Claim OwnershipThe Fullout Cheer Podcast
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The Fullout Cheer Podcast with Danielle Johnston is the ultimate resource for cheerleading gym owners, all star cheer coaches, and industry professionals who want to grow their gyms, lead successful teams, and thrive in the competitive cheer industry. Hosted by Danielle Johnston — now in her 14th season as a cheer gym owner, co-owner of Next Generation Gym Owners, and author of the must-read “The Cheer Gym Owners’ Handbook” — this podcast delivers proven strategies and real-world insights from someone who’s built a thriving cheer program from the ground up.
In every episode, Danielle shares cheer gym business tips, marketing strategies for cheerleading gyms, leadership advice for working with teenage athletes, and behind-the-scenes looks at what it really takes to run a profitable, well-respected cheer program. From managing staff and parents to improving athlete retention and preparing winning routines, she covers every aspect of cheer gym ownership and coaching with honesty and expertise.
Whether you’re launching your first cheer program or looking to take your established gym to the next level, the Fullout Cheer Podcast gives you the tools, ideas, and inspiration you need to succeed. Subscribe now and start running your gym with confidence, clarity, and full-out passion.
80 Episodes
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If parent drama is inevitable, poor leadership is not.
In Part 2, Danielle and Kelli from theory to action. They break down exactly how to reduce negativity without closing your doors — and what it really takes to create a self-policing, positive parent culture.
They cover: How to educate parents before problems start and the power of consistent communication.
This episode is practical, direct, and rooted in experience. Because the goal isn’t to eliminate noise. It’s to build a culture strong enough to handle it.
Parent drama. Lobby gossip. Closed practices. Open practices. Every gym owner has an opinion — and most of them are reactive.
In Part 1, Danielle sits down with a parent-turned-coach to unpack what’s really happening in the lobby and why simply “closing the doors” isn’t the solution.
They discuss:
Why parent drama will always exist (and why that’s not the real problem)
The difference between transparency and chaos
What parents actually see from the lobby
How open practices protect both athletes and coaches
What changes when a parent crosses over into coaching
If you believe culture is built on the floor — and in the lobby — this conversation will challenge you to lead instead of hide.
Part 2 dives into the fallout of illness and injury and adds the final challenge to the mix: Inclement weather.
We talk about how to make smart decisions when routines need to change, how to simplify without panicking, and how to handle choreography changes without destroying athlete confidence. We also cover what to do when weather wipes out a full week of practices, how to keep athletes engaged outside the gym, and how to reset quickly once you’re back instead of losing even more time.
This episode is about staying strategic when the season won’t cooperate and keeping progress moving forward, even when nothing goes according to plan.
In this episode, we talk about the reality coaches and gym owners are facing right now: constant absences due to illness, injuries piling up, and practices that never look the way they were planned. Attendance is unpredictable, routines are constantly being reworked, and keeping momentum feels harder than ever. If you’ve felt frustrated, exhausted, or like you’re constantly playing catch-up this season, this episode will make you feel seen and give you practical ways to move forward anyway.
Uncommitted athletes are one of the most common frustrations in all-star cheer. Missed practices. Inconsistent effort. Big potential with uneven results.
But what if the issue isn’t the athlete at all?
In this episode, we break down why commitment starts long before an athlete steps on the mat and how parent education plays a critical role in developing driven, resilient, and accountable athletes. We talk about what happens when parents understand the process, support the standards, and reinforce expectations at home and why that alignment changes everything.
If you’re tired of chasing effort, managing excuses, or wondering why talented athletes aren’t progressing, this conversation reframes the problem and offers a practical, proven solution.
Because fixing “uncommitted athletes” doesn’t start with the kids. It starts with educating the adults.
If you’re running a gym in 2026 the same way you did a few years ago, this episode is probably going to make you uncomfortable...And we know it.
In this episode, I break down five mistakes I’m already seeing gym owners make that quietly cap growth, drain profit, and create burnout at the top. These aren’t beginner errors. They’re decisions smart, experienced owners make because they feel normal, responsible, or “good enough.”
We talk about why some strategies that look scrappy or safe are actually holding your business hostage, how certain “practical” choices slowly erode margins, culture, and capacity, and why adding more without fixing the foundation almost always backfires.
If you’re aiming for a healthier business, more profit, and a gym that doesn’t depend on you holding it together with duct tape and adrenaline, this episode will give you a much-needed gut check.
Listen before these mistakes become expensive habits you have to unwind later.
Culture doesn’t disappear overnight. It erodes quietly. One skipped conversation. One tolerated behavior. One season where standards slowly soften and no one calls it out.
In this episode of the Fullout Cheer Podcast, Danielle breaks down how culture is actually built over time, how it’s lost more quickly, and why so many gym owners confuse culture with morale. We talk about why good vibes don’t equal strong culture, how short-term morale spikes can mask long-term problems, and what leaders must consistently protect if they want a gym that lasts.
This episode is a reality check for owners and coaches who want real buy-in, accountability, and longevity, not just a temporarily happy room.
Most gym owners say they want more leads, more trust, and more visibility. Then they completely ignore the easiest marketing tool they already have.
In this episode, I talk about the free marketing most gym owners avoid: their personal social media. Not influencers. Not ads. Not perfectly curated content. Just showing up as a real owner, in real life, doing real work.
I break down why posting feels uncomfortable, why “I don’t want to be salesy” is usually a fear problem not a strategy problem, and how personal visibility grows your gym and retains your athletes faster than any gym social media ever could.
When I first opened my cheer gym, I wore a few things like badges of honor that I’d never brag about now.
In this episode, I break down four things I used to proudly flex as a new gym owner that I now realize were more about ego than smart leadership. Things like refusing to spend money on marketing, collecting certifications like trophies, and treating “firing” angry parents to fix a culture I never actually set in place.
With hindsight, better data, and a lot of wisdom, I see why those bragging rights didn’t actually build a stronger gym, a healthier culture, or a more profitable business. This episode is for gym owners who are early in their journey, or those who can look back at their own journey and have a good laugh now. No fluff. No pretending I had it all figured out. Just real lessons I wish I’d learned sooner.
In this episode, Danielle responses to a recent post made by a business coach regarding parents drawn to “affordable programs.” She breaks the myths about parent expectations and takes ownership of the choices we make in our businesses and the impact they have on the types of clients attracted to our brands.
Join us as we challenge the narrative around this verbiage and its impact on your business success. If you’ve ever felt trapped by your previous pricing mistakes, this conversation is for you.
In part 2 of this series, Danielle tells listeners how cheer is a unicorn in the world of sports and athletes are not easily interchangeable! It's not as easy as subbing in the next best player! Tune in to learn why parent education is so important and why your athletes need to be at practices!
In this episode, Danielle replies to a listener email about how cheer is like other sports in that athletes have positions that are not easily interchangeable. In part 1 of this series, we talk about the universal truths of all sports and in what ways you can expect cheer to be similar to other sports.
In this episode, we dive into the reality of attendance in all star cheer and why it’s one of the hardest—and most important—parts of coaching. We’ll talk about how missing athletes affect stunt progressions, timing, tumbling development, and team morale, plus why families often don’t see the full impact of an absence.
If you’re working to improve consistency, build stronger routines, and create a more accountable team culture, this conversation will give you practical insight you can start using right away.
In this episode, we dive into the power of gratitude and how it can transform the way we support and inspire gym parents. We’ll talk about the role appreciation plays in building stronger parent relationships, simple and intentional ways to say “thank you,” and real stories from parents and coaches that show what happens when families feel truly seen and valued.
If you’re looking to improve communication, build trust, and create a more positive culture in your gym community, this conversation will give you practical ideas you can start using right away.
In this episode, we dig into one of the tougher realities many athletes face—navigating gym life when parents are divorced. We explore practical strategies to help athletes stay focused, communicate clearly, and manage the emotions that come with divided family dynamics.
You’ll hear guidance on balancing support from both parents, tips for handling event-day communication, and powerful stories from athletes who’ve been through it and found strength along the way.
If you’re working to create stability, confidence, and consistency in the gym despite complicated family situations, this episode offers tools and encouragement to help you thrive.
In this two-part series of the Fullout Cheer Podcast, Danielle and Justin tackle one of the most avoided topics in the cheer industry: debt. From the early loans that helped them build their businesses to the financial decisions they’d never repeat, they get honest about what they’ve learned through the highs, lows, and interest payments. Part Two goes deeper into risk and reality—breaking down which financing options can help a gym scale responsibly, and which ones can destroy your business (and sleep schedule) overnight.
Whether you’re just starting out or expanding your gym, this series will help you think differently about money, leverage, and long-term sustainability in the cheer industry.
In this two-part series of the Fullout Cheer Podcast, Danielle and Justin tackle one of the most avoided topics in the cheer industry: debt. From the early loans that helped them build their businesses to the financial mistakes they almost made, they get honest about what they’ve learned through the highs, lows, and interest payments.
Part One dives into the big question: Is there such a thing as good debt? They unpack the debts that fueled growth and the mindsets that helped them make smarter borrowing decisions.
Teens picking high school over all star, and all star coaches frustrated at the last-minute demands of high school cheer...Sound familiar? In this episode, Danielle breaks down the rivalry between high school and All Star cheer, why it’s hurting athletes, and what it actually looks like when both sides learn to work together. If we want to grow the sport—and keep athletes from burning out—it starts with mutual respect, clear communication, and remembering who it’s all supposed to be about: the kids.
🎧 Part 2 is here — and yes, we’re going deeper.
Last week, we talked about what the Crazy Cheer Moms got right. This week? What they got very wrong.
From loyalty vs. entitlement to the myth of "favoritism," I'm sharing the gym-side perspective you won’t find in a Facebook comment war.
You wanted honesty. This is that. With a little glitter and a lot of caffeine. Like & Subscibe for more Fullout Cheer Podcast episodes each week.
🚨 This week on the pod: I respond to that viral post from Crazy Cheer Moms.
As a gym owner, I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the emotionally-overcaffeinated. But buried in the drama? Some real truths.
In Part 1, I’m breaking down the valid concerns — from sky-high costs to mid-season cuts — and why the conversation actually matters.
Whether you're a parent, coach, or athlete, this one's worth a listen.
Like & Subscribe for more episodes each week!
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