‘Cheer’ Coach Says She Wanted Navarro to Do the Netflix Show So ‘The World Would See’ the Cast as ‘True Athletes’
Netflix released the six-episode docuseries Cheer in 2019. Monica Aldama, the fearless head coach of the Navarro Cheer team, was recently interviewed about her reaction to the popularity of Cheer. Aldama says her relationships with the cheerleaders are her purpose as a coach. She says she wanted her team to participate in the Netflix series so the world could see the cheerleaders as “true athletes.”
‘Cheer’ coach says she doesn’t have to prove herself
Recently, CNN Sport discussed the Netflix series Cheer with the head coach of the Navarro Cheer squad, Monica Aldama. She said she’s been “learning what I could do to fill those roles for those kids.” After winning multiple cheer championships, Aldama isn’t necessarily interested in more wins. Aldama revealed that reason she stays in the coaching job is “not cheerleading.”
“I’ve won plenty of titles, I don’t have to prove myself there,” the Cheer star told CNN. “It’s the relationship with the kids and the feeling of watching them succeed.”
Monica Aldama is all about self- accountability
But Aldama still keeps her “winner” attitude for her cheerleaders. Aldama’s mantra reads: “keep going until you get it right, and then you keep going until you can’t get it wrong.”
The Cheer personality is big on responsibility for her cheerleaders. Aldama shared that “self-accountability is just such a big thing for me.
“So many people in this day and age, want to shift the blame to others and just not take responsibility for their own actions,” she lamented.
For alums of Aldama’s team, the lessons are always applicable. Aldama told CNN:
If you’ve made a commitment to be somewhere, then you should show up. If it’s class, then you should show up. If it’s practice, you should show up. If it’s a job, you should show up.
‘Cheer’ star hopes that the Netflix series shows off the athleticism of the cast
But she Aldama was incredibly proud of her Cheer cast. She shared:
These kids are honestly some of the toughest kids I know. The work ethic that these kids have is top notch, they will come in and work, work, work. Work through the pain.
Aldama added her teammates’ “commitment is unreal.” And for people outside the cheer community, it would be hard for many to recognize the raw athleticism of what Navarro Cheer does.
“I just didn’t feel like people who aren’t a part of this world really knew that these kids are that athletic and that they have that grit and that determination,” she said. She was optimistic that the Netflix docuseries would show off the young cheerleaders’ talent.
“I was hoping that the world would see them as the true athletes that they are,” Aldama told CNN.
2020 national collegiate cheer competition is canceled due to coronavirus pandemic
Unfortunately, the coach of Navarro Cheer won’t have the chance to finish out her 2020 season. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, Varsity Spirit canceled the cheer competition in Daytona, Florida. Their Mar. 15, 2020, announcement said:
Varsity Spirit has made the decision to not proceed as planned with scheduled events for at least the next eight weeks. We are actively exploring all options, including rescheduling events, extending the event season, and hosting virtual events.
Aldama shared her feelings about the cancelation on Instagram. She wrote: “My heart … is breaking for the lost memories and the lost time with my beautiful team. I was not ready to say goodbye so quickly.”
She also gave gratitude to her Navarro Cheer squad “for pouring everything they had into this entire year – for the late nights- the games- the community service- the holidays given up.”
“They are fighters and have always given me 100%,” Aldama continued. “Their routine was so beautiful and their work ethic was bar none.”
She left it on a positive note.
“What I do know,” the Cheer coach finished off her Instagram post, “is that we will be back better than ever!!!”
