Parent Question

What is Ryan O’Connor’s advice to parents in college cheer recruiting?

Short answer

Ryan’s Episode 45 advice is to support preparation while letting the athlete introduce themselves, communicate and advocate. Parents help by guiding athletes through age-appropriate obstacles rather than speaking for them or removing every difficulty.

The CDU explanation

What that means in practice

Her examples connect recruiting readiness with everyday independence: learning to ask questions, handle mistakes and solve ordinary problems with support. This is Ryan’s coaching perspective, not a blanket rule excluding parents from safety, financial or school decisions.

Expert context

Season 1 sources

Ryan Martin O’Connor
Episode 45
University of Kentucky Cheerleading head coach sharing her Episode 45 athlete-and-coach perspective.

Last reviewed 2026-10-30

Season 1 evidence

Episodes that cover this

EP 45Cheer Dads Unfiltered – Episode 45: The Human Inside the Uniform with Kentucky Cheer’s Ryan Martin O’Connorwith Ryan Martin O’Connor

Who told us this

Related experts

RYAN MARTIN O’CONNORHEAD COACH • UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY CHEERLEADING

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Topic hubs

Cheer ParentingWhere the parent role ends and the coaching role begins — how to support hard days, how much to push, and how to stay the safe place.

Next step

Full hub: College Cheer

What college cheer recruiting actually involves, what coaches look for, how scholarships really work, and where cheer can lead after high school.

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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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