Christmas break is over and suddenly competition season is very real.

In Episode 5 of Cheer Dads Unfiltered we break down what it felt like walking back into the gym after two weeks off, the nerves the girls didn’t say out loud and the moment we realized this cheer thing just leveled up.

We talk about:

• First practice back vibes (rust vs. locked in)

• A brand new stunt was introduced two weeks before the competition

• Trusting the coaches… even when your kid is flying face first

• The emotional rollercoaster of comp week is creeping in

• The real costs parents don’t expect (tickets, parking, swag, all of it)

• Why dads showing up LOUD actually matters

• and of course… football takes, tailgate plans and dad chaos

  
  

If you’re a cheer parent heading into your first competition weekend this one’s for you.

Next episode? Competition weekend will officially be in the books.

Cheer Dads Unfiltered – Episode 4

In this episode, we hit pause before the chaos.

Recorded right after Christmas, Episode 4 is all about reflecting on the first five months of competitive cheer. From August tryouts to the doorstep of competition season.

With a rare full week off from practices, we talk through:

• What Christmas looks like when cheer sneaks into the house anyway

• How our daughters handled their first real break from cheer

• Why private lessons quietly make a massive difference

• The confidence boost that comes from small wins (hello crystal animals 🐾)

• What cheer has changed for us as dads — presence, perspective, and slowing down

• How the cheer community (and the dads upstairs 👀) formed naturally over time

We also look ahead to what’s coming fast:

• First competition nerves

• What comp season is really going to demand from families

• Our evolving role as cheer dads on competition days

• And why this next chapter is going to feel very different

This episode closes out Chapter One of Cheer Dads Unfiltered.
Starting next episode, we’re officially in real-time competition season mode — weekly episodes, raw reactions, wins, losses, and everything in between.

If you’re a cheer parent, cheer dad, or just figuring it out as you go, you’re in the right place.

🎧 New episodes drop weekly
📍 Recorded at practice, in real life, no filters