Parent Question

What is All Star cheer?

Short answer

All Star cheer is competitive cheerleading run through private gyms rather than schools. Athletes try out, are placed on a team by age and skill level, train year-round, and perform a choreographed routine judged against other gyms at events run by independent event producers. There is no sideline element — the routine is the sport.

The CDU explanation

What that means in practice

The rhythm of a season is roughly: tryouts and team placement, choreography, months of training and cleaning, then a competition calendar that can include local, regional and championship-level events.

The vocabulary comes fast — levels, divisions, jumps, tumbling passes, stunt groups, deductions, bid events. None of it is explained to new families, which is exactly why the show exists.

Episode 7 with the dads' own daughters' coaches, and Episode 20 with veteran cheer dad Cody, together make a solid first-year orientation.

Expert context

Season 1 sources

  • Carly & Coeen

    Episode 7

    All Star coaches explaining competitive cheer from the inside.

  • Cody Boyd — CHEER DAD

    Episode 20

    Veteran cheer dad on what first-year families should expect.

  • Bill Seely

    Episode 22

    President of Varsity Spirit on the industry-level view of the sport.

Last reviewed 2026-08-10· Event & program specifics require verification

Season 1 evidence

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Full hub: All Star Cheer

What All Star cheer is, how gyms, teams, levels, seasons and competitions fit together, and what a first-year family should expect.

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Start from the beginning

The Parent Starter Guide

Ten chapters covering everything a first-year cheer family runs into.

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