Ever walked out of a cheer competition thinking…

“Wait… how did we lose by 0.15?”

Or “Why did that team jump us?”

You’re not alone — and this episode is going to change the way you watch cheer forever.

This week on The Cheer Dad Podcast, the dads are joined by Gabby Mauro, certified judge for United Scoring, YCADA, and OCS, and creator of Score Sheets with Gabby Mauro. Gabby breaks down cheer scoring in plain English and explains exactly what’s happening on the judges’ side of the table.

In Part 1, we cover:

1. What judges are actually looking for during a routine
2. How score sheets are structured
3. The difference between difficulty vs execution
4. What counts as a deduction (and what doesn’t)
5. How teams can win or lose by tiny margins like 0.05
6. Why the loudest crowd reaction doesn’t always match placements

Whether you’re a new cheer parent or a seasoned competition veteran, this episode will help you understand scoring, stop the confusion, and enjoy competitions with a whole new “cheer IQ.”

🎧 Listen now — and don’t miss Part 2!

Follow Gabby / Score Sheets

📲 TikTok: @scoresheetswithgabbym

📸 Instagram: @scoresheetswithgabbymauro

Sponsor

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp.

Cheer life is stressful — and parenting is a lot. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or burned out, therapy can help.

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