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Take Summer Practice to a New Level with Epic Cheer Music

It is summer camp time, and what better way to take your practices to a new level than some epic-sounding cheer music! There are many great ways to use music to motivate you during practices in the summer. You’re working hard on those new elite skills with your squad at your school or gym. Try adding some music that will add to the energy level of your team.

Top Gun TLGC

Think about some of the best cheerleading music from last year. Look at the world championship teams like TGLC from top gun. Their music is a high-energy mix that will bring the fight to your team. The pugnacious track will help your team battle to the top this summer! Try to capture some of that energy yourself by using their high-energy mix. You can find it here:

 

Woodlands Elite Generals

Keep that energy going by using some of the high-energy mixes from teams like Woodlands Elite too. This daring mix will help your squad wage war against the summer doldrums! Listen to their amazing cheerleading music from the 2022 season here:

 

The New Level Music 8-Count Mega Mix

Their high-energy mix can really add that extra ounce to your practice. In addition to using All-Star music, don’t forget that new level music has released its latest eight-count mix. Some of the top music producers in the country have contributed to creating this epic 8-count track. Playing that music while practicing makes it easier for you and your coaches not to have to count it out.

 

CheerleadingMix.com

Finally, don’t be afraid to use some hot mixes on CheerleadingMix.com. These high-energy mixes can really help energize your team and help you guys stay motivated through those tough times especially when those stunts aren’t hitting, or you can’t quite stick your tumbling.

The easy-to-use interface at CheerleadingMix.com can do more than pump up the jams for your summer practices: you can also select the perfect 45-second dance track or find the ideal cheerleading music mix to use for your routine for the 2022-2023 season! The same music producers who created the amazing sounds for TLGC and Woodlands Elite collaborated to create the high-intensity, dynamic cheer mixes at CheerleadingMix – all designed to be personalized with your own custom voice-overs at a fraction of the cost of custom music. If you are looking for a pocketbook-friendly option, consider the inexpensive cheer music at CheerleadingMix.com and make this season the best ever!

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CheerleadingMix.com is committed to bringing you some of the hottest cheer songs from the most elite cheer music producers in the country. Content creators like CheerMusicPro and CheerFreqs have been transforming the world of cheerleading mixes since the 1990s.

Today CheerFreqs, one of the top cheerleading music producers in the world, has been gracious enough to give us some of his time. CheerFreqs has created original cheer and dance music worldwide, boasting 2 Gold Medals, 3 Silver Medals, 3 Bronze Medals at the 2022 Cheerleading Worlds. His success extended to the 2022 Summit with 9 Gold Medals, 4 Silver Medals, and 3 Bronze Medals, a pattern only extended at the D2 Summit where teams using CheerFreqs mixes won 1 Gold Medal, 2 Silver Medals, and 1 Bronze Medal. His main mission, and what sets his music apart from many other cheer music producers out there, is to create drama, building crescendo’s and unique moments in every mix. His fastidious attention to detail and time commitment to his craft allows him to create a partnership with his clients, embrace their story, and use his own powerful music creations to augment what the choreographer and coach are trying to achieve. If you crave intense, hard-hitting, hyper-confident tracks – CheerFreqs is your first choice.

 

How long have you been producing music?

 I have been in the cheer music industry since the late 90s. I started with Cool Edit and then Acid 1.0. It is amazing to see how the industry and the music editing tools have transformed in the last two decades. It is hard to believe I have been doing this for almost 25 years. It can be hard work, but I love it.

 

What do you think is the key to making an epic cheer track?

 Moments, you need to create moments during the routine. There must be something stuck in your head after hearing it for the first time. Developing those moments takes creativity, a clear idea of what both the music and the choreography need. Luckily, I have a fantastic team working with me to create those heart-stopping moments for all my clients.

 

How do you create so many memorable mixes each year?

 Open and clear communication is absolutely fundamental. I try to communicate with the client as early as possible.  I also try to do alot of songwriting and recording year-round so that I can have lots of choices once the peak season arrives. In addition, having a video of the routine is key, so that I am able to see where to create the moments. Sheets alone give such a small picture of what is going on. Lastly, I try to surround myself with a great group of writers and artists. My team is mostly out of the Miami area and all have different backgrounds musically. I depend on them to create my ideas so that sonically each section of the mix creates the drama I need it to.

 

Do you produce music outside of cheerleading?

 I have enjoyed great success with cheerleading music, but it is a double-edged sword: I am so swamped with content creation for my mixes that I do not have any time for anything else. My family is my number one priority so all my free time is spent with them outside of mixing.

 

What do you think lies in the future for cheerleading music?

 Developing new and innovative content can be challenging. With the new changes to the score sheets, I would say creativity is key. I foresee the dance section being more important in the mix as well. I have reached out to several coaches and choreographers already and they are all saying dances are back. I am excited to see the dance and the cheer mix behind it taking the center stage.

 

What have you been listening to, recently?

 Right now I am listening to Phonk Killer, Swoop, and Apashe. Developing an ear for what is happening in global music helps me stay on the cutting edge of what is happening around the world and gives me a unique perspective on cheer music.

 

Are you affiliated with any other music production projects?

 Cheerleading music is a year-long cycle for me. I am open to other collaborations down the road, but for now, I am dedicated to cheer music only.

 

What advice do you have for programs looking to push the envelope with their music?

 Be authentic! Make sure to match the energy of the team. Try to include the kids in the pre-production ideas as much as possible. They have so many great ideas and I find when they have ownership in the final product they perform better to it.

 

Thank you so much to Cheer Freqs for sitting down with us at CheerleadingMix.com and talking about cheer music trends for 2022. You can see some of Cheer Freqs’ innovative cheer tracks with teams like this cheer mix from Southern Cross Cheer: Lady Reign.

 

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With impressive tracks assembled by some of the most talented producers in the country, CheerleadingMix.com offers an affordable solution to your cheerleading music needs. Some of the country’s top cheer mix music producers have contributed to Cheerleading Mix’s vast library of epic cheer music. These are the same producers creating the heart-pounding beats and insane rhythms you hear from the top-placing teams at the World Cheerleading Championships or the Cheerleading Summit.

Just because your program doesn’t have the budget for the most premier custom music in the industry does not mean you have to suffer from sub-par music. Instead, use the digital editing opportunities on the CheerleadingMix.com website. The quality of the music you can find there and the effortless editing possibilities, combined with the option to add unique voice-overs, means that you can have some of the most best cheerleading mixes in the country available in a few clicks and at a fraction of the price!

Check out some of the featured tracks on Cheerleading Mix to see how these dazzling tracks can bring your routine to life!

Light ‘Em Up
Are you looking for some hot cheerleading music? Look no further than “Light ‘Em Up.” These lit lyrics and this burning track will ignite excitement. The smooth melodies in the stunt and pyramid offset the blazing hits and fiery lyrics at the beginning and end of this epic cheer track. Set your routine ablaze with this magnificent cheer mix!

Girl Power
I am woman – hear me roar! This slick cheer mix shows all the assertiveness and assurance of the fiercest cheerleading competitors. Crush the bastions of male domination and let the girls take over when you blast this empowering and energetic music. Use Girl Power as your squad’s theme to help bring self-confidence to your athletes, embracing the high-energy composition with its tight beats and soaring melodies.

Battle
Put up your dukes for this rocking cheer mix. “Battle” brings the aggression with its high beat-per-minute pace and fresh take on hard rock and electro. Every season sees its fair share of struggle, but you can succeed in every clash with the intense and driving beats that propel this outstanding track to conquer the fray and win the day. Let your team know that they can confront every encounter head-on with the pulsing rhythms and in-your-face lyrics.

Winning Tradition
Be the conqueror, and come back triumphant after every performance with “Winning Tradition,” a simply stunning electro-dance mix. This top-scoring cheerleading mix is an engaging track filled with victorious beats and powerful harmonies. The same producers that created the bombastic tracks that won most of the divisions at the Cheerleading World Championships collaborated to extend their tradition of success. This monumental cheer mix lets you vanquish the competition and celebrates the tradition of winning established at Worlds!

No matter your taste or the scale, CheerleadingMix.com has a heroic cheerleading track that will help elevate your team to new heights, regardless of your budget. While these four featured tracks are astounding, there are hundreds of cheerleading mix options on the easy-to-use platform. Browse the vast library of awesome cheer tracks and find the perfect soundtrack to your squad’s performance!

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When you think about custom cheerleading music, one of the first names that comes to mind is music producer Patrick Avard – aka CheerMusicPro – whose work has been a pioneering voice of all-star cheerleading for over two decades. The award-winning producer has created some of the most memorable cheerleading music the industry has ever witnessed. His body of work over those decades is vast and expansive, but his success at this year’s Cheerleading World Championships illustrates not only his popularity, but the quality of his work. Patrick personally produced cheer mixes for 15 of the 29 USASF World Champions. He was kind enough to sit down for an interview to talk about his success and his vision for the future of cheerleading music.

 

How long have you been producing music?

 It’s hard to believe, but this will be my 23rd season as a producer.

What was one of your favorite mixes this year?

It’s very difficult to choose one because I really love them all. But if I have to pick just one, it would be Top Gun TGLC. I really love all the details that went into the theme and feel like Victor and his staff do such an amazing job at molding the skills, the choreography, and the music together as one amazing work of art.

Want to see the Top Gun TLGC routine?

 

What do you think is the key to making an epic cheer track?

There are several key components but I would probably say I put my focus on two:

  1. The music has to have an impact. It has to drive and hit hard, and it has to influence the fans, athletes, and coaches, as well as inspire great performances.
  2. The lyrics have to be memorable. Whether you like the team or not, I want you to be talking about what their music says.

How do you create so many memorable mixes each year?

That’s a great question. I think when I first started, it was really difficult to do all these elite teams’ mixes back to back, but as I have developed my team and my process over the years, it’s gotten easier. I have a very talented team so I know I don’t have to do it all myself. If we work hard to develop amazing ideas, then putting it together becomes easier. To me, the best production comes from amazing pre-production. That is the secret.

Do you produce music outside of cheerleading?

Absolutely. I love the opportunities I have to produce music outside of cheer. Many people don’t know, but I’ve written tracks that have been used on Netflix, Hulu, ESPN, Fox Sports, and many more. Right now, I am producing a rhythmic electro-pop album for the VIVE Label of Level 77 Music, and I can’t wait for people to hear it. It will be released in July if all goes well.

What do you think lies in the future for cheerleading music?

I think we are going to see a shift back to creativity being weighted more heavily. To me, things have become so skills and numbers driven that we’ve lost sight of the individuality of the teams. I see a subtle shift back to this already and believe that it will continue. At the end of the day, teams want their routines to be a unique reflection of their personality and the story they are trying to tell. They want it to represent where they are in the history of their team and program.

What have you been listening to, recently?

Right now I am jamming to Galantis & Becky Hill – Run, Armin Van Buuren – Human Touch, and NGHTMRE – Ring the Alarm

Are you affiliated with any other music production projects?

I am the founder and CEO of Level 77 Music, which is a production music library with a focus on creating music for sync licensing. Our music is used in film, television, broadcast, advertising, and commercials. We recently had one of our tracks in the trailer for season two of the Hulu series, The Great, and we just wrapped up a custom music project for Women of Wrestling (WOWE), which is scheduled for 52 weeks of television airtime and streaming on Showtime later this year.

Want to see the trailer for season two of The Great on Hulu?

 

 

 

What advice do you have for programs looking to push the envelope with their music?

My advice is to go for quality and individuality where the budget allows you to. Choose a producer who communicates well and fits your program. Then make sure your producer knows and understands your team’s brand, style, and personality. If you are budget-sensitive, there are amazing options like CheerleadingMix.com that allow you to pick from quality tracks that were made by New Level Music producers who are the best in the world, in my opinion. Cheerleading Mix still allows you some limited customization options such as adding team names or phrases, custom raps, tempo changes, and custom lengths. You can be guaranteed your music will perform as well sonically as that of any of your favorite all-star teams.

Thank you to Patrick Avard, the CheerMusicPro himself, for sitting down and discussing so many facets of the cheerleading and music world. We cannot wait to hear his next project! Don’t forget, CheerMusicPro is one of the collaborators who produces music at CheerleadingMix.com – so even if your team does not have the budget for a custom mix from one of the very best music producers in the industry, you can still get a little of that CheerMusicPro magic from his mixes on CheerleadingMix.com at an affordable price.

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Summer has arrived! The sun is shining, school is closed, and the pool is calling. You and your squad are probably taking some well-deserved time to rest and relax. Perhaps you are traveling with family or friends, or perhaps you are enjoying a “stay-cation.” No matter what your summer plans, you and your squad are going to need to be a tight, cohesive team when camp arrives. The physical rigor of stunting, tumbling, dancing, and motions for twelve hours a day can be draining and difficult. However, by keeping yourself in shape and doing some targeted exercise every day you can elevate your camp experience from a dreaded week of intense physical activity to a pleasant challenge.

 

You might think that your summer practice schedule is going to keep you ready for camp. While this is true in some cases, effective practice regimen over the summer can be difficult. Getting your teammates together can be tough: everyone is traveling! Even if your coach does organize practices over the summer, the attendance is often sporadic at best, and frequently there will only be a few team members there. So how can you design a workout program that will help you get ready for camp, or one which your squad can do together when there are not enough athletes present to have a full practice? Here are four exercises that can help you avoid that pre-camp soreness and transform your camp experience this year!

 

Air Squat

 

The air squat is a classic exercise that requires no special equipment, not even a mat or soft surface. The movement in the air squat replicates the motions used to initiate most stunts. Having proper form will not only improve your core and leg strength, but you should see a significant improvement in your stunting as well. Focus on going slow and controlled, and not allowing your hips to go below your knees.

 

 

 

V-Up

 

Speaking of core strengthening, the V-up is a critical exercise that helps to strengthen your hip flexors as well as your abdominal muscles. Having a strong core will protect your spine while you are stunting, so this exercise can be especially helpful if you have noticed pain in your lower back during mounts or transitions. While executing the V-up, avoid the temptation to go fast, hold your hollow position at the bottom, and always look at the ceiling to avoid putting undue pressure on your neck. While you can work on your V-up anywhere, having a mat to reduce the pressure on your hips and lower back will make it easier to practice longer.

 

 

 

 

Wall-Assisted Handstand

 

While this exercise is critical for bases and back spots, the wall-assisted hand-stand can help fliers as well. Having well-developed shoulder strength can help you avoid an injury to your rotator cuff, the muscle that surrounds the shoulder. Similarly, the muscles in your hand-stand cross over into tumbling as well. Even if you can’t get to the gym to work on your gymnastics, incorporating hand-stands into your routine will make a difference. Focus on keeping a slightly hollow body position during the handstand and avoid arching your back. Ideally you can transition from the assistant handstand to an unassisted one.

 

 

 

Jumping Lunge

 

Most of the exercises have been slow, or even static. At camp, though, you will frequently need to have explosive power. One of the keys to developing explosive power to fire off in tumbling, stunting, or even jumps is to master the jumping lunge. Because this is a plyometric exercise, be sure to go through it slowly at first and get to a point where you have fully mastered it before you go full speed. Improper form can result in injury, so be careful about foot placement as well as keeping your hips even or above your front knee.

 

 

 

The relaxed atmosphere and slower pacing of a typical summer often means that athletes show up for pre-camp and camp in some of the worst shape of the season. You and your teammates can buck the trend by embracing these four basic exercises and making them part of your daily routine. Create a cycle where you do each exercise for one minute, followed by a one-minute rest. Completing three cycles at that pace will take about 25 minutes. Once you feel comfortable, start cutting down the rest between sets in 15-second increments. Once you get to where you can do the exercises with only 15 seconds of rest between each set, consider increasing your set to four or five. If you do this consistently each day you will notice a huge difference in your stunting and tumbling in no time!

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It is that time of year again! As summer rolls around many athletes are taking some much-needed time off for rest and relaxation. But not cheerleaders. Summer for cheerleading means camps and choreography. Summer practices can be brutal, and nothing makes those stunt and tumbling sequences harder than trying to yell out the 8 counts while you are executing elite skills.

Luckily, New Level Music, the company that manages CheerleadingMix.com, has put out a brand-spanking new 8 count track for summer 2022. Some of the best cheerleading music producers in the country put together 8-count cheer music that is truly cutting edge, using some of the hottest vocals and sickest beats in the industry.

Just a few of the collaborators who helped to create this epic cheer music mix are Patrick, aka Cheer Music Pro, Cheer Freqs, Royal Custom Music, Cheer Music Addiction, Blake from Prime8 Sound, JG Mix, Bowd from Beats, and Eric, aka Global Mix. These amazing artists worked together to create an innovative take on 8-count music to help keep you and your squad motivated during those tough summer practices and grueling choreography sessions.

You can find this hot new track on YouTube and SoundCloud:

YouTube

SoundCloud

 

Don’t forget to download New Level Music’s latest 8-count music to play in the background while you film and make your 8-count sheets. Their flawless mix will help your team create a perfect routine this year! Once you have your 8-count sheets completed, consider CheerleadingMix.com for your budget-friendly cheerleading music needs. Our amazing collection of epic cheer tracks will give you legal, compelling music at a fraction of the cost of custom music.

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The cheerleading competition season has come to an end, but as we all know, the coach’s job is never done! Now is the time for team selections and the early stages of planning routines for the upcoming season. While there is a lot to plan and budget for, dont forget the music! Complimenting the team’s sick skills with epic music is a must. So how do you get that perfect cheer mix for your squad? There are five important considerations in selecting your cheer music.

 

Legal Cheer Music

First and foremost, you must make sure that your cheer music mix is legal. About ten years ago, most all-star competitions and many of the state and local competitions as well, began requiring licenses for any music used in cheerleading. While the legal elements are complicated, the basic idea was that teams could no longer use music without the express consent of the artists who made that music. Gone were the days of Top-40 cheer mixes using the latest hit songs. Instead music had to be an original composition designed specifically to be used in cheerleading, with all the legal paperwork that went along with it. When you and your squad are selecting your music producer, make sure that they can produce the documentation which proves you have the full mechanical rights to the music in your mix. Doing this will save you a lot of headaches later in the season: nothing is worse than finding out your music is not legal at a competition!

 

Voice-Overs

One of the things that will personalize your cheer music is voice-overs. Voice-overs are the recordings which play over the music including details like your team name, colors, and inspirational phrases which are unique to your team. Getting the perfect voice-overs is just as important as having the perfect cheerleading music. Before you pick a producer, it is important to listen to other mixes they have produced before. Do the voice-overs seem smooth and effortless? How is the mix of music and voice? Can you clearly understand the voice-overs? Does the producer allow you to include your own phrases, or do they just include team names, mascots, and colors? Finding out this information before you choose a vendor will really help your team dial in the perfect voice-overs for your routine.

 

Sound Effects

You’ve picked a music production company which can supply you with full licensing for the music, and has sick voice-overs, so now it is time to check the sound effects. Sound effects are the non-vocal elements which are added to a cheer mix to provide emphasis to key moments in your routine. Every full-up and double-down should have a unique sound effect which can add that extra intensity to your skills. Not all sound effects are equal, however. One of the important things you can do while selecting your music production company is to listen to their sound effects, perhaps even watch a few videos of teams that used that company in the past. Do the sound effects match up with the skills? Are the sound effects appealing to you and your squad? Knowing what you want in advance can really help you and your team select the perfect music for the upcoming year.

 

Transitions

Now that your team has found the perfect cheer mix with amazing voice-overs and sound effects, it is time to look at transitions. If your entire routine is one style of music at a single tempo the routine can seem dull and boring. Transitions can help to add energy and intensity to the performance. While you and your team may love hip-hop, you want to have a cheer mix that uses a variety of styles to engage the audience. Consider using a soaring melodic track during the pyramid section of the routine, or a hard-hitting rock track during the running tumbling section. Transitioning from one style of music to another between sections of your routine not only makes each section seem exciting and new, but using a broader variety of musical stylings allows you to express the unique spirit of each element of your routine. Transitions are especially important when it comes to the dance: make sure that the music in your dance is different from the sections before and after it to really make it stand out from the rest of the routine.

 

Dynamics

One of the final considerations in selecting the perfect cheer mix is dynamics. Dynamics is the use of different volume levels and layering to create different emotional responses to the music. Cheerleading music often has a lot going on at any given time. You can hear the drums, the bassline, the melodies, vocals, and sound effects. Sometimes, however, less is more. Consider selecting a mix that drops several of these elements to create a moment of intensity. Sometimes having everything but a melody drop out during your flexibility sequence can make the body positions seem more artful than they would if there were a searing backbeat during that part of the routine. Having different musical elements drop in and out during the routine makes each section seem more vivid and vivacious.

 

There are a lot of considerations in picking the perfect cheerleading mix. However, the best place to start is by listening to the music from some of your favorite routines this year. What did you like? What were you not as big a fan of? If you and your squad can get together for a listening party and each pick your favorite cheer music, you can probably find elements that everyone on your team finds appealing. A little research before you pick your producer can make a big difference in how the final product sounds, and you deserve a cheer music mix that you love!

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Summer Camp Checklist:  How to prepare your team!

 Ahh, summertime! School is out, and the days are filled with endless hours at the pool and summer jobs. For cheerleaders, however, summer means one other thing: it is time for cheerleading camp. Getting your team ready for the big camp experience is an important part of cheerleading summer planning. Here are a few things you can do to help your squad have the best camp experience ever!

 

1. Picking Your Camp

There are a lot of cheerleading camp options out there. Spend a little time thinking about what sort of camp experience you and your squad want to have this summer. Do you want a small, intimate private camp, or smaller multi-team camp where you can meet other teams in your area? Are you “in it to win it” and want to go to the biggest camp and compete against the best teams in your area? Does your squad want to earn a bid to go to a national cheerleading competition while at camp? Are you planning on attending a camp run by a private choreographer, a local gym, or a national cheerleading company? Asking your athletes about what their wishes and expectations are will help guide decisions about what sort of camp you will be attending.

 

2. Summer Practice Schedule

Vacations, summer work, and other scheduling issues can really complicate having productive practices during the summer. Getting the squad to agree on a practice schedule is really important to create the epic camp experience you all want. Establishing clear channels of communication will help you and your team get on the same page. A shared calendar, setting up a Remind channel, and agreeing on expectations will make sure that no one feels their valuable summer break is being wasted on poorly attended practices. No one wants to spend their summer at practices where there are a lot of athletes missing. Agreeing upon and communicating the practice schedule will help everyone on your team get the most out of summer practice.

 

3. Music!

No cheerleading camp is complete without an amazing playlist of cheer music to help keep you and your squad motivated through the long days of motions, jumps, tumbling and stunting. Having customized 8 count music for your performances will really set you apart from other teams if you are at one of the large camps. Having personalized cheer songs for your routines can make a huge difference! Consider visiting a cheer music site like https://cheerleadingmix.com/ to help you find the perfect cheer mixes for your camp performances. Then share your routines with world via social media!

 

4. Pick Your Camp Clothes!

A big part of the camp experience is the clothes! Having your team show up on coordinated outfits helps show your team unity and present a polished, professional appearance. Look for cheerleading apparel retailers such as Rebel (https://www.rebelathletic.com/) and Nfinity (http://nfinity.com/) to see what the hottest trends in camp fashion are this year. All the latest styles are available in your school’s colors, and can be personalized with mascots, or even the names of your teammates. Small details like matching shoes and bags will show your team’s togetherness. Don’t forget about accessories, either! Getting the perfect bows and socks for your squad will really make your camp performances pop!

Your experiences at your summer cheerleading camp will help set the tone for the entire year. Coming to camp prepared, geared, and ready to cheer will really make the entire experience more fun for you and your squad. Having great practices, the latest spirit apparel, and the best cheer music can make you feel confident and poised for the hard work and challenges which go along with camp season. And when you nail that perfect summer camp cheer routine, it can help energize the squad even for the entire season!

 

 

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5 questions for a high school competition coach

Brent Paige has been a high school competition cheerleading coach for 18 years. He cheered at Georgia Southern University for four years, competing at both NCA and UCA College Nationals as well as cheering on the sideline for football and basketball games. After his tenure as a collegiate athlete, Brent began coaching all-stars and high school competition. Although he coached at several high schools, Brent’s most recent foray into cheerleading was at Lambert High School, located in the metropolitan Atlanta area. Brent has enjoyed remarkable success during his coaching career, including 5 region championships, three state runner-up placements, and six state titles. Most of these came in the 7A division, the largest of the divisions in the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) which runs most high school athletics in the state. Brent’s teams have always been characterized as having extremely high levels of difficulty, flashy choreography, and consistent, error-free performances.

What was the biggest issue for your team this year?

“The last year that I coached was the year after COVID had hit everywhere. I think really the biggest challenge was keeping the team interested and motivated. That is because the cheerleading competition season got pushed back from August-November to November-February. So it made it for a very long year. Just trying to navigate through all the protocols with COVID and keeping the kids healthy and having enough members of the squad on the floor for each competition was a challenge. Even with mitigation efforts in place, the combination of COVID and injuries often made it difficult for the team to have full practices.”

How did you and your team overcome this issue?

“We had to adjust what we normally did. Typically, we were going into our first full out in August with the competitive cheer season ending in November with the state finals. Because the season was four months longer, we scaled back our practices to only two days a week until early October. Then we started to ramp it up where we would practice more days, and we got to a point where we would go four days a week. And many times, we would participate in team building activities where it wasn’t so much the grind of practice every single day for those months on end until the state cheerleading finals in February. Making those adjustments for the longer season helped my team win the state cheerleading finals that year.”

Tell me about a positive surprise from your most recent season.

“I think the biggest surprise was going into our fifth regular-season competition, one of our main fliers ended up getting injured and that put her out for the rest of the season. We found out that she was no longer able to participate on Friday, and we were supposed to compete the very next day, on Saturday. We did not have a flyer as an alternate at that point that was ready to compete on the varsity squad. We reached out to one of the athletes that had just finished her JV season. Although she had been a base on the JV squad we learned that she had flown three years prior to that. Within 24 hours were able to put this young lady into a flying position on varsity, with all the stress and responsibility that comes with that position, and reworked the routine. We were able to compete at the invitational on the next day and hit zero. That was just a really big testament to the dedication and the drive of the athletes on the team to never give up, even when faced with adversity.”

What changes would you like to see in the format of high school competition cheerleading?

I think one of the ones that I have been an advocate of for a long time is changing up the way that the divisions in our state are structured. I know there are some cheerleading programs in the state of Georgia that have quite a few athletes and those programs could fill a medium or a large division. I would like to see the state competition structured so that it is not organized by school size, with single A through seven A, in addition to the private school and Coed divisions. Instead I would like to see a small (16 athlete), medium (20 athlete), and a large (24 athlete) division. This way the high school competition structure would more closely align with what All Stars does. I think that would lead to better competitions. A new format would also let some other teams in our state have a better chance of placing.

What one piece of advice is important for high school competition cheerleaders and coaches to remember?

“To be successful takes a dedicated coach, not just a sponsor. They need to have the drive and desire to win region and compete at the highest level at state. Athletes must understand that dedication and sacrifice are necessary to create powerhouse programs. Lots of teams go to just have fun, but winning is the most fun of all!”

One of the most important considerations in building a successful program is to realize that it takes coaching that is truly dedicated. You cannot reach the highest levels of success with just a cheerleading “sponsor.” Successful coaches need to have a drive and a desire to succeed beyond simply wanting to win your region, but also the drive to compete at the highest level when you get to state. Sometimes the importance of the coach as a motivational and enthusiastic leader is lost on athletes, parents, and administrators. There is a lot of dedication and sacrifice that must go into your high school cheerleading squad to reach the point where you’re able to compete at that highest level. Too many teams nowadays just kind of go out there to have fun. That was never my mentality: it was more you have fun when you hit a routine and you see those accomplishments come out from that hard work and dedication and sacrifice.

It has been exciting to watch how Georgia has grown competitive cheerleading. The Georgia High School Association began competitive cheerleading in 1992, thirty years ago! In the 18 years that I’ve coached, I’ve seen it go from a low-stakes exhibition in high school gyms to where it is now, filling the Macon Centriplex for two days of intense competition. It’s been fun to watch the progression of cheerleading in high school, especially in the state of Georgia, grow over these past 18 years.”

Want to see Brent’s team? Here is Lambert High School’s last state-winning performance!

 

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The 2022 ICU World Cheerleading Championships

 

Congratulations to all the participants in the 2022 World Cheerleading Championship. Held April 20th – 22nd in Orlando, Florida, this competition marked the end of the competitive season for many of the best teams in the country. The competition was fierce, and the most elite skills in the world were on display.

 

After the 2021 all virtual format, there was a palpable excitement for teams to get the opportunity to compete live and in person. More than 120 event producers from across the United States and 40 nations worldwide were represented, allowing almost 10,000 athletes to compete in the senior and international cheer divisions.

 

The World Cheerleading Championships are produced by the International Cheer Union. Established in 2004, the ICU operates as the de facto governing body for cheerleading in the U.S. and across the globe. Nearly 8 million athletes in almost 120 nations participate in ICU events, culminating in the world championships. This year’s championship was held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando and was broadcast worldwide as the most elite athletes displayed their tumbling, stunting, jumps, and dance to earn their medals.

 

Here are this year’s world champions and their final scores!

Senior Divisions:

Senior X Small SC Cheer Fearless 136.9
Senior Small- ICE Lady Lightning 143.15
Senior Medium- Top Gun All Stars Lady Jags 143.1
Senior Large- The Stingray All Stars Orange 140
Senior Extra Small Coed- Central Jersey Allstars Team Gunz 137
Senior Small Coed Macs Allstar Cheer Senior Starz 140.05
Senior Medium Coed Spirit of Texas Royalty 137
Senior Large Coed Top Gun All Stars TGLC 147.05
Senior Open Central Jersey All-Stars Bombshells 136.7
Senior Open Small Coed Cheer Extreme Raleigh SMOEX 135.35
Senior Open Large Coed Top Gun All Stars Revelation 145.3

International Divisions

International Global – Level 6 The Stingray All Stars Cobalt 135.2
International Global Coed – Level 6 The California All Stars – Camarillo SMOED 148.1
International Open – Level 5 Rebels Cheerleading Athletics Smoke 82.06
International Open Small Coed – Level 5 Cheer Sport Sharks – Cambridge Star Spotted Sharks 134.25
International Open Large Coed – Level 5 Flyers All Starz NOTORIOUS 128.4
International Open – Level 6 Cheer Sport Sharks – Cambridge Great White Sharks 136.65
International Open Small Coed – Level 6 Louisiana Cheer Force Gold 140.55
International Open Large Coed – Level 6 Top Gun All Stars Double O* 143.1
International Open Non-Tumbling – Level 6 The California All-Stars San Marco Sparkle 131.45
International Open Coed Non-Tumbling – Level 6 Twist & Shout Tulsa Adam & Eve 127.5
International Open – Level 7 GymTyme All-Stars Gold 120.4
International Open Small Coed – Level 7 CheerForce San Diego Nfinity 135.3
International Open Large Coed – Level 7 GymTyme All-Stars Chrome 138.35
International Open Non-Tumbling – Level 7 Flyers All Starz Karma 123.6
International Open Coed Non Tumbling – Level 7 Unity Allstars Black 119

Limited  Division 

Limited X Small Coed- Level 6 CheerVille Athletics HV Anarchy 134.6
Limited Small Coed- Level 6 Famous Superstars GOLD 135.45
Limited Xsmall/Small-Level 6 New Jersey Spirit Exposion FAB5 137
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