group on a day-to-day basis.
- Scholastic Groups Only: Provide contact information for the Band Director or officially credentialed school official responsible for the group.
- If you're registering multiple groups under the same organization, click "Add Additional Group" and repeat steps 2-4. Otherwise click "Complete Membership". NOTE: these groups must be hosted under the same program.
- Complete the "Bill To" information for your invoice or credit card payment. If using a credit card, this information must match the address on file for the card, or payment will be declined.
- Click "Save Payment Information". If you selected to pay by invoice, it will be sent to the email address provided.
- For any issues with the payment process, contact [email protected].
Directors are responsible for registering their groups for shows online via Competition Suite. Registration for shows will open on the first Tuesday in October of each year. Once registrations are open, group directors are advised to register their groups as soon as possible in order to help the circuit plan for attendance at certain events. Color Guard groups may only register for one (1) premiere event each season. Color Guard Directors are encouraged to register for regionally located premiere events when possible.
In order to access the event registration, you must have already submitted membership registration for each group. Additionally, all registration fees and outstanding balances must be paid in full.
If you chose to pay by credit card for your membership registration, CompetitionSuite will automatically grant you access. If you paid by invoice, your payment must be manually noted by the CWEA Treasurer. Additionally, if your group is new to CWEA this year, an administrator must have approved it.
To register for events, follow these instructions:
- Log in to CompetitionSuite by clicking here.
- Select the group you'd like to work with from the main menu on the left.
- Click "Registration" at the top.
- Click "Register" next to the events you'd like that group to attend.
- When finished, click "Finish Registration". Note that you must complete this process for each group.
Directors are responsible for registering their groups for shows online via Competition Suite. Registration for shows will open on the first Tuesday in October of each year. Once registrations are open, group directors are advised to register their groups as soon as possible in order to help the circuit plan for attendance at certain events.
In order to access the event registration, you must have already submitted non-member registration for each group. Additionally, all registration fees and outstanding balances must be paid in full.
To register for events, follow these instructions:
- Log in to CompetitionSuite by clicking here.
- Select the group you'd like to work with from the main menu on the left.
- Click "Registration" at the top.
- Click "Register" next to the events you'd like that group to attend.
- When finished, click "Finish Registration".
- If you provided a credit card during the group registration process, it will be charged the appropriate fees for each event at this point. If you chose to pay by invoice, your invoice will be sent to the email provided during group registration.
Registration Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about registration? We’ve put together answers to the most common questions below to help guide you through the process. Take a moment to review this information to make your registration as smooth as possible. If you don’t see your question listed, please email us at [email protected].
Please do not create a New Group. If you have questions on your group's classification in CWEA, please contact our Classification Committee Chair, David Shives, at [email protected].
No need to create a New Group, just email us at [email protected], and we can look into adjusting that for you.
No worries—just email us at [email protected], or reach out to our Secretary, Torey Riser, at [email protected], and we can get that fixed for you.
There is no option for PLUS Passes; however, we do offer different membership options that include extra wristbands for each event:
- Standard Membership: 10 wristbands
- Deluxe Membership: 12 wristbands
- Premium Membership: 15 wristbands