Cheer Dads Unfiltered

From rodeo arenas to all star cheer competitions, Parker Kimber never expected to become one of the most recognizable cheer dads in the community. In Episode 29 of Cheer Dads Unfiltered we sit down with Parker to talk about his journey into cheer, raising a dedicated athlete, building friendships inside the cheer world and why supporting every athlete matters. We also dive into competition weekend...

Our first ever Cheer Mom has officially entered the chat This week on Cheer Dads Unfiltered we're joined by Gina Bartel, creator of Cheer Moms Anonymous and unofficial co-host of Let's Talk Cheer a longside Jason Larkins. From Pop Warner to All Star Cheer, coaching her daughter, navigating gym changes, surviving tryouts, team moms, competition weekends, Pizza Paul, Crock-Pots at Summit, an...

Hallie Green has lived nearly every level of cheerleading imaginable From starting cheer at just 3 years old, to competing with Stingrays, Cheer Athletics, Navarro College, and now Dallas Drive in the Professional Cheer League, Hallie joins the Cheer Dads to share what it really takes to reach the highest levels of the sport In this episode we discuss: ✅ Growing up in All Star cheer ✅ Competing...

In this episode of Cheer Dads Unfiltered, we sit down with fellow cheer dad Joe Rodgers, founder of FullOut Energy. Like many parents, Joe found himself sitting at competitions wondering: "How did that score happen?" After years of trying to understand score sheets, deductions, rankings, and what actually separates winning teams from the rest, Joe decided to build a solution. What started as a spr...

In Episode 25 of Cheer Dads Unfiltered, we sit down with fellow cheer dad and founder of Cheer Dad Apparel, Hollis Hale. What started as "just another activity" for his daughter quickly became a full-blown family lifestyle. From local competitions to Youth Summit championships, Worlds, cross-country travel, and building a brand for cheer dads, Hollis shares what it's really like going all-in on th...

What do judges actually look for during a routine? How much do uniforms, execution, crowd energy, creativity and difficulty REALLY matter? In this episode of Cheer Dads Unfiltered, we sit down with Judge Mimi — one of the most recognizable voices in competitive cheer judging and education online. With 20+ years of judging experience across the cheer world, Mimi breaks down: • What judges actually...

In Episode 23 of Cheer Dads Unfiltered, we sit down with Justin Carrier — VP of Event Experience & Operations at Varsity Spirit for a real conversation about the evolution of All Star cheer, athlete experience, behind-the-scenes event operations, Pro Cheer League and the future of the sport. Justin shares stories and insights from over 30 years in cheer as an athlete, coach, choreographer and...

This week on Cheer Dads Unfiltered, we sit down with Bill Seely — President of Varsity Spirit — for one of the biggest and most meaningful conversations we’ve had yet. We talk about the future of cheerleading, the rise of the Pro Cheer League, Team USA, Olympic possibilities, Varsity Spirit, parenting through sports, athlete development, confidence, leadership, and why cheer continues to impact fa...

What does it REALLY take to cheer in college? In Episode 21 of Cheer Dads Unfiltered, we sit down with Hannah Kirby — Head Cheer Coach at Taylor University — to unpack the world of collegiate cheer from the coach’s side of the mat. From recruiting and scholarships to All-Star vs school cheer, Hannah breaks down what college coaches are ACTUALLY looking for in athletes… and it’s not always what par...

This week on Cheer Dads Unfiltered, we sit down with Cody from Cheer Dad Life — a 10+ year cheer dad veteran and author of The Cheer Dad’s Survival Guide: All Star Cheer Edition. We get REAL about: 💸 The famous “$1,000 cheer weekend” 📣 The biggest mistakes new cheer parents make 📈 Why parents rush progression too fast 🏆 Winning vs development 🧠 Raising confident athletes through cheer 👨‍👧 T...

This one’s different. We sat down with Roger Schonder — co-founder of Stingrays, Team Manager for Atlanta Air (Pro Cheer League), and a 30+ year veteran of all-star cheer — to break down what’s REALLY happening behind the scenes. From tryouts… to Worlds… to the future of the sport. If you’re a cheer parent, this episode will change how you see everything. We cover: The biggest misconceptions paren...

This week, we brought in someone who sees cheer from every angle… Coach. Judge. Gym owner. Choreographer. Brooke (Queen B Choreo) breaks down what really goes into building a routine and it’s way more than just dance. We went in as first-year cheer dads… and came out realizing we’ve been watching routines completely wrong. In this episode, we get into: 👉 What choreographers actually do (it’s not...

This one hit different. We sat down with Keenan (Cheer Dad TV), a 5-year cheer dad who’s been through the highs, the lows, and everything in between....and he didn’t hold back. We get into what it actually feels like to finish a season, how to handle wins and tough losses as a parent and where a lot of cheer parents go wrong without even realizing it. Keenan breaks down: How to push your athlete w...

This one went deeper than we expected… We sat down with comedian and cheer dad Jay Yoder and got into everything from parenting and perspective to what cheer has meant for his family. From early struggles to moments that hit you in the chest. This is what it’s really about. We also get into: – The realities of cheer parent life – Confidence and growth through youth sports – Balancing family, work,...

We’re 15 episodes in… and somehow just crossed 1,000 streams 🤯 But more importantly we’re at the end of our first cheer season as dads. In this episode we take a step back and reflect on everything we’ve experienced so far: – First showcase reactions – Daddy-daughter stunt class (round 2 😂) – Regional Summit coming up – and the big question every cheer parent starts asking… what comes next? From...

Episode 14 gets real. We’re diving into one of the biggest debates in competitive cheer right now… does “hitting zero” actually matter? From judging controversies and teams playing it safe, to injuries that change everything mid-season, this episode goes deeper than just routines and scores. We also talk about: What happens when a key athlete goes down The mental pressure these athletes carry Whet...

Fresh off our viral episode with Judge Gabby… we put everything we learned to the test at Aloha. Our girls hit their cleanest routine of the season. No falls. No deductions. Full confidence. …and we got 5th place. Yeah. We’re still trying to make sense of it. In this episode we break down: What it actually feels like when judging hits your own team Why “hit zero” doesn’t mean what parents think it...

Welcome back to Cheer Dads Unfiltered ! In Episode 12 the dads finally stop guessing about cheer scoring… and bring in an actual judge to break it all down. We’re joined by Gabby Mauro, a cheer judge, educator, and routine review expert who helps teams understand how routines are really evaluated. If you’ve ever wondered: • Does screaming “HIT ZERO” actually help? • Do loud cheer parents affect sc...

In Episode 11 it’s just the three of us. No guest No script Just real talk We’re diving into something that doesn’t get talked about enough in competitive cheer: Where are the dads? Too often dads show up as the Uber. The wallet. The quiet one in the stands. But when it comes to our sons? We’re at every practice. Every game. Every rep. So why is it different for our daughters? In this episode we t...

In Episode 10 of Cheer Dads Unfiltered, we sit down with Coach Shaq. An athlete on Team Reign, a coach at USA Gym and one of the most impactful personalities in our cheer community. What started as a conversation about a Daddy-Daughter stunt class quickly turned into something more profound. Shaq opens up about: • Growing up between football and cheer • Navigating stereotypes as a Black, gay male...

Second comp of the season. 7am arrival. No pit. Private suite with our podcast name on the door. and a 1.25 deduction that changed everything. In this episode we break down: – The early morning chaos – Security drama and no pit reaction – The nugget fall and what really happened – How deductions actually work – Third place emotions – Why failure might be the best thing for this team – Suite life r...

This episode is a special one. After hearing from our coaches last week, we flip the mic one more time and sit down with the reason this whole journey exists....our daughters. In Episode 8 of Cheer Dads Unfiltered, we talk with Izzy, Everly, and Ruby about their very first season in competitive cheer. From nerves before their first competition, to counting on the mat, to what cheer really feels li...

This episode is special. In Episode 7 of Cheer Dads Unfiltered , we sit down with two of our daughters’ coaches, Carly and Coeen , for a real, honest and fun conversation about competitive cheer straight from the coach’s perspective. We kick things off by getting to know them: How they got into cheer Their coaching journeys What it’s really like being on the other side of the mat And yes Coeeen is...

Our first cheer competition was chaos. Nerves, confusion, overstimulation and not knowing what to expect. and then our girls took the floor. In Episode 6 of Cheer Dads Unfiltered , we break down everything that happened after our first ever competition. From walking into the arena completely unsure, to watching our daughters perform under the lights, to hearing the words we never thought we’d hear...

Christmas break is over and suddenly competition season is very real . In Episode 5 of Cheer Dads Unfiltered we break down what it felt like walking back into the gym after two weeks off, the nerves the girls didn’t say out loud and the moment we realized this cheer thing just leveled up. We talk about: First practice back vibes (rust vs. locked in) A brand new stunt was introduced two weeks befor...