When we say NCA, for a lot of you that could mean different things. But usually when people say NCA they are talking about NCA super nationals in Dallas, Texas. Usually the end of February or the first weekend of March. It is one of the biggest cheer competitions in the world, even surpassing the Summit. It surpasses Worlds in terms of attendance, and in some cases even hype. I've been getting a lot of questions about different parts of NCA so I thought I would take a minute (or two or three or ...
Feb 07, 2024•48 min•Ep. 66
TGLC will always have a special place in my heart, but there is another team that has caught my attention this season and we have to talk about them. No, it is not another world's team. It is the medium youth level one Kitty Katz from Cheer Athletics Plano. I am a fan. I am obsessed. It's the whole institution that is Kitty Katz, including one of their coaches, Coach Cam. Do not overlook level one teams. Do not overlook youth level teams. That NCA jacket, that summit ring looks just as good on a...
Jan 31, 2024•51 min•Ep. 65
The most recent news about the arrest of Coach Monica's son: what we know and what we don't know. My thoughts.
Jan 26, 2024•13 min
In this episode I talk about all the things in cheer competitions I think need to change. And I also may have thrown in a handful of pet peeves in there too. But nonetheless! Things like food shortages, wait times, bathroom makeup parties, and clapping to the (wrong) beat of the music. We all want our experience at these competitions to be great and memorable, so here are a few things I think could help. Let us know your cheer competition pet peeves in the Cheer Mom Hive Facebook Group! Episode ...
Jan 24, 2024•47 min•Ep. 64
I had the honor of talking with not just a fellow, Kristen, not just a fellow cheer mom, but a cheer mom named Kristen, who is also one of the team moms for my favorite team, TGLC, a back-to-back World Champion. TGLC dominates every competition that they're in. Everyone wants to know what TGLC theme is going to be, what their uniform is going to look like. Every athlete wants to take pictures with a TGLC athlete when they see them at competitions. They are famous. And if you've listened to the p...
Jan 17, 2024•45 min•Ep. 63
Happy 2024, and welcome BACK to the Cheer Mom Podcast! Today I am talking about the three times that cheerleading made me cry. And not just like a dabby dab, like, oh just happy or emotional cry. I mean, like, gooley cry. Picture red nose, tears flowing, sobbing to the point of dehydration kind of cry. The kind of cry where mucus and all of the things coming out of every orifice of your face, kind of crying. Episode Mentions: A Parent's Guide to National Cheer Competitions Let's Talk Cheer - Jas...
Jan 10, 2024•39 min•Ep. 62
You guys...we have reached more than 100,000 downloads of The Cheer Mom Podcast! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support, for sharing the episodes, and continuing to listen. This month we're throwing it back to our most popular episodes so far. Today's episode was one of the debut episodes of the show, and it happens to be the most shared episode! Debbie Love is known as the "Tumble Queen," and she talks with me about supporting our athletes through mental blocks and mastering the...
Dec 01, 2023•35 min
The story continues, as Coach Monica Aldama calls out USA Cheer. The lawsuit against her has been dropped for months, but she had some things to say about the process with one of the governing bodies of cheer. I'm covering it and inserting my opinions with what I believe are some over-arching problems in the industry. Link to Emily Baker's Podcast mentioned in the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXKtBOtQrjk Shop The Cheer Collection.com - holiday sales coming soon!...
Nov 15, 2023•44 min•Ep. 61
Have you noticed that the Worlds teams at your gym get a little more attention or excitement from the coaches? Why is that? I'm talking about it.
Nov 10, 2023•29 min•Ep. 60
One of the questions I get asked most is about making cheer mom friends and coping with "those" cheer moms. I'm talking about my own journey with anxiety, trying to make friends, and what I learned along the way. Join the Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/cheermomhive
Nov 03, 2023•30 min•Ep. 59
Competition morning is a day that most cheer moms dread. Do you and your cheerleader fight like cats and dogs on competition day? The yelling, the hair pulling, the crying...and that's just in the parking lot while you're looking for a spot! If you and your cheerleader find yourselves stressed and constantly arguing on competition morning, I'm going through some strategies that might help. Join my free live workshop, starting October 28th! Click here to register (did I mention it's free?)...
Oct 25, 2023•31 min•Ep. 58
I'm giving Jason Larkins some scenarios you might find between athletes at practice. What happens when athletes are bossing each other around? What about when an athlete isn't trying hard enough or pulling their weight? How does a coach deal with that, and how should parents approach it? Jason is an All Star Cheer director and the host of the Let's Talk Cheer Podcast. If you haven't checked out Let's Talk Cheer, you definitely should! Listen to Let's Talk Cheer Register for my FREE workshop for ...
Oct 19, 2023•51 min•Ep. 57
I always try to keep things positive around here, but sometimes a girl's gotta vent, right??! There are some things about cheer that just ain't right, and I'm spilling the tea on 10 things I hate about cheer. I can't believe how long I rambled about this!
Oct 12, 2023•42 min•Ep. 56
I'm about to say something really obvious: Cheer is expensive. We've been paying for cheer for so long, I don't even want to think about what we might have been able to pay for if we'd saved that money over the years....college? a month-long Sabbatical in Maui? a private jet? It makes sense that almost every cheer mom I know is looking for ways to offset the cost of cheer. Money is not easy to come by, and with all the practices and trips to the gym for those private lessons that will supposedly...
Oct 06, 2023•18 min•Ep. 55
Social media can be a big part of a cheerleader's lifestyle. Showing off skills, uniform reveals, and posting photos of cheer besties can all be part of the experience. Social media can be a positive thing that connects our small world of cheerleading and helps to create community and connection, but as we all know, there is a dark side to it, and as we have seen in recent years in the cheer world, it can be a place for unfettered bullying and even abuse by those in power. Dan Cotton is not only...
Sep 27, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 54
If you have not heard of today's guest, go follow Bad Flyer right now! I usually don't reveal the ages of my guests, but Steph Bell, aka "Bad Flyer," is a 34-year-old mother of two...and she's a flyer on a cheer team! Steph is inspirational, and has a beautiful heart. She talks with me about. Why she decided to start doing all-star cheerleading as an adult, how she did it, how hard she worked to get there, and the beautiful things that have come from it. We talk about creating positivity in chee...
Sep 21, 2023•35 min•Ep. 53
Welcome to the first bonus episode of The Cheer Mom Blog! Bonus episodes are bit-sized episodes, packed with information. In this episode, I talk with Deryn, "The Cheerkin" all about how athletes can be competition-ready, how they can get stronger and more flexible, and how parents can support. Deryn is a former allstar cheerleader and coach, she's an MSc graduate and Registered Kinesiologist. She created The Cheer Kin for two reasons: 1) To help cheerleaders reach their goals, and 2) To act as ...
Sep 15, 2023•20 min
It's not often that we get to talk solely about high school cheerleading, but this episode is all about the high school cheer routine! Not only is it different from All Star cheer, high school cheer routines differ from state to state in the US, and even competition to competition. With the help of my new friend, Cameron Hockaday, we're breaking down the elements of a high school cheer routine, a few of the divisions, and a glimpse at the high school score sheet. To connect with Cameron, find he...
Sep 14, 2023•53 min•Ep. 52
In this podcast episode, we delve into the emotional topic of favoritism in the cheer gym. There are many scenarios that can be perceived as favoritism, or what cheer moms often refer to as, "blatant favoritism." If you suspect that favoritism is happening in your gym or on your child's team, I talk about some things you can do. Get a custom team bracelet, necklace or ring from The Cheer Collection! Email hello@thecheercollection.com for more info....
Aug 31, 2023•29 min•Ep. 51
DREAM GUEST ALERT! Ever since The Cheer Mom Podcast was just an idea, I've wanted to talk with someone from Rebel. They are a leader in the industry, and WAY more than just a company that makes cheer uniforms. Abby Hoeffner is the Chief Marketing Officer at Rebel, and she pulls back the curtain for us, talking all about their Ambassador program, what it means to model Rebel, what goes into those iconic uniforms, and more. Shop The Cheer Collection and enter code CHEERMOM for a special discount. ...
Aug 25, 2023•55 min•Ep. 50
We have the best community of cheer moms! I put a call out for questions on Instagram and in the Facebook Group, and you came through with some great ones, and I'm answering some of them on today's episode. From gym follow through, to how to get your kid to practice at home and even my favorite competition hair, it feels like we're having a drink together and talking about cheerleading. Jump on in and join the conversation! Join the Facebook Group Follow on Instagram Shop The Cheer Collection an...
Aug 11, 2023•31 min•Ep. 48
Choosing an all star cheer gym can be a big decision, but so can leaving one. We've talked about what to look for in a cheer program to make sure it's the right fit for your athlete and your family, but how do you know if it's time to leave? All Star cheer gyms center their message around loyalty and family, but what if you're not sure if you should stick with your current cheer family or move to the gym down the road? It can be a tough decision, and I believe it shouldn't be taken lightly. In t...
Aug 04, 2023•37 min•Ep. 47
On one hand, some parents view watching their child's practice as a necessary way to stay involved and engaged in their child's cheerleading journey. On the other hand, some coaches and parents believe that parental involvement in practice can be a distraction for the athletes, hindering their progress and creating unnecessary pressure. I'll be exploring both sides of the debate, and discussing the benefits and disadvantages of cheer parents watching practice. Join me as I "fence-sit" and explor...
Aug 02, 2023•34 min•Ep. 49
If you want to feel less alone as a cheer mom, this is the episode for you. I invited three other cheer moms to be on the podcast with me and we had our first - but definitely NOT last - roundtable discussion! We talk about everything from the cost of cheer and the lessons that cheer is teaching our kids, to cheer drama and mom friends. Thank you SO MUCH to Candice, Meredith, and Michele for the great conversation and your words of wisdom. This is a must-listen episode! If you would like to be p...
Jul 28, 2023•58 min•Ep. 46
Content warning: While the content in this episdoe is not graphic in nature, it may raise questions from some younger audiences. There have been some big updates in the cheer world over the past several weeks, so we're going to catch up together! I'm following up on the Varsity lawsuits from the Rockstar Cheer fallout from last year, an update from Navarro Cheer Coach Monica Aldama, who is breaking her silence on social media, and talking about whether or not NCA is moving from its Dallas home. ...
Jul 22, 2023•33 min•Ep. 45
In this episode, I'm talking about a topic that a lot of you are scratching your head over: franchised gyms. We're going to explore why more and more all star cheerleading gyms are expanding their reach with multiple locations across the country. From my experience in this area, I share why gyms like Cheer Athletics, Top Gun, California All Stars, Stingray All Stars, and more, are opening more locations across the country. Tune in to learn more about this business side of all star cheer! Visit T...
Jul 13, 2023•28 min•Ep. 43
Hi! Here's a quick little update.
Jul 06, 2023•4 min•Ep. 43
I'm describing the excitement and challenges of being a cheer mom for an athlete who is on both an all star cheer team and a high school cheer team. I share my advice for what to be prepared for, the conversations you need to have with your athlete, and what to expect - especially in the month December! Having an athlete on both a school cheer team and an all star cheer team can be both rewarding and overwhelming at the same time, but with these tips, you and your athlete have got this! Shop The...
Jul 01, 2023•30 min•Ep. 43
We're talking about the college cheer experience, with my special guest, Steve Solberg with Nfinity . Steve discusses the college cheer experience and tells us about the Nfinity College Combine, explaining how it works and what it entails. He also surprises me with his answer about whether the combine replaces college cheer clinics. This podcast provides valuable insights into the world of college cheerleading and the benefits of attending the Nfinity College Combine. For more information about ...
Jun 22, 2023•47 min•Ep. 41
Roland Pollard has a rich history in cheerleading. You may have seen him and his daughter, Jayden, stunting on social media . Roland sat down with me to talk about his story, comments on social media, and how everything we do in life can teach us something. Thanks to our Sponsor Rebel Athletic Enter code CHEERMOM for 10% off your purchase!...
Jun 14, 2023•40 min•Ep. 41
