Cheer is an Emmy-winning Netflix documentary TV series that features the Navarro College Bulldogs Cheer Team and follows their journey of preparing for the annual National Cheerleading Championship held in Florida. The show was sensational after its release, enticing many viewers with its spectacular performances and introducing them to the breathtakingly competitive world of cheerleading. Cheer effectively encapsulates the beauty and pain of cheerleading, showing that it is so much more than the pretty costumes and pom poms.

Cheerleading is a team activity that originally started as a way of motivating and supporting school sports. Later on, it managed to earn its own spot as a distinctive sport of its own that incorporates techniques from dance and a c ro b a t i c s . S o m e of t h e m a i n components of cheerleading include tumbling, jumping, stunting, and forming pyramids; these aspects bring circus-like features to the performances.

Practice, Persistence, and Perseverance

T h e N a t i o n a l C h e e r l e a d i n g Championship held every year in Daytona Beach, Florida, is the most coveted competition for cheerleaders who are determined to win a national title. Navarro, one of the best cheerleading teams in the U.S., is again committed to claiming their highest spot in the cheerleading league. The journey to Daytona is extremely tough and stressful, highlighting the intensely competitive nature of cheerleading.

Cheer closely follows the footsteps of the Navarro cheerleaders as they prepare for Daytona tirelessly. Practice, persistence, and perseverance are key in cheerleading, as the entire program demands extremely intricate and strenuous techniques that push cheerleaders to their limits. The amount of dedication, time, and effort the team members put into cheerleading is greatly motivating and inspiring. Before every competition, the Navarro cheerleaders chant, “We can. We will. We must,” ready to show what they are capable of through their determination.

One of the central figures of the show is the team’s coach, Monica Aldama. Monica was a cheerleader herself in college and later earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA). She came to Navarro in 2000 and started from scratch to coach a cheerleading team that later became one of the best in the nation under her guidance. Monica is more than a coach for the cheerleaders. She is a true leader and even a parental figure to the team, earning the utmost respect from all members. As she talks about her team, she comments, “Those are my kids. I’ll fight tooth and nail for them.” She also adds that she “didn’t inherit some great program. It was a lot of blood, sweat, and tears,” explaining the challenges she had gone through while coaching the team. Nonetheless, with her dedication to the team, constructive coaching, and affection for each individual team member, she was able to c r e a t e o n e o f t h e s t r o n g e s t cheerleading programs.

Behind the Stage

Cheer not only focuses on the whole team but also looks at the individual Navarro cheerleaders. Many of the m e m b e rs co m e f ro m t ro u b l e d backgrounds—having broken families, gone to jail, and having been abused and neglected throughout their teenage years. The authentic, unfabricated aspects of the Navarro cheerleader deeply resonate with viewers, which explains why the primary members of the team became so popular after the show aired.

The show also provides a profound narrative on what cheerleading itself means to the cheerleaders. All the team members featured on the show share g r e a t p a s s i o n a n d l o v e f o r cheerleading—they find their meaning and purpose in life through it. Lexi Brumbag from the Navarro cheer team once commented, “If I wouldn’t have come here, I’d be sitting in a jail cell right now.” Furthermore, the team is more like an actual family, as the team shares a strong bond after battling through countless hardships together. The dedication and love for the team and cheerleading itself is what fuels the cheerleaders to continue, no matter what.

“Cheerlebrities” and Controversies

After the release of the first season of Cheer, the show went viral. The main members of Navarro soon became celebrities, or “cheerlebrities,” as their rise to fame was quick to escalate. They were on TV shows, started shooting advertisements, and became influencers on social media. Season two closely follows the realities and downsides of such unanticipated fame, and how it influenced not only the individual cheerlebrities but the team as a whole. The transition and changes between season one and two of the show were interesting to observe as they not only focus on what happens on the mat but also the outside drama as well. This provides room to think about how celebrities and influencers are created in the modern day and what it is like to live in the public eye.

However, the show has been at the center of controversy after a number of unsettling cases. Jerry Harris, a key member of Cheer, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for sexual abuse of minors after the release of season one. Jerry’s conviction was greatly shocking, as he was one of the most popular Navarro figures for his likeable character. Moreover, recently, Monica Aldama, the team coach, was also accused of attempting to silence a Navarro cheerleader who had been sexually assaulted by a fellow cheerleader. Again, such allegations reveal the darker sides of the collective aspect of cheerleading, questioning whether viewers should root for the seemingly toxic industry.

Despite such controversies, Cheer still holds value in shedding light on a niche sport that has not been fully recognized by the public. It is also a well-created documentary that meticulously incorporates multiple facets of cheerleading through personal narratives and authentic observations. The breathtakingly exhilarating performances of the cheerleaders are truly inspirational, showing the true power of perseverance and passion.

Television Series Information

Genre: Docuseries

Director: Greg Whiteley

Starring: Monica Aldama, Gabi Butler, Jerry Harris, Morgan Simianer, Lexi Brumback, La’Darius Marshall

Running Time: 57-62 minutes

Streaming Platform: Netflix