The sport of All-Star Cheerleading has grown immensely from it’s roots over 20 years ago. In the 80’s and early
90’s, teams were typically formed of athletes who were interested in improving their skills so that they would
stand a better chance of making their high school or college cheerleading teams. As the sport developed and
grew, more and more athletes and their parents viewed All-Star Cheerleading as a viable activity in and of itself.
As stronger and stronger athletes began to recognize that All-Star provided them a way to focus more on
teamwork and athleticism and less on pom pons and decorating lockers, the sport began to separate itself from
the traditional stereotypes. This is no longer your mother’s Cheerleading. Teams and athletes in All-Star now
focus on gymnastic and acrobatic moves. The hybrid sport of today is a combination of gymnastics,
acrobatics, athletic dance, and many elements unique to All-Star. More extreme athlete than fashion model,
today’s All-Star athlete can learn exciting skills in a fun, safe environment.
All-Star teams are typically comprised of 10-36 athletes with a variety of skills and abilities (much like a football
or basketball team.) There can be solid, well-rounded athletes and those who have particularly strong abilities in
certain areas (ex. – strong dancers or jumpers). The coaches create a competition routine performed by the
group that has elements of tumbling, stunting, jumping, dance, and other skills set to music. The routines are
typically 2 1/2 minutes in length. At competitions, the teams are divided by age and ability level. The routines
are judged by their level of difficulty, precision, creativity, and entertainment value.
There are thousands of all-star programs of all types across the country. While not every program is a perfect fit
for every athlete, we believe that we have a solid program that is the right choice for everyone from the brand-
new beginning athlete to the ultra-elite veteran. Regardless of the gym you choose, All-Star cheerleading is a
great way for young athletes to learn new skills while building teamwork, goal-setting, sportsmanship, and
numerous other social skills while making lifelong friendships.