College Cheer
RYAN MARTIN O’CONNOR
HEAD COACH • UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY CHEERLEADING
Ryan Martin O’Connor is the head coach of University of Kentucky Cheerleading. In Episode 45, she brings an athlete-and-coach perspective to Kentucky’s culture, college recruiting, pressure, accountability and the work of developing the person inside the uniform.
Areas of expertise
What they helped us understand
- Cheer Parenting
- Burnout & Wellbeing
- Gym & Program Culture
- College Cheer
Expertise tags are inferred from the topics this guest is linked to in our content graph — not from an external biography.
On the show
Episode appearance
Keep listening
Related episodes
- EP 38Episode 38: USA Cheer Explains College Recruiting, STUNT & What Comes Next | S2E5 | CDUwith Lauri Harris, Amy Haney
- EP 43Episode 43: Raise the Athlete, Not the Pressure with Coach Becky Acra | S2E10 | CDUwith Coach Becky Acra
- EP 44The Standard Shows Up After the Fall with Coach Mom Kari Kratchmanwith Coach Mom Kari Kratchman
Related
Learning connected to this guest
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.Burnout & WellbeingWhat burnout looks like in a year-round sport, the pressures that cause it, and how families protect the athlete behind the uniform.Gym & Program CultureHow to read a gym's culture, what separates a good program from a good record, and how to tell whether a gym fits your family.College CheerWhat college cheer recruiting actually involves, what coaches look for, how scholarships really work, and where cheer can lead after high school.
Parent questions
What does Ryan O’Connor look for beyond college cheer skills?How does Ryan O’Connor view recruits’ social media?What is Ryan O’Connor’s advice to parents in college cheer recruiting?How does Ryan O’Connor coach athletes through pressure?How does Ryan O’Connor separate athlete identity from performance?What does Ryan O’Connor mean by “call up, not call out”?