More Than Counts

What does it take to make cheerleading easier to follow, understand and love as a fan? In Episode 029, I sit down with Alex, the creator of Cheer Theory, to talk about his journey from competitive athlete to building one of the most trusted media platforms in cheerleading. Alex takes us behind the scenes of covering Worlds, tracking scores and results in real time, and turning a very complicated s...

When a stunt feels shaky, a jump lacks height, or execution begins to fade, coaches often respond with more repetitions. But what if the real problem isn’t cleaning… it’s strength? In this episode, Mimi sits down with physical therapist and former Ohio State cheerleader Maria Wisman, better known as The Cheer Doctor, to explore how strength training directly affects what we see on the competition...

Can one routine succeed on two different score sheets? In this episode, international choreographer Brandon Mackey joins Judge Mimi to talk about building routines around the world and adapting choreography for different athletes, cultures and scoring systems. Brandon shares his journey from Newfoundland to winning Worlds and becoming a full-time choreographer. Together, he and Mimi break down rou...

Raise the Athlete, Not the Pressure How do we raise athletes who can handle pressure, disappointment and big expectations... without making their results feel like everything? This week, I sit down with Coach Becky, author of Raise the Athlete, Not the Pressure , to talk about the role coaches and parents play in shaping an athlete’s experience in sport. Becky has experienced cheerleading from alm...

What if there were more than one pathway to competitive cheerleading? David Sims joins More Than Counts to take us inside YCADA and the evolution of Travel Cheer & Dance, an alternative competitive pathway built for programs that don’t necessarily fit into the traditional All Star model. We talk about where youth and recreation cheer fits into the history of our sport, why Travel Cheer was cre...

Most people know Jason Larkins from his podcast, social media, or years of coaching championship teams. But behind the routines and the highlights is another role that often goes unseen: gym director. In this episode, Jason shares how he accidentally found cheerleading, the journey that led him from athlete to coach, and eventually to leading a successful all-star program. We dive into what really...

What catches a judge's eye in the first 15 seconds of a routine? What separates winning programs from everyone else? And what would I change if I had one chance to help your team score higher? In this special solo episode of More Than Counts , I'm answering your questions about judging, coaching, business, social media, and balancing life as a mom while traveling the world as an international chee...

Kelvin Lam has spent decades asking a simple question: why do great stunts actually work? From his early days at the University of Hawaii to Team USA and becoming one of the most respected stunt educators in the sport, Kelvin has built a reputation for challenging conventional wisdom and helping coaches see stunting through a different lens. In this episode, we dive into the fundamentals that make...

What makes a dance score? Is it more movement? More difficulty? Or is it something else entirely? In this episode of More Than Counts , Judge Mimi sits down with choreographer and coach Jake to explore one of the most debated parts of a routine: dance. Together, they unpack what makes choreography memorable, why readability matters just as much as difficulty, and how seamless transitions, musicali...

Professional cheerleading is no longer just an idea—it's becoming a reality. In this episode, Judge Mimi sits down with John Newby , Commissioner of the Professional Cheer League (PCL) and EVP of Varsity International, for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build a professional league from the ground up. They discuss the vision behind the PCL, why the league is moving to a head-to-head f...

From becoming a self-proclaimed "gym rat" chasing standing tucks to competing with GymTyme Chrome at Worlds and building some of Virginia's most recognizable themed routines, Kaden Koz has seen cheerleading from nearly every angle. In this episode, we dive into the creative side of choreography: what actually makes a routine memorable, how themed routines come to life, and why crowd engagement mat...

Chris Cox didn't set out to become a choreographer. He simply fell in love with the creative side of cheerleading and never stopped chasing it. In this episode, Chris shares his journey from athlete, to coach, to building one of the industry's most respected choreography brands. We dive into what makes a routine memorable, how movement and formations can create powerful visual moments, and why gre...

A perfect score is one of the rarest achievements in cheerleading. But what happens after you get one? In this episode, Judge Mimi sits down with Brynn and Jalyn of Macs All Stars, the coaches behind Reign, a team that went from a half-year experiment to back-to-back Summit champions and one of the few teams to earn a perfect 100-point score. Together, they break down the journey behind the score,...

Tumbling is one of the most visible skills in cheerleading, but the journey behind it is often much bigger than the skill itself. In this episode, Levi joins us to talk about what it really takes to develop successful tumblers. From overcoming fear and mental blocks to building confidence under pressure, we explore the challenges athletes face and the role coaches and parents play in supporting th...

What does it take to create a place in cheerleading where everyone belongs? In this episode, Judge Mimi sits down with Rick Rodgers , one of the pioneers behind adaptive and para cheerleading, to discuss the journey that led to a groundbreaking para sport cheer showcase at ICU Worlds. Rick shares how adaptive cheerleading has evolved over the last decade, the creativity required to adapt skills an...

From opening two gyms in two years to building a first-year Worlds champion, Adrian Butler takes us inside one of the most talked-about seasons in cheerleading. In this episode, we break down the rise of Top Gun Legends — how the athletes bought into the vision, the pressure of carrying the Top Gun name, and the tiny routine changes that helped shape their Worlds-winning run. Adrian also shares hi...

From teaching himself backflips in his backyard in rural Iowa… to choreographing Worlds-level routines across the globe, Kyle Spirit FX has become one of the most influential voices in competitive cheerleading. In this episode, we dive into what it actually takes to build winning routines in different countries, across different score sheets, and for completely different team cultures. From South...

This week on More Than Counts, I sit down with Coach K, the creator behind High School Cheer Rules, to break down one of the most misunderstood parts of cheerleading: legality. From viral stunt videos to hidden deductions that can completely change rankings, we talk about how high school cheer rules actually work, why different competitions sometimes interpret rules differently, and how coaches ca...

What if everything you think you know about cheerleading… depends on where you are in the world? In this episode, I sit down with Leon to unpack what cheer looks like in Australia—and why it’s so different from what we see in North America. From the way programs are built, to how dance and cheer are deeply connected, to coaches taking on choreography themselves… this is a completely different syst...

What does it actually take to build a routine that wins—and one that people remember? In this episode, I sit down with Dahlston Delgado—the choreographer behind 13 routines at NCA this year, and creative forces shaping cheerleading both on and off the competition floor. We break down his process from the very first skills check to the final performance—how he builds structure, layers movement, and...

This episode dives into the journey of an athlete who took a leap — from Montreal to Top Gun — and everything that came with it. Kass shares what it really looked like to leave Canada, step into the U.S. cheer system, and navigate an environment where the pressure is higher, the expectations are different, and every rep matters. From battling through two ACL injuries to earning her spot on Double...

In this episode, we’re shifting the lens a little—because cheerleading isn’t just experienced on the mat. I’m joined by Jay, a dad, comedian, and creator whose viral TikToks capture the real, funny, and sometimes chaotic side of being a cheer parent. What starts as a conversation about supporting your athlete quickly turns into something deeper: what this sport teaches families about resilience, c...

What does it actually take to build a national team routine—when time is limited and every decision matters? In this episode, Natalie breaks down the strategy behind Team Canada: from athlete selection and preparation to navigating a unique scoring system and building a “homework culture” that drives success. We get into how routines evolve through feedback, how to adapt under pressure, and why vi...

On this episode of More Than Counts , I’m joined by JJ—coach, choreographer, and someone who truly understands what it takes to build routines that hit . We get into his journey through cheer, from stepping into the California scene to finding his voice in coaching and choreography. But more than that, this conversation really dives into what sits underneath great routines— team culture, intention...

Kevin Ahern joins More Than Counts to share his journey into cheerleading and the path that led him from athlete to choreographer and coach. In this conversation, we explore how Kevin discovered cheerleading through his background in dance and how early opportunities to choreograph quickly turned into a passion for creating routines and working with teams. He shares his approach to choreography, i...