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Monica Aldama went from being a small-town cheer coach to a TV star nearly overnight. The hit Netflix reality show Cheer has made Aldama famous and given her the opportunity to share some of the important lessons she’s learned along the way. One of the bits of wisdom coach Aldama learned came via her difficult divorce from her now-husband, Chris.

‘Cheer’ made Monica Aldama famous

Andy Cosferent, Gabi Butler, Jerry Harris, Monica Aldama, Chris Aldama, Morgan Simianer, TT Barker, Lexi Brumback, and Austin Aldama post on the red carpet for Spotify Hosts "Best New Artist" Party in January 2020
Netflix’s Cheer cast: Andy Cosferent, Gabi Butler, Jerry Harris, Monica Aldama, Chris Aldama, Morgan Simianer, TT Barker, Lexi Brumback, and Austin Aldama in January 2020 | Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Spotify

At the beginning of 2020, Netflix debuted a series about a competitive cheer squad at a junior college in Corsicana, a small Texas town. Amid a global pandemic and quarantine period, many viewers fell in love with Navarro’s head coach Monica. She’s clearly devoted to the sport and the young adults she works with. But critics feel that she can be too hard on them.

Some viewers expressed concern about how many injuries the athletes experienced and that Aldama may have pushed them in unsafe ways. “I don’t like to disappoint, I’m a pleaser,” Aldama told The Guardian. “So to see people’s perception of me was shocking. I’ve worked so hard to do everything right, and I have a huge heart for these kids.”

Being on the show put her in the public eye for some difficult moments, such as Cheer star Jerry Harris getting arrested and charged with the production of child pornography. Although it’s been difficult for Aldama to be criticized, she’s also heard from many fans asking for advice on issues involving relationships. So she decided to answer their questions directly. 

Monica Aldama details her marriage and divorce in her 2022 memoir

At the beginning of 2022, Aldama released a memoir, Full Out: Lessons in Life and Leadership from America’s Favorite Coach. According to Us Weekly, the book touches on many areas of her life, including her divorce. 

Aldama married her high school sweetheart, Chris Aldama, in 1994. They had two children together before divorcing in 2006. But unlike many estranged couples, it wasn’t the end of their marriage. Monica and Chris reconciled the following year and eventually remarried. She’s open about the issues that pulled them apart. 

“Having babies can be one of the hardest times of your life. You don’t sleep. You worry. I was working a lot while we were trying to raise these young children. And our marriage suffered,” Aldama wrote in her book. “It can be easy to forget to take care of each other. In 2006, things reached a crisis point: We got a divorce.”

Aldama emphasizes the importance of accountability

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Recently, Aldama spoke with Dax Shepard on his podcast Armchair Expert. One of the things she discussed involved the importance of holding yourself accountable for your mistakes. The 50-year-old even gave the example of her divorce.

“I even talk about in the book that my husband and I got divorced and then remarried,” she said. “… Sometimes we treat the people that we love the most the worst when we’re under stress. And so you start — or at least us, we started taking score. Who did the dishes, who picked up the kids — instead of being there for each other in the way you should.”

An important part of putting their relationship back together was Aldama admitting her part in the breakup. 

“I took complete ownership,” she explained. “Let me just take this moment to really spend the time that I need to work on myself. That’s how I always looked at it.” Clearly, in her marriage as well as her professional life, Aldama has found success in admitting her failures. 

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