Industry Leaders

LAURI HARRIS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR • USA CHEER

Lauri Harris is the Executive Director of USA Cheer, the national governing body for the sport of cheer in the United States. She describes USA Cheer's work around athlete safety, growing participation, education for coaches and athletes, national teams, and representing the United States internationally. On Episode 38 she explains what comes after All-Star cheer, why college recruiting starts with fit rather than skills, what coaches evaluate beyond raw talent — coachability, versatility, grades, character and public social media — the reality that a cheer scholarship does not automatically mean a full ride, what happens at a USA Cheer College Combine, the parent's role of walking alongside rather than leading, and how she frames cheer's international growth. Her line for the whole recruiting conversation: “There is a college for everyone, but not every college is for everyone.”