Let’s Talk Cheer: The Cheerleading Podcast For Parents & Coaches

Jason Larkins, Bleav
  • 4.9 (200)
  • Sports
  • Updated Weekly

Are you tired of feeling totally lost when it comes to all-star cheerleading? Then the "Let's Talk Cheer" podcast, hosted by Jason Larkins, Cheer Director at American Cheer, is the show for you. Each episode Jason educates and entertains coaches and parents alike. First, so that coaches walk into each practice motivated, and so that they know they aren't alone on their journey. Second, so that parents have a better understanding of their athlete's sport. If you’re ready to join the team, you can start with a fan favorite episode from May 9th, “Jason and Brittany talk all things tryouts.” Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jasonlarkins/support

  1. 6d ago

    5 Lessons For Chasing An Impossible Dream (Part 2)

    What happens when the dream you worked so hard to build becomes the very thing burning you out? In Part Two of Luis Murcia’s story, the journey continues beyond becoming a World Champion. Luis shares what happened when he opened his own cheer gym, tried to do everything himself, and learned the hard way that passion alone isn’t enough to build a sustainable business. After eventually walking away from gym ownership, another unexpected challenge—COVID—forced Luis to reinvent himself again. What started as teaching himself photography and videography became LMX Digital, a growing media company now working across the cheer industry. This episode is packed with lessons for coaches, gym owners, entrepreneurs, and anyone trying to turn what they love into something that can grow beyond themselves. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why trying to wear every hat in your business can lead to burnout—and the importance of building a team that allows you to focus on what you do best. How failure and unexpected setbacks can become opportunities to reinvent yourself, develop new skills, and discover your next chapter. Why scaling requires shifting from doing everything yourself to creating systems, developing people, and building something that can operate without you being everywhere at once. Hit play to hear how Luis turned some of his biggest business mistakes and setbacks into lessons that helped him build LMX Digital—and discover how you can apply those lessons to your own journey. Join our Patreon for ad free listening Buy the Jason's Book, Upside Down and Back Again ⁠ Jason's On-Demand Coaches Training Videos⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Code of Points Cheatsheet FREE⁠ Join the Cheer Mom's Anonymous Facebook Group- https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Zt7hJYgHL/?mibextid=wwXIfr Brittany's Comp Cheer Checklist- instagram.com/stories/highlights/18356656174188077 Jason’s Book Recommendations- ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon Affiliate Link⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Let's Talk Cheer on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Question of the Week Other great cheerleading podcast to check out- The Cheer Biz Podcast, The Cheer Mom Podcast, Spill the Cheer, Mat Talk Table Talk, Cheer Chats Podcast, MotUS Edge Podcast, The Cheer Dad Podcast and the Here 4 Cheer Podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    5 Lessons For Chasing An Impossible Dream (Part 2)

  2. Sep 23

    5 Lessons for Chasing an Impossible Dream (part 1)

    What if the only thing standing between you and your biggest dream was your willingness to keep going? Luis Murcia didn’t have access to elite training facilities, expensive equipment, or a spring floor. Growing up in Colombia, he learned to tumble on grass, performed stunts at traffic lights to raise money, and faced rejection while chasing his dream of competing at Cheerleading Worlds in the United States. But getting to Worlds was just the beginning of his journey. From arriving in America with just $20 to eventually becoming a World Champion, Luis shares how determination, sacrifice, and the courage to take risks helped him turn an seemingly impossible dream into reality. In this episode, you’ll discover: 5 powerful lessons from Luis’s journey that you can apply to overcome obstacles and pursue your own seemingly impossible dreams. Why your current circumstances, resources, and setbacks don't have to determine your future success. How persistence, resourcefulness, and embracing unexpected opportunities can open doors you never imagined possible. Hit play to hear Luis Murcia’s incredible journey from grass fields to World Champion and discover five lessons that can help you turn your biggest dreams into reality! Join our Patreon for ad free listening Buy the Jason's Book, Upside Down and Back Again ⁠ Jason's On-Demand Coaches Training Videos⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Code of Points Cheatsheet FREE⁠ Join the Cheer Mom's Anonymous Facebook Group- https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Zt7hJYgHL/?mibextid=wwXIfr Brittany's Comp Cheer Checklist- instagram.com/stories/highlights/18356656174188077 Jason’s Book Recommendations- ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon Affiliate Link⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Let's Talk Cheer on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Question of the Week Other great cheerleading podcast to check out- The Cheer Biz Podcast, The Cheer Mom Podcast, Spill the Cheer, Mat Talk Table Talk, Cheer Chats Podcast, MotUS Edge Podcast, The Cheer Dad Podcast and the Here 4 Cheer Podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    5 Lessons for Chasing an Impossible Dream (part 1)

  3. Sep 16

    5 Signs Your Cheer Team Isn’t Practicing With Enough Urgency

    Think your cheer team has plenty of time before competition? What if you stopped counting the months and realized you only have a handful of actual practices left? It’s easy for athletes, parents, and coaches to look at the calendar and think there’s plenty of time to get a routine competition-ready. But three months doesn’t mean three months of training, it might mean only 20 practices. And what athletes do between those practices can either reinforce their progress or undo the work they’ve already put in. In this episode, Jason and Gina break down why creating a sense of urgency doesn’t mean panicking, it means recognizing how valuable every practice, private lesson, and opportunity to improve really is. They also get into tryout preparation, building consistent skills, staying disciplined outside the gym, and why even the most stacked team still has to earn the win on competition day. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why counting practices instead of days can completely change the way athletes and coaches approach competition prep. How the habits athletes develop outside of practice can either accelerate their progress or undo the technique they’ve worked hard to build. Why talent, dream-team rosters, and big goals aren’t enough and how discipline, repetition, and consistent effort turn those goals into results. Hit play to learn how to make every practice count, build better habits between practices, and approach your cheer goals with the urgency needed to actually achieve them. Join our Patreon for ad free listening Buy the Jason's Book, Upside Down and Back Again ⁠ Jason's On-Demand Coaches Training Videos⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Code of Points Cheatsheet FREE ⁠ Join the Cheer Mom's Anonymous Facebook Group- https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Zt7hJYgHL/?mibextid=wwXIfr Brittany's Comp Cheer Checklist- instagram.com/stories/highlights/18356656174188077 Jason’s Book Recommendations- ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon Affiliate Link⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Let's Talk Cheer on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Question of the Week Other great cheerleading podcast to check out- The Cheer Biz Podcast, The Cheer Mom Podcast, Spill the Cheer, Mat Talk Table Talk, Cheer Chats Podcast, MotUS Edge Podcast, The Cheer Dad Podcast and the Here 4 Cheer Podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    5 Signs Your Cheer Team Isn’t Practicing With Enough Urgency

  4. Aug 27

    3 Score Sheet Mistakes Cheer Coaches Make & How to Avoid Them

    What if the difference between a higher cheer score and leaving points on the table isn’t adding more difficulty but understanding what the judges are actually looking for? Building a competitive routine isn’t as simple as putting your hardest skills on the floor. From tumbling numbers and stunt connections to formations, legalities, and execution, small decisions can have a major impact on your final score. In this episode, Jason and Gina break down the strategy behind maximizing the score sheet, including when adding more athletes helps, when it can actually hurt execution, and why coaches need to think beyond simply doing “more.” In this episode, you’ll learn: How to balance difficulty and execution when deciding how many athletes should perform a skill. Why submitting stunt legalities can protect your score—and potentially save your season. What judges actually notice when evaluating tumbling, formations, transitions, and overall routine execution. Play the episode to learn how to make smarter routine decisions, protect valuable points, and build a cleaner, more competitive performance before your team hits the competition floor. Buy the Jason's Book, Upside Down and Back Again ⁠ Jason's On-Demand Coaches Training Videos⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Code of Points Cheatsheet FREE⁠ Join the Cheer Mom's Anonymous Facebook Group- https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Zt7hJYgHL/?mibextid=wwXIfr Brittany's Comp Cheer Checklist- instagram.com/stories/highlights/18356656174188077 Jason’s Book Recommendations- ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon Affiliate Link⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Let's Talk Cheer on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Question of the Week Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  5. Aug 19

    Why More Skills in Your Cheer Routine Can Hurt Your Score and Your Athlete

    Have you ever wondered why your athlete has a skill but their coaches choose not to put it in the routine? As a cheer parent, it can be frustrating to watch your athlete work hard to master a skill only to see them moved to the back, left out of a section, or given fewer opportunities to showcase what they can do. But routine decisions aren't always about who can perform a skill, they're about what gives the entire team the best opportunity to score well. In this episode, Jason and Gina pull back the curtain on how cheer routines are actually built. They talk about the relationship between coaches and choreographers, why coaches sometimes have to remove emotion from routine decisions, and why adding more athletes to a skill section can actually create more opportunities for deductions instead of increasing your score. In this episode, you'll learn: Why adding more athletes to a skill section doesn't necessarily earn your team more points and can potentially hurt the team's technique score. How coaches and choreographers decide which athletes to highlight, where athletes are placed, and why what's best for an individual athlete can sometimes conflict with what's best for the team. Why parents shouldn't judge a new routine too quickly and how choreography continues to evolve, change, and improve throughout the competition season. Press play to get an inside look at the decisions behind your athlete's cheer routine so you can better understand why having a skill doesn't always mean performing it on the competition floor. Join our Patreon for ad free listening Buy the Jason's Book, Upside Down and Back Again ⁠ Jason's On-Demand Coaches Training Videos⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Code of Points Cheatsheet FREE⁠ Join the Cheer Mom's Anonymous Facebook Group- https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Zt7hJYgHL/?mibextid=wwXIfr Brittany's Comp Cheer Checklist- instagram.com/stories/highlights/18356656174188077 Jason’s Book Recommendations- ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon Affiliate Link⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Let's Talk Cheer on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Question of the Week Other great cheerleading podcast to check out- The Cheer Biz Podcast, The Cheer Mom Podcast, Spill the Cheer, Mat Talk Table Talk, Cheer Chats Podcast, MotUS Edge Podcast, The Cheer Dad Podcast and the Here 4 Cheer Podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Why More Skills in Your Cheer Routine Can Hurt Your Score and Your Athlete

  6. Aug 12

    9 Strategies To Break Through Mental Blocks & Get Skills Back with Debbie Love

    Have you ever watched an athlete suddenly lose a skill they know they can do and then wondered what you can actually do to help them get past the mental block? Mental blocks aren’t a choice, and pushing harder, adding pressure, or endlessly drilling the skill can sometimes make the problem worse. In this episode, you’ll learn a practical nine-step approach to helping athletes work through mental blocks while developing confidence, autonomy, and character along the way. You’ll discover: Nine practical strategies for helping athletes work through mental blocks and regain confidence in their skills. How scripting, visualization, conditioning, journaling, positive affirmations, and pre-skill rituals can support an athlete’s mental game. Why the way coaches and parents respond matters—and how focusing on effort, character, and emotional safety can help athletes thrive beyond their sport. Play the episode to learn how to approach mental blocks with a practical system that helps athletes rebuild confidence without relying on fear, pressure, or intimidation. Buy the Jason's Book, Upside Down and Back Again ⁠ Jason's On-Demand Coaches Training Videos⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Code of Points Cheatsheet FREE⁠ Join the Cheer Mom's Anonymous Facebook Group- https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Zt7hJYgHL/?mibextid=wwXIfr Brittany's Comp Cheer Checklist- instagram.com/stories/highlights/18356656174188077 Jason’s Book Recommendations- ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon Affiliate Link⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Let's Talk Cheer on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Question of the Week Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  7. Aug 5

    5 Reasons Cheer Competitions Cost More Than You Think

    Have you ever wondered what it really takes to produce a national cheer competition—and why so many industry veterans believe the future of cheer depends on independent event producers? Most athletes, parents, and even coaches only see what happens on the competition floor. But behind every successful event are countless decisions about scoring, scheduling, athlete experience, production, judging, and customer service. In this episode, the team behind ASC shares over 30 years of lessons from building one of the industry's longest-running independent event companies—and explains why they believe collaboration, fairness, and putting athletes first will shape the future of competitive cheer. Discover what really happens behind the scenes of producing major cheer competitions and why every detail matters. Learn how ASC grew from hosting local gym events to producing national competitions while remaining independently owned for over three decades. Hear candid insights on scoring systems, stay-to-play, World Bids, the Prime Alliance, and where the cheer industry is headed next. If you want an inside look at the business of cheer competitions and hear honest conversations about the industry's biggest opportunities and challenges, press play on this episode today. Join our Patreon for ad free listening Buy the Jason's Book, Upside Down and Back Again ⁠ Jason's On-Demand Coaches Training Videos⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Code of Points Cheatsheet FREE⁠ Join the Cheer Mom's Anonymous Facebook Group- https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Zt7hJYgHL/?mibextid=wwXIfr Brittany's Comp Cheer Checklist- instagram.com/stories/highlights/18356656174188077 Jason’s Book Recommendations- ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon Affiliate Link⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Let's Talk Cheer on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Question of the Week Other great cheerleading podcast to check out- The Cheer Biz Podcast, The Cheer Mom Podcast, Spill the Cheer, Mat Talk Table Talk, Cheer Chats Podcast, MotUS Edge Podcast, The Cheer Dad Podcast and the Here 4 Cheer Podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    5 Reasons Cheer Competitions Cost More Than You Think

  8. Jul 29

    How to Build Confident Tumblers Without Rushing Skills

    Are you building confident tumblers or accidentally creating athletes who rely on fear, frustration, and shortcuts? The best tumbling coaches know that mastering skills isn't just about technique, it's about building trust, confidence, and smart progressions. In this special TumbleCon panel discussion, four respected coaches share decades of coaching experience, debating everything from spotting philosophies and athlete confidence to judging, safety, progressions, and the coaching habits that separate good coaches from great ones. Whether you're coaching beginners or elite athletes, you'll walk away with practical ideas you can apply in your next practice. Learn the coaching philosophies that consistently produce confident, high-level tumblers. Discover when spotting helps athletes—and when better drills create stronger long-term results. Hear honest conversations about athlete safety, coaching culture, judging, and the future of tumbling instruction. Press play now to hear an unfiltered conversation packed with actionable coaching strategies that will help you develop safer, more confident, and more successful athletes. Join our Patreon for ad free listening Buy the Jason's Book, Upside Down and Back Again ⁠ Jason's On-Demand Coaches Training Videos⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Code of Points Cheatsheet FREE⁠ Join the Cheer Mom's Anonymous Facebook Group- https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Zt7hJYgHL/?mibextid=wwXIfr Brittany's Comp Cheer Checklist- instagram.com/stories/highlights/18356656174188077 Jason’s Book Recommendations- ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon Affiliate Link⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Let's Talk Cheer on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Question of the Week Other great cheerleading podcast to check out- The Cheer Biz Podcast, The Cheer Mom Podcast, Spill the Cheer, Mat Talk Table Talk, Cheer Chats Podcast, MotUS Edge Podcast, The Cheer Dad Podcast and the Here 4 Cheer Podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    How to Build Confident Tumblers Without Rushing Skills
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Are you tired of feeling totally lost when it comes to all-star cheerleading? Then the "Let's Talk Cheer" podcast, hosted by Jason Larkins, Cheer Director at American Cheer, is the show for you. Each episode Jason educates and entertains coaches and parents alike. First, so that coaches walk into each practice motivated, and so that they know they aren't alone on their journey. Second, so that parents have a better understanding of their athlete's sport. If you’re ready to join the team, you can start with a fan favorite episode from May 9th, “Jason and Brittany talk all things tryouts.” Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jasonlarkins/support

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