What do judges actually look for during a routine?

How much do uniforms, execution, crowd energy, creativity and difficulty REALLY matter?

In this episode of Cheer Dads Unfiltered, we sit down with Judge Mimi — one of the most recognizable voices in competitive cheer judging and education online.

With 20+ years of judging experience across the cheer world, Mimi breaks down:

• What judges actually score
• Why execution matters more than most parents realize
• The truth about Worlds & Summit scoring
• Uniforms, black shoes, and visual presentation
• Parent behavior at competitions
• Social media’s impact on cheer culture
• The evolution of routines, creativity & international cheer
• What separates elite programs from good ones

We also dive into:
🏆 Worlds & Summit takeaways
📣 Crowd energy vs athlete performance
🎀 Cheer parents vs judges
👟 White uniforms vs dark uniforms
😂 Geoff trying to become a Level 0.001 flyer

…and yes, the legendary “seat roll” debate

Whether you’re a cheer parent, athlete, coach, or just trying to understand why everyone is screaming about score sheets every weekend… this episode is for you.

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New episodes every Thursday

#CheerDadsUnfiltered #JudgeMimi #Cheerleading #Worlds2026 #Summit2026 #AllStarCheer #CheerParents #CheerPodcast

In Episode 23 of Cheer Dads Unfiltered, we sit down with Justin Carrier — VP of Event Experience & Operations at Varsity Spirit for a real conversation about the evolution of All Star cheer, athlete experience, behind-the-scenes event operations, Pro Cheer League and the future of the sport.

Justin shares stories and insights from over 30 years in cheer as an athlete, coach, choreographer and event leader while giving us a look behind the curtain at what goes into creating major competitions and experiences for athletes and families.

We talk:

• Cheer culture and community
• Event operations and behind-the-scenes stories
• Athlete confidence and leadership
• The growth of Pro Cheer League
• Funny competition moments
• What parents don’t realize about cheer events
• Why the sport matters far beyond the mat

A grounded, fun and insightful episode for cheer parents, athletes, coaches and fans alike.

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This week on Cheer Dads Unfiltered, we sit down with Bill Seely — President of Varsity Spirit — for one of the biggest and most meaningful conversations we’ve had yet.

We talk about the future of cheerleading, the rise of the Pro Cheer League, Team USA, Olympic possibilities, Varsity Spirit, parenting through sports, athlete development, confidence, leadership, and why cheer continues to impact families across the world.

But more than anything… this episode is about people

The athletes
The coaches
The parents
The memories

and the experiences that make this sport so special

This conversation felt less like an interview and more like three cheer dads sitting down with someone who genuinely loves the sport and wants to see it continue growing in the right direction.

We also:

😂 Pitch a Daddy/Daughter stunt competition
🏆 Talk Pro Cheer League growth
🌎 Discuss Olympic dreams for cheer
💪 Break down why cheer builds incredible life skills
👨‍👧 Talk parenting, confidence & resilience through sports

Huge thank you to Bill and the Varsity Spirit team for joining us and supporting Cheer Dads Unfiltered.

Follow CDU on Instagram, & Youtube, and TikTok
@CheerDadsUnfiltered

What does it REALLY take to cheer in college?

In Episode 21 of Cheer Dads Unfiltered, we sit down with Hannah Kirby — Head Cheer Coach at Taylor University — to unpack the world of collegiate cheer from the coach’s side of the mat.

From recruiting and scholarships to All-Star vs school cheer, Hannah breaks down what college coaches are ACTUALLY looking for in athletes… and it’s not always what parents think.

We get into:

• The truth about college cheer recruiting
• NAIA vs NCAA explained
• What separates athletes at the next level
• Why attitude matters more than talent
• Social media mistakes athletes make
• The role parents SHOULD (and shouldn’t) play
• All-Star vs school cheer debate
• Cheer culture, team dynamics & leadership
• How Hannah built Taylor University’s program
• Why cheer can open doors far beyond the sport

Plus:

Tom tries to enroll at Taylor University, Geoff relives his football days from “1901” and Hannah officially calls out hand-in-hands as overrated 😂

Whether you’re a cheer parent, athlete, coach, or just trying to understand the road to college cheer this episode is packed with insight, laughs, and real perspective.

🎧 Listen now and send this to a cheer parent who needs to hear it

#CheerDadsUnfiltered #CollegeCheer #Cheerleading #AllStarCheer #TaylorUniversity #CheerParents #NAIA #NCAA #CheerPodcast #YouthSports

This week on Cheer Dads Unfiltered, we sit down with Cody from Cheer Dad Life — a 10+ year cheer dad veteran and author of The Cheer Dad’s Survival Guide: All Star Cheer Edition.

We get REAL about:

💸 The famous “$1,000 cheer weekend”
📣 The biggest mistakes new cheer parents make
📈 Why parents rush progression too fast
🏆 Winning vs development
🧠 Raising confident athletes through cheer
👨‍👧 The emotional side of being a cheer parent

This episode is packed with perspective, laughs, hard truths, and relatable moments every cheer family will understand.

Whether you're brand new to all star cheer or years deep into the chaos… this one will hit home.

📘 Check out Cody’s book:
“The Cheer Dad’s Survival Guide: All Star Cheer Edition”

Follow Cody / Cheer Dad Life:
Instagram: @cheerdadlife

🎙️ Cheer Dads Unfiltered

Real dads. Real cheer conversations.

This one’s different.

We sat down with Roger Schonder — co-founder of Stingrays, Team Manager for Atlanta Air (Pro Cheer League), and a 30+ year veteran of all-star cheer — to break down what’s REALLY happening behind the scenes.

From tryouts… to Worlds… to the future of the sport.

If you’re a cheer parent, this episode will change how you see everything.

We cover:

• The biggest misconceptions parents have about cheer
• What actually determines team selection (it’s not what you think)
• The reality of Worlds-level competition
• How the Pro Cheer League is changing the game
• Why development matters more than winning
• What separates elite programs like Stingrays

This is one of those episodes you send to every cheer parent you know.

🎧 Listen now and see cheer differently.

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YouTube: Subscribe for weekly episodes

—

This is Cheer Dads Unfiltered

We’re here for every count

This week, we brought in someone who sees cheer from every angle…

Coach. Judge. Gym owner. Choreographer.

Brooke (Queen B Choreo) breaks down what really goes into building a routine and it’s way more than just dance.

We went in as first-year cheer dads…

and came out realizing we’ve been watching routines completely wrong.

In this episode, we get into:

👉 What choreographers actually do (it’s not just dance)
👉 How routines are built to maximize the score sheet
👉 Why most parents misunderstand scoring
👉 The difference between difficulty vs execution (and what actually wins)
👉 How small details decide competitions
👉 What happens when coaches tweak routines after choreo
👉 Behind-the-scenes judging insights you’re not supposed to know

Plus…

🔥 Hot takes on:
– Clean vs difficult
– Do coaches mess up routines?
– What really matters more: stunts or dance?
– The most overrated skills in cheer

If you’re a cheer parent, athlete, or coach…

This is one of those episodes that changes how you watch the sport.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify & YouTube

📲 Follow for more real conversations from the cheer world

We’re here for every count

This one hit different.

We sat down with Keenan (Cheer Dad TV), a 5-year cheer dad who’s been through the highs, the lows, and everything in between....and he didn’t hold back.

We get into what it actually feels like to finish a season, how to handle wins and tough losses as a parent and where a lot of cheer parents go wrong without even realizing it.

Keenan breaks down:

• How to push your athlete without burning them out
• Why kids need to feel both winning and losing
• The reality of cheer culture most parents don’t see
• and what it really means to show up as a cheer dad

This is one of those episodes that’ll make you think a little differently the next time you’re sitting in the stands.

If you’re a cheer parent - this one’s for you

🎙️ Cheer Dads Unfiltered
We’re here for every count

This one went deeper than we expected…

We sat down with comedian and cheer dad Jay Yoder and got into everything from parenting and perspective to what cheer has meant for his family.

From early struggles to moments that hit you in the chest. This is what it’s really about.

We also get into:
– The realities of cheer parent life
– Confidence and growth through youth sports
– Balancing family, work, and showing up as a dad
– The moments that stick with you forever

If you're a cheer parent, a dad, or just trying to figure it out as you go…

this one will hit

🎧 New episodes every Thursday at 6 am PT

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We’re 15 episodes in… and somehow just crossed 1,000 streams 🤯

But more importantly we’re at the end of our first cheer season as dads.

In this episode we take a step back and reflect on everything we’ve experienced so far:

– First showcase reactions
– Daddy-daughter stunt class (round 2 😂)
– Regional Summit coming up
– and the big question every cheer parent starts asking…what comes next?

From not knowing anything about cheer… to being fully invested in it this episode is just three dads talking through what we’ve learned, what’s surprised us, and how this whole journey has changed us more than we expected.

If you’re a cheer parent (or about to be)… this one will hit

Be sure to like, subscribe and share!

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